A flea bomb is a device for getting rid of fleas in an enclosed space like a home or building. Flea bombs are designed to be left alone to release pesticides or insecticides at a controlled rate. A flea bomb is also called a flea fogger because it creates a fog of the chemical it releases. Flea bombs or flea foggers are popular with consumers because they are a more cost effective alternative to hiring a professional pest control service. Each flea bomb is able to cover a particular floor space so the number of flea bombs required will depend on the size of a building.

What must a user know before using a flea bomb?

Flea bombs should be handled carefully because they might contain inflammable gases which could lead to an explosion if used in the presence of a naked flame or pilot bulb. In any event most flea bomb’s contents would almost certainly be toxic so the manufacturer’s instructions must be followed scrupulously. Other steps are to ensure that the home is vacated before use. All food preparation surfaces must be covered and all heat and fire sources turned off.

How does a flea bomb work?

When the flea bomb for home is activated, it releases toxic gases at a slow rate. The gas takes about 8 hours to fully penetrate the home and act. During this time the home shouldbe kept empty and firmly shut. After the 8 hour period the home should be well ventilated to expel all residual gases. It is best not to reenter the home for at least two hours after treatment. All surface areas should be thoroughly cleaned to remove any traces of the chemical. This includes cooking utensils in particular.  The flea bomb is effective only within the home. To eradicate fleas on your pet and the area surrounding your home, you will have to separately apply specific remedy solutions. Sometimes the gas is not able to penetrate certain areas especially under furniture and some inaccessible nooks and crannies. It is advisable to follow up a flea bomb treatment with an insecticide spray in these hidden areas.

Which are the best brands in flea bombs?

Some of the best known brands of flea bombs that work are Raid, which is also known for insect killing. Another good brand which has received excellent flea bomb reviews is Zodiac. Arguably the best brand with the best flea bomb reviews is the Mortein Flea Bomb, available in 150 gm cans. Each can is rated to be effective for about 175 sq ft of floor space. Mortein Flea Bombs leave no residual odor and its effect is good for 9 months after treatment.

Where to buy flea bombs?

The best places to buy flea bombs are at pet stores and supermarkets like Target and Wal-Mart. A good option is to buy them online at Amazon where they are available at better prices. You’ll probably get a better selection online as well.

How Does A Flea Affect Humans?

Fleas are rarely found on humans and never nesting on them, but humans are susceptible to flea bites, especially those who constantly handle animals. A flea bite on a human has a small red center surrounded by a reddish inflamed area. It can come in clusters or singly, and is extremely itchy with a sensation that lasts up to 3 days. Flea bites rarely pose a health risk to humans unless one develops an allergic reaction. However you can develop a condition known as popular urticarial if you are particularly sensitive. This is typified with the formation of a number of red, itchy lumps. Fleas from dogs and cats most often bite below the knees and around the ankles, or on the forearms if you have been stroking your pet. Flea bites on humans generally disappear without any complications but might leave dark red marks during the healing process. The best form of treatment is an over-the-counter 1% cortisone cream to help relieve the itching. If you are looking for a natural remedy you could cleanse the bite with an astringent like witch hazel to kill bacteria. Tea tree oil is an excellent natural remedy which is antibacterial and also cleanses and soothes the skin. When the bite is cleaned, apply an ice-pack to reduce the swelling and itchiness. A dab of honey on the bite helps keep it clean and itch free.

What About Flea Bites On Cats And Dogs?

Flea bites on dogs and flea bites on cats can lead to flea bite dermatitis or flea bite allergy. Flea saliva is responsible for many skin conditions arising from flea bite causes. Typical symptoms are severe itching, medically known as pruritis which gets more acute with the age of the animal.

What Is The Best Form Of Treatment For Pet Dogs And Cats?

Total flea control which includes not just the infected pet, but also its surroundings and in fact the whole house and garden, is necessary to both eradicate fleas and treat flea bites on the animal. Pets that are allergic to flea bites might require steroids or antihistamines. If open sores are present they could develop secondary bacterial infection which might require antibiotic treatment.

