Most of the time, treating your pets for fleas and ticks with a monthly preventative is enough to keep an infestation out of your home and yard. Most of the time.
If the critters are out of control, you may have to take action to evict fleas and ticks from your home. This doesn’t mean you should stop the monthly flea and tick preventative for your pets, either! The absolute best way to keep fleas and ticks off your pets (and out of your house) is to use a preventative all year round. In some areas, where winter temperatures drop below freezing for long periods of time, you may not need flea and tick preventatives during colder months.
- Become a vacuuming maniac. Hit the floors several times per week to reduce flea populations. Studies have shown that vacuuming can really cut down on the number of fleas in a carpet.
- Wash pet bedding at least once per week, if not more. Use the hot water cycle and as an added bonus, you’ll kill off allergy-causing dust mites, too. Using the dryer has also been shown to kill ticks.
- Try a spray or fog. Better yet, do it twice. Follow instructions on the label and spray or fog the house one to two weeks apart. Look for products that contain both flea and tick insecticides and a growth regulator to help keep any survivors from reproducing.
- Spray flea and tick habitats around the yard. Fleas like moist and shady spots — under bushes, under porches, and in crawl spaces. Ticks like tall grasses and weeds. You may need to repeat this weekly while you’re clearing up an indoor infestation.
- Keep grass and weeds mowed short in the yard to discourage ticks from taking up residence.
- Keep up with bathing and grooming pets. First, because it’s good for your pets. Secondly, it will help you keep an eye out for critters. Third, a shampoo and rinse can help remove some fleas and ticks. (Maybe not all, but some is better than none!)