5 simple tips on how to get rid of fleas in the basement

The reason for the appearance of fleas in the basement is animals (rats, the mousecats dogs etc.) whose blood they feed on. Once in a warm, damp place (like a basement) on animal fur, fleas begin to look for the most cluttered and dirty places: old things, animal beds, places under the baseboard where they multiply actively. It is such places that must be disinfected first. Basement fleas prefer damp rooms from poor ventilation. As a rule, they lay eggs on rags and other garbage that accumulates in the basement. Therefore, the disinfection of the basement should begin with a thorough cleaning of the premises, repair leaking pipes (as a source of additional moisture) and airing the room.

All disinfection methods can be divided into three categories: folk, chemical and professional. We choose the simplest ones that do not require significant effort and time. You can find a more detailed list of flea control methods in our article “How to quickly get rid of fleas in an apartment: proven ways«.

Turn to the professionals

It is extremely difficult to cope with the problem of basement fleas on your own, therefore, in modern realities, people are increasingly resorting to the help of professionals. This is the easiest way for the consumer, effective and safe way to get rid of fleas, which gives a guaranteed long-term result of a comprehensive disinfestation of premises. During pest control, professional products are used that have a long-lasting effect, which guarantees long-term protection against parasites. Processing is carried out by professionals who use the latest disinfestation technology using professional equipment, which allows you to carefully and efficiently treat infected areas. At the end, a guarantee is provided for free re-processing in case of failure to achieve the expected result after the first procedure. However, when choosing a disinfection company, it is worth paying attention to a number of important points in order not to be deceived and get the expected result. When choosing an enterprise, attention must be paid to:

• The company must have the relevant documents permitting disinfection in residential premises (within the framework of the current legislation of the Russian Federation, disinfection work is subject to licensing by order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated March 11, 2013 No. 121n, the company must have a license for medical activity, organization disinfection activities are established in the Sanitary and Epidemiological Rules SP 3.5.1378-03 “Sanitary and Epidemiological Requirements for the Authority izatsii and implementation of disinfection activities ”, approved by the decision of the Chief State Sanitary Doctor of the Russian Federation dated 09.06.2013 N 131);
• The products to be used for disinfection must be certified and safe for humans and animals. Since disinfection is a complete treatment of the territory, including walls, furniture, baseboards, etc .;
• The events are planned at a time convenient for you, the company compromises with the client;
• Workers clearly and in detail spoke about the upcoming event, about the drugs that will be used, and also about whether it is possible to stay in the room after disinfection or whether to leave it and for how long;
• A conscientious self-respecting company does not require an advance payment, all calculations are carried out after the disinfection procedure;
• If the result does not suit you, you are guaranteed either a refund or a free re-procedure.

It is recommended to repeat this procedure once a year.

Use folk recipes

There are many popular methods for disinfecting flea basements. The essence of such methods is not so much in the destruction of insects, but in their deterrence. And after some time, pests may appear again. Therefore, the use of such methods is effective in the case of a small number of fleas. For our readers, we have chosen some of the most affordable ways of the many folk.

• One of the most effective methods is use of wormwood. It is laid out in the corners, fleas do not tolerate the smell of this grass and are in a hurry to leave the territory. If the use of grass is not suitable for some reason, then tincture of wormwood will come to your aid, which can be easily purchased at a pharmacy. This tincture is diluted with water 1: 1. With this mixture you need to wash the entire area, including walls, skirting boards and corners. In the same way, pests can be prevented after chemical or occupational disinfection. Coniferous branches also have a similar property.
• A mixture of salt and soda. Such a mixture is poured in different places: on the floor, behind skirting boards, in all inaccessible places, as well as on furniture. After a few hours, the area must be vacuumed and thoroughly washed. This method works as follows: salt, falling on a flea, corrodes its body almost immediately, and soda acts in a similar way. Together, these two tools quickly clean the room from insects, moreover, such a method is absolutely harmless to humans. Better and more effective if this procedure is repeated after 2-3 weeks.
• Ammonia. A few drops of ammonia are added to the floor cleaning water. Walls and floors are washed with such a mixture; special attention is paid to skirting boards, corners and places behind furniture. Ammonia can be replaced with tincture of eucalyptus, the effect will be the same.

