Carpeted floors, rugs, wood floors, and upholstered furniture should be vacuumed regularly.

Vacuum more frequently in rooms that your pets visits often, in high-traffic areas, such as doorways, and under furniture where pets spend time.

During periods of infestation, be sure to change your vacuum bag frequently, and seal it tightly before disposing.

During an active infestation, you may want to vacuum some rooms twice, since your first pass through may stimulate new adults to emerge from their cocoons.

Since fleas tend to stay close to ground, be sure to clear floors, including closets, before vacuuming.

Steam cleaning and shampooing is an effective method of eradicating eggs, larvae, pupae and adult fleas. The thicker the carpet, however, the more likely some larvae and eggs will survive.  Wash uncarpeted floors weekly is possible.

Remove carpet only as a last resort.

Resting Area for Pets

Place towels under your pets' resting places.

During periods of infestation, use two sets of towels, washing one set each day to remove eggs and larvae as well as adult fleas and droppings.

You can also apply an insect growth regulator (IGR) to the towel.  IGRs mimic natural insect hormones, and prevent flea eggs and larvae from maturing to adulthood.

Outdoors, replace wooden pet houses with plastic or other material, and clean regularly.

Care for Pets

Spend five minutes every day picking fleas off of your pet's fur.  Fine-toothed flea combs are extremely useful it your pet's hair is relatively short or thin.

Crush fleas with a tweezers rather than with your fingers (to prevent irritation caused by flea mites), or drop fleas into a bowl of water containing a few drops of shampoo or detergent.

Groom over a washable towel.

Groom skin as well as fur, since fleas like to burrow.

Bathe your pets regularly, but avoid shampoos that dry out skin.  Some pet shampoos contain herbal and citrus extracts and oils that act as natural flea repellants.

Dry pets in white towel, then dispose of any fleas that have jumped onto the towel.

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