What is the best way to avoid flea infestation?

Flea bite prevention is the best cure. Groom your pet regularly and watch out for early signs of flea presence so that you can take counter measures before the fleas can breed and spread. You should learn how to get rid of fleas in your house. Once fleas are well entrenched it is difficult to eradicate them.

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Steps To Remove Fleas On Dogs

• Spray a safe pesticide around your house paying particular attention to places mentioned in the earlier paragraph where fleas are likely to congregate.
• Vacuum your whole house including upholstery, bed linen, floor cracks and carpets. This will help in sucking out flea eggs, larvae and other flea traces.
• Brush your dog to try to shake out flea eggs and flea poo.
• Treat fleas on dogs for which there are several over-the-counter options. You could bathe it using a flea shampoo, dust a flea powder into its coat or use a flea collar. A very popular and effective technique these days is to use a special liquid flea repellent which is applied between the shoulder blades and disperses over the dog’s skin.

It is difficult to get rid of fleas on your pets because eggs, which are not killed earlier, hatch after your initial treatment and are liable to breed again.  You might have to repeat your treatment to ensure complete success.

Steps to rid your cat of fleas

Getting rid of fleas on pets is not always easy since flea eggs and larvae get distributed around the house. Here are steps to follow to rid your cat and your home of fleas:

• Run a flea comb through your cat’s fur to remove whatever fleas and flea debris you can.
• Apply a flea repellent which can be a flea powder, flea repellent solution or a flea collar. There are many repellents available but make sure they are not toxic. There are a quite a few good flea control products for cats available at Amazon that are inexpensive. Many cat owners prefer to use natural flea repellents. A good natural repellent is to boil a lemon in water for a few minutes and allow it to steep overnight. The water becomes a repellent in which you immerse your cat for a few minutes so that the water penetrates through to the skin. This works only against mild flea infestation.
• Vacuum the whole house taking particular care with the upholstery, carpets and any areas where the cat frequents.
• Treat the whole house with an appropriate flea treatment like a pesticide spray or a Flea Bomb. This might be toxic so carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Deworm your cat against fleas which it might have ingested. Fleas are carriers of worms.
• Repeat the treatment after a week to kill any larvae that might have hatched from surviving eggs.

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Are flea bites dangerous?

Not in themselves, but fleas are known to be carriers of certain diseases and tapeworm. However flea bites do cause acute itching, scratching and licking in animals which leads to dermatitis and other skin conditions. With humans, a flea bite leaves a scratching sensation and a red mark which might last for a day or two. You should know how to treat flea bites to prevent further aggravation of the swell.

Why is it difficult to eradicate fleas?

The problem with a flea infestation is that only between 5 and 10 percent of the fleas in your home stay on your pet animal, and these are adult fleas. Fleas can thrive anywhere where conditions are suitable. They reside in cracks in the floor and furniture, on carpets and upholstery, in dark places under furniture and even in the yard and garden. The female flea lays up to 50 eggs per day. But the eggs soon fall off and distribute themselves in places where your pet rests or sleeps. The adult flea also draws more blood than it needs when it feeds. This excess blood passes through its gastric system where it dries in miniscule particles and drops off along with the flea eggs. So when the eggs hatch releasing larvae, the larvae have an abundant supply of food in the desiccated blood particles nearby. This is how fleas breed so profusely. If the situation is so acute and the fleas have spread all over your home then to eradicate them will need a dual approach – your home and your pet simultaneously.

What is the best way to kill fleas?

To rid your home of fleas, follow these steps:

• Thoroughly vacuum your home especially around the areas where your pet sleeps, carpets and upholstery.
• Treat your pet with a suitable flea powder, flea collar or flea shampoo.
• Spray a good insecticide or pesticide around your home. Make sure you include dark areas, under your furniture and anywhere else fleas are likely to shelter. You could also use a flea fogger or flea bomb which is more effective, though the entire process will take several hours during which your home will have to remain closed and empty.
• Spray your yard and garden with a recommended insecticide.
• Since fleas are hardy it is advisable to repeat the process after a week or so to allow for any eggs, which might have survived, to hatch.