Given the short-term effect of folk methods of fighting basement fleas, you must regularly repeat them.

Take advantage of chemical products

The fleas have a short lifespan, but they leave multiple offspring, so folk methods may not be enough. In this case, it is possible to use more aggressive methods of pest control. These are very effective tools that can destroy the entire population almost the first time. And yet, in any case, it is recommended to re-disinfect after two weeks.

 

• Flea Aerosols. The main advantage of aerosols is the concentration of the substance, which, thanks to the point action, kills unwanted insects almost instantly. At the same time, the point action can be attributed to the shortcomings, it is extremely long and expensive to process a large area. However, if the habitats of fleas are small, then this method is advisable. The room is first cleaned of unnecessary things, after which the aerosol is sprayed on the floor and walls. The basement is closed for one to two days. Given the strong pungent odor, disinfection is recommended in a respirator and gloves.
• Dust and other powder products. The flea powder agent compares favorably with aerosols mainly in the absence of odor. This product is scattered on the floor, the effectiveness of the action is maintained for at least a year.Manufacturers of powder products note that one hundred such a method is safe for residents of the house and their pets, as well as temperature and sunlight do not reduce the effectiveness of the drug.
• More effective way - special smoke bombs. As a result of use, dense smoke is released, which penetrates even the most inaccessible places and thus destroys insects completely. The main condition is that all doors, windows and possible openings are tightly closed. In addition, the use of this method will help save the basement not only from fleas, but also about other pests (rats, mice, ants, cockroaches), if any.

Naturally, such careful processing requires effort and time, but the measures taken guarantee the complete destruction of the new generation of parasites.

 

Use alternative methods

If for some reason all of the above ways to deal with fleas in the basement are not suitable for you, then you can use the alternative method.

• A fairly new, but very popular and easy to use toolultrasonic repellersfleas. Such repellers are a small block with a plug for an outlet. The essence of the work: the device emits ultrasound (high frequency sound), which does not hear the human ear, but acts like an irritant on insects. This tool allows you to get rid of pests in a few days.
• Another exotic, but from this no less effective device -flea traps. They differ in appearance, price, etc., while the essence of the action is the same - these devices attract insects (usually by heat and light), inside the device there is an adhesive layer covered with a flea-destroying substance.

Prevention of the appearance of fleas in the basement

In order to prevent the emergence of basement fleas or to prevent their repeated "visit" it is important to constantly carry out prophylaxis. The main principles of which are:

• eliminate dampness and humidity in the basement (basement fleas in a wet, damp environment actively multiply);
• frequent cleaning and basement ventilation (makes the environment unattractive to pests). Pay attention to the serviceability of the ventilation system, as well as the compliance of the calculated characteristics of the ventilation system and the volume of the room. Do not litter the basement in general and ventilation outlets in particular;
• restrict access to animals in the basement (the most important source of fleas is animal hair, it is important to treat domestic animals regardless of the presence of parasites and to prevent the appearance of stray animals, rats in the basement, timely baiting of rodents);
• timely handle flea pets(as the main source of the appearance of fleas in the basement, it is from the treatment of domestic animals that the disinfection of the basement from fleas begins, and their timely prevention eliminates the possibility of re-emergence of insects);
• disinfect several times a year regardless of the presence or absence of insects (any disinfection does not guarantee that the problem does not come back, regular disinfection will get rid of basement fleas forever).

Conclusion

To summarize, disinfection of a basement from fleas is a difficult task, but doable. Complete destruction of fleas in the basement is only possible in a comprehensive manner. Single events will be useless. In the case of the spread of insects throughout the house, it is most effective to turn to professionals who will quickly and efficiently destroy fleas in the house. If insects appeared in only a few places, then you can achieve their destruction using chemical or folk methods. And do not forget about the prevention of the appearance of basement fleas for the final victory over them.