Fleas may be a part of your lifestyle if you live with cuddly, fur-bearing animals. You probably do all you can to get rid of them but still occasionally get bites that cause your skin to itch and can develop other more serious symptoms. Even if you never see one, if you find yourself scratching, especially around your feet and lower legs, there’s a good chance you have bites.
Normally, the parasites can’t live on humans, but they may get shaken off your pet and land on your skin where they won’t hesitate to bite. Some people are allergic to the bites and develop bleeding welts that may require the attention of a doctor. You may use anti-bacterial creams to treat these welts that will reduce the itchiness and soreness of the area, but seeing a doctor may be your best option. If your home is harboring a flea infestation, it may have an impact on your health that you don’t immediately see.
Living with an infestation in your home can have serious consequences on your and your family’s health. You may already be using mobile phone features to monitor your heart rate and exercise on a smartphone as well as keeping track of your caloric intake. This information is secure, especially today with smartphones features like Samsung anti-theft safeguards. So why not use the same health approach toward flea control – looking for the best tools.
For example, vacuuming with the strongest suction power of a conventional, home vacuum cleaner will remove up to 96 percent of the parasite population. Just make sure you carefully vacuum every square inch of carpet in the infested room and any areas adjoining the room. When you empty the bag of dust, make sure you do it outdoors and double bag it before you put it in the trash outside your home.
Another way to make life difficult for the parasites to remain in your home is to lower the temperature and humidity. They love a warm and moist environment and will not flourish if your thermostat is set at 70 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. If you have several pets or work with animals, an added precaution would be to install a dehumidifier to extract moisture from your indoor air.
One parasite can bite several hundred times every day, and there are often more than 500 inside a home with pets along with eggs, larvae and pupae. You can use toxic chemicals to kill them, but there are other more environmentally-friendly methods such as using banana peels. They are attracted to banana peels but they cannot digest banana enzymes so they die. Save your banana peels and put them in strategic places around your house for one or two days at which time you should see dead fleas on the peels.
Most people make every effort to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but sometimes forget the little things that can make a big difference. If you have animals that live like family members, it’s worth taking the time to de-flea your home. You’ll eliminate itchy and harmful skin irritations, and your pets will thank you.