When it comes to managing and preventing fleas indoors, using the best flea spray for home that is safe for people and pets is a must.
Since fleas can carry and transmit harmful diseases to both people and pets, it’s important to be proactive in preventing fleas from entering your home. But how do you know if you have fleas inside? Most importantly, how do you get rid of them using the best flea spray for home products?
Today, we are going to learn more about fleas and what attracts them, and discuss which types of flea sprays are best to use inside of your home and out.
Let’s begin.
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What Are Fleas?
Fleas are considered parasitic insects who feed on living hosts.
Fleas are flightless insects that grow to be around 3 millimeters long and, though they don’t have wings, can jump incredible distances to attach themselves to living hosts. Most flea infestations begin outdoors, where fleas cling to animals like livestock, pets, and wildlife to feed on blood.
Once attached to a host, fleas can be accidentally brought into our homes where they can multiply and spread. Though fleas are not poisonous, their bites can cause itchy irritation and sometimes even lead to an allergic reaction in sensitive people.
Worse, fleas can transmit very serious diseases like typhus, tungiasis, tularemia, and even the bubonic plague. Yikes!
While many insects do play an important role in a healthy ecosystem, fleas are considered parasitic pests and should be remedied using a number of methods including preventatives like the best flea spray for home.
What Has Attracted Fleas To Your Home?
Fleas are common in areas where wild animals like raccoons frequent.
Fleas are most active during the warmer months of spring and summer. However, depending on where you live in the United States, fleas can be active all year round, especially in warmer climates. When it’s flea season, pets are generally the main source of a flea infestation and often unwittingly bring fleas into our homes.
That said, fleas don’t particularly like human hosts, but they will feed on humans if nothing else is available. Otherwise, fleas prefer animal hosts like unprotected dogs, cats, wild rabbits, racoons, squirrels, possums, and other mammals.
Oftentimes, fleas are brought to your property after hitching a ride with wild animals. With that in mind, anything that attracts wild animals to your property like rotting fruit, vegetables, bird seed, and even garbage can increase your chances of encountering fleas.
If your pet goes outside and picks up a flea or two, it may bring it into your home, as we mentioned above. If this happens, fleas can multiply inside your home and spread out, feeding on other pets and even biting you and your family members.
Identifying Fleas – How To Tell If You Need The Best Flea Spray For Home
Fleas are small and may be difficult to spot, but you can look for signs of them around your home.
Before you purchase the best flea spray for home use, make sure you do indeed have a flea problem inside your home. Since pets are typically carriers of fleas and often lead to our homes being infested, experts recommend keeping an eye on them specifically.
Sometimes, it’s hard to tell if your pet is infested with fleas. These insects are very small and don’t often cause irritation until after they begin biting. One of the best ways to determine if your pet has fleas is to look him over thoroughly and watch for signs of chewing, scratching, or excessive licking.
If you notice your pet exhibiting these behaviors, it may be time to look around your home for signs of fleas.
Some of the most common signs of fleas inside the home include flea dirt. Flea dirt is flea excrement that looks similar to pepper and is left behind wherever the host has been.
The first place experts recommend checking for flea dirt is your pet’s bedding and belongings. Look closely at blankets, your pet’s bed, and in the folds of plush stuffed animals and other toys. We also recommend looking closely at human bedding, clothing, in linens and at furniture and carpeting.
If you find evidence of flea dirt or if your pet is licking, chewing, or scratching excessively, you can check him over carefully with a comb. Look for flea dirt between your pet’s fur and any evidence of live or dead fleas as well.
Other signs of fleas in the home are small, red bites on your body. Different people have different reactions to fleas bites, but many people report flea bits causing minor irritation or itching to their skin.
If you do have fleas inside your home, don’t wait to get rid of them. Remember, fleas can carry serious diseases that can harm both people and pets.
Luckily, there are plenty of sprays you can use inside your home. But what is the best flea spray for home use?
Let’s find out.
Best Flea Spray For Home – Indoors
Some natural indoor flea sprays are safe to use on dogs and bedding.
