Is It Possible For Humans To Get Fleas?

Can people get fleas? In short, the answer is yes but it’s not their preferred diet. However, if there are no pets around and you are their only option for a meal, then you will look like a delicious roast chicken, complete with side dishes and gravy so prepare to be bitten! Even if you don’t have pets, learn how to protect yourself!

Fleas are opportunists when it comes to finding their meals. They usually prefer animal blood but they will think you look rather tasty if your cuddly pets are not available. In addition to suffering from a flea bite, fleas can also use people as their transport. That being said, there is a species of flea that is commonly found on humans (Pulex Irritans) and they can cause rather painful inflammation on the skin when they bite, especially if you suffer from allergies. In fact, these fleas can use your blood as their primary diet, even if you don’t have any pets. Quite a scary thought! Regardless of how they find their meal, female fleas need a constant supply otherwise they cannot lay eggs, which is an important part of their reproductive cycle.

Can Humans Get Fleas From Dogs Or Cats?

Picture of dog for can people get fleas

Can People Get Fleas?

Realistically, dog or cat owners usually have dealt with a flea problem in the past. You may have a removal method for fleas on dogs or perhaps a special cat flea treatment but while treating your pet, have you considered the possibility that they may make a temporary move onto your skin? Well the good news is that fleas on your pets usually stay on your pets. However, if you start applying flea powder, spot on treatments and other natural solutions to your animal’s skin, they can often jump off like a ninja and land on your skin, ready to continue their meal that you so rudely interrupted. I have had this happen a number of times, sometimes I have even noticed this happen visibly on a pet that has a lot of fleas before treatment. When I treat fleas on my pets, I usually chuck my clothes in a hot wash and take a shower, just to be on the safe side.

Fleas will always try and find a warm area with exposed skin, which frequently leads them to your upper back and armpit region. Of course, this is definitely not the only place that they can be found but when I find flea bites on my skin or on others, these are commonly targeted areas. Fleas can also jump onto our pets once we come into contact with them. Remember, even if you don’t have any pets, fleas can often be found on rats and even birds!

Can Fleas Live On Humans? (In Your Hair)

Since fleas enjoy the warmth and protection that fur provides them on your pet, your hair is a juicy target. However, unlike your dog or cat, you are not completely covered in hair (hopefully) and thus it’s unlikely that fleas will find their way onto your head, unless they get lucky and land on it. Even if they do manage to get there, if you have even the slightest bit of hygiene, a hot shower will get rid of them so it’s extremely rare for fleas to β€œset up shop” in your hair.

The only time that I have seen somebody continuously find fleas in their hair was when the person allowed their dog to sleep on their bed, even though there was a visible flea problem. Although it is not their preferred habitat, they can live in your bed! They even asked me “can people get fleas??” with an absolutely shocked voice, it was rather funny! While it was rather easy to resolve, just make sure that you do the same thing, and you will never unknowingly host a flea party in your hair. πŸ™‚

Are Your Children Safe from Fleas?

If you have a newly discovered flea problem in your home or on your pets, I always encourage parents to keep an eye out for any red marks on their kids. While they could be a result of other insects or even just a nasty bump from another object, it’s often a sign of a flea presence. I have found that children tend to get bitten more frequently than adults as they often play with family pets on a regular basis. In order for flea bites to be dangerous however, a massive amount is required so you don’t need to stress.

A major area of concern is very young children. During their early years, children spend a large amount of time on the floor and seem to have the desire to put everything in their mouth. This can often go unnoticed, even for the most discerning parent. Since fleas can carry tapeworm parasites, if your child manages to somehow swallow one, there is a high chance that they could develop an infection and will need to be treated with the necessary medication, given to you by your doctor of course. I encourage you to share this fact with anyone who has pets and a baby in the home.

Can Humans Get Sick Or Contract Diseases from Fleas?

can people get fleas

Can Humans Get Fleas?

Despite their diet of blood, it’s a common misconception that fleas carry AIDS or HIV. If you have anyone that thinks this is true, please share this important piece of info with them! It’s very rare for house fleas, especially those that feed on your pets, to carry any sort of dangerous diseases. However, it’s interesting to note that the bacteria called Yersinia pestis (that caused the Black Plague) was carried by the fleas that fed on diseased rats and mice. While this is not major issue now, it’s definitely proof that sometimes the bites from fleas can be dangerous and if you have any adverse reactions in addition to swelling and tingling skin, please seek medical attention to ensure your safety.

It’s highly likely that your doctor will simply give you a cortisone medication to reduce the allergic reaction but it’s possible that other symptoms will be noticed and potential problems can then be avoided (such as flea allergy dermatitis). Lastly, as mentioned earlier, tapeworm is also a concern and I recommend taking a deworming tablet after suffering from a major flea outbreak in the home, especially if it has been a lingering problem for a couple weeks.

Still Suffering from a Flea Problem? Here Are Some Suggestions

The Bug Squad has a number of other flea guides on this subject but let’s take a moment to look at a few quick tips for flea removal.

  1. Your first priority is to reduce their numbers as they can start to spread exponentially once there are a large amount of them in your home. You can do this by using a flea bomb with an IGR chemical to kill the adult fleas and to stop a flea egg from hatching into larvae. Remember to keep the family and pets out the home for the day. Arab Pest Control has recommended giving the home a good vacuum in the morning, before using any flea products in your home. Also, some flea foggers require you to leave the residue for 24 hours before cleaning it up so make sure that you follow the instructions carefully.
  2. Before letting your darling pets back into the home, make sure that you get rid of their fleas as well. Once they are completely gone, you can let them in again. Please don’t use any pet flea medication on humans. Although people can get pet fleas, using it on yourself can make you very sick. It’s also helpful to hot wash their bedding and other things blankets, etc.
  3. Lastly, if you are fighting a losing battle against the flea war machine, contact your local exterminator to give you a hand with the removal process.

In conclusion, people can get fleas and while it’s more common to find them on dogs and cats, you should take the necessary steps to ensure that you keep them away, especially from younger children. While people can get sick from flea bites, most people just get an allergic reaction. However, always keep an eye out for signs of complications! If you have any questions about dealing with fleas or perhaps something you would like to share with the visitors of this blog about your flea experiences, please feel free to leave a comment below!

Comments

  1. Avatar Clayton Libberton says:

    I have no pets however i am a pretty hairy guy. I know i got them from playing in the football field but what can i do to get rid of them. I cant get any sleep due to my whole foot just itching with the flea bites. Ive seen fleas jump off me and ive even killed a couple of them. Ive washed my sheets and clothes but im still getting bit and i take the hot shower to get them off but they always come back. How shall i get rid of them?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Clayton! Sounds like you may have a flea infestation in your home, hence why they keep coming back. Do me a favor and check out my flea trap article, leave a couple out at night and lets see how many they catch in 24 hours. That will give me an idea how bad it is. Let me know πŸ™‚

  2. Avatar Mairi Maclean says:

    I got flea bites last week mostly around my ankles.There was a dog staying in my house while we were away on holiday. However when I contacted the dogs owners they said that their dog did not have fleas and wears a collar to prevent fleas.My GP confirmed that I did indeed have flea bites.We have sprayed the house with treatment from the vet. I am curious to know how I got fleas. The dog had been away from my house about five days before we got back from holiday.I also feel the dogs owners would be truthful about their dog not having fleas. I await your answer. thank you.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Mairi! You don’t just get fleas from pets, things like rodents and even birds can carry fleas into your yard, etc. Based on your experience, you might find that is what happened and it may not be that person’s dog after all. I recommend that you keep an eye on the situation, if the bites keep happening you will need to deal with the infestation. My blog as a bunch of articles that will help you πŸ™‚

  3. Avatar Germanic_Jamaican says:

    Many thanks for your wonderful advice Natasha πŸ™‚

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi there, it is a pleasure, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!

  4. Avatar Daisy says:

    Hi Natasha,
    This post has really helped me, I’ve been so upset.
    I moved into a room in a flat owned by a girl and her dog, and found out her dog has fleas when I found two on my feet. She has since treated the dog, and I have been hoovering every single day, spraying with flea spray and catching them in traps. I feel like they’re all over me, as her and the dog have both been away for a week or so, so they’ve turned to me for food.
    I am looking for another flat, and I’m terrified the fleas will come with me, in my clothes and my belongings, when I move, and infest the new flat, even if there are no pets.
    Is this possible? Can the fleas live off of me and infest another building that doesn’t have an animal in it?

    Thanks so much for your time,
    Daisy

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Daisy! Don’t be afraid, just put a DIY flea trap (article on this blog) in each room (in the new place, just to be proactive), and make sure that you wash your clothes, etc. before you leave and you will be fine.

  5. Avatar Elizabeth says:

    Natasha,
    I have a problem. I have a dog, I live with my sons family and they have a cat . I put treatment on my dog once a month and have never had a problem. Big issue…their cat has fleas, she’s an indoor cat. I’ve checked my dog numerous time and there is nothing. Please help me. My daughter in law is unhappy and I don’t blame her.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Elizabeth! I recommend that you just get the cat a spot on treatment as well, even though it was unlikely to be your dog. Sometimes a little expense is good to keep the peace hehe, but the cat probably got it from somewhere else. Hope that helps.

  6. Avatar Tess says:

    Hi there!
    We have a cat who roams around outside sometimes but mostly is indoors. I have never seen any fleas on her. (Not sure how easy it is to spot them….) I got bitten one night and still have the bite and it’s been itching for at least 3 weeks now. Is it possible it’s a flea bite?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Tess, it is possible, but three weeks is a rather long time. I wouldn’t worry, perhaps put a little vinegar on that bite (presuming that it is just itching and not raw or anything), should take the itchiness away.

  7. Avatar Mikayla says:

    Hi,
    I went to my grandmas and her dog got shaved because he had flees. after she told me I felt itchy and I left, I took my socks off and threw them a way and put my shoes on and I waited like five minutes before I got into my car, I didn’t go straight home I ran to the store. as soon as I went home I changed clothes before I walked upstairs and showered. I rinsed my body in hot water and I didn’t wash my hair because I cant, just got it done. I am itchy but idk if its in my head and I’m not sure if flees did get one me, but I was in my car blasting the air and opened the windows and its cold out, will the flees be in my car?? I’m paranoid because I need to drive soon. what do I do????

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Mikayla! It is highly unlikely, I wouldn’t worry. Sorry this is a little late πŸ™‚

  8. Avatar Saba says:

    I touched a flea infested dog 2 weeks ago. now i got fleas all over my body. Are they multiplying on my body? How do I get rid of them? I also found them on my shoulders and once on my hair. Please help. I am a little hairy. Does this mean they’ll never go away?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Saba! They won’t multiply on your body, and even if you had fleas on yourself, you can just take a hot shower and they will die. Hope that helps!

  9. Avatar Maria says:

    Hi I have been getting bites for the last 2 months which started on my lower legs and arms. At first I thought it might be scabies as I had intense itching. I self treated mysel 5 times and 2 times on my scalp and once total scalp and hair. Dermatologist said I didn’t have scabies and asked me if I have a dog as the bites may be flea bites. I have taken my dog to the vets who says there is no evidence of fleas. I also check him often and can’t see any. I apply flea treatment to him every month. I then thought maybe it’s bed bugs. An exterminator came and sprayed the bedroom where my dog sleeps and where I think I’m getting bitten. He said there was no evidence of bed bugs or fleas. For the last 2 days I have been getting bites on my scalp and before this all started I was noticing black and sometimes brown specks like fleas coming out of my hair when I wash it over the bath. I am so scared as no one else is being bitten except me. I am still getting occasional bites on my arms neck face and ankles. We sprayed fea spray behind the headboard and under the bed frame after hovering. I did not see any bed bugs but some black specks. I have been so stressed and scared that it makes me cry in despair as the bites on my scalp hurt and I can feel something biting me. I have long hair and worrying fleas are in my hair. Any advise would be gratefully received. Thank you

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Maria, I recommend that you put out a few flea traps out for a couple nights (article is on this blog, and they are easy to make). If there are any fleas in your room, this will catch a few, and it will confirm that it’s that type of insect. If it catches nothing, then we can look at other possibilities, keep me updated please.

