How to quickly get rid of fleas at home?

As in every matter, a well-thought-out strategy will help you quickly get rid of household fleas in your apartment. Based on the instructions in this article, create a consistent, clear action plan and follow it diligently. A thorough approach to the matter will save you from additional effort and costs.

Are there human fleas?

An insect called Pulex Irritans or the human flea chooses human blood for nutrition, even if there are animals within its reach.

This is a dangerous parasite that transmits a large number of diseases, including bubonic plague and dangerous forms of helminthiasis.

Human fleas originated from the warm regions of South America, where they parasitized mainly guinea pigs.

Flea

If many other types of fleas exist in a limited habitat, then human ones over time were able to spread throughout the globe.

Preventive actions

To prevent a re-infestation of fleas, you need to follow these simple rules.

• Do wet cleaning twice a week, including in remote areas.
• Train your pet to wear a flea collar.
• Treat the entrance to the living space and ventilation with special crayons.
• Ventilate your apartment periodically.
• Hang bedding in the sun.
• Wash soft toys and treat upholstered furniture.
• If necessary, carry out repairs by covering all cracks in the floor, walls, etc.
• Don't let other people's animals into your apartment.

If you disinfect your apartment and adhere to preventive measures, you will not only get rid of flea infestations, but also prevent them from reappearing.

Signs of a parasite

Fleas on the human body are difficult to miss - their bites are painful and cause severe itching. It is mistakenly believed that these parasites prefer to live on the head, similar to lice, but this is not true: they can infect any part of the body. The easiest way to find them is on the legs - fleas parasitize there most often, since the height of their jump is about 50 centimeters. Rashes that appear as a result of bites are called pulicosis.

Characteristic symptoms of infestation by human fleas:

• redness of the skin at the site of the bite;
• severe itching;
• swelling;
• scratching wounds;
• suppuration in later stages;
• swollen lymph nodes;
• in some cases - weakness and increased body temperature.

Important! The symptoms of flea bites are very similar to allergic urticaria, so it is necessary to immediately identify the cause of the lesion.

Fleas resemble large black dots that stand out on the skin; the insects jump and move quickly.

Flea bites on humans - what they look like, symptoms, photos

Flea bites appear almost immediately in people. And the action itself, when the parasite pierces the skin, is very painful, a burning sensation occurs, the damaged area itches, the wound may not heal for a long time, the blood will continue to come out, since the flea introduces an enzyme under the skin that inhibits blood clotting. The bite looks like a red swelling with a wound in the middle, which can remain on the skin for a long time. An increase in swelling will mean that an allergic reaction has occurred. The allergy can be so severe that a “flea antigen” was developed to treat it.

To avoid the spread of infection, you need to treat the inflamed areas with at least regular soap. Ideally, an antiseptic or any alcohol product. Then you need to apply ice and a drug that relieves itching. These measures are simple, but they relieve the condition well.

Appearance of a flea

Typically, the human flea, unlike its relatives that feed on the blood of dogs and cats, is much larger in size: its body length can reach 4 millimeters.

Size is the only significant difference. Otherwise, there will be practically no difference in appearance: six legs with small claws, pronounced hind limbs, a small head. There are no wings.

Body color is brown, cover is chitinous. With the naked eye it is very difficult to distinguish the differences between human fleas and lice or other small blood-sucking creatures, but they can be distinguished by their ability to jump - this is a characteristic and clearly visible feature.

Only an entomologist using strong lenses or a microscope can see a reliable difference between cat, human or rat fleas.

Do fleas live on humans?

Fleas most often fall on humans from the skin or fur of animals - both domestic and wild. The only purpose for which they use people is food. Parasites do not stay on the skin for a long time; when they are full, they jump off and stay nearby.

Bites

Now in urban areas there is much less chance of encountering this insect: most often they live in basements, tall grass and places with large concentrations of stray animals.

Among all the types of fleas that can become parasites in humans, there are:

• human (Pulex Irritans);
• cat (Ctenocephalides felis);
• rat (Xenopsylla cheopis);
• sandy (Tunga penetrans).

All of them can attack humans, so it is important to recognize the symptoms in time and take measures to destroy the parasites.

