3 Vacuum Cleaning Mistakes People Make When Trying To Remove Fleas From A Carpet

6 June 2016
 Categories: , Blog


If you have a serious flea infestation in your carpet, you may want to use an insecticide or flea killer to deal with the problem, but your trusty vacuum cleaner can sometimes do the job for you. However, if you don't use your vacuum cleaner correctly, you may not actually solve the problem. Here are three time-wasting mistakes some people make when using a vacuum cleaner to remove fleas from carpets.

Using the vacuum cleaner once

A single session with your vacuum cleaner is unlikely to solve the flea infestation problem for you. Fleas go through various stages during their lives, and you'll almost certainly need to vacuum clean your carpet every day for at least 14 days to get the result you want.

Studies show that vacuum cleaners can effectively kill fleas thanks to the brushes, fans and air currents used in these appliances. However, given that fleas may hatch fourteen days after an egg is laid, you need to make sure you clean the carpet every day for at least that period to guarantee success. 

Missing patches of carpet

To get the result you want, you need to use the vacuum cleaner diligently. This means that you need to cover every square inch of the carpet. If you rush the job, you're likely to miss patches of carpet, which means you may not collect every egg or flea.

Methodically vacuum clean the carpet in strips, starting on one side of the room. Pay special attention to areas like the corners of the room and along the skirting boards, as these are places where fleas may hide or try to escape. You'll need to get under the furniture as well, so make sure you have enough time to thoroughly vacuum clean the entire carpet every day.

Failing to empty the vacuum cleaner

The vacuum cleaning process will kill some fleas, but some of the critters will probably also survive. What's more, if you suck up eggs and larvae, fleas can still emerge later on, and if the vacuum cleaner bag sits inside the machine, the fleas may climb out and get back in the house.

When you have finished cleaning, place the vacuum cleaner bag in an airtight plastic bag, and dispose of it in an external rubbish bin. If you have a bagless vacuum cleaner, remove and empty the internal tank every time you vacuum clean. For complete peace of mind, wash the tank with hot, soapy water to remove any fleas, eggs or larvae that you may find inside.

Vacuum cleaning is an effective way to deal with fleas, but you need to use the appliance correctly. Talk to a carpet cleaning service for more information and advice about ridding your home of fleas.


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