How to get rid of fleas naturally?

• Getting rid of fleas naturally is not quite so easy and takes much longer, though there are several home remedies for fleas. Here is one method:
• Vacuum your home thoroughly.
• Trim the lawn and plants in your garden and try to expose dark areas which fleas prefer.
• Bathe your pet with a herbal flea dip. This can be made with two cups of fresh rosemary boiled in water. Take the extract when cooled and add it to a gallon of warm water. Apply this liberally on the pet working it into the skin. Follow this up with a sprinkling of lemon mixture on the pet’s collar after you have dried your pet.
• To kill fleas in your garden or yard, make a few flea traps. This is just soapy water kept in an open pan which attracts fleas and holds them. Change the soap water daily.
• Repeat the process till the fleas are eradicated.

How do I find fleas?

An adult flea is large enough to be seen when you separate animal’s fur. It is a reddish brown insect which moves and jumps rapidly. Fleas live exclusively on warm-blooded animals and birds. With piercing mouth parts they draw blood from their hosts after first injecting an anti-blood clotting agent in their saliva.

How do fleas affect humans?

Fleas bite humans, leaving a small dark red spot around which the area becomes red. Flea bites are intensely irritating and can last for a day or two. Fleas are carriers of disease to humans and other animals. They become intermediate hosts which are able to transmit parasitic worms and other diseases.

How do fleas affect domestic pets?

The presence of fleas on dogs and fleas on cats is first detected when your pet starts scratching intensely which might include biting and licking. This is distressing to the animal and unhealthy for its skin. Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) is a common complaint with flea-infested pets.

Where do fleas lodge in a home?

Fleas depend entirely on their hosts for food and spend a considerable amount of time lodged in their fur.  Strangely though their real home is where their hosts rest and sleep. Fleas are able to shelter and breed in carpets, upholstered furniture and cracks in the floor. In fact any areas with suitable conditions which are frequented by their hosts are good enough. Fleas lodge in a gardens if soil and climatic conditions are suitable. It is estimated that only about 5 percent of the fleas in a home are on the pet itself. The remaining 95 percent are lodged in various places around the home including the garden.

How do they feed?

When fleas draw blood from their hosts they tend to suck out more than what is needed. This is nature’s way of ensuring their survival. The excess blood passes through their digestive tract undigested and quickly hardens to become food for the next generation. When the pet rests, the eggs and droplets of dried blood fall off. Since the eggs and coagulated blood are in the same location, when the larvae hatch they do not have to move far for their food. This way they are able to survive with a good stock of food without being attached to the host.

What’s the best way to eradicate fleas?

Because they are so widely spread, getting rid of fleas in the house is no easy task. This is a two-pronged attack where you will have to treat your pet and the rest of the home on the same day. In addition you should repeat the whole process a few days later in case any eggs survive and hatch in the intervening period. To eradicate fleas from your home follow these steps:

• Vacuum the entire home paying particular attention to crevices, cracks and hidden spaces which might harbor fleas at various stages in their life cycle, their eggs and minute droplets of dried blood on which they feed.
• Spray pesticide or insecticide all over the home and your yard paying particular attention to carpets, rugs and other places which your pet frequents and sleeps. Spray in all dark spots because fleas are allergic to light.
• As an alternative you could fog your house using a flea bomb, but follow the instructions carefully.
• If your home is mildly infested you could use a flea trap which is cheap and requires no chemicals, but the outcome is difficult to predict.
• Treat your pet. The older method of flea powder, dips and flea collars are obsolete. The latest treatment is an anti-flea veterinary formulation applied to the skin of the pet between the shoulder blades, which disperses through skin oil. You can also use chewable tablets for dogs.
• Repeat the procedure after a week.