Guide to Preventing Tick and Fleas in Your Home

How To Prevent Tick and Fleas in Your Home

prevent tick and fleas

Ticks and fleas can be a menace when they invade your home. More so, if you live with pets. These unwelcome guests will crawl and lay eggs in corners and crevices that are hard to reach.

And, when they get out of hand, the pests can transmit infections like Murine Typhus, Lyme disease, or the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever to your family members. Then, how do you prevent tick and fleas pests from accessing your home? Here is a quick guide provided by Pro Pest Control Gold Coast who offer pest management throughout South East Queensland.

The Plan

Here is the thing. You may not be able to stop your cats and dogs from bringing fleas and ticks into your house. But, if you can make your home hostile to their breeding, then you have a fighting chance against them. Then, take measures that make your yard and pets, and house impossible for the pests to breed.

Maintain Your Yard

Mow your yard and cut your trees regularly. It will be less inviting for the pests. Indeed, ticks and fleas tend to hide in tall and unkempt grass in your backyard. Plus, such vegetation invites wild animals that bring in the ticks and fleas with them.

Next, if you feed your pets in the outdoors, ensure your remove and wash the feeding bowls immediately after the feeding time. For, leaving such dishes out in the grass will only invite wildlife who carries the pests to your yard.

Disinfect Your Yard

Next, do your dog or cats spend a lot of time in the outdoors? Then, plan to disinfect your yard after every six months.

Indeed, the dog’s yard can have a build-up of mold and bacteria over time. These pathogens are not safe for you or your pets. Instead, they form an ideal breeding ground where ticks and fleas can lay their eggs.

Fleas

Then, invest in a safe and reliable flea spray for your yard. Or, opt for natural ways to disinfect your compound. Here are some money-saving tips for cleaning and disinfecting your backyard.

  • Invest in the right cleaning tools. These include gardening gloves, hand pruners, wheelbarrow, and rakes.
  • Clear the ground of any decomposing leaves or fecal matter. Plus, remove and debris or leaves that can prevent the disinfectant agent from getting to all the exposed areas. Use appropriate lawn bags to dispose of them.
  • Pressure wash all the dog kennels, porches, and surfaces that will not implant your garden plants. Here, opt for a commercial disinfectant that is effective on bacteria and viruses.
  • Use a regular tick and flea control for your long-haired cats or dogs.

Home Vacuuming

Note that, ticks and fleas can infest a house even when it is spotless. For, even walking your dog in the park can bring back these pests into your home.

That’s why you should vacuum your house at least once each week. Doing so will get rid of any eggs or larvae in those hard to reach areas.

Plus, it will force the adult fleas and ticks to come out of their cocoons. Such areas include underneath the carpet, in the corners of furniture and upholstery, crevices and cracks, and your basement areas.

Then,

  • Opt for a powerful vacuum cleaner with a pet tool. Use it on your pillows, cushions, carpets, and rugs.
  • Fleas and ticks can breed in the vacuum cleaner. Then, ensure you discard the vacuum bag outside your home after cleaning.

Steam Cleaning

Use soap and hot steam to kill any eggs, larvae, or adult ticks and fleas hiding in your carpet. Pay more attention to your pet’s sleeping areas.

Do you allow your pets into your bedrooms? Then, wash your beddings in hot soapy water every fortnight. In severe cases, you may have to replace your linens with clean and disinfected ones.

Use Natural Deterrents

Did you know using safe deterrents like vinegar, lemongrass, and bay leaves can discourage fleas and ticks from breeding in your home? Yes, vinegar is a known cleaning agent, antiseptic, and preservative.

Lemongrass is excellent against ticks

Natural deterrents, like essential oils, are safe for your pets and family. They leave a sweet scent around your home. If you are on a strict budget, consider the following DIY tips for homemade fleas and tick’s repellent.

  • Pour several drops of vinegar into a spray bottle with water. Use it to spray your dog, cats, or any other furry pet.
  • Scatter some bay leaves in areas where your pets roam. A few bay leaves emit sufficient scent to keep the pests away. Then, be checking on the bay leave and replace them with fresh ones when they start to wither.
  • Use a large bowl to mix baking soda, dried yeast, and sugar. Apply the dry mixture to spray your compound and dog kennel.
  • Mix up to 15 drops of essential oil with a tablespoon of carrier oil. Then, add this mixture to your dog’s cotton collar. Or, pour the mixture in a spray bottle filled with water. Shake the bottle then use it to spray around your home.

General Cleaning

Finally, keep your home clean at all times.

De-clutter your home, getting rid of things that you no longer use. Have designate areas where the family spends most of its time.

General Cleaning

Be careful with food droppings, especially if you have young ones who love to snack in between meals. Use the vacuum cleaner to pick up all the food dropping on your seats, bed, and floor.

Conclusion

Note that a tick or flea infestation may take you several months to clear. Hence, prevention is your best approach towards these pests.

Then, if you cherish having pets around the house, come up with a concrete plan to prevent tick and fleas from getting to your house.

Keep your home organized and your yard clean at all times. Never give these unwanted guests a chance to invade your home.