Fleas in the Basement of an Apartment Building » How to Get Rid of + How to Remove and Treat and Poison

Basement fleas are a general name used for all varieties of fleas that can appear in a country house or apartment. The insects got this name because they usually live in basements, lower floors of buildings or cellars. From the article you will learn effective methods of getting rid of fleas and rules for preventing their reappearance.

Causes and types

How do fleas appear in the basement? Once they get there in the fur of a rat, cat or any other animal, they begin to actively reproduce. This is due to the fact that the warm and humid air of basements is ideal for them. Most often, fleas breed in accumulations of rags and heaps of garbage. They feed on the blood of animals (usually rats, cats and dogs) and strays who hide or spend the night in the basement.

Stages of insect development.

Having made their way into a living room, fleas look for the most contaminated areas: cluttered cabinets, old things, animal beds, as well as the space under the carpet or behind the baseboard. These are the places that need to be treated first.

Keep in mind that in order to get rid of fleas at home, it is not enough just to treat your apartment. There is a high probability that the insects will get to it again. It is possible to solve the problem forever only by thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting the basement or cellar.

Among the parasites that appear at home, you can find human, rat, dog, and sometimes even rabbit or goat fleas. An ordinary person will not be able to independently distinguish between these species. But this does not pose a serious problem: the mechanism for getting rid of all types of fleas is the same.

To successfully fight about the “enemies” you need to know everything

Fleas are wingless blood-sucking parasites, with a body flattened on the sides, the length of which can reach 5 mm. There are more than one and a half thousand of their varieties, a third of which live in our latitudes.

Not all species can live in residential premises, but only about three dozen species. True, those who have fleas in the basement of their house are not very happy about this fact.

So:

There are types of fleas that live exclusively on cats and dogs, there are birds, mice, and, sadly, parasitic on humans. They never leave their “master”, laying eggs on his fur or hair. But these are not the kinds of insects that live in basements.

Earth flea

There are varieties of very small earthen fleas that live in dust. It is insects such as those in the photo above that appear in basements. As soon as you go down to where there is a cluster of fleas, they stick to a person’s legs or clothes. In this way, they then get into the house: they settle in the pile of carpets, in cracks behind baseboards, in the folds of upholstered furniture, and, if possible, jump on pets.

Such fleas do not live permanently on humans, but when walking on the floor they bite the legs very noticeably. This is not only unpleasant, but can also be dangerous, since all blood-sucking insects are carriers of viral diseases. Fleas appear in basements in the summer and autumn, that is, when it is warm - at this time they multiply intensively.

Where do fleas come from?

As a rule, the inhabitants of apartments located on the lower floors are the first to sound the alarm: “There are fleas in the basement of the house: where to go?”

By the way, the basements of multi-storey buildings are processed by a special service at the sanitary and epidemiological station and do this at the request of the residents. As for private houses, flea treatment in basements is done by their owners themselves.

Many people are interested in how these insects appear in them:

It must be said that the microclimate of some basements is ideal for the breeding of fleas. First of all, this is a small recessed structure, an earthen floor, complete darkness, dampness and poor ventilation. All sorts of rubbish, often stored in basements, which is an excellent dust collector, also plays a significant role in this. Most often, it is the residents of multi-story buildings who think about how to get rid of fleas in the basement.
Why do you think? The fact is that these basements are warm, since hot pipelines run through them. For cats, and especially rodents, the path there is also not reserved. That is, the conditions are simply ideal. It is almost impossible to avoid the appearance of insects in such a situation, so regular flea treatment of basements is the only salvation for high-rise buildings.

A clean, dry basement with a concrete base will definitely not infest fleas.

Advice! For those who are currently building a private house with a basement, we recommend this. In order not to think about how to deal with basement fleas during the operation of the building, make sure that they cannot appear there in principle.