  10. Avatar Michelle Smith says:

    All three of our dogs have flees, took them to the groomers and gave them flee baths. all clear, but not long after they got them again. It the middle of winter now, how are they getting flees still? Are they living in my carpet? We do have a rabbit but he lives downstairs, not sure if he has them or how to get rid of them off of a
    rabbit, if he does. Thank you

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Michelle! Yes, it is likely that you have a flea problem inside, hence why your dogs keep getting fleas. I recommend you read my article on diatomaceous darth, as well as the one on flea traps. If you follow the steps in both articles, it should solve your problem. Good luck!

  11. Avatar jayanthi bisai says:

    hi…this is jayanthi..i am affected with flea bite on my scalp.actually i thought it as flocculitis infection..but later on i saw the flea while combing..the part where i got affected hurted me a lot..but i am very scared about it..i removed it totally..is there any chance to become more severe…please give me the detailed information..do i get any sort of disease

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Jay! A single flea bite is unlikely to pose a real danger, but since it hurt so much, I recommend that you go and see a doctor, just to be sure.

  12. Avatar Charlotte McKeel says:

    I have had my house exterminated twice now for cat fleas. My problem is I have a lot of flea bites that I cannot get rid of. I have bathed in baking soda, rinsed with vinegar and they still don’t go away. They are red and ugly looking. Is there something I can do besides go to a Dr?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Charlotte! Even though it is definitely an option, usually your local chemist will be able to give you some over the counter cream that will help sooth and heal the bites. Hope that helps!

  13. Avatar Melissa says:

    Hi Natasha
    I read hundreds of comments on this article but I still have a question. I took in a dog that got fleas, presumably from stray cats in the neighborhood. The dog has been gone about 3 weeks now and we’ve been treating the house because we have all seen fleas on us. We’ve bombed our basement twice and the living room with raid bombs and sprayed the carpets with a peppermint oil spray and now also raid spray since we were still seeing fleas. Well, I’ve now seen another flea !! There are no animals in the house. I’ve read they can’t reproduce on human blood but it seems they are still reproducing?? Are they just lingering, or are we still infested? I don’t see many anymore but this is the worst. I have two young children and they have both been bit and it makes me so sad. Thank you

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Melissa! They can still survive on other animals (rats, birds, etc.), so make sure you sort that out if you have any in your roof or basement. But yes, after awhile (3-4 months), you should start seeing a reduction in their numbers, but I bet you don’t want to ensure your flea infestation for that long. I recommend that you check out my flea trap and DE articles (both on this blog), they will give you some good results.

  14. Avatar Syd says:

    Hi there, my friend told me she had fleas only after I’ve been there. I had one crawling on me and ever since then I’ve been itchy. Immediately when I came home I threw my clothes in the washing machine and I had a shower as I don’t know if they could travel with me into my home. I didn’t want my dogs to catch them. Yesterday, she told me she bombed her house and did a good clean and said they were gone. So I went over. And Well we found more fleas crawling on her animals this time. Now I’m so super itchy again and worried that I’ll bring them home. Is it possible ? I didn’t shower last night because it was late but now I’m regretting it.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Syd! To be honest, it is not common for fleas to “catch a ride home” on humans. I wouldn’t worry, just keep an eye out for any fleas and if you find any, let me know!

  15. Avatar Ian says:

    How do I️ get rid of them there are a lot and there in my bed and I’m scared

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Ian! Start off by washing your linen, and check out my article on flea traps (completely DIY). Hope that helps!

  16. Avatar Gail says:

    I recently had my dog treated for fleas with the advantage. I did not treat my apt. as I was told I didn’t need to now that my dog was treated, I just picked one off my arm while she was sitting right next to me. I am going to treat my apt. I have seen a few fleas and my head is extremely itchy it feels like they are in my hair! why are they jumping on me when she is right next to me? not getting any bites on my feet just my arms which makes me think they are in my hair! She is 7 and has never had fleas

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Gail, if they are anywhere on your body, a shower with some soap will kill them all, so you don’t need to stress about that. I recommend that you check my article on DIY flea traps and put a few down, if they catch anything then you know you will have a flea issue.

  17. Avatar Celia says:

    I have a massive problem with fleas in a large house. I have sprinkled diatomaceous earth everywhere and swept it into cracks and under beds etc. I can see that it is killing some fleas but I still seem to have loads very much alive. (Perhaps worth mentioning that they are very small). I have previously tried flea foggers to no avail and all pets have been treated and /or excluded. Should I persevere with the DE and vacuuming and flea traps? What else can I do?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Celia! Use the DE a little longer but combine it the flea traps as you mentioned, its a great combination.

  18. Avatar Sina says:

    You know what I do, I use an small bottle with a hatch half filled with water and a pence .and start searching the fur of my cat. As soon as I detect a flea I put my finger on it to trap it then grab that part of the fur with my fingers and most of the time the flea is trapped among the prison like fur then I just pick it up with the pence an put it inside the water, target elliminated just like this. But remember to close the hatch so they won’t scape and put the bottle upside down to make sure all the fleas will drown and won’t be able to hide under the cap for chance of scape .

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Sina! Thanks for the tip, I really appreciate your input πŸ™‚

  19. Avatar Brooke says:

    Hi! I am totally freaking out. I am getting a puppy and recently went to the owners house with all of the puppies there and he momma. As I was holding the puppy, probably for a bout thirty minutes before I realized he had fleas. I currently live in a house with no pets and as soon as I realized he had fleas I quickly put him down. I am totally freaking out that some of the fleas could have gotten on me. Is this a possibility? If so what do I do? I am deathly afraid of bugs and fleas especially. I am taking a hot shower, could they spread to my house? I checked my body but what if they’re in my hair? Help!!!

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Brooke! Honestly, I don’t think you need to worry. After a hot shower, the fleas will be dead. Even if 1-2 managed to get into your home, without pets, they should die out. Hope that helps!

  20. Avatar RenΓ©e says:

    A I was playing with some puppies and seen a bug jump off of it…and one crawling in the fur…I stopped playing with them immediately but now a couple days later my head felt itchy in some spot and I caught a small bug (looked the same as the one on the dogs) running down the side of my cheek!!!

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi RenΓ©e! Goodness, that must have been a scare lol. You should be fine though, don’t let it stress you out πŸ™‚

  21. Avatar Sarah says:

    Hi. We recently moved into an apartment and it has fleas. We don’t have any pets but my husband and youngest son are getting bites like crazy and have spots on them, but myself and older son have no spots. What should we do to get rid of them? We’ve seen the fleas and if one lands on me I try and kill it right away.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Sarah, I suggest that you check out all the flea articles on this blog. If you are still stuck afterwards, I will be more than happy to help you πŸ™‚

  22. Avatar Eneas L Smart says:

    I believe that i may have fleas in my hair. My head itches constantly and i have bites right above the nape of my neck. I know it is not lice as i have treated my hair with lice products. Pls could you advise on what i can do to rid my hair of these pesky things.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Eneas, if you shampoo your hair, any fleas would be killed, presuming that they were somehow there. If you still have itchy scalp, I can assure you that it is either your skin or something else, maybe go and see doctor for some advise πŸ™‚

  23. Avatar Eva says:

    Hi there I have a 4 month puppy I recently got and I have showered him before and not seen one flee until now I brought a flee and tick spray but everyone else keeps saying that that won’t work I have showered him with dawn dishsoap and didn’t help I have another dog and a stray cat that my sister likes to bring in the house please help to get rid of the fleas

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Eva, the shower with soap will kill all live fleas on him (if you do it properly). However, for long term, you will need a decent spot on. Hope that helps!

  24. Avatar Emily says:

    If you have stay a couple of nights in a flea invested house. Then travel an hour home. Will the fleas still be alive on you? And would they spread at my house?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Emily, it is possible but fleas don’t really like human blood. Just take a hot shower when you get home, you will be fine!

  25. Avatar Diana says:

    Hi natasha, so for the first time in 10 yrs my dog got fleas that i cant seem to finish killing and she been hurting from bites, i tried store products on her and even natural treatments however nothing seems to work. Now i have bites all over my body and i have been looking for something that is less toxic to get rid of them all. I have a almost 2 month old and a 3 yr old as well and don’t want to use products to harm them, what do you recommend? Thank you

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Diana! Provided it’s not infected (otherwise see your doctor), use vinegar. It kills the itch and promotes healing. Hope that helps!

  26. Avatar Lisa says:

    Hi Natasha,
    I think I’m mostly looking for reassurance here. I recently had a small bout with fleas on two kittens I adopted. About 3 weeks after I treated them with Pet Armor Plus I noticed a flea on one when I combed her with the flea comb. I bathed both kittens in water and Dawn dishwashing soap, washed everything I could, and vacuumed like crazy. I took them to the vet and he prescribed Cheristin, which I applied to both. I found about 30 fleas total on the two kittens over the next week and then no more. I never saw any in the house but continued to vacuum almost daily for the past 3 weeks. I have since found new homes for both kittens (not just for this reason). I have had flea traps set up and haven’t found anything until just this morning when I found one flea. I know that doesn’t seem like much but I was just starting to believe it was over and now I’m not so sure. How long must I have the traps set up and be “flea free” before I can be sure this is over? I’m a bit of a neat freak/hypochondriac so it’s really freaking me out! Thanks for your informative site and any insight you can share!

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Lisa! Based on your feedback, I would say that you are perfectly fine. A single flea every now and again is fine, just keep an eye on the situation and I will help you if the numbers start increasing. The joys of being a pet owner hehe. Good luck, please share this post on Facebook if you appreciated my help.

  27. Avatar Courtney says:

    Hi Natasha, I’m writing because I have a serious flea infestation in my home. I was letting a friend stay with me the last 6 months & he brought his extremely long haired dog with him (I do not have any pets nor have I ever in this house) who came complete with his very own fleas. I “bombed” the house a couple times while they were here but he never properly treated the dog so they never went away. The fleas didn’t bother us too badly while they were here but now they’re gone & the fleas have chosen myself & my 9 yr old son as their “host”. They don’t bother my 2 older sons very bad at all. When my 9 yr old & I get bitten it swells up pretty big so I’m assuming we’re allergic. I “bombed” my house about 2 weeks after my friend & his dog moved out but it’s not working. The problem keeps getting worse & worse!! I’m a single mom on an extremely tight budget & I can’t afford to keep “bombing” my house especially since it’s not working. An exterminator isn’t really an option for me either. I’ve tried a couple home remedies but nothing is working. Any advice u can give to help us out would be extremely appreciated!!!

    • Avatar Courtney says:

      I also found a bottle of Adams flea & tick spray (for dogs & cats)he left behind. I diluted some slightly with water & sprayed only my carpet. Is it safe to do that? At this point i feel like moving would be the only way to get rid of them. If I did move, would they hitch a ride with us on my linens & furniture??

      • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

        Hi Courtney! I suggest that since you are on a tight budget, check out my articles on using DE and making your own flea trap. Both will really help you. I have never sprayed something like that on the carpet but I guess it’s ok. Probably not but you could always wash / wipe down to make sure.

  28. Avatar Tayonna says:

    Hi, the person I work with has fleas on all 3 of her animals and I actually seen one on her dog the other day. Would I be over reacting if I tell my boss I don’t want to work there anymore ? I don’t touch her animals at all but their always on the couches where I have to sit. Also is it possible for me to get fleas by just sitting on her couch ?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Tayonna! They can bite you but fleas don’t really enjoy feeding off humans. That is a horrible situation, it’s your career though so you will have to decide, sorry.

  29. Avatar Tara says:

    Hi,
    My husband was working on his uncle’s farm and his dog was in the barn, and turns out had fleas. He has bites all over his body. The day he came home I found a flea on his back, then he took a shower and washed his clothes. He went out a bought flea traps and treatment for the dog and cat the next day, and we ended up catching 2 fleas in the trap that next night . He ended up going to the farm again a day later and while he was gone I vacuumed the whole house and washed everything, I spent that whole day at home with no signs of fleas or bites, and my animals seemed fine, but when he came home he showered, washed his clothes, but still found 1 flea on his leg after a shower! We went another day with no signs of fleas and tonight there’s one in the trap in the room where my cats food and litterbox are, so we vacuumed everywhere and sprinkled the carpet with salt. So now that’s 4 fleas we’ve seen in the home. I’m a total wreck and paranoid that we’re going to have an infestation or something. I know you can’t be too careful, but am I overreacting about it becoming an infestation? Are taking enough precautions? We have a trap in our room a trap in the cats area, and a trap in the main hall. The traps are a lamp/light glue trap. When were asleep our dog and cat sometimes jump on our bed even when we kick them off, so I’m freaking out. Thanks for your help!

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Tara! I personally wouldn’t worry about such a small number. If the numbers continue to increase, then I will help you take action. Otherwise, don’t stress about it for now πŸ™‚

  30. Avatar alextyles says:

    Oh hey i have a cat and it has fleas but she has slept with me and we got her for about 5 months , i have washed with anti parasites shampoo and now i have bought her a anti fleas collar but she still itches and i think she has fleas, i want to ask you do i have fleas? And how to get rid of them ?( for my cat) the veterinary nurse said that humans cant get fleas kn their head by cats but im.confused
    please answer me!

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Alextyles! She might just have itchy skin. Your best bet is to use a flea comb and see if you find any fleas, then only worry about getting rid of them.

  31. Avatar CaCarrie says:

    Hi. My mom is an 83 year old alzheimers patient who is still well enough to live alone. Her cat has, who is mostly an indoor cat that goes outside at will. She has been complaining that he is sick for awhile. A friend took him to the vet who said he had a bad fkea infestation and gave him three shots. The cat is allowed to be EVERYWHERE, all beds, closets, cabinets, table. My mother refuses to treat the house. I have two questions. One, will living with the fleas be harmful to her as an elderly person with a pissibly compromised immune system? And two, if she has fleas and rides in our car, will our car/ house also become infested?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi CaCarrie, that question about her immune system will have to be answered by a medical professional, sorry. As for the car, yes it is possible so be careful. Hope that helps!

  32. Avatar Jeanne says:

    Just found out 1 of our 2 small dogs has fleas. After reading all of your posts can you tell me what DE is and how to make a flea trap? I also don’t see any fleas, how noticeable are they? They treated her with frontline and we vacuumed and washed everything. How will I know if I have a problem? Silly question, but I’ve never experienced this before. Should I get a spray for the house for added protection and should we treat our yard to kill off whatever may be outside? Thank you so much!!!

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Jeanne! I have articles on both. Just look at the top of the blog, click on “fleas” and then look for the article on “Diatomaceous Earth” and “flea traps”. Its a pleasure! πŸ™‚

  33. Avatar Melissa Hughes says:

    Hi. So my cat has just gotten fleas and we washed him with Flea shampoo but they’re still on him. What would be the fastest way to get rid of them on him. I’m buying frontline over the weekend for him as well.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Melissa! Frontline usually works well. Since you are getting that already, let me know how that goes and we can take further steps if necessary.

  34. Avatar Shondra says:

    Hi..I feel like I’m going crazy! I just got a kitten who’s exactly 12wks & she got fleas almost 2wks ago. I’m dealing with a mice problem as well & I just found out that they carry fleas! I’ve been trying to take care of these fleas but until ALL the mice are gone I don’t think I’ll EVER get rid of the flea problem… do you know if that is a fact?? Also..I’m getting bit very bad especially on my right leg but I haven’t seen not one flea on me. I’m so frustrated with this because of the amount I’m getting bit! I can’t understand how I’m getting eaten alive all night & even through the day…but I haven’t physically seen any fleas. How is this possible??
    Thank you & I LoVE your articles!

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Shondra! Thanks for your kind words, glad you like my articles. Yes, you will need to get rid of the mice first and preferably quickly (if they are carrying the fleas, which is likely). Might be worth getting an exterminator in, they will sort out the rodent issue quickly (I do insects only hehe).

  35. Avatar Anthony velez says:

    Hi Natasha using dawn dose It works on the bed and on the floor to get rid of fleas?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Anthony! I have used it with warm water to wash my pets, kills fleas instantly. Not sure about using it on a bed though, don’t think that will help.

  36. Avatar Staci A Wenger says:

    So my neighbor found a flea on her cat if i never go in her house or touch her cats i cant get them can i?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Staci, you definitely won’t get the fleas πŸ™‚

  37. Avatar John says:

    Hey Natasha – what a neat gem of an answer board should one need it. I think I have a resident flea population in my bed which took me quite awhile to recognize. My dog gets bathed daily and I am going to try out the DE once I find an applicator. Kinda weird question – Gus sleeps on outside of my thick comforter and I have been trying to avoid him getting under there as I have (after many months) realized that I have dozens of bites per night but they are restricted to my thighs. I confirmed with my vet that they are indeed fleas and not bedbugs which he did. What is also strange is that I have found scant evidence of their presence (not none but not much either). I am going to get a second opinion to confirm that these are not actually bedbugs but I can’t figure out why I would have flea or any other type of bites repeatedly restricted to the same areas of my outer thighs. Gus and I have an off again on again relationship with fleas and I do imagine they are spread out b/t home, office and car so that something that has made a full treatment difficult. Based upon your recommendations I think I will try DE in all three. Any thoughts?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi John. DE will definitely work in all three but try this first. Go to my article on making a DIY flea trap, place them in the problem areas and see if you catch any. If you do, treat the area with DE. Nice and easy. Hope that helps, please share on FB πŸ™‚

  38. Avatar Alex says:

    Hello, I just dropped my dog off at the Groomers, and I was notified that she had fleas. I saw them before and took action, gave her 2 flea baths and sprayed her with all natural flea remover. The flea remover said that it could be sprayed on objects, so I sprayed down her crate, and the cat tree… However, I’m wondering if I should be worried about having my apartment fumigated, and how can I tell if my cats have fleas? I have also been itching a lot lately, but there is no indication that I’ve been bitten. Are fleas visible? Would I be able to see them on my skin or in my hair or anywhere in my apartment? I’m really nervous about this.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Alex! Yes, fleas are visible. They might just be scratching from previous bites. Get yourself a flea comb and that will catch any fleas that you might have missed.

  39. Avatar Lauren says:

    I’ve just noticed fleas on my dog, she’s never had them before.
    I’m just wondering is it a must to flea bomb my home or is that only needed when you have a noticeable flea problem?
    Also she spends a lot of time in the garden how will I treat that?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Lauren, I wouldn’t bomb it unless there is a serious infestation. Besides potentially treating the garden, I suggest starting off with a spot on, should sort the problem out.

  40. Avatar Dianne LeBlanc says:

    Hi we just got a baby cat 6 weeks old, cute thing but full of fleas and my daughter and I just in a state of shock and doing everything we can to get rid of them, its been 3 days and we are still finding them on the cat dead and still alive, we had him sprade with the solution to kill fleas but he has lots of them, I have the vacumme left out so I use it each day and I am worried about the furniture the cat is over all of the furniture and I’m getting to the point I don’t want to sit on my couch afraid I may get them in my hair or just on me. I won’t alone the cat in the bedrooms I was told I have to tread the cat for the next three months, I’m wishing I never got the cat… but don’t know what more I can do, I don’t like to take them off of him that’s just crouse as well. Will they all just fall off of it at some point, I can even see the flee poop if that’s what it is… Darn help…

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Dianne! If possible, give the little kitty a warm bath with dawn soap, it literally kills all fleas instantly. I know it might be asking a bit much (since the cat won’t appreciate it) but it works so damn well.

  41. Avatar Danesh says:

    Hi Natasha!
    I recently had an issue with a family of raccoons setting up shop in the attic and getting into the airvents. A few weeks after I started noticing fleas in my apartment. They seemed to multiply over a few days so I had an exterminator come by and spray some kind of poison around the house twice now but I still see fleas. What other method should I ask him to use?
    The couch seems to be one of the spots I find them most, is there anyway to clean it or would it be best to get ride of it? My bed seems to be relatively free of them but other than washing the sheets should I be ok with my mattress and box spring? Could they get into either? Should I get rid of my bed as well.
    Also I have an open closet and all my clothes have potentially been exposed to the fleas especially my suits and dress shirts, should I have them dry cleaned and wash all my clothes?

    Thank you in advance for the help, clearly this has me a little flustered!

    Danesh

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Danesh! Don’t get rid of anything, you don’t need to. Please read two of my articles, the one on DE and the other on making a flea trap. They will help you sort out this issue yourself and you will find relief. Let me know how it goes!

  42. Avatar cassy says:

    I have no pets and have noticed fleas in my house. I have sprayed with an igr product and seems to be working. I was wondering, the igr product states that it will stop the eggs from hatching for up to 4 months. If I respray in 3 1/2 months will that kill off any eggs that I may have missed while vaccuming or will it just delay the hatching process for 4 more months? Thank you.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Cassy, the respray should prevent them from hatching for another 4 months, but to be honest, they will be dead by then so this only really applies to new eggs. Hope that helps!

  43. Avatar Matt mashek says:

    Help. Don’t really know if it’s fleas or bedbugs but I know they are on me. They bit me and make me itch. What can I use on my body

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Matt. You can usually pick up some cream from your local pharmacy to help with the itchiness. However, make all haste to find out the type of insect that is attacking you and let me know!

  44. Avatar Marcus says:

    Hi! I found your article very helpful but my cat has fleas, and we’ve given him a bath with a special shampoo and fed him a tablet to kill the fleas but neither seem to have worked. I keep finding fleas on him and on me πŸ™ . I’m very worried because we can’t seem to get rid of them. (I am 14 years old.)

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Marcus! Give your cat a warm bath with dawn soap (careful of the claws lol), it kills fleas instantly. Then you just need to make sure that there are no fleas around the home, let me know if you find any πŸ™‚

  45. Avatar Jamie Barnett says:

    How can I subscribe to your page? Are you on Facebook?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Jamie, yes you can find me on Facebook, just search for “The Bug Squad”. Thanks so much!