Fighting fleas in humans

The insect acts as a carrier of many diseases, among which are the following:

• salmonellosis;
• plague;
• anthrax;
• helminthiasis;
• encephalitis;
• brucellosis;
• tularemia.

But people rarely become infected with these serious illnesses through fleas. Much more often, pests cause such consequences as pulicosis. This is a whole set of symptoms that cause an allergic reaction. Among them:

• headache, insomnia and irritability;
• profuse rashes in the bite area;
• high body temperature;
• inflammation and suppuration of the lesion on the skin;
• the appearance of ulcers in the throat and mouth;
• enlarged lymph nodes.

The fight against blood-sucking parasites in humans is divided into two categories. This is the elimination of the consequences of the bite and the destruction of the insects themselves. The legs are mainly affected: feet, ankles and lower legs. But often fleas also bite the scalp. They usually hide in a person's hair and in the folds of clothing.

How to get rid of insects?

As soon as an infestation by blood-sucking parasites is detected, disinsection must be carried out immediately. The treatment is carried out comprehensively: first, fleas are removed from people and pets, then the insects are destroyed indoors.

Chemicals

The most effective way to kill fleas indoors is with an aerosol. Raid, Executioner and Raptor show good results. These drugs effectively treat adults. How exactly to get rid of fleas using insecticidal chemicals is indicated in the instructions for the drug.

To destroy the larvae, insecticidal powders are used: Clean House, Peretrum and others.

For subsequent prevention, Gardex, Off Extreme and Bi-Ban sprays are used.

Folk remedies

There are many traditional ways to fight fleas. They are recommended to be used both as auxiliary methods for exterminating insects, and as the main method if people or animals have allergies and high sensitivity to the components of chemical preparations.

Fleas react poorly to strong odors, so for treatment they use:

• garlic;
• kerosene;
• tansy tincture;
• citrus essential oils, as well as concentrated juice or zest;
• coniferous tree shavings;
• Brewer's yeast.

To treat the skin, 4-5 drops of eucalyptus oil are added to any fatty cream and applied to the body, being careful not to touch scratches and bites.

In domestic animals, fleas are destroyed with a saline solution in the proportion of 1 pack of coarse salt per 10 liters of water. The cat or dog should be washed with this product for 4 minutes.

Tar soap is also effective - baths with it are indicated for flea infestation for both people and animals.

Professional pest control

If none of the described remedies work, you will need to contact a specialist - they will know exactly how to get rid of fleas and will give recommendations to prevent re-infestation. This is usually necessary in cases where the affected area is too large.

Pest control

The extermination of insects is carried out by sanitary and epidemiological stations and private companies. Typically, the average time for complete disinfestation of a room is from 30 minutes to an hour. You will need to remove children and pets from the apartment, and after 4-7 hours, thoroughly ventilate the room.

How to get rid of fleas from your pets

Nowadays, there are a lot of different flea control products sold on the pet care market. All of them can be divided into groups:

• Preparations for local use with a long period of action. Their range is huge.
• Anti-flea drops are widely used. The drug is applied to the withers of a woolly pet. This medicine is easy to use, and if you follow the instructions strictly and make sure that it is suitable for the animal, you will definitely get results.
• Sprays are in aerosol cans. They are designed to completely process the animal's fur; even areas around the eyes and ears must be disinfected. In this case, the spray must not get on the pet’s eye mucosa.
• Bath solutions. They are rarely used, as animal owners are afraid for the health of their pet, because the effect occurs on all skin integuments at once. But these products are absolutely safe if the animal is healthy. Before bathing, the pet's ears are covered with cotton to prevent liquid from getting into them.
• Shampoos with anti-flea effect. Lather the animal with this shampoo and keep it in the foam for 10 minutes. This type of flea control is characterized by the least toxicity, but has a delayed effect, but a long period of exposure.
• A flea collar kills parasites when used correctly. Adjust the strap on the animal so that two fingers can fit under it. If irritation occurs, do not use such a collar, but buy a product from a different manufacturer. Air the flea collar for a couple of days before use.
• Oral medications in tablets and ampoules for injection. These medications contain components that inhibit the formation of fleas. Tablets are usually given once a month, and injections are given once every six months. Along with these measures, it is necessary to combat adult individuals.
• Combs, combs. Most pets, especially cats, adore these products; they themselves run to the procedure. These items are absolutely safe.

