Do you want to get rid of allergic fleas from your house? Of course, you should want to do it, as the fleas are harmful enough to bring uneven skin infection to human bodies and pets. But how can you clean fleas from your home, especially from carpets? Does vacuuming kill fleas?
According to much scientific research, it is well proven that vacuuming can help you kill both adults and larvae of fleas on a large scale. In addition, killing fleas using a vacuum cleaner is the most efficient solution for controlling the flea population. However, you should do the vacuuming process right.
Hang on. A few more things to consider while killing fleas using a vacuum cleaner. How often should you vacuum fleas? When and how will vacuum fleas provide you with better results? You should know the answer to these questions.
So, let’s go straight into the deep discussion.
Can Fleas Survive a Vacuum?
It has always been a tough job for people to get rid of fleas. The harmful fleas are something you can’t avoid spreading at your home. But unfortunately, it becomes difficult for house owners to deal with the fleas once the adult fleas start to lay eggs.
You may often find it challenging to inspect the fleas on your floor covered with carpet. And this situation is way more challenging when it comes to killing fleas. But don’t worry. Vacuuming your carpet, in most cases, brings positive results in killing fleas.
According to a study by Ohio State University researchers, vacuuming fleas results in cleaning 100% of adult fleas. But what about the younger or baby fleas? The Research also shows that you can kill 86% of immature fleas by vacuuming them. [Source: Science Daily]
So, after knowing the above scenario, there’s no scope for doubt that fleas can’t survive in a vacuum. Fleas can hardly survive a vacuum.
How Does Vacuum Work to Kill Fleas?
Now, you may wonder why vacuuming fleas are more efficient than other methods regarding removing fleas from your home. Well, a vacuum does two things in this case. First, the vacuum cleaner can kill the eggs of fleas that may be in the carpet’s nap as it uses a brush to work over your carpet’s areas.
Second, the powerful suction of a vacuum cleaner can help you pull out adult fleas on the surface of your carpet.
Moreover, the fascinating thing about a vacuum cleaner is that even if you want to spray prestige to kill the fleas, vacuuming helps the pesticides get deep into the carpet fiber.
Another important thing the vacuum cleaners do when it comes to killing eggs. Vacuum cleaners destroy the food of fleas, and if there is a lack of food, the fleas aren’t able to lay eggs or grow up prominently.
So, skipping or overlooking the vacuuming process in terms of killing or controlling fleas won’t be better. Furthermore, killing fleas by vacuuming becomes more effective if you use prestige each time you vacuum fleas.
Here’s a video that can also help you understand more about how a vacuum works to kill fleas:
Do Vacuums Kill Flea Eggs?
Yes, without any doubt. Along with killing adult fleas, the vacuum cleaner can also kill flea eggs. Killing flea eggs is the first thing you should do in order to control fleas from your home.
Moreover, it takes around 2-3 days for eggs to produce fleas. So, this is a crucial period to vacuum the flea eggs so they cannot produce fleas. The brushes and strong suction power of the vacuum clear can suck up flea eggs, larvae, and pupae no matter how deep they are on your carpet.
Now, let’s hear from a researcher at Ohio State University about killing fleas using vacuum cleaners.
Hink said, “I did not include flea eggs in the vacuum study, but I’m sure they would not have survived.”
How Often Should You Vacuum to Get Rid of Fleas?
There are no mandatory rules that you need to vacuum the fleas a certain number of times. More often, it depends on how many fleas are on the surface of your home and what condition they are in.
However, as the fleas’ eggs can hatch within 2-3 days, you should try to vacuum the fleas daily for a certain amount of time.
Moreover, if you want to apply pesticides, then make sure you vacuum the fleas before applying the pesticides. But don’t forget, consistency of vacuuming is vital when you tend to kill fleas using vacuum cleaners.
Furthermore, it’s better to make a schedule and strictly follow that so you can keep up the consistency of vacuuming fleas. This will help you kill the fleas no matter what stage of life they are in.
What Type of Vacuum Cleaner Should I Use to Kill Fleas?
There is no rule of thumb that you need to use a specific vacuum cleaner to kill fleas. For example, you can use both bagged and bagless vacuum clear.
Eventually, it is also possible to vacuum fleas using upright, stick, canister, or handheld vacuum cleaners.
But, as the fleas can locate more often on the carpet; you need a vacuum cleaner that works best to clean the carpet. So, in this case, you can go with the corded vacuum cleaner, and they can clean deeper on the carpet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Vacuum Fleas off a Cat?
Yes, vacuum cleaners can kill fleas off a cat. However, it would help if you used the handheld vacuum cleaner in this case. Furthermore, ensure the vacuum cleaner’s suction power is not high.
Higher suction power can hurt the skin of your cat. In a nutshell, you need to vacuum gently on a cat to remove fleas.
How Long Can Fleas Live in a Vacuum Cleaner?
Luckily, fleas can’t live in a vacuum cleaner. That’s why vacuuming fleas using a vacuum cleaner is so effective. But, here’s a catch. First, ensure your vacuum cleaner’s suction power remains high.
This will provide the vacuum cleaner’s power and kill the fleas immediately upon contact.
Does Baking Soda Kill Fleas?
Fortunately, yes. Baking soda has the ability to kill fleas on a large scale. So here, what you need to do is to sprinkle some baking soda on your carpet. Once you are done with this, the next step will be to scrub the carpet and vacuum it to end the proceedings.
Final Words
It’s time to kill the fleas from your home. You may never want allergies spreading to your body parts because of fleas on different surfaces of your home, Maybe the cat you love the most. Or other animals.
However, experts suggest using pesticides after you vacuum the fleas. However, if the number of fleas in your home is not so acute, only cleaning the flesh will be bare enough.
Furthermore, keep the carpet where the fleas live for a certain period to get expected fleas-killing results. Lastly, don’t forget to clean your vacuum cleaner’s filter or bag every time you kill the fleas.