  46. Avatar Limner says:

    Natasha-Thank you so very much for this website. I was bitten Saturday, it is now Thursday, and didn’t know what it was until I saw a bug on my slacks. Three times I saw one and was able to catch the 3rd one by using a piece of scotch tape and putting it in a plastic bag. I had just had an exterminator take care of carpenter ants and black ants and called him. He came out the next day to take a look and identified it as a flea. We don’t have pets but he concluded there was some animal traveling along the house. Our neighbor had been catching opossums in his yard. Recently he became ill and I think he hasn’t been up to the task and therefore the opossums have gotten out of hand. It will be a week until the exterminator can come out to spray my house. He is spraying every room and we have to leave for 2 to 3 hours. He is also setting up traps possibly before he sprays. The price of the eradication is not bad at all. The spray would have been $225.00, but since I’m a repeat customer he dropped it down. We have 4 levels (no am not rich) so I thought that was a good price to do every room. When an animal is trapped, I call him and he comes out and takes away for $50.00 each time no matter how many animals in a trap. Last night I put on a pair of socks over my pj’s and masking taped the sock around my leg. Then I put on another pair of socks over them to protect the tape. I also wore a short sleeve shirt under a long sleeve shirt. I felt a little silly, but better to be silly than get anymore bites. I plan to go to a doctor tomorrow for a medication for the bites as they are not only itchy, but burn! I thought this info would be helpful that you can get fleas even though you don’t own any pets.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Limner! Thanks for taking the time to leave such a fantastic comment, my readers will really benefit from it. I appreciate your time, please also share my blog on Facebook, etc. πŸ™‚

  47. Avatar Laurie Trybus says:

    I have 2 indoor cats with fleas, first time in several years, however I have treated them with Frontline Plus and throughly cleaned my apartment. I am still getting bit, and finding Blackish spots everywhere still. Especially on my bathroom tile floors and on the kitchen linoleum. I sweep at least 10 times a day, trying to keep under control,(as I am now in remission from Breast Cancer, Drs. Said No Chemicals in apartment or on my body). I flea combed cats and comb is clean, every now and then I see them scratching. How do I know the difference in Flea Larvea, Flea Eggs and if I am just cleaning “Dead” fleas or do I have an infestation I don’t know how to clean correctly. Also, is it possible for fleas to live in clothes? I swear I can take tweezers and pull brownish black spots or dirt out of my clothes and especially my white socks. I layed BOROX on all the carpeting through out and left it on for a week or so before vaccuuming for the first time, (Before and after treating the cats with the Frontline Plus). I am finding these “SPOTS” all over the washer and the tiles and linoleum. Am I just stupid or ignorant, or are these fleas alive. Please help. I am a the only one getting bit, but I think it’s because I am the only one who cleans. PLEASE PLEASE HELP! I am desperate! My only other option is to get rid of my babies, and that just isn’t an option! They are a good part of my remission and they gave me the strength to beat my cancer thus far. Thank you for your assistance and your wonderful blog. I believe every pet owner should know your website and use it as a daily guide. Please continue the gift you have for helping thousands of people for free. Your a very special person!!

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Laurie! Thank you for the kind words at the end of your comment, it honestly made my week πŸ™‚ There will never be a need to get rid of your babies, promise. I suggest that you use DE instead of borax, I have had better results with it. It is cheap and if you get the food grade one, it is completely safe for you and your pets. Lay that everywhere, brush it in with a broom and leave it for 2-3 days. Vacuum up and repeat. It will kill everything and you will be flea free in no time. I wouldn’t worry about the different stages, etc, the method above will sort everything out. I also have an article on DE, check it out for more info. πŸ™‚

  48. Avatar Jessica says:

    I found new born kittens and they had a lot of fleas. I showered after carrying them for a bit. Is it possible I have fleas but don’t know it?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Jessica! Highly unlikely, you will be fine! πŸ™‚

  49. Avatar Deb says:

    Hi Natasha, transported a puppy and found that it has fleas should I be concerned that the fleas and eggs may be in my car? It was a 20min drive and the puppy was on my lap most of the ride.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Deb, I am sure you will be fine but to be certain, just get your car cleaned up real good.

  50. Avatar Elizabeth says:

    Hi, we have been battling fleas for almost two years now. We’ve tried everything. Sprays, powders, shampoos, vacuuming two to three times a day, bathing all our pets daily, an exterminator, bug bomb, we’ve even moved! Nothing has worked, we still have the little monsters. There’s considerably less in the winter, giving us hope that we finally got them, but come summer…explosion! We aren’t dirty people, on the contrary because of this infestation we have become almost ocd clean. I’m at my wits end, I almost don’t even want to cuddle my dog and three cats, but of course it’s not their fault. What are we missing here?? Yes we’ve been using product with IGR in them. And yes these are fleas, checked with the vet, my doctor, and the exterminator. Please help!!

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Elizabeth. I recommend that you use a couple DIY flea traps (check my article on it) and use them in every room. Then, use DE on your carpets and investigate the possibility that they are coming in from outside, in which case using beneficial nematodes is a good option. Hope that helps, let me know how it goes and don’t forget to share this article please πŸ™‚

  51. Avatar Teagan says:

    Hi Natasha,
    I have been reading your articles all night. I have also commented on another one too. Just another quick question. I believe the to and fro from a friends house who is dealing with fleas has caused them in my home. I cannot physically see any and do not have a pet of my own but am continuously getting bites. Even right now laying in bed I am seeing new spots, but on inspection of the bed, nothing! What should I do?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Teagan, oh I didn’t realize that you are currently getting bites. I suggest that you make a couple DIY flea traps (article on this site), they are cheap and they will give you an idea of how many fleas are lurking around.

  52. Avatar Shay says:

    Hello. I have a question about fleas. I recently visited a friend of mine who does not have the best living conditions. I had not noticed until I had already been in the house for a decent amount of time that she had a variety of pests in her home. When I got home, I took some crazy precautions to make sure I didn’t bring bedbugs into my own home. At the time, it was my only concern. That night I noticed I was itching like crazy. I dismissed it because I actually took off my clothes and bagged them before entering my house. I thought it was in my head, but it turns out I brought my friend’s pet’s fleas home with me. (Never visiting her again!) We have no pets at our house, so my question is; do we need to take action against the small number of fleas in our house? Will they die out from not having an animal to feed from, or should we nuke them before they grow too numerous?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Shay, they should die out but I suggest checking my article on making a couple DIY flea traps, its easy and will deal with the few you have.

  53. Avatar Victoria says:

    Hi Natasha,
    My dog has fleas. I think she got them from our neighbors dog because their dog is always outside. I use medicated shampoo for my dog that is specifically for ticks and fleas. But after washing her the next day she’s itching up a storm. I think they hold on to her hair for dear life as I’m washing her. What can I do to get rid of them? Also, I heard of the soapy water candle trap. If I place a trap next to my dogs kennel at night while she’s sleeping, will the fleas near her and on her leave her body??

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Victoria, yes that will work, give it a try. Maybe use a tea light with a small battery though as your dog might knock the trap over.

  54. Avatar AAC says:

    I stopped at friends house who I know previously had fleas. I’m not sure if they are gone now. Anyways the dog brushed up against my legg a few times. Do you think I caught any from the that? I’m nervous I’ll give it to my dog or myself. Thanks

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi AAC! I wouldn’t worry, just keep an eye out for any and take immediate action if you find some.

  55. Avatar Erin says:

    Hi Natasha,

    Yesterday me and my family rescued a young squirrel and took him to a wildlife center, and of course the squirrel had fleas. I found one on me while we were there and squashed it, and we did have the shoebox the squirrel was in inside the house before we left, but being held by someone and not left anywhere to sit if that makes sense. When we got back home we washed our clothes in hot water and also treated our three cats with Frontline immediately. I felt really itchy then and today even after a shower but there don’t seem to be any bites and I guess I’m just feeling anxious about it. Do you think that with the minor contact and the precautions we took already it should be fine even if we have a stray flea floating around or something?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Erin, honestly, you should be fine. Just keep an eye out πŸ™‚

      • Avatar Erin says:

        Thank you! No sign of anything still and the cats seem perfectly fine themselves, not scratching a bunch or anything. I figure dry skin and the power of suggestion had something to do with my itching.

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hi Erin, hehe that is good news, hope it stays that way!

  56. Avatar Karma says:

    I am freaked out … It seams I have like a yellowish shade to me And my dogs … I live in a high humidity area where there are a lot of deer that are in my yard … I shower constantly it seems but I can’t seems to get rid of this shadowy apperance … I know it’s fleas … How do u get this off of me ?? Is it the eggs or what ?? I am beyond freaked out … Maybe I’m over reacting but it feels like they are all over me … In my nose and ears too ….. Please help !! I am constantly washing clothes, blankets, etc. And sweeping and washing my floors …. Am I so freaked out that I’m imagining it ??? But when i rub my skin I see tiny black dots …. And i do have the bites your talking about

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Karma, to be honest, I think there is something else wrong here. I suggest you go see your doctor immediately, don’t delay please.

    • Avatar JB says:

      Hi Karma, I am responding to your post to let you know that you’re not alone, as I am suffering from the same condition and it’s cause is directly related to fleas inside and manifesting in the body. The doctors make you feel like your crazy, but you and I are not. Doctors in this country dismiss the matter because they’ve never had to treat it from the inside out. The best they could do is prescribe topical cream, which helped to a certain extent, but did not kill them entirely. I’m doing lots of research and plan to try next diatomaceous earh (food grade) and to have my home exterminated and steamed cleaned. This is just the beginning of my plan. I’m curious to know since your post in 2016 if you found a remedy that works? Blessings and stay prayerful.

      • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

        Hi JB! Karma should have been notified, hope you will get a response soon πŸ™‚

  57. Avatar Gabs says:

    Hey Natasha,

    It’s so kind of you to be offering all this advice to people! I’ve read most of your posts now to educate myself! You’re clearly a very generous soul.

    I’d really appreciate your advice. My partner and I live on a very small, old wooden boat with loads of little hard to reach corners and cracks in the floorboards etc. It’s really hard to vacuum everywhere. Our neighbour’s cat used to be allowed to come in (he hasn’t been in for at least 2 weeks now) and unfortunately we are now infested with fleas. Every day we wake up with new very painful bites, and we have both seen a flea, tried to catch it, and seen it jump away.

    Our neighbour has treated her cat. Meanwhile we’ve washed all our bed linen, vacuumed loads, put an anti-flea powder treatment on the floor, and used natural spray on our curtains and beanbags. It’s still really bad so I’ve bought a fogger and we will use that soon. I’m wondering, 1) if we should also put some DE under our bed for a day, and 2) use a flea trap in our clothes cupboard? 3) I also wondered if we can keep our clothes cupboard open while we use the fogger so that it treats the inside of that. Or is that dangerous for us / will it ruin our clothes? I know we need to treat our clothes somehow but it seems kind of crazy to wash every item… 4) Is there anything else you could reccomend that we should do?!

    Many thanks in advance!

    Gabs

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Gabs, sorry to hear that you are struggling and thanks for reading my articles πŸ™‚ To answer your questions, starting from the first one: Yes definitely do that, good idea but make sure you use a battery operated light then as a candle as that could be a fire hazard, if you use DE/flea traps in the cupboard, you won’t need to keep the doors open so rather don’t and lastly, use DE in more places than just your bed. I know its a mission to clean up but it will help if you put it everywhere where fleas could be hiding. Hope that helps!

  58. Avatar Rachel says:

    Hi there!
    I have discovered some little red areas on my skin. They don’t itch, but they look like bites. I have two cats, and we delt with a flea problem about 6 months ago. Could this be fleas again? What would be the easiest and cost-friendly way to get rid of them? Thank you!