Dealing with fleas can certainly be unnerving, especially if they have invaded your home. Because insecticides and chemical repellents can be harmful to people and pets, many people prefer to look for the best flea spray for home products that are natural and use ingredients that are safe.
That said, some flea infestations require more intensive treatments, and the best flea spray for home use may need to include chemicals.
Are you wondering what some of the best flea spray for home options are that will kill and prevent fleas in your home and yard? Then you’re in luck. We have listed some of our favorites for you to check out below.
Vet’s Best Flea Spray For Home
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We recommend the above flea spray as one of the best flea spray for home uses because it is specifically designed to be used in the home and on pets. It uses essential oils to kill and repel fleas without being harmful to people, pets or the environment.
You can spray this solution directly on your pets and around your home on different surfaces to kill fleas inside and prevent their eggs from hatching. It won’t stain and is safe for carpets, bedding, furniture, upholstery, dog crates, and blankets. You can also use this spray outdoors if need be.
Zeocon Precor Flea Spray
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If you have a serious infestation of fleas in your home, one of the best flea spray for home infestations might be this flea spray above by Zeocon. One of it’s active ingredients is permethrin, which is a powerful insecticide that targets and kills not only fleas but also ticks, mosquitoes, spiders and other pests.
That said, this product does include toxic chemicals that can be harmful to people, pets and the environment so it should be kept out of reach of children and used only as directed.
PetArmor Home and Carpet Flea Spray
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Another spray we have added to our list of best flea spray for home use is by Pet Armor. This flea spray is specifically designed to be used inside your home. It is powerful enough to kill and remove fleas, ticks, and even bed bugs!
You can spray this product directly on furniture, carpet, and other surfaces. Once it is sprayed it can keep protecting your home for several months.
Adams Flea And Tick Home Spray
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Adams Flea and Tick Spray is another of the best flea spray for home uses as it is specifically designed to be used indoors. You can spray it on a number of surfaces from carpets to curtains, although the product warns against spraying directly on pets.
While this is an effective flea spray, it does contain some chemicals that can be harmful to people and pets and should be used with caution. Furthermore, it includes an insect growth regulator or IGR, which is an ingredient to help kill flea eggs and prevent future infestations.
Best Flea Spray For Home – Perimeter And Yard
Protecting your perimeter and yard is important to help keep fleas away.
Since flea infestations generally begin after pets pick them up from the yard, it is always wise to use the best flea spray for home and perimeter use. Let’s take a look at some of the best flea spray for home uses you can use outdoors to help protect your family and pets from bringing fleas inside.
Wondercide Flea and Tick Yard Spray
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One of the best flea spray for home, yard, and perimeter use is Wondercide outdoor spray. This is a spray that is ideal for protecting your perimeter and can be sprayed around plants and fruit trees to prevent fleas from thriving and waiting for a host.
This spray uses natural ingredients that are safe for people, pets and the environment and can also work against other pests like ticks and mosquitoes.
Adams Plus Yard Spray
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Another of the best flea spray for home and yard control is Adams Plus yard spray. This product offers up to one month of protection against not only fleas, but also ticks, mosquitoes, crickets and ants.
It is an effective tool for flea control and prevention, however it contains a pesticide chemical that can be harmful to people, pets and the environment. For this reason, we recommend using this product only as directed and of course keeping it out of reach of children.
Eco Defense Flea Spray For Yard
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If you want the best flea spray for home and yard use but are concerned about using flea sprays that contain chemicals, we would suggest you try Eco Defense Flea Spray for your yard and the perimeter of your home.
This product is safe for people, pets, and the environment. It can even be sprayed on garden plants! It covers up to 5,000 square feet and uses natural ingredients to repel fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes.
Other Products You Can Use To Protect Yourself From Fleas
Sometimes even the best flea spray for home protection doesn’t work on its own and you will likely need to take other steps in order to protect your pets and homes from fleas.
Along with using the best flea spray for home you can find, we also recommend using flea and tick collars or topical treatments for your pets. Some of our favorite products to protect your pets from fleas are listed below.