Do not try to save money during the construction process by leaving the floor and walls in the basement without enclosing structures. An earthen cellar is only good as a free-standing structure. If the basement is located under the house, then the concrete base and solid walls, treated from the inside with waterproofing impregnation, will not only provide the room with normal humidity, but will also rid the room of rodents and insects.

Preventative treatment of the basement against fleas should be carried out even before moving to a new house, because during the construction process insects could easily get there. Well, in residential premises where finishing has just been completed, they are unlikely to appear, since all surfaces were washed, painted and vacuumed.

In general, cleanliness in the home, as well as the absence of any animals in it, reduce the likelihood of fleas to almost zero.

If insects do appear

Fighting fleas in the basement can be done in a variety of ways. There are many drugs that the chemical industry offers: both domestic and imported - although in this matter you can get by with traditional methods.

A factory-made remedy for basement fleas is called an insecticide. There are specialized options designed only for a certain type of insect.

But most often, such compositions are universal and act not only on fleas, but also on other insects that live not only in human homes, but even in the garden. How to get rid of fleas in the basement without spending a lot of time and money? You can take, for example, “Karbofos”: the price of the drug is only 150 rubles per liter, instructions for use are on the packaging, and, believe me, it works flawlessly.

Professional remedy for cellar fleas and other insects

The only drawback of this potent substance is its smell, which does not disappear from the room for a long time. For a basement this is not scary, but for an apartment it is better to choose one of the folk remedies. How to remove fleas from the basement with their help will be discussed later.

As for chemical agents, many drugs have a similar effect: “Combat”, “Executioner”, “Medilis Cyper”, and even “Dichlorvos” or “Raptor”. It’s just that some products are sold in spray form, while others, such as Karbofos, are highly concentrated and must be diluted in water before use.

The dangers posed by basement fleas

Fleas move quickly in search of food.

Since the flea's only food is blood, it actively attacks all living creatures larger than the size of a mouse. Using sharp bristles, she precisely pierces the skin and gets to the vessel. A flea bite is quite painful. In its place there is redness and swelling. Another symptom of a bite can be severe and prolonged itching.

A flea does not remain on the body of an animal or a person permanently. Having had enough, she immediately leaves him. The impression that parasites always live on a dog or cat is deceptive. It’s just that insects quickly replace each other and multiply rapidly.

It is necessary to understand that basement fleas pose a real threat to human well-being. In addition to causing discomfort, a flea bite can trigger a dangerous infectious process. Scratching the inflamed area of skin is also dangerous - it can lead to a painful and festering wound. For this reason, it is important for anyone who finds these insects in their home to get rid of them immediately.

Fleas are known to carry:

brucellosis;
hepatitis of various types;
encephalitis;
salmonellosis;
tularemia;
tuberculosis and other serious diseases;

Thus, checking and baiting fleas in the basement should become a regular sanitary event in every home.

Why are fleas from the basement dangerous?

It is a mistaken belief that basement fleas are not transmitted from pets to people. These small insects, regardless of their type, can parasitize both various animals and rodents, and humans, causing discomfort and harm to health.

For man

Flea and people

Basement flea bites are quite painful and cause severe itching. Infection in the wound can lead to further development of dermatitis. Substances contained in the saliva of parasites often lead to allergic reactions, especially in children. This manifests itself in the form of swelling, rash, and inflammation of the lymph nodes.

In addition, fleas can be carriers of various diseases. The most common among them are:

hepatitis;
typhus;
encephalitis;
worm eggs;
plague stick;
salmonellosis.

For pets

Flea and pets

Before you get rid of fleas in the basement or apartment, it is worth eliminating these parasites on the body of your pets. After all, they can suffer even greater damage to their health than humans.

In addition to illness and transmission of various infections, the presence of fleas over time causes excessive hair loss, the appearance of wounds and baldness. Constant severe itching can cause mental disorders in animals. The presence of these insects in puppies and kittens often leads to anemia and poor development. And when they are in high concentrations, they can be fatal.