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Rachel, yes it could be, most cost effective is a wash in warm water with dawn dish soap but your cats might kill you πŸ˜‰

  59. Avatar Ziad says:

    Hi Natasha. My cat has fleas and I was wondering since you said that if they get onto humans then we should just take a shower. Would showering my cat remove his fleas then? (Just wondering, I’m not necessarily going to do that)

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Ziad, yes it is really as easy as that πŸ™‚

  60. Avatar Liz says:

    I was just visiting with someone who has a cat and I found out their cat has fleas. The cat brushed up against my legs, and coat a few times. I’m worried now about the cat transferring fleas to me and then myself transferring them to my cat when I get home from work. Is that a possibility? How can I prevent this from happening?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Liz, just hot wash your clothes, I am sure that you didn’t catch anything though from that brief encounter πŸ™‚

  61. Avatar Nicole says:

    Hi Natasha. My dog keeps scratching himself nonstop and I keep scratching my head. I’ve always had a bad case of excema, and my scalp is always dry. Do you think i have fleas? How can I check for them? Thank iOS.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Nicole, please check my article about dog fleas and my other one about “flea dirt” as this will help you figure out if you have fleas or not.

  62. Avatar Susan says:

    i rescued a 5 week old kitten about two months ago. She had fleas so I gave her baths until she was old enough to put Advantage on. She cried all night when we first got her so we stupidly let her sleep with us, now she insists on it and bangs into our bedroom door and becomes freaked out if we won’ t let her sleep with us. Anyway she still has fleas, we had our rugs cleaned, we sprayed, and washed all of our bedding. We still have little fleas and possibly eggs. We have fleas on us and all over the house stlll . It is driving us crazy. Any suggestions? Terminix said that if they come out we will need to be out of the house for 4 hours which is fine since we work but I don’t know what to do with my cat. She gets traumatized whenever we put her in her carrier and take her to the vets. All our friends and family have pets so don’t want to take to their houses for the four hours.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Susan, by the sounds of it, that exterminator visit might be necessary. I suggest you take your cat out though as they recommended, I know it’s hard but it cannot stay in the house. Also, if you havn’t done his yet, let me know if you need a quote for an exterminator, I can organize you an affordable price.

  63. Avatar Amy Rivera says:

    Hello, so I recently found out my dog has fleas, she slept in my bed with me this morning. Without knowing it I just so happened to wash all my sheets, but I had a hamper of clothes on my floor. Is there a chance that the fleas could have gotten on me and or in my hair or even on my clothes in the hamper on the floor. Super worried to the point where I’m feeling super itchy but I have no bites

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Amy, just wash everything, wash your dog in warm water and dawn soap and use my DIY flea traps for awhile and you will be sorted. Good luck!

  64. Avatar Girlie girl says:

    Hey love this lots of info one question if I flew bomb the two bedrooms where i think fleas have layed eggs do I need to wash all the clothing and bedding that’s in those rooms

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi there, I would wash all the bedding but the clothes should be fine, provided they were in your closet.

  65. Avatar Becky says:

    Loved this article, very helpful! Wanted to ask you about our situation. We were staying at a friends because we are in between houses, we have a 4 month old baby and a 2 year old shihtzu that is on Nexgard. The people we were staying with have a dog who has fleas and now we are nervous that our stuff and everything has flea eggs on it. I found one flea on our dog and I’m nervous about having them on us and the baby. Should I be concerned??

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Becky, you don’t need to worry, just wash your stuff when you get home and you will be fine πŸ™‚

  66. Avatar A says:

    Thank you for this informative article. Recently, I went to a pet shelter. I held a cat and petted it for 7 seconds top. The lady failed to mention that the cat had fleas until after I had touched it. I am so freaked out that I have gotten fleas. I have not seen any black dots or anything just. However I just want to check. What is the chance of getting fleas from these circumstances?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi A, just wash your clothes and you should be fine, unlikely that you suddenly have a massive flea problem from just that.

  67. Avatar Jamie G says:

    I baby sit a little girl who showed up with fleas in her hair (for the last two days). Im wondering if there is anything I can do to protect my children from getting them. I have treated my home, washed bedding, and I keep my dog treated regularly. My daughter and this girl play very close and like to hug. I am terrified that she will get them. Also, does Dawn dish soap work to kill them on a human? Thanks in advance for the help.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Jamie, just make sure that you wash clothing, etc. afterwards, you should be fine honestly πŸ™‚

  68. Avatar Angel says:

    Hi there thank you soooo much for all this info. I have some questions also. Yesterday i went to the thrift store for some props for my halloween party including a teddy bear. I went on my lunch break and purchased it andleft ot in the plastic zshopping bag in my car until i got home. Maybe 4-5 hours it sat in my car. When i got home i took the bag and placed it on the kitchen table. Later on in the evening i took the teddy bear out of the bag to see if it would glow in the black light as soon as i turned on the black light thats when i realized it had fleas on it. I immediately threw it outside and ultimately burned it and thr bag it was in in my fire pit.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Angel, it has been awhile (sorry for the late response), are you still having any flea issues?

  69. Avatar Bri says:

    Hi Natasha

    I recently found a couple fleas on each of my dogs. This was after seeing flea dirt in my bed (dogs lay in the bed each morning). I immediately panicked, gave them each a flea bath, applied frontline plus. Same day I deep cleaned my home, washed all bedding( theirs and mine) and spray IGR around their areas and baseboards. We had one large area rug that we got rid of, and I sprayed our throw rugs after washing. I’ve done daily checks with a flea comb and haven’t found any since the day I treated. I’ve also sprayed my whole house with an IGR that also kills adult fleas. I’ve probably vacuumed 10 times. This has all been since last Sunday, so 8 days. Is there anything else I should do? I’m so paranoid it’s all I can think about. Oh, I also did the trap for the first few nights and never got anything. Despite not finding anymore fleas or flea dirt on the dogs, the one is biting at her legs and itching a lot. I’m guessing she is still itchy from her bites? Does it sound like I’ve done enough? Thanks!!

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Bri, yeah she might be itchy from old bites so it sounds like you have done enough πŸ™‚ However, it has been awhile (sorry about the delay), are you still having issues?

  70. Avatar mona says:

    thank you so much!!! very helpful πŸ™‚

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Mona, it is a pleasure!

  71. Avatar lexy says:

    Hi natasha.. I’ve been washing my dogs spraying the flea spray used the flea carpet powder washed my own with baking soda and lemon scented dish soap I found on another site.. I’d like to avoid the bomb but if I have to I will anything else I can do? I have 3 boys under the age of 3.. the bomb says it needs 2 hours to treat and 2 hours to air out.. would I need to wash everything I can afterwards?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Lexy, yes there are a number of options under the fleas category on this blog. Sorry for the late response by the way, are you still having this issue?

  72. Avatar Chrissy says:

    Question. … my dogs love to lay under my bed and I found out they have fleas! Can fleas stay under my bed and lay eggs?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Chrissy! Yes they can.

  73. Avatar Gladis says:

    Hi so my puppy had fleas on him and when I was taking the fleas of him one of the fleas flow off of my dog.Will the fleas spread around my house?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Gladis! A single flea shouldn’t cause any issues, just keep an eye on the situation.

  74. Avatar Tracy says:

    Hi, I recently found a baby bird (a dove I think) that was blown out of it’s nest during a storm. I brought him inside the house (I was wearing gloves) and had him in a box…he was only inside for around 8 hrs.or so then he died but about 5 days later I noticed my cat scratching, nothing unusual but I pay special attention to her so I noticed it right away…thought maybe she had ear mites. The next day (day 6) I was petting her face and there was a couple of fleas on her, I started fluffing the fur on her cheeks every 20 to 30 minutes and each time got a few fleas, maybe a total of 7-10. I immediately bathed her in Palmolive dish soap in the tub and the next day went to my vet and got a Capstar pill and Frontline plus. I did not see any fleas on her after that until 2 days later and then there were only two and I got those two also….went back to vet and gave her another Capstar (4 days after the first pill) and washed EVERYTHING… sheets, clothes, rugs and pulled all my furniture away from the walls and vacuumed, shampooed carpets and steam them as well as my furniture, threw all the throw pills and bed pillows in dryer for at least 20 minutes and then bagged them. Spayed entire house with IGR spray from my vet and continued to vacuum every other day. Two more days past and as I was combing her found 2 more but one was moving very slow and I caught those two as well. I haven’t seen a flea on her or otherwise in 4 days now and never had any on me…do you think I have done enough since I believe I caught it in time before it became an infestation or am I kidding myself? I was so tired from spending four days straight constantly clean washing and vacuuming that I was feeling like my ulcers are trying to come back. Please any advice would be appreciated and hopefully relieve my OCD thought of another round because I missed something. Thank you for any advice.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Tracy! By the sounds of it, you nipped the problem in the bud and shouldn’t have any issues. You did a good thing as well, I am sure that the bird is grateful πŸ™‚

  75. Avatar Kevin says:

    Hi, Natasha

    After reading your article on fleas I’m starting to get the sneaking suspicion that my dogs may have them. They have been scratching themselves far, far more than normal. I’m bringing them to the vet tomorrow for a checkup so I know for sure. I believe it may be due to a kennel my father purchased for them two or so weeks ago. In that length of the time, would it be wise to call an exterminator or first attempt some kind of spray? Also, my dogs have been allowed on my bed during this time without any type of covering. Should I be looking for a new mattress or just attempt to clean it?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Kevin! If you want quick results, just call an exterminator. Alternatively, try some DE, borax or flea traps, I have articles on all three of these subjects.

  76. Avatar Jay says:

    Wow, I was looking online for some flea infestation relief, and found your site! I have spent a whole day reading remedies and tricks and people’s posts. If I can’t get rid of the fleas in my house now, then I won’t know what to do! I don’t even have indoor pets. We’ve had outdoor pets for 25+ years, and never had fleas in the house before. I know it’s fleas, because many years ago (almost 30) I moved into an apartment infested with fleas. Unfortunately, I am either allergic or OVERLY sensitive to their bites, and I seem to be the most prone to them! My kids are now getting a few bites as well, so I am trying your flea traps and getting some spray today, plus vacuum, vacuum, vacuum, and shower, shower, shower!!! πŸ™‚ They came on in a big hurry, I noticed two bites, which I thought were spider bites, on my ankle about a week to 10 days ago. But now each foot/ankle has a dozen plus, and they’re also on my legs, torso, and neck (ew!!) We did get two stray kittens from a friend about a month ago, which I noticed had fleas. But they were living outside, so I didn’t treat them and they did run away after a couple weeks. πŸ™ (Farm cats come and go, I always say.) The only thing I can think of is they lived in our garage for a few nights when we first got them so they wouldn’t wander, and I wonder if some eggs got laid on the carpeted step by the door coming into the house (??). We don’t have any majorly damp, moist, grassy areas that I am concerned about outside. All bushes and shrubs were pulled out by our house this summer when we did some landscaping, and the other animals that we’ve had have not ever seem to have any problems. But I am suffering, so I hope that this does not go on for months, as I’ve read some people have had such problems! Vacuuming seemed to help a great deal, but our house is so large and spread out, I do not know if these buggers are confined to any room (certainly not just carpeted rooms as I’ve found them in my linoleum bathroom and kitchen as well!). I hate to bomb the place; it would take a dozen bombs for both the ground floor and basement, and I don’t know when we’d all be gone for a whole day. I’m going to check into some spray, though, and try the traps, as I mentioned. I went through the disgusting problem of de-lousing my house (a different house then, much smaller!) when my 21-year-old was then 5 and had come home from her first week of Kindergarten with lice. Ugh! I told myself it was not a life or death situation, that I would get through it, and I did. I know it takes a lot of time and hard work, and this will as well. (To be truthful, though, it is rather sickening and upsetting, knowing these blood-suckers are in your home!) I am hoping in less than a month to be able to report that I have gotten this situation under control, if not totally eliminated, with all the great advice you’ve shared here. I have nothing but sympathy for anyone going through this irritating, annoying, disgusting problem! Thanks for the very informative website!