When choosing a method of combating parasites, you need to take into account the breed, health status, type, degree of infestation, age and other factors.

How dangerous are fleas to humans?

Human fleas not only cause unpleasant bites, but are also carriers of many dangerous bacterial and parasitic diseases.

It was fleas that caused epidemics of plague and typhoid. Also, through the bite of an ordinary human flea, you can become infected with encephalitis, tularemia, listeriosis and pseudotuberculosis.

Flea bites are dangerous for allergy sufferers, small children and asthmatics: the body's reaction can be unpredictable.

Fortunately, modern medicine has an extensive arsenal of tools to combat both human flea bites and subsequent complications.

How to get rid of the human flea - control measures

Due to the fact that small bloodsuckers do not live permanently on the human body, measures to combat them must be comprehensive. That is, disinfection must be carried out in all places where small bloodsuckers can hide. To do this you need:

carry out general cleaning using a vacuum cleaner, paying maximum attention to cleaning carpets and upholstered furniture; wash the floors with bleach, shampoo, vinegar, and other scented products; wash the baseboards and panels with the addition of a scented detergent; wash your beds and basic household items, bedding, houses, rugs where your four-legged friends live; rid your cat, dog, chinchilla, parrot from parasitic bloodsuckers in any convenient way (drops, sprays, collar, shampoos, soap, tablets).

People need to take a bath with hot water and wash their hair with dust soap. A good preventive measure would be to go to the sauna, this will help get rid of any signs of the parasite on the body.

The most effective, albeit expensive, way to get rid of parasites is to call special sanitary and epidemiological services. They provide a 100% guarantee for the effective and safe implementation of anti-epidemiological measures using:

Biorina; Sinuzana; Effective Ultra; Chlorpyrimark; Empire; Extermina F.

Flea remedies for children

Human fleas do not live permanently on adults and children, but they bring them unpleasant sensations from bites and the possibility of blood poisoning, so it is extremely necessary to get rid of them. Among the dangers is the likelihood of infection:

plague; typhus; tapeworms; rickettsiosis; dermatophiliasis; tularemia; listeriosis; pulicosis; dipylidosis; pseudotuberculosis.

Fleas and their bites are especially dangerous for young children. Their immune system cannot withstand such stress, so the bite site becomes bright red and has noticeable swelling. In addition, the wounds constantly itch and itch. Fenestil ointment helps well against flea bites (it relieves pain). The wounds are treated with brilliant green, hydrogen peroxide, and diluted vinegar. Bloodsuckers that have adapted to feeding on human blood cannot be exterminated by fishing. To get rid of them at home, you need repellent folk remedies and chemicals (the effect of the latter is undesirable for children).

Fleas are afraid of:

strong odors of some plants (tansy, chamomile, mint, wormwood, geranium), bay leaves, pine needles, citrus fruits, camphor, vinegar, kerosene, bleach, bleach, essential oils; insecticidal aerosols Raptor, Raid, Combat, Executioner, Gett, etc.

When treating premises, you should remember that means to get rid of human fleas must be poisonous to parasites, but safe for people, and in particular children.

Treatment of bites

To relieve pain and itching, the bite sites are wiped with a cotton swab soaked in boric or ethyl alcohol. The skin can be pre-washed with soapy water. To reduce swelling, apply an ice cube.

All fleas on the human body are removed mechanically: this can be done in the shower with a stream of water, and combed out of the hair with a fine comb.

Antihistamines are used to relieve the symptoms of an allergic reaction.

As an additional therapy, you can use traditional methods: make a compress with a decoction of mint and bird cherry, apply lemon peels or drunk tea.

If, in addition to skin manifestations, there is an increase in temperature, purulent inflammation and enlarged lymph nodes, you need to consult a doctor.

Additional examination may also be required to prevent the development of complications and concomitant diseases carried by parasites.