Flea Control Plan

How to get rid of basement fleas at home forever?

Your first priority is to take care of your pets and cure them of parasites.
Call the sanitation service to bait the rats and mice that are spreading fleas in the basement. After this, you should think about how to limit access to the basement for animals in the future.
At the same time, begin treating the apartment with powerful insecticides. Any high-quality product for eliminating bedbugs, cockroaches, etc. will do. We recommend paying attention to the products, “Executioner,” “Get,” and “Raptor.”
Particular attention should be paid to places where larvae accumulate. To do this, use the tools described in the previous paragraph. You can also use so-called dusts or chalks (for example, Mashenka chalk, which is usually used against cockroaches). This will prevent the larvae from hatching and will speed up the solution to the problem.
The last step is to thoroughly eliminate fleas in the basement. This will prevent them from multiplying and preventing them from re-entering your home.
In conclusion, you need to carry out flea prevention for pets, basements and living quarters. Get ready for a long and persistent struggle. Usually, these steps have to be repeated several times to finally get rid of all the parasites.

Ways to get rid of fleas and eliminate larvae

The only way to get rid of biting synanthropic parasites is total persecution of adults and their larvae. You can remove insects from your home using both folk and chemical means. But bloodsuckers will be able to penetrate into a clean apartment again, regardless of the type of human habitation. For example, in St. Petersburg, basement fleas appear from somewhere not only on the first floor, but also on the 15th floor of new apartment buildings.

Comprehensive insect control should begin with the treatment of pets. Vet pharmacies have affordable medications for cats and dogs of all ages (Bars, Frontline, Hearts, etc.).

They need to be applied according to the instructions: drops on the withers, sprays and shampoos to treat the pet’s entire body, etc. An effective remedy is collars (for example, Beafar).

In a private home, in addition to treating animals, it is necessary to independently destroy the rodents that live in utility rooms. Poison for rats and mice can be purchased at the SES or pet store, or hardware stores. After deratization, you need to begin treating the basement premises from the parasites and their larvae living there.

Effective flea treatments for pets.

Flea chemicals

If there are fleas in the basement and in the living area, you can poison them with any household sprays designed to kill insects at home.

When choosing a product, it is advisable to pay attention not only to the name of the drug, but also to its purpose: products for crawling species (bugs, cockroaches, etc.) will be most effective against fleas.

The most effective drugs are those containing permethrin, cypermethrin, etc.:

Raptor (spray for treating premises against cockroaches, fleas, bedbugs, etc.);
Raid (aerosol packaging);
Battalion commander

In addition to them, the use of other poisons is also allowed: Karbofos, Dichlorvos, Chlorophos and the like.

The drugs are also available in concentrated form for self-preparation of solutions (Tetrix, Cucaracha, Tsifox, etc.). In this case, treatment is carried out using a sprayer.

Effective insecticides for treating apartments.

Powdered dusts (DDT) are also effective against fleas. They need to be sprayed with special devices.

Powders are used only for treating rooms where people or pets are not constantly present (for example, you can dust the floor in the basement, and use aerosols in the house).

Chemicals quickly destroy any insects that fall on their covers. Remaining on the surfaces of the floor, cracks, etc., aerosol products continue to act for several more days.

Powdered preparations have a longer duration of action and are capable of destroying flea larvae leaving eggs, cockroaches and bedbugs, as well as harmless but unwanted human neighbors (woodlice, two-wort, beetles, spiders, etc.).

Folk methods of struggle

Unlike chemicals, traditional methods are not as effective. They are aimed rather at preventing the appearance of insects: aromatic herbs, which are used to get rid of fleas, expel parasites without destroying them. Such remedies include decoctions of lavender, wormwood, tansy, etc.

Garlic tincture is a folk remedy for killing basement fleas.

