Appearance
The body of carpet fleas is narrow, laterally compressed. For ease of movement, there are special bristles and hairs on its surface. They help to stay in the owner’s fur, carpet pile, clothing or feathers. On the head and chest of parasites there are special ridges with large teeth - ctenidia.
The length, depending on the type, varies from 1 to 5 mm. In sexually mature females, due to the greatly expanded abdomen, the body length reaches 1 cm. On the head behind the simple eyes there are antennae. The male uses them to hold the female during mating.
All types of carpet fleas have three pairs of limbs. The strongest of them are located on the chest. Their main purpose is to ensure rapid movement of the insect. Due to their structural features, they allow them to be held on surfaces at almost any angle.
Carpet fleas move by jumping, using their second and third pair of legs. At the back of the abdomen there is an organ characteristic only of them, consisting of especially sensitive hairs. It allows you to capture the slightest vibrations in the air.
How are carpets cleaned at a dry cleaner?
Carpets can be cleaned by dry cleaners in a variety of ways. The danger is that quite often the so-called “professionals” have no idea how to clean. The carpets are different. It is strictly forbidden to apply the same cleaning methods to each carpet.
When dry cleaning carpets, it is necessary to use specialized chemicals (they are not sold in markets or soap departments of supermarkets). Thanks to the active components, it is possible to remove old stains. However, if the chemical is not neutralized, it will destroy the carpet.
How not to clean carpets?
Never hesitate to inspect the equipment and soaps that carpet cleaners use. Below is a cleaning procedure that is strictly prohibited.
We are talking about washing carpets at a car wash. The procedure is approximately carried out as follows:
- water is supplied to the carpet under high pressure from the water supply;
- foam is applied to the carpet;
- foam is removed from the carpet with water under pressure;
- the carpet is hung on the side of the road to dry (car washes in most cases are located on the side of the road).
Such a large amount of water has a negative effect on glued carpets. This is especially true for carpets with natural pile (wool). In addition, most old contaminants will not be removed with this type of washing.
If there is animal hair in the carpet and it will remain where it was. As a result, the carpet will remain dirty, only further spoiled by a large amount of water.
Professional carpet cleaning: using modern methods
It is hardly an exaggeration to say that carpet washing is a real science. Initially, a professional must inspect the carpet in person. Based on the material of the carpet, its condition (old/new - with/without bald spots), the degree of contamination, a decision on a specific method is applied.
As a rule, the procedure looks like this: treatment is carried out with an electric brush, all stains are treated with special chemicals to ensure their softening, mechanical cleaning is performed (often using a single-disc rotary machine), then the professional concentrates on treating local old stains, and finally the entire carpet is covered with rinse aid, which neutralizes the effect of previously used chemistry.
The rinse aid is washed off using the water you brought with you (it is highly filtered using reverse osmosis filters). Drying is often done using special hair dryers.
Only in this case can we say that the carpet will be clean and undamaged.
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Flea reproduction
Carpet fleas are characterized by a complete transformation cycle. They do not prepare a special nest for their eggs and larvae. The female throws out eggs wherever necessary. Some of them can get stuck in the fur, while others end up in the environment. About 2 weeks pass from the moment of oviposition to hatching. The larvae are legless; in appearance they resemble miniature worms.
The basis of nutrition for the larvae is the feces of adults and the remains of the skin. During their development, they molt 3 times. After the last molt, pupation occurs. To do this, the larvae surround themselves with a cocoon consisting of silk-like fibers. After hatching, the adult simply lies in wait for its next owner. The average life expectancy usually does not exceed 2 months.
Fighting methods
There are different ways to get rid of carpet fleas at home. The choice of one or another of them depends on the degree of infestation, preferences and capabilities of the owner. The main thing is an integrated approach. To remove fleas from a carpet, you will have to treat not only carpets, but also furniture, flooring and baseboards. These places are ideal hiding places for adult insects and their larvae.
Cleaning the house
With a small infestation, thorough cleaning will help remove carpet fleas. During this process, most of the eggs and larvae will be destroyed. To do this, you need to thoroughly vacuum and wash all possible habitats:
- Carpets, rugs, floor coverings.
- Skirting boards.
- Furniture.
- Pet beds.
How to treat rugs against carpet fleas when cleaning? In this case, you can use any detergent. Both ordinary washing powder and special liquids for washing floors and cleaning furniture coverings are suitable.
Essential oils
To remove carpet fleas at home, essential oils of various plants are used:
- eucalyptus;
- chamomile;
- mint;
- rosemary;
- citrus fruits.
Before treatment, the carpet must be pre-vacuumed. The oil is applied to pieces of fabric or cotton swabs, which are then spread over the surface of the carpet and furniture. Do not apply directly to objects or the carpet itself. Oils leave stains that are difficult to remove.
