Every autumn it is the same story: the heating goes on, the house warms up and the bites start. To get rid of fleas in the house you have to treat the pet and the home at the same time; do only one of the two and you will be back at square one within a fortnight. Here is the full sequence.
Why they come back right now
The adult flea you can see on your pet is only a small part of the problem. The vast majority of the population is spread around the house as eggs, larvae and cocoons: in the gaps between floorboards, under the skirting boards, in rugs, in the pet's bed and in the sofa.
Cocoons stay dormant for months, waiting for warmth and vibration to hatch. Turning the heating on gives them exactly that, which is why a house that looked spotless in August fills with fleas in October.
Check they really are fleas before you treat
Run a fine-toothed comb along your pet's back and the base of the tail over a damp sheet of white paper. If little black specks fall and leave a reddish halo when they get wet, that is flea dirt: digested blood. It is the most reliable test, because the adult hides very fast and sometimes you never actually see one.
How to get rid of fleas in the house in 5 steps
1. Treat every animal on the same day. Dogs, cats and rabbits in the house, even the one that is not scratching. Use a veterinary-grade product and stick to the dose for the animal's weight. Never put a dog flea treatment on a cat: some contain permethrin, which is toxic to cats.
2. Wash textiles at 60 °C. Pet beds, blankets, cushion covers, small rugs and your own bedding if the animal sleeps with you. Hot water kills eggs and larvae; a cold cycle does not.
3. Vacuum thoroughly, every day, for three weeks. This is the step almost everyone skips and the one that pays off most. Go over skirting boards, corners, under the furniture, between the sofa cushions and across the mattress. The vibration of the vacuum makes the cocoons hatch and exposes them to the treatment. Empty the canister or throw the bag away outside the house every time.
4. Treat the environment if the infestation is already established. Choose a spray or plug-in with an insect growth regulator (pyriproxyfen or methoprene): it stops larvae reaching adulthood. Keep people and pets out for as long as the label says, air the room afterwards and cover any fish tanks.
5. Repeat after three weeks. No product kills the cocoons. A second round catches the fleas that have emerged since the first, and that is what breaks the cycle for good.
The mistakes that ruin the treatment
- Treating only the pet. It gets reinfested every time it walks into the living room.
- Doing it just once. Without the second application, the cycle simply restarts.
- Relying on essential oils. Many are toxic to cats, which cannot metabolise them, and none of them clears an infestation that has already taken hold.
- Forgetting the car and the storage room. If the dog travels with you, the boot needs vacuuming too.
Keeping the house clear afterwards
Once the infestation is broken, what prevents the next one is routine: flea treatment kept up to date all season, frequent brushing and a weekly vacuum wherever the animal sleeps. Brushing also removes the loose hair that feeds larvae in rugs.
For everyday textiles, a self-cleaning reusable pet hair remover comes in handy: it keeps the sofa and the blankets clean between vacuums, with no need for sticky rollers.
When to call the vet
Book an appointment if your pet scratches non-stop and the skin over the lower back is red or bald: it could be flea allergy dermatitis, which needs its own treatment. Also if you see white specks like grains of rice near the anus, because fleas carry an intestinal parasite and the animal will need worming. And with puppies or kittens that have pale gums, go straight away: a heavy infestation can cause anaemia.
You will find more ideas for the home and for pets in our catalogue.