Garlic infusion is also used to expel bloodsuckers:

Pour crushed garlic (2-3 medium heads) with cold water (10 l);
leave for 3-4 days, then strain and spray the walls and floors in the basement and other utility rooms;
repeat treatment once a week.

In non-residential premises (in the basement), a sulfur bomb will help destroy insects. It can only be used in cases where the exit from the basement floor is on the street. Before lighting the sulfur, you need to seal the windows and seal the front door so that the smoke remains in the room for 1-2 days, destroying not only fleas, but also rodents, fungi and putrefactive bacteria.

Apartment pest control

Before poisoning fleas in an apartment, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the room: eggs and larvae can end up anywhere. The following activities need to be completed:

carry out a complete wet cleaning (wipe off dust, wash floors and horizontal surfaces), you can add vinegar to the water (1 glass per 10 liters);
wash or dry-clean clothes, bed linen, soft toys, slippers and textiles from sofas, armchairs, etc.;
pay special attention to cleaning pet equipment: beds, toys, cages;
Take upholstered furniture and large items that cannot be washed (blankets, pillows, etc.) outside and thoroughly knock the dust out of them or treat them with a steam generator (for example, carpeting on the floor).

Products containing permethrin are dangerous to fish and aquatic fauna. The aquarium must be closed before treatment. The remaining pets and children are removed from the apartment for 5-6 hours until the fleas are destroyed.

Disinsection of residential premises from fleas.

When the living area is ready for disinfestation, all rooms in the house need to be treated sequentially with insect repellent sprays:

spray corners and spaces under furniture;
try to fill all the cracks well at a height of about 1.5 m;
spray on the surfaces of upholstered furniture and pay attention to careful treatment of the joints between the back and seat, armrests, pour over the bed frame and mattress seams;
close the room and move on to spraying the next one.

When the treatment is completely completed, it is advisable to leave the home closed for several hours. Then ventilate the apartment, wipe all open surfaces with a damp cloth. There is no need to remove drug residues in hard-to-reach places and crevices: often flea larvae live there, and it will be problematic to destroy them immediately. But when moving, they will come into contact with traces of poisons and die within 2-3 days.

Treatment of pets

Pets are treated for fleas using special means. Bars is considered the most effective, but it is recommended only for adult dogs and cats. The drug contains permethrin and may cause allergies.

For kittens, puppies and small pets (hamsters, rats, rabbits, birds) use powders with natural Persian chamomile powder (for example, Pyrethrum) or shampoos. Most drugs are safe for animals and people, so there is no need to be afraid of their use.

The veterinary drugs Ivermectin (for injection) and Nitenpyram (for oral administration) can combat severe flea infestations. Before using medications, you should consult your veterinarian. He will prescribe an individual dosage depending on the weight and age of the pet, and give an injection of Ivermectin. After using such products, insects on the animal’s body die within 2-3 hours.

After treatment, it is necessary to put an anti-flea collar on the animal to prevent a new infection until the parasites in the house are completely destroyed.

Animal treatment

To remove basement fleas from your pets' fur, use the following products.

First, wash the animal with a special shampoo. This is one of the most reliable means. Repeat the procedure 2-3 times with a break of several days until the insects completely disappear. Then use it 1-2 more times as a preventative measure.
A very effective drug for eliminating fleas are drops, which you can purchase at a veterinary pharmacy or clinic. For several weeks, drip them onto your pet's withers. They will not only destroy all the parasites present on the animal, but will also scare away new ones.
If the animal suffers from numerous parasites and you want to get quick results, use the drug. Nitenpyram is designed for internal use and works within 1 hour (but be sure to talk to your veterinarian first).
Purchase and replace flea collars regularly. Read the instructions carefully: a regular collar can protect your pet from 2 weeks to 1 month.

If you have a small or sick animal, choose medications for its treatment very carefully. You need to find the least toxic option.

If your pet has parasites, choose the most gentle and safe remedy.

