If you spot movements of tiny dark specks on your carpet or on your pet’s fur, you might already be looking at a serious flea infestation. That’s because less than 5% of the total flea population can be seen in the open. The rest of these bloodsucking bugs dwell deep within carpet fibers and pet furs. One of the most obvious indications of flea infestations is when your pets start to scratch and nibble their bodies more than they usually do. If you positively identify a flea problem in your home, it’s time to prepare for war!

Fleas populate incredibly fast and they can live outside your pet’s body. This means they can quickly spread from your pet to the carpets and then the entire home. Fleas can also live and infest backyards and upholstery. Unless you want to fumigate the entire home to get rid of these unwelcome guests, you need to act fast. Following is a step-by-step guide on how to control a serious flea infestation quickly. You should make treating your pet a regular part of taking care of them.

Step-1: Cut off Their Food Supplies

Like any good military general, you need to first cut of their supply lines. Considering fleas feed on blood, you have to deprive them of that. The first order of business is to give your dog or cat a medicated bath. Look for quality pet meds online and get flea shampoos, combs, and flea dips. Spot-on flea solutions are also highly effective in killing off all the flea population on your dog or cat. After you treat the dog, it’s time to use topical flea repellent solutions or sprays for the humans in the house. Now, with the food supplies completely cut off, the dwelling fleas have no option but to look for alternative food sources elsewhere. Due to the lack of food, your home is no longer a favorable breeding ground. This move alone should prompt the enemy to retreat.

Step-2: Carpet Bomb the Backyard

If you have ever seen the movie Troy then you already know the grave risk that comes with letting enemies set up camp near your home. Fleas can survive without food for days in your backyard, silently waiting for your dog to venture back out again. To stop that from happening you need to kill all the fleas in your yard using yard sprays for fleas. Yard sprays are commonly available at local pet stores as well as online pet shops. If you want a natural solution, buy bags of diatomaceous earth and sprinkle generously to cover the entire yard. While being deadly to a resident flea population, diatomaceous earth is completely safe for pets and plants.

Step-3: Vacuum Your Way to Victory

Once the yard is secure, it’s time to launch a search and destroy mission to kill the fleas in your home. Carpets, upholstery, and your pet’s bedding should be your primary targets. Here’s a tip. Take some diatomaceous earth put it inside the dust container of your vacuum cleaner. This way the fleas that are sucked in are killed inside the vacuum cleaner dust tank. There are flea control sprays available on online pet stores. Use them on severely affected areas. Be careful as dogs and other pets can get poisoned by some flea spray products. Restrict their access after fogging or spraying an area.

Step-4: Prepare Your Defences Against Future Attacks

After destroying the last-standing flea, it’s time to adopt proper preventive measures. Buy flea collars for your dog and perform annual yard treatments. Consider administering monthly spot-on solutions to keep fleas away from your pets. If your pets are clean your home would invariably be flea free.