Bayer K9 Advantix Flea And Tick Prevention
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Since pets are usually the hosts of fleas and often the unwitting vehicle that transports fleas into your home, it is highly recommended that you use a preventative to keep them safe and flea-free.
One of the preventative measures you can use is Bayer K9 Advantix. This flea preventative is specifically for dogs and requires the use of an ointment. The application is easy to use and lasts for one month before it needs to be reapplied.
Seresto Flea And Tick Collar For Dogs
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Flea and tick collars are perhaps the most common form of flea protection when it comes to our pets, which is why we have listed the Seresto Flea and Tick Collar for dogs above. Again, this collar is specifically for use on dogs but you can order Seresto flea and tick collars for cats as well.
Flea collars tend to last longer than ointments or other types of applications for flea prevention and can protect your dog longer as well, which is often why they are preferred.
TevraPet Actispot ll Flea and Tick Prevention For Cats
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Since many cats are outdoor cats and often don’t wear collars, we have listed TevraPet flea ointment for felines. This product can be used on your can to protect them from fleas and ticks and will prevent your cats from bringing fleas and ticks back into your home.
This is a great product for cats who refuse to wear collars or for owners who want a quick and easy flea preventative they can topically apply to their cat with no muss and fuss.
How To Make The Best Natural Flea Spray For Home On Your Own
You can make your own flea spray using essential oils and other household ingredients.
Along with purchasing the best flea spray for home products, did you know that you can also make your own flea repellent sprays using ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen pantry or refrigerator?
In fact, fleas are repelled by a number of home ingredients that are natural, safe, effective and inexpensive to use.
Like many pests, fleas are repelled by a number of essential oils including:
- Lemongrass oil
- Lavender oil
- Peppermint oil
- Rosemary oil
- Cedarwood Oil
- Eucalyptus Oil
- Tea Tree oil
- Citronella oil
- Clove oil
- And Rosemary Oil
You can make the best flea spray for home use by combining 10 drops of the essential oil of your choice with one cup of water in a spray bottle. Shake the bottle to mix the solution and then spray it around your home to kill and repel fleas.
However, do not spray essential oil sprays on your pets or on yourself without doing plenty of research. Some essential oils can cause skin and eye irritation and should be used carefully.
With that in mind, there are some recipes for the best flea spray for home and pets you can use that are safe for people and pet skin.
This recipe below is the best flea spray for home and pet use we could find:
What You Need:
- 1 quart of water
- 1 thickly sliced fresh lemon
- 10 drops of lemongrass oil
- 10 drops of citronella oil
- 3 drops of cedarwood oil
- 1 cup of white vinegar
- 1 spray bottle
Instructions:
Boil the water and add the sliced lemon to the pot. Let it steep overnight. In the morning, add the mixture to a spray bottle. Drop in lemongrass oil, citronella oil, cedarwood oil, and white vinegar, and shake to mix.
You can then spray this on your pet’s coat as needed to protect them from fleas and even ticks! Refrigerate this spray when you are not using it.
You can also make the best flea spray for home use using other household ingredients, including:
- Dish Soap
- Salt
- Lemon Spray
- Baking Soda
- Rosemary
- Herbal Flea Spray
- White Vinegar
- Apple Cider Vinegar
This video shows how you can easily make your own herbal flea spray for home use on your own.
And now that you know how to make the best flea spray for home use on your own, let’s learn a bit more about fleas and how to prevent them from returning to your home in the future.
What You Should Know About Fleas Before Buying The Best Flea Spray For Home
Remember, fleas are parasitic insects who attach themselves to human hosts. They often enter our homes by hitching rides on our pets and then spread, risking the transmission of diseases, allergies, and more.
But what else should you know about fleas before you buy the best flea spray for home? Sometimes, the more you know the better you will be to protect yourself and your loved ones from these annoying little parasites.
Let’s take a look at a few facts you may not have known about fleas.
- Fleas Do Bite Humans
In general, fleas prefer animal hosts like dogs, cats, and wild animals. That said, they can and will bite humans to feed if nothing else is available. You are more likely to get bitten by fleas if there is an infestation inside your home, so watch out!
- Flea Bites Appear In Clusters
How do you know if you have a flea bite and not a mosquito bite or insect bite from another pest?