Means to prevent re-infestation of basement fleas

A clean basement will remain so for a long time if treatments are carried out repeatedly every 10-14 days. Larvae that hatch from eggs or escape from cocoons will be destroyed. To prevent new insects from entering the room, you need to:

eliminate rats, mice;
do not allow stray animals in;
remove trash on time;
eliminate leaks;
set traps and monitor their freshness;
use ultrasonic rodent and insect repellers and fumigators.

Basements should not become a refuge for marginalized individuals, often infested with fleas and head lice. Windows should have bars installed and doors should be locked.

Pets can be provided with flea collars. Then the bloodsuckers will not have the desire to settle on a new owner due to the repellent smell.

Animal protection organizations that aim to create guardianship over homeless animals suggest placing a cat nearby to rid basements and other premises of fleas. Her fur is treated with a long-lasting treatment.

Individuals hatched from pupae in search of food fall onto the animal’s skin and die without reproducing or populating the surrounding space with multiple new generations.

How to get rid of fleas in an apartment or house

Once you have treated your pets and removed the rats from the basement, you need to start treating your home. Of course, it is best to use the services of insect extermination teams. They will do everything quickly and professionally using individually selected and absolutely safe drugs. In addition, most companies provide a guarantee that the problem of fleas in the basement will not bother you over the coming months.

You can have your basement resurfaced by a professional. Be sure to check the premises first and remove the animals from there.

But if you wish, you can handle the processing yourself. To do this, it is necessary to temporarily remove all pets and people from the apartment. Spray all horizontal surfaces, furniture coverings and crevices with insecticidal sprays. Close the windows and doors and leave the room for 2-3 hours. After this period, thoroughly ventilate the apartment, create a draft, and carry out wet cleaning.

Although modern basement flea control products are safe for humans, it is advisable to take additional precautions. Before starting the procedure, put on a thick mask and rubber gloves. If you have long hair, wear it in a tight ponytail or braid. After treatment, take a shower and wash your hair.

Why should you entrust flea control in your basement to specialists?

When breeding, insects lay eggs in secluded places, and they wait a long time in the wings to turn into a larva. It is impossible to get rid of flea eggs and larvae by carrying out just one disinfestation. Therefore, specialists perform this operation 4-5 times within 10-12 days.

Disinsection of fleas in the basement is carried out by aerosol spraying of special preparations on the walls (1-1.5 m high), as well as baseboards and other secluded places behind which bloodsuckers most often lay eggs. After treatment with chemicals, a solution of table salt in water (1 kg per 10 l) is used. Floors and treated surfaces are washed with this concentrate.

Preparations for the extermination of blood-sucking insects are developed on the basis of synthetic pyretoroids. They do an excellent job of killing fleas and other parasites. Treatment takes 20-30 minutes, then the room is ventilated for 5-6 hours, depending on its area.

It is better to entrust such a responsible event as processing an affected object to professionals. Only in this case can you be sure of a long-term and high-quality result.

Eliminating larvae

The larvae that fleas lay in large numbers can become a serious problem. Often, a few days after treating an apartment, residents are surprised to discover new insects. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to promptly destroy all larvae deposited by fleas.

Thoroughly spray and coat with chalk all the cracks and corners of the house. In the basement, dust it off, get rid of rat nests and holes, and then treat everything with powerful products. In addition to them, use dusts (for example, Fenaxin and Clean House), as well as boric acid, Pyrethrum powder and industrial insecticides in hard-to-reach places. Experts consider the use of dusts to be the most effective. The fact is that flea larvae feed on substances of organic origin, which include this type of insecticide. Having eaten the dust, the larvae begin to rapidly die.

Of course, such careful processing will take a lot of time. But the measures taken guarantee the complete destruction of the new generation of parasites.

Reasons for their appearance

Fleas are wingless insects, so they spread directly from an infected object. It can be:

mice, rats and other rodents;
Pets;
sick people;
objects on which eggs are laid;
nearby premises where the pest already lives.

