This is a commonly asked question on all forums related to household cleaning: how come I have a flea infestation when I have no pets? The fact is: ‘fleas without pets’ are not a myth but a reality. Flea infestations are common especially in case of new homes, just because the previous homeowner or a neighbor has had pets. Sometimes, household pests like rats and mice or wild creatures like opossums, raccoons, squirrels and skunks can also bring about fleas without pets’ infestations. In most common cases; flea infestations occur simply because neighborhood cats or dogs like to lounge near your homes or you have purchased a piece of furniture from a yard sale.
All in all, fleas without pets can be annoying and getting rid of them often proves to be a lot more difficult.
Fleas without pets: Identifying if you really have a flea infestation
Identifying fleas without pets proves a bit more difficult since there is no pet scratching heavily which is often the first sign of a flea infestation. The physical description of fleas can help you in their identification: Fleas are approximately 2.5 mm in length, they do not have wings but they can jump really high. Fleas have six long legs and flat brown bodies. The eggs, larvae and pupae are also likely to be present in households where there are fleas without pets. The larvae are pale white in color and measure about 3mm in length.
Flea bites on humans are other ways of identifying fleas without pets. Flea bites appear as red and raised bumps on the skin typically with a red halo surrounding the site of the bite. The bites are generally present in small clusters of three of four bites and the areas likely to be bit include the arms, legs and feet.
Treating fleas without pets infestations
Treating flea infestations in case of fleas without pets often ends up being a lot tougher since the identification of fleas goes unnoticed for a while. During this period, the fleas can multiply very rapidly. Additionally, if the fleas without pets’ infestations are occurring due to your neighbor’s dog or cat, then simply treating your home once or twice might not be sufficient: the fleas are simply going to come back and hide in cracks, crevices and other hiding places in your home. Many people have also had to treat their outdoors with integrated flea extermination programs since the fleas can occur from raccoons and other wild animals hiding under the porches.
There are a few things which can be done to deter fleas without pets.
- Fleas hate natural anti-microbial solutions like tea tree oil, garlic sprays, diatomaceous earth powders and borax etc. You can use these ingredients to treat all of your household areas.
- A few drops of tea tree oil can be added to bath soaps, body lotions and shampoos to be used by all family members. Alternatively, you can use it in the form of sprays to treat bedding, closets, upholstery and carpets etc.
- You can also use a mixture of baking soda and salt to treat the carpeted areas and wooden flooring.
- You can treat the yards with diatomaceous earth powders and flea bombs that are readily available in the market.
- Natural flea repellent sprays and organic flea powders can also be used outdoors to deter the fleas from coming in your home.
- Liquid garlic sprays can be used for treating the windows and doors to eliminate and prevent fleas.
Fleas are a common problem today with millions of households in US being affected each year. Using these aforementioned natural solutions can help you control this problem in a natural and non toxic manner. However, if these methods fail, it is best to opt for professional extermination services in order to get rid of fleas without pets permanently.