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Jay! Thanks for sharing your experiences, lovely long comment hehe! I also appreciate your kind words, please share my site with your friends πŸ™‚

      • Avatar Jay says:

        Hey, I’m happy to say that I believe all trace of fleas are gone from our home! I still change all our bedding VERY often (just in case!), and vacuum everything. I haven’t sprayed for a while, but the Raid flea spray worked well, I think. Also, kudos to you and your flea traps!!! I used a gallon ice cream pail lid, but the first night I set one, I didn’t realize the lid had a hole… so my soapy water leaked, but it pooled a little in the lid and there was a flea in it!! Next night, three in a trap in my kids’ room, one in the living room, and three more in the kitchen. YUCK! But dead, so YEA!! I sprayed and vacuumed and repeated traps until I found no more, and my bites have subsided (but not before I had at least 150 bites over several weeks– and I am not exaggerating. Honestly. My feet, ankles and legs were the worst.) So thank you, thank you, and good luck to all those still fighting the battle! You will win, and you will have the cleanest house on the block!! :o)

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hi Jay! Thanks for getting back to us, sorry for the late response. I really appreciate your feedback and well done, you deserve the victory!

  77. Avatar Jennifer says:

    I just noticed fleas a few weeks ago, I believe my step daughter brought them to my house from her mother’s house (they have stray kittens with them). Once I noticed bite marks on my ankles I checked my cats are sure enough they had them, so I went out and bought frontline to treat them right away while I ordered revolution online and am waiting for it to come in the mail. I have a 1 year old at home so I can’t flea bomb or use harsh chemicals, so my question is if I just keep treating my cats monthly with the revolution flea medication will the fleas all eventually die off on their own since they will die if they bite or land on the cats, and they can’t live off humans?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Jen! Yes, you are correct, let me know how it goes!

  78. Avatar jessie says:

    Hi, thank you so much for being so informative! I’ve recently noticed my son (11) has flea bites. He knows the dog is not suppose to be on bed but he’s been sleeping with him anyway. He did not tell me he had rash until the itching was unbareable and I noticed these bumps on his arms. He was covered in flea bites I’ve followed all your tips I’m just worried about the patch on his inner ankle it looks discusting, I’ve used some prescription cream to prevent infection that my doctor had prescribed to me last year for a burn. I’m just concerned I could be to late or it could be something else please help REALLY CONCERNED

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Jessie! It is a pleasure. That cream should help, don’t worry, your son is not going to have any permanent damage from the bites πŸ™‚ If the bumps don’t go down, I suggest that you take him to the doctor again.

  79. Avatar Stephanie says:

    Hi there. So yesterday I was at a friends house and he had a cat. We were laying in his bed and the cat was also. I was cuddling the cat until I saw something jumping in its fur. At first I wasnt sure what it was but the cat had a pretty bad flea problem. When I went home I had found a few fleas on me. I killed one but then the others jumped away. After looking over my body trying to find any, I didn’t so I went to bed because it was pretty late. I’m just wondering what I should do to make sure that the fleas do not stay in my house. Would taking a hot shower and washing my bedding do the trick? I do have a dog but he is on front line and the heart worm pill. Please help..

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Stephanie! I suggest just washing your bedding and using a flea trap (guide on this site) in the rooms. That should be enough since you caught it early.

  80. Avatar Whoville says:

    My daughter is very sensitive to bugs! We do have a pet but she never seemed to be as bitten as she is now. She just started summer baseball 3 weeks ago and they practice in the field. So idk where they’re coming from but I do hope I can pin it down :'(

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Whoville! Grab a spot on treatment or wash her with dawn soap and warm water. Hope you get it sorted out!

  81. Avatar Corey says:

    Thank you so much for this article! It helped a lot!My roomate has a cat and he recently had fleas,we took him to the vet and got them out and then called an exterminator and cleaned the carpet but in my room after the extermination there were fleas attacking my feet,could you please give us some advice to solve the problem?thanks!

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Corey! Give my flea trap a try, its super cheap to make and will definitely help you.

  82. Avatar Brandi Love says:

    I just bought a home and the people I got it from they left fleas behind. I don’t have pets so would exterminator be able to get rid of all the fleas?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Brandi! Yes an exterminator would be able to do that. Send me an email if you would like some free quotes.

  83. Avatar 00wrighty says:

    Thank you for providing so much information on here. I’ve found it really helpful. I do not have any pets but have recently found fleas in the house and iny washing πŸ™ I’ve found the experience really stressful and I’m hoping to have got rid of the little blood suckers. I know we got the problem after a friends dog got infested as well as their home. They were coming round frequently and unfortunately passed on the problem. Can the dog fleas quite happily live off human blood indefinitely? I’ve bombed the house and cleaned all the washing in the house (that took some doing) treated the washing before putting it away, and am spraying the house frequently. We have also treated the yard, outside shed and car. Do you think this should be enough and is there anything else I can do to ensure they stay out of our home. The friends have treated the dog but are leaving the fleas in the house to die out as they can’t effect the dog anymore. I’ve suggested they treat the house but they say its not nessisary as dog has been treated. I’m very upset by the whole process and have asked them to stay away. They could keep infecting my house yes? Please help xx

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Wrighty! Fleas need animal blood to survive. It sounds like you have done enough, just keep an eye on the situation. If they have treated their dog then it should be fine to have them around again, just be proactive with your flea control.

  84. Avatar Erin says:

    My three cats had fleas (well, two for sure, the other is black so I couldn’t see if he did even when I washed him). They have all been given flea baths (really fun giving three cats who hate water baths!!!). So now I guess I’m wondering, if I haven’t seen any sign of them in my home, I’m assuming they still might be there? What are the chances that my cats will get them again from somewhere within my home? I have no idea where they cam from in the first place, but I don’t want my cats to get them again. I have small children an hate the idea of using a fogger or something along those lines, so how else can I ensure that they are not in my home and will not get my cats again?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Erin! Give my flea trap a try, it takes a few minutes to make and will help you find and kill the fleas.

  85. Avatar Ally says:

    This helped me so much. I am in fact a hypochondriac and constantly worry about these things so I very much thank you for posting this for it helped me calm down a bit and I will be sure to take all this into consideration. I may still worry because I’m also paranoid but there’s no way around that so really you don’t know how much I appreciate your help. Have a great day!

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Ally! Its a pleasure, glad that you find it helpful.

  86. Avatar Jj says:

    Has anyone ever have fleas mutate into something so small becauae of so much igr that they start to live under your skin ? Please help dr. Don’t believe me cause they can’t see them . I moved and brought nothing with me . But the problem is me now

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi! No, that is not possible. However, I do recommend that you go visit your doctor to investigate it further.

  87. Avatar Morgan says:

    I live in East Georgia and have 1 cat (shes either 6 or 7). While watching tv the other evening I caught a flea on me. The next day while sitting out on my porch I saw another flea on me but it got away. So I set up a trap, a dish of hot water and a lot of soap under a lamp. It has caught one. They have all looked like tiny grains of brown rice (they are dark brown and more long than round. When I lived in VA and my cat got fleas they were the tiny blackish round supper jumpy ones. Any who, my cat is showing no symptoms of fleas. No flea dirt or excessive itching or sensitivity to being pet around her tail. She hasn’t been treated for fleas in a while because her outdoor space is a second story balcony. But I plan to get something tomorrow since I know its just a good idea. Are there different types of fleas? Possibly a flea that is less attracted to my cat? Even though I have only seen 4 fleas, is an outbreak eminent? Whats a good all natural remedy that I could make that I could spray on my carpet to kill fleas and the eggs?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey! Nope, a flea is a flea, not much variance in the species. With just 4 fleas, its unlikely you have an outbreak. I wouldn’t really even bother, just keep an eye on the situation. Perhaps try my homemade flea trap (I have an article) so catch the few that might be in your home.

  88. Avatar Ale Vee says:

    Honestly, I’m so happy I read this article. I have suffered from getting flea bites for about the past two years. I have a toy poodle that stays inside and occasionally gets fleas because my pitbulls live outside and get them fast. Im guessing when we go outside to spend time with the big dogs they spread to her. My point is I have been suffering from this and it’s terrible it literally makes me not want to leave my house. Especially since the area that is bitten the most is super visible, my neck. Im in high school and it sucks when my friends are like you’re always getting those bites on your neck and I have no explanation what can I say? “Oh yeah its cause I have fleas” it sucks! The only person I have shared this problem with either than my parents is siblings is my boyfriend and im happy he understood. I ditched class one day because while I was in the restroom I saw a flea crawling on me and it’s just an awful feeling! Imagine sitting in class and the person sitting behind me sees it jump on my head. It depresses me. I want to see a doctor to see if they can help me because I feel like nothing works. I will try doing what you listed in the article and hope it works because I can not live like this any longer. It KILLS my self esteem..

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Ale! Well I am glad that I can help you, hope things work out!

  89. Avatar Marigold51 says:

    Hello! First, let me say that your website has been nothing but helpful!

    I recently moved out of an apartment where the owner took in a puppy about a few weeks prior. Around the time the puppy arrived, I noticed I was being bitten furiously- mostly on my ankles and arms, and a couple spots on my upper back, thighs and tummy. I though it was bedbugs, but I found no traces of them. The itching and bites seem to have subsided quite a bit. However, Last night as I unpacked, I noticed these small, smashed looking flecks, all identical in size, and brown to greenish in color. I picked them up with a towel and put them in a sandwich bag.

    My parents also have a dog, that goes outside and isn’t bathed regularly. I thought it could be her, but this has never been a problem before. I noted the flecks again in the living room near the air conditioner in my new place. Do you think these could be fleas? Although the itching has been going on for a few weeks, I’ve only just noticed these flecks because they were so prominent. There are no pets in my new apartment, either. If these aren’t fleas, any idea what they might be? Thank you!

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Marigold! It sounds like fleas. Use my flea trap article to find out, they are cheap and take you a couple minutes to make.

  90. Avatar Jess says:

    Hi, Yesterday evening we bought an 8 week old puppy and have just this morning noticed she has what we think is a flea on her. she’s been on our living room carpet and she slept in my mum and dads bed overnight. Shes only been in the house about 18 hours what is the likelihood of us being infested with fleas and what can we do right away to prevent an infestation.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Jess! Its not a guarantee but perhaps take some pro-active measures and at least wash the linen. Lastly, use a flea trap (I have an article on this) in each room to check for any in the carpet.

  91. Avatar Bia says:

    Hello,
    My cat recently had babies she moved them in the house in a box like space in our my closet
    Today we saw fleas on the kittens I have a rash on my neck and I’m trying to find out if I have fleas please tell me how to get rid of flease thank you

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Bia! You can gently wash them in warm water and add a small amount of lemon based dishwashing liquid. While I don’t suggest doing this more than every two weeks or so, this will safely kill the fleas. If you take a hot washer, you will be fine, just wash your clothes as well.