Read more: how to treat basements for mice.
The female lays a huge number of eggs - up to 500 pieces. She glues them to the owner's fur, hides them in the cracks of buildings, or shoots them into the air in small portions.

The eggs are spread over a large area, and after 2 weeks, worm-like larvae emerge from them. Any organic remains serve as food for them. Having pupated, the larva continues its maturation and, upon emerging from the cocoon, looks for a new host.

Thus, a couple of fleas can give rise to a large colony, which, spreading and growing exponentially, will fill the space, infect many animals and cause human suffering.

At risk are premises located next to basements or attics, adjacent to garbage chutes.

The most susceptible to flea infestations are:

first floors of apartment buildings;
apartments on the upper floors, if stray cats or dogs live in the entrance;
any premises where there are rats or mice.

A person can bring fleas or their larvae into the house in the folds of their clothing or on their shoes. Therefore, it is not uncommon for blood-sucking insects to be found in a sparklingly clean apartment on the 12th floor.

Processing a basement or cellar

Now it's time to move on to pest control of the basement or cellar. To do this, choose a more powerful product than what you used at home. Pay attention to the drugs, Sinuzan, Tetrix and Diazinon. Manufacturers do not recommend using them for residential premises, but they are ideal for exterminating insects in the basement.

First you need to clear the basement of all unnecessary things. Fleas love to live in piles of old clothes and trash. Without removing them, you will not be able to carry out full processing.

Spray all surfaces, corners and crevices of the basement. When leaving there, do not forget to limit the access of air as much as possible - close the door and windows tightly.

Prevention of basement fleas

To prevent fleas:

do not allow debris to pile up in the basement or cellar, ventilate and dry it periodically;
In your apartment or house, regularly carry out general cleaning and get rid of accumulated trash;
carry out wet cleaning by adding essential oils of tansy, eucalyptus, tea tree to the water (1 tablespoon per 4 liters of water);
Place dry herbs of wormwood, tansy, mint, cloves, and geranium in all secluded places, under the door and in the corners of the rooms;
Make sure your pets don't have fleas by wearing flea collars.

Prevention measures

If fleas begin to multiply in apartments, it will be quite difficult to expel them. Therefore, it is necessary to take all measures to prevent such parasites from entering a person’s home. To do this you need:

Cleaning the apartment should be done regularly. Particular attention should be paid to items that accumulate dust.
It is better to take off dirty shoes in the hallway. This applies to all family members. Do not practice walking around the apartment in heavy shoes.
To move around the living space, it is better to use separate shoes, for example, indoor slippers.
Regularly carry out cosmetic repairs in the apartment, as over time, cracks appear in building structures. This is especially true when the apartment is on the ground floor.
If you have just purchased an apartment, then first of all you need to make repairs and only then can you move into it. Biting insects always hide in cracks, behind peeled wallpaper, under old linoleum or laminate flooring.
Monitor your pets, treating them from parasites from time to time. As a preventive measure, it is better to buy collars for them.
After walking outside with pets and upon returning to the apartment, it is better to wash the animal’s paws and comb the fur to check for the presence of fleas. This is an effective measure that helps prevent various insects from appearing in the apartment.
To repel harmful insects, you should use bouquets of dry plants, such as mint, wormwood, tansy, lavender and others.
Ensure that the relevant services promptly carry out disinsection and deratization of basement and attic spaces. Monitor order in the entrance and on the landing. Clean and treat the mat in the front door in a timely manner.
If fleas are detected in your apartment, you should not put off fighting them “until later,” as they multiply at high speed.

On a note! Basement flea bites are quite painful and unpleasant. In addition, parasites are carriers of various quite dangerous ailments.

If you start fighting any insects in time, then folk remedies can easily cope with this task.

✅ Fleas in the apartment. How to get rid of it yourself. Disinfector's recommendations