How to get rid of fleas in the house and yard

Why do fleas keep coming back?

An adult flea lives on your pet and feeds on blood. But the adults you can see are only a small part of the problem. The female lays eggs that drop off your pet into carpet, bedding and the spots where it sleeps. Those hatch into larvae, which hide deep in the fibres and away from light. The larvae spin cocoons, and inside them the pupae wait.

The pupae are the catch. They can stay sealed in their cocoons for weeks, and sometimes longer, until warmth, vibration or a breath of carbon dioxide tells them a host is close. Then they hatch. That's why fleas seem to reappear after a treatment, and why a house can look clear for a week and then flare up again when you walk through it.

Step one: treat your pets through your vet

Fleas start on the animal, so the pet comes first. Ask your vet which product suits your dog or cat, its age and weight. Some dog products are dangerous to cats, so never use one on the wrong animal. RSPCA Queensland and vets can give you the right advice on tablets, spot-ons and collars.

Wash your pet's bedding, and treat every animal in the house at the same time, including the indoor cat. If just one pet is missed, it becomes the source for the rest. Bruin doesn't treat animals, so this step is a job for your vet.

Step two: clean the house

Focus on the places your pet sleeps and rests, and the places people walk most. Do it all in one go.

1. Wash pet bedding, blankets, cushion covers and your own bed linen in hot water and dry on a hot setting.
2. Vacuum carpets, rugs, sofas, floor edges and under furniture every day for a couple of weeks.
3. Empty the vacuum bag or canister into a sealed bag and put it in the outside bin straight away.
4. Steam clean carpets if you can, as heat and moisture hit the eggs and larvae.
5. Check car seats and pet crates, and clean them the same way.
6. Don't leave pet food out overnight, and clear clutter where larvae can hide.

Vacuuming works partly because the vibration makes pupae hatch, and then the adults are exposed to treatment. Keep going daily until you stop seeing fleas.

Step three: don't forget the yard

In Brisbane's warm, humid weather, fleas can live outside too. They like shade, moisture and the spots where animals lie, so look under decks, along the base of fences, under the house on a Queenslander, in dog kennels and under shrubs. Full sun and dry ground are much less friendly to them.

Mow the lawn, rake up leaf litter, and trim back dense shrubs where your pet rests. Wash outdoor pet bedding. If your pet keeps being reinfested even after you've treated it, the yard is often the reason. A professional treatment covers the shaded spots that a garden hose and a mower can't reach.

Why timing matters for re-treatment

A single spray kills the adults it touches and can affect larvae, but the pupae in their cocoons are far harder to reach. Over the following weeks more adults emerge from those cocoons. So the gap between visits matters. Too soon, and the pupae haven't hatched yet. Too late, and the new adults have already laid more eggs.

The right timing depends on the product used and the conditions, so Bruin's technician tells you when to book a follow-up, and what to do in between. Keep vacuuming, keep treating your pets on the vet's schedule, and don't be surprised if you see a few fleas in the week after treatment. They're the new hatches coming out of their cocoons, and they run into the treated surfaces.

When to call a professional, and end of lease

Call when you've done the steps above and fleas keep returning, when the whole house or yard is affected, when the people in the house are being bitten regularly, or when you're not able to treat the pets yourself. A pest controller uses products and methods that aren't sold in supermarkets. Our minimum call-out is $150, which covers small jobs like a flea spray.

Renters often ask about fleas at the end of a lease. The RTA says a property must be free of pests at the start of a tenancy and stay that way, and a tenant can be liable where their actions, such as keeping a pet, caused the problem. Many agents ask for a flea treatment receipt when a tenant with pets moves out, so check your lease and the RTA guidance. Our end of lease pest control page explains how it works.