Insecticides
How to treat carpet and furniture against fleas in case of severe infestation? In this case, special insecticidal agents will come to the rescue. The most accessible and well-known is ordinary household dichlorvos. Before spraying it, be sure to make sure that there are no people or pets in the area being treated. Dichlorvos only affects adult insects and larvae. Therefore, after 10 days the treatment is repeated. This will allow the newly hatched individuals to be destroyed.
In case of severe infestation, use professional products: Sinuzan or Empire. Based on them, a water emulsion is prepared, which is sprayed throughout the house. After professional disinfestation, there is no need for repeated treatments. Such drugs destroy adult insects, larvae and eggs, which prevents the subsequent spread of parasites.
To disinfect basements and attics, use Butox or Deltsid. Aqueous solutions are prepared on their basis. They not only destroy existing parasites, but also prevent re-infection.
How can you get fleas out of a carpet at home if insecticides and aromatic oils are not available? In this case, folk remedies will come to the rescue.
Prevention
To protect yourself and your home from carpet fleas, you need to follow simple rules. The house should be kept clean, ventilated, and free from dampness. You can wash your floors with wormwood solution from time to time for preventive purposes. They regularly bathe their pets with anti-flea shampoos. They strictly monitor the entry of foreign animals into the home - carriers of harmful insects.
You need to make sure that the basement is not infested with insects. If carpet fleas still live there, you need to call a team of exterminators.
How to deal with carpet fleas, watch the video:
Folk remedies against fleas
When used correctly, folk remedies are quite effective, which makes it possible to avoid the use of aggressive chemicals.
Wormwood and tansy are worse than fire for carpet fleas
How can you get rid of fleas in a carpet using herbs? Some plants contain natural permethrins, which are deadly poisonous to insects. For example, there are a lot of them in the widespread tansy. An infusion is prepared on its basis, which is then used to treat flea infestations. Common wormwood is effective against carpet fleas. It is laid out dry and fresh or an infusion is prepared based on it.
To prepare a herbal infusion, pour 2 tablespoons of herbal raw materials into a glass of boiling water. After 10 hours of infusion, the product is ready. The resulting liquid is sprayed onto the surface of the carpet or furniture.
Cold, steam and sun
To kill carpet fleas, an ordinary household steam generator is also used to steam clothes. They are used to treat the surface of carpets and furniture. Steam destroys adults, larvae and eggs. Treatment is carried out 2 to 3 times at intervals of a week.
An ancient method of killing domestic parasites is freezing. It is unlikely that you will be able to completely freeze a house or apartment. But it is quite possible to take the carpet out into the cold. Parasites die even after 2-3 hours of freezing.
The sun is no less destructive than steam or frost. Simply take the rug out into the sun and leave it there for a few days. Eggs and larvae will begin to die within 2-3 hours. Sexually mature insects are more resistant to sunlight. Therefore, it is recommended to additionally wash the carpet with shampoo and insecticide.
Baking soda
How to quickly get rid of carpet fleas in your home using baking soda? To do this, it is mixed in equal proportions with regular table salt. The resulting mixture is scattered over the surface of carpets and other habitats. After a day, all treated surfaces must be thoroughly vacuumed.
A solution of salt and soda is also used in liquid form. After the components are completely dissolved, it is sprayed over the habitats. After complete drying, surfaces and objects are vacuumed.
Pine shavings and herbs
Pine shavings or sawdust are used to kill carpet fleas. The essential oils and phytoncides they contain repel and destroy insects. The shavings are simply scattered in places where parasites accumulate and live. After 3-4 days, it is swept away or cleaned with a vacuum cleaner.
The shavings are also used to fill pet bedding. If necessary, it is poured into small fabric bags, which are then hung throughout the house.
Herbs that have a strong aroma are also used to kill parasites. Bunches are formed from them, which are laid out or suspended in the habitats of parasites. Herbs can also be crushed, and the resulting raw materials can be scattered along baseboards, ventilation holes or on fleecy surfaces. It is left there until the insects disappear completely.
Signs of pests
Finding out that there are fleas in the house is easy. You should take a close look at the home. Place a light-colored cloth on the carpet, turn off the lights for half an hour, then turn them back on quickly. If black jumping spots are seen on the fabric, these are fleas. Bites on the body will also tell you about the presence of parasites.
If there are insects in the apartment, bites will definitely appear in the area of the knees, on the back, and sides. They are small and inconspicuous, but you can see them. Often a bruise appears at the site of the bite, since the flea does not introduce clotting substances under the skin.
Pay attention to what pets look like and observe their behavior. If the mentioned parasites are present, they will itch in the back and ears.
It can be quite difficult to remove earthen fleas; they are not able to jump high and live on the floor