  92. Avatar Lauren says:

    Natasha, My family recently moved into a house with all wooden floors. We didn’t have fleas when we moved in. We also do not have any pets. What do you recommend for getting rid of fleas living in wooden and laminate flooring? I’m really concerned because the baby sometimes has fleas on her head, but I don’t see many bites. My two year old does have a few bites though. When I took them to the pediatrician, he didn’t seem at all concerned about tapeworm. Is this likely? Does the the whole family need to be treated for deworming? Thank you!!

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Lauren! Put hot water in a bucket, add some gentle dish soap and mop your floors. Don’t repeat it too often as you can strip the wood of its natural oils but it will work. Its unlikely that you would need to be de-wormed but if its been awhile, you might as well do it. πŸ™‚

  93. Avatar Holly says:

    I have a new puppy. She has fleas. I bought the Hartz flea top spot and it didn’t work. A week later I gave her a flea bath. My house is getting fumigated tomorrow. Can I buy a name brand flea remover that won’t harm my 27 lbs., 4 month old dog? How long do I have to wait to treat her? I don’t want to over medicate her! I also gave her a bath with dish soap. I really hate fleas!

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Holly! I suggest you try Front-line or Advantage, both have fairly decent results across the board. I would wait at least a week but your vet will be able to advise further. Best of luck!

  94. Avatar Scarlet says:

    Okay, so, I sleep with my dog and idk if she has fleas. Lately it seems, overnight mostly I have in the morning bumps on my neck, back, arms, and head. Do you think fleas could be a possibility? What should I do for my dog and I?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Scarlet! Yes, it sounds like it could be fleas. Check out my article on flea dirt to see if it is the case. You can also try my flea trap, just make sure that your dog doesn’t knock it over hehe.

  95. Avatar susan says:

    I believe my son is bringing home fleas, he does H & A , tells me he has been in a home with other animals, I live in a condo and have a cat that got fleas, treat and special comb her all the time for these bugs, I am a very clean person. I sanitize everything, evan his laundry washed seperatlley. I clean my personal hairbrush about 1 time a mo. This time shocking. I took a comb to my brush and found dead big fleas in the mat of hair. Thank God , I did not brush my hair yet. What is going on, and can you help,

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Susan! I suggest that you hot wash all your linen and clothing that could have come into contact with fleas. Secondly, get a spot on treatment for your cat and then use my flea trap in each room. I have an article on that so check it out πŸ™‚

  96. Avatar Michele says:

    About two years ago I was bite by a flea or fleas – whiling sitting on furniture that was infested. I did get a rash and swelling that took a long time to clear up. I later got a call from the person, who had the infested chair that I sat in and got biten, this person told me the chair had to be thrown away since they also found empty worm shells along with the dead fleas. Apparently, the cat had worms, too.
    Now here’s my dilemma, every once in awhile – maybe once a year- the past two years- this area where I was originally biten, left buttock inner part- this area will start itching, break out i welts and swell for about three weeks before it seems to totally clear up. Could this be coincedence or do you think it relates to my being biten by fleas that infested on a cat with worms?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Michele. Its just coincidence, there is no ways that there would be that kind of delay between them (neither would a flea behave in that manner), might just food allergies or something like that πŸ™‚

      • Avatar Diane Cooper says:

        The welts sounds like stress. I have those to. First thought it was bed bugs. The welts come in the same area on my body. Always when i am under a lot of stress. Use anti ltch cream. Usually gone by the time i get to a doctor.

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hi Diane! Thanks for your comment!

  97. Avatar lynne west says:

    how liklely is. it that I could have taken dog fleas back to my home after bn in contact with a puppy who had wee drop off fleas iv treated my own dog an had washed all clothes that I had on. will my hair b ok I will b washing it tmoro. thank u for reading

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Lynn! You will be fine, just keep an eye on the situation and let me know if you see any of those buggers πŸ˜‰

  98. Avatar Jenna says:

    Hello I was wondering can fleas reproduce off human blood? We have a flea problem in my apartment due to a past tenant who had a cat who had them. Also how long can they survive on human blood I’ve read that it is not nutritious for them as their preferred host blood is

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Jenna! Fleas do not prefer human blood but if there isn’t any alternative, they will bite you for food. I am not too sure if they live shorter lives on our blood but either way, you need to get rid of them and not allow them to die of “natural causes” hehe πŸ˜‰

  99. Avatar Alexis says:

    What would happen. If u hadthem for almost a year and ur children have red dots all over there ankles

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey! I highly recommend that you get an exterminator to treat your house, having them for almost a year is not the way to live. Let me know if you want me to send you some free quotes πŸ™‚

  100. Avatar leesa says:

    Hi I have had fleas for almost 3 yrs now on me. I bath. I shower, I pick them out under my.skin. I have had my house treated 3 times by a professional. I’m sick to my.stomach every day. It’s been really stressful. I don’t know what to do. My.dog seems fine. But they love me. I can’t get rid of them . I went to laundromat. With everything. They won’t go. I treat the dog. I bath the dog. I can’t win. I have read that they r really hard to get of your body and I’m living proof. Y won’t they go.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Leesa! I haven’t actually heard of a scenario where it was that difficult to get rid of them from the body, I can only presume that you still have a flea issue in the house. Did those exterminators use an insect growth regulator? You might find that they killed the fleas but the next generation appeared when the eggs (which might be in your carpets, etc.) hatched.

  101. Avatar CJ says:

    Hi, I just was just outside and shook the hand of a neighbor After he told me about sharing a room with someone that had a flea infested dog. It is freezing out here right now, and I washed my hands when I got in. But I am worried about getting fleas and passing them to my cats from that hand shake. I could be blowing it out of proportion, but I just don’t want to have to give all four of my cats flea bathes.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey CJ! Don’t stress, its extremely unlikely that you got fleas from that brief encounter with your neighbor. Thanks for your comment!

  102. Avatar dominique says:

    Hi Natasha I recently spent the night at a friends home with out knowing their dogs had fleas. Once I got home I showered and went to bed but all night my hair was itchy (not very bad) and I woke up in the morning with little bumps on the inner part of my arm and some on my neck. I found a little bug crawling on my shorts last night but it didn’t jump but it was really hard to smash please help!

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Dom! Might be a bed bug to be honest, please check my articles on this subject and let me know. πŸ™‚

  103. Avatar Tina m upham says:

    Hello I have two flea ridden cats I comb them and kill fleas all the time I have read every web site there is. I went to the store and bought dollar general brand odor eliminating spray citrus for $1.00
    16 fl. Oz. Sprayed my bed. Carpet cats favorite napping spots. Let it soak in and dry. Was amazed at all the dead and red blood filled fleas larva and eggs I hope . Worked like a a charm. Does not say what the ingredients are but I bet lemon juice and water would work well. I am considering giving my cats a dawn dish soap and orange juice bath. I think it might be a simple effective way to save money and rid the fleas once and for all! What do you think?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Tina! Thanks for the great suggestion, I haven’t used it but I am sure that there are others that can try it and hopefully have your success. πŸ™‚

  104. Avatar chris says:

    I have to say all your guides on flea control are a great read. Not only do I now feel confident to go to war with these pests (after loosing the battle) I don’t need to worry about huge costs. I will follow your very detailed but yet simple to understand guides and try rid these pests with a diy method. Thanks so much for all your help and advice, a lot of knowledge was gained from this site. Thanks again.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Chris! It’s a pleasure!

  105. Avatar Juanita sal says:

    Hi. I’m concern I notice fleas in my home late September…. I gotten my house perfessionally sprayed 3xs in two months. I took this route because I just had a new born oct 2 2013 and I need my home to be flea free. Well lately I’ve been seeing my cat scratching n biting…. And yes i followed the guideline of vacuuming and washing everything for weeks per perfessional spray! i changed his flea med to another vet recommend brand in dec Because frontline was not working no-longer.i notice two adult fleas on him early nov.
    I give my cat a flea bath today (1/13/14 after I applied the medicated drop on him.. 36hrs later because i seen him scratching and biting. Did I take the medicine off his skin? If I did can I reapply another dosage? (Vetra ) is the brand. When I gave him a flea bath with flea shampoo I notice something small n red however it look like it was a half of what could have been. Not really certain . I’m very nervous about my newborn and don’t want to risk another infestation…. Please help. Can I apply another dosage of medicated flea drops. I gave him his dose on the 11th. I’m concerned of washing the medicine drops off when I bathe him. Thanks

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Juanita! I havnt personally used Vetra so I cant comment on that. However, since the cat is young, maybe stay away from additional chemicals for awhile. I recommend checking your house for fleas (use my homemade flea trap for this) and giving the cat a warm bath with dawn dishwashing soap. I know that your cat won’t appreciate it but it will kill those remaining fleas and its natural (just do this once though). From that point, regular combing will really help πŸ™‚

  106. Avatar Francesca says:

    I also work for a doggy daycare could the fleas jump off me and onto the other dogs at work? Or do they die instantly if jumped onto a human or going outside in the cold air.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Francesca! If the fleas were on you in the first place, absolutely. In fact, they prefer animal blood so they will definitely jump off you for a more preferred target. They will not die if they are exposed to the outside air. Hope that helps!

  107. Avatar katherine says:

    Hi! I know this probably sounds paranoid but I have two little kids and ive dealt with fleas before and the thought of them being in my home is freaking me out really bad. I recently rescued a dog and transported it in my van and had it inside my house overnight before i noticed it had tons of flea dirt on it. I took the dog immediately the next morning to get groomed and have flea medication applied. I have vacuumed my house and furniture top to bottom and mopped several times and vacuumed out my car. I hot washed all sheets and everything else that would fit in there! The dog left the next day to go to a rescue so its no longer living with us. I havent seen any fleas and i havent been bitten and i dont believe my husband or kids have either but im very scared they are in my house and van now. Its been almost a week since the dog was with us. Do you think its possible there are any left? Or if there were any to begin with? My husband thinks im crazy but jearing it from someone who deals with this will help ease my mind. Thanks for the help!

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Katherine! If there are no signs of fleas in your home (try using my homemade flea trap to confirm, you can find the guide on my blog), you should be perfectly fine and you can relax πŸ™‚ Trust me, if you were housing a major flea problem in your house, you would know about it fairly quickly. Hope that helps!

  108. Avatar Mark says:

    Hi Natasha, I have developed an allergic reaction to flea powder and cannot stop the itching and small sore spots do to scratching. I have gotten a cordisone shot and a prescription for cream from my dermatologist but it is not stopping the constant itching. It is so bad that it wakes me up every morning. Any suggestions?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Mark! I recommend that you try using some pure lemon juice on the affected area. This will serve as a decent disinfectant and should also relief some of your itchiness. Let me know how that works for you!

  109. Avatar Julie says:

    Hi and thank you so much for your very informative articles! Back in May, I rescued three little semi-feral kittens from under my deck in the backyard. I kept them outside all summer, but got really tired of worrying about them when it rains, so I brought them inside. Before doing that, I took them to the vet for neutering/spaying. They got a Capstar there and three days after their surgery, I used Advantage Multi on them. That was 2 months ago and even though I repeated the Advantage a month later, we are now totally infested with fleas as if I had done nothing at all! I gave them a third Advantage treatment 7 days ago and they are all still scratching. Meanwhile, I have gotten about 40-50 flea bites! So this past weekend, I vacuumed like a crazy person (carpet and upholstery) and put down DE in the room where the cats would be, then I used Zodiac carpet spray and Enforcer carpet spray on my carpets and upholstery. I washed every sheet, blanket and towel in hot water. I have even had to spray my car twice now. So after all that hard work yesterday, I got home tonight and sat down on my sofa and I swear I feel fleas crrawling on me. To date, I haven’t seen a single flea, but I have the bites all over my legs to prove they are there. So what should I do next? I am about to have a breakdown if I don’t find something that works soon.