Unlike other pests, flea bites on humans appear most often in clusters of three on the ankles, feet, and legs. These bites don’t usually hurt, but they can be itchy. In some people, flea bites may even cause an allergic reaction.
- Diseases Caused By Fleas Are On The Rise In Some US Cities
One of the most common diseases caused by fleas known as Typhoid fever has been on the rise, especially in Los Angeles, California. This is due to the increase in unsanitary conditions in the city. For this reason, veterinarians in LA are being more vocal than ever about the importance of protecting your pets from fleas.
- Fleas and Lice Are Not Related
Both fleas and lice are wingless parasites that feed on animal hosts to survive, but they are not related and, other than not having wings and eating blood, they have very little in common. Most notably, lice do not carry diseases and are much less dangerous than fleas. However, lice are more likely to choose human hosts than fleas are.
How To Prevent Future Flea Problems In Your Home
Fleas are not only annoying, startling, and disgusting, but they can also be dangerous. Because they can spread such terrible diseases and illnesses to both people and pets, it’s very important to implement not only treatment methods to get rid of them, but also preventive methods to keep them from coming around in the future.
You can help reduce your chances of encountering fleas again by following the below routines:
- Protect Your Pets Against Fleas Using Common Preventatives
One of the most important steps in preventing and dealing with fleas is to keep your animals protected. Since dogs and cats are the primary hosts of fleas and often bring them into our homes, we suggest using over-the-counter methods and remedies as recommended by your veterinarian like flea sprays, flea collars, ointments, and more.
- Mow And Landscape Consistently
Mow your yard and keep your landscaping nice and tidy. Doing this will help prevent hiding places for fleas and also reduce the chances of their wild animal hosts from moseying on through your yard at night.
- Plant Flea Repellent Plants In Your Yard
Fleas are repelled by a number of plants including lavender, basil, rosemary, catnip, lemongrass, marigolds, sage, chrysanthemums, peppermint, eucalyptus, pennyroyal, chamomile, rue, tansy and sweet bay. These plants can also help prevent other garden-destroying pests from coming around as well.
That said, we recommend doing plenty of research before planting any pest-repellent plants in your yard or garden as some can be harmful to people and pets if touched or ingested.
- Vacuum, Sweep, and Sanitize Your Home
Practicing routine cleaning habits around your home is one of the best ways to help prevent and reduce pests like fleas. Vacuum and sweep often and use quality cleaners to sanitize surfaces. Doing so can remove adult fleas as well as their larvae and eggs and help stop a flea infestation inside your home before it gets started.
- Wash Your Pet’s Bedding And Toys Often
Even if your pet is protected, we still suggest routinely laundering their bedding and toys. This will help keep everything sanitized and clean and reduce the chances of fleas, flea larvae, and flea eggs from spreading throughout your home and causing an infestation.
- Do Not Leave Garbage Bins Out Overnight
Garbage bins attract a number of wild animals, most notably raccoons and possums. These types of animals are notorious for transmitting fleas to your yard and property.
In order to reduce the chances of your pet picking up fleas in your yard that have been brought in by wildlife, keep your trash cans sealed and stored away until it is time for trash day.
- Remove Rotting Fruit In Your Yard And Pick Vegetables As Soon As They Are Ripe
If you have fruit trees or a vegetable garden, try and be vigilant and remove fruits and veggies as they ripen. Avoid leaving fruits and vegetables out to rot in your yard or garden as this can attract a number of pests from wild animals to fleas.
And remember, fleas may be small but they can be dangerous. If you feel your pet has been infested with fleas and a flea infestation has transmitted into your home, you may want to contact a professional for assistance.
So, what do you think? Do you have other types of sprays you would consider to be the best flea spray for home use that we forget to mention? Leave us your thoughts in the comment section below.
Jack founded our blog after two decades of working in the pest control industry. His vast experience dealing with a wide array of pests allows him to diagnose issues quickly and get to the heart of pest problems quickly and effectively. He has serviced more than 2,000 homes over his career and there is hardly any pest situation that he has not seen before.