    Since I put Advantage on the cats 10 days ago and it didn’t work, can I put something else on them instead?

    Thanks so much for your help and insight.

    Julie

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Julie! Do you notice the bites after sleeping or do they appear randomly? The reason I am asking is because it may be bed bug bites. As for your cats, I recommend that you either give them a wash using dawn soap and warm water (if possible) or go and grab enough Front Line to last you for the entire month (usually can get a discount). Combining this with DE (for the actual house) will get rid of those fleas. Please keep me updated πŸ™‚

      • Avatar Julie says:

        I called my vet today and she is suggesting a new product for my cats called Activyl. It is a new spot on product. I plan to pick some up this weekend. I don’ t think I am getting any new bites, the ones I have are just slow to heal. . However, there are a bunch of tiny little pinprick size bumps in and around the bites. Now I am thinking it might be a rash . When the fleas were biting me, I tried some Skin So Soft hoping it would repel fleas, and I think it gave me a rash instead! I think I will try the new stuff on the cats, put down some DE and see where we are from there. I really don’t want to call an exterminator because it will be very difficult to get these fur babies out of my house while waiting for treatment. Is DE safe enough to use while they are nearby?

        Thanks for your help. I am feeing very alone in this and it is overwhelming! I just keep hoping we will be flea free soon.

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hey Julie! I have never used it so please let me know how it goes. I don’t recommend using DE around small animals. However, if you really want to, just make sure you apply it carefully and it should be fine. Keep me updated πŸ™‚

  110. Avatar Julia says:

    Hi,
    I have been plagued with fleas since moving into an apartment infested with fleas in August 2013… (I have no pets.)
    I have since moved (Sept 1. 2-13) and have been successful in preventing them from infesting my new apartment as long as I keep vacuuming every day.

    The problem is that I can’t get them out of my car… I have had the upholstery deep cleaned twice, have tried sprays, borax even salt. I recently threw out the floormats and started vacuuming the car every day. I am not seeing adult fleas, just the flea eggs which seem to “float around” each time I open the car door, especially if the it has been sitting all day while I’m at work.
    I find the white specks on my clothing, on the plastic areas inside the car…. and I just know they are “traveling” with me…. embarrassing:(

    Hope you can help…
    Thanks,

    Julia

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Julia! I recommend getting your car seats steam cleaned. That’s what I personally do If I find any trace of pests in my car. The high temperature will kill most insects (and their eggs) if you take the time to do it properly. Hope that helps, keep me updated! πŸ™‚

  111. Avatar Lisa Moore says:

    Hi I have my dog snowy (bishon friese )for 6 years with no problems but recently fostered a little dog thankfully he was reunited wit his family after he left I realised poor snowy had fleas I treated him and my couch and rug but can still see eggs on the couch and haven’t let snowy back in the house when will it be safe to let him back in (if eggs are still visible) inside also we have been on the couch and I noticed some eggs on my sons pjs could they have transferred to his bed and can they turn into fleas after treatment …. Hope to hear from you soon as we are really missing our baby πŸ™

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Lisa! If you are not finding any fleas then just use an IGR (insect growth regulator) spray in the affected areas (where you think the eggs may have ended up) as this will stop them from hatching. Its really as simple as that and the spray will not cost too much. Good luck!

  112. Avatar Amy says:

    Thanks Natasha. I had tried a couple flea traps by my bed and the couch, and they didn’t catch anything. When I told my landlord, he wanted to do a flea bomb on the whole house, so we did that Monday. Today is Friday, and I have a new flea bite on my foot. I don’t understand it. Do you think new fleas are getting into the house somehow?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Amy! Its possible that they coming in from outside. I suggest you take a moment to fully inspect the yard for signs of fleas. Check out the dark and potentially damp areas first and let me know how it goes πŸ™‚

  113. Avatar Rosa Shamosa :) says:

    Hi, I have battled fleas for about 2 months.I’ve tried everything.DE,borax, salt,multiple brand foggers, vacuuming like crazy/frequently.I believe they came from our outdoor cat/yard.I recently bought Precor 2000 and applied it Sunday, pretty thoroughly.Oh, and washed all kinds of clothing , sheets, curtains….I think they made me the cat as i am the only one being bitten.I have seen a decrease but feel there are some here still.Precor has IGR..Will these pests ever die out will all this work? I had started taking hot baths and keeping hair in the water for 30 minutes and then 15 minutes with shampoo.I actually think i find/feel eggs in my bed.I have similarlty treated my car/porch…can the Precor prevent whats left from reproducing but still will bite?I hate this…

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Rosa! Yes, you will eventually win the war, sorry that its been a problem in your home for so long, it must be very tiresome. I notice that you are keeping your hair under water for a long time, are you trying to kill fleas in it? Fleas hardly ever nest themselves in human hair and even if they do, a quick 2 minute shampoo wash will get rid of them. It might be worth investigating other causes for an itchy scalp as its very unlikely that its fleas.

      • Avatar Karen says:

        Hi there thanks so much for your article it releaves me that fleas don’t nest in your hair but my question is are you Not supposed to let your cat sleep with you on your bed???? And if you do ,fleas appears can the pet spray for house by hartz be harmful to humans and animals???

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hi Karen! If your cat doesn’t have fleas, sleeping with it is fine. I am not too sure, I recommend that you contact hartz for that info. However, usually those sprays are fairly toxic so maybe try find a non-toxic one πŸ™‚

  114. Avatar Amy says:

    Hi Natasha, thank you so much for posting this. Yesterday I found a flea in my bed and another in a plate of soapy water I set up last night next to my bed. I have no pets; the closest I get to animals is walking past a dog on the sidewalk. I think the fleas may have come in the house on a used couch my landlord put in few days ago. Or have you heard of other petless people getting fleas in their houses? I walk by the couch to go to my bedroom. We have hardwood floors and a big rug where the couch is. I washed my sheets last night. What else do you think we need to do to get rid of other fleas/eggs? Thank you so much.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Amy! Its a pleasure! Its definitely possible to get fleas in your home without pets (from rats, possums, etc.). However, fleas require an animal host at some point otherwise they will not be able to reproduce and live for very long. My recommendation is to use a few flea traps (check out my guide on this) and just proactively check for any flea activity in your home. From the sounds of it, its not a bad infestation so you don’t need to stress. Cheers!

      • Avatar Slmc says:

        Hi. I commented on another article a few minutes ago and have kept reading other articles you have written. Not sure which one you will read first. As mentioned in my other comment, the cat has since left my home. You are saying that without the cat here, the fleas won’t survive, You also mentioned that without pets present I will look like tasty chicken with all the fixins AND gravy?? Lol..I’m a bit confused… can u clarify?
        Thank you. btw, I’m happy I found your articles πŸ™‚

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hi Slmc! Glad you like the info. Fleas can definitely bite you (instead of your pets) but my point is that they cannot LIVE on human blood forever. Hope that clarifies it a bit.

  115. Avatar Karim says:

    Thank you, Natasha. This was very helpful. I have been fighting fleas for the past couple months, and I finally gave in and started using Frontline Plus on my 3 small dogs. Before, I had used a lot of diatomaceous earth powder in the carpets, bedding, and directly on the dogs on a regular basis as soon as I saw a flea. In the last week or so, I’ve been seeing fleas on the dogs despite using the powder. I’ve moved into a new house recently, so I’m thinking it’s a different kind of flea than I’ve dealt with before. There are also rats in the backyard, and I believe that is the source. I grow a lot of tomatoes, so that is their food source. I like tomatoes and growing vegetables in general, so I’m thinking I have to choose between having veggies or having no fleas. πŸ™
    Karim

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Karim! Glad that you enjoyed it and thank you for your kind words. Its possible that they are coming from the rats but instead of abandoning your gardening, I highly recommend that you take steps to either protect your produce or get rid of those rats. While this is primarily an insect removal blog, feel free to drop me an email and I will give you some tips πŸ™‚

  116. Avatar Sherry says:

    I have a 5 week old newborn and found a flea in her diaper. Cat is boarded at vet and we have tried baking soda, diatamaceous earth and borax. Nothing seems to work. I’m afraid to use chemicals. Do you think the chemicals will harm her?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Sherry! Since you have a young child, I don’t recommend that you use chemicals in your home. How bad is your flea problem at the moment? If you just find a couple fleas, the treatment method wont be very difficult (you can use DE for example) and you should be able to get rid of them rather quickly. Let me know πŸ™‚

      • Avatar Sherry says:

        Thank you for your answer! I get about one bite a day on my feet. Nobody else seems to have bites (and baby can’t tell me if she itches). I have some flea traps with lights and they pick up a few each night. We’re not infested, but they are here for sure. We bought a new vacuum since our 15 yo model didn’t have great suction. I also bought some peppermint oil based EcoSmart spray and did that, but still getting bites here and there. Picked up the cat and I’m not convinced he’s flea free although they bathed him, gave him a 24 hour pill and a 30-day treatment while he was there for two weeks. I saw him shaking his head and scratching!!! My son also has ringworm. I feel like our lives are overrun by nasty organisms! I still haven’t given in to chemicals, but I’m so tired of washing in hot water and vacuuming. At least I’m not finding dead-flea blood spots on the inside of the washer lid like before. Kitty used to sleep right next to the dirty clothes hamper and I couldn’t figure out what the little red spots were inside the washer until a added 2+2. The DE in the carpet has caused my feet to be super dry and rough, even though we vacuumed it up. I don’t really want to use that again… If I stop cleaning like a fiend, I suppose they will multiply? True? And will this end once it cools off outside or will they persist inside the house all year round?

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hey Sherry! Based on your description, it seems like there is a recurring cycle of adult fleas to flea eggs and then back to adult fleas again, hence why you can’t seem to get rid of them. My recommendation is to find yourself a natural flea spray (or well, mostly natural) and to make sure it contains IGR (insect growth regulator). This will stop the flea life cycle. Give that a try and let me know. πŸ™‚

  117. Avatar Denise says:

    You are awesome. I had so many questions and they were all answered reading all your contents. Thank you so much

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Denise! Thanks for your kind words, I am glad that my article and the community has helped you πŸ™‚ Don’t forget to share this guide with your friends so that they can so learn more about flea control!

  118. Avatar Karen says:

    I have two dogs that do not have fleas and are treated monthly. However, my son kept scratching his head … so I bent him over the sink and literally hundreds of dead fleas fell out. She showers regularly. What is going on ?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Karen! Are you sure that they were fleas? Despite your experience, I think they were probably lice and a simple product that targets those should sort the situation out quickly. If you are able to send me an image of what you found, I can give you a proper analysis πŸ™‚ Good luck!

      • Avatar Karen says:

        Natasha, you were correct. Because they were so big, I never imagined it could be lice, but it turns out my son had a very big problem that unfortunately carried over to myself as well. I had he and his brothers hair buzzed and have been treating myself (basically overtreating because it freaked me out) and I think the problem is over.

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hey Karen! Glad you have got it sorted and happy I could be of assistance. Hope to see you back again soon!

  119. Avatar Sam says:

    Hi i have discovered some small black bugs on my body, one jumped so I believe it’s a flee. However, I don’t have any bites and I’m not itchy either. I’m kind of scared

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Sam! If you look closely, you should be able to see whether or not its a flea. That flea image on this page isnt that great but take a moment to check out a couple of my other articles on fleas you can find a better one. It may be a flea but I highly recommend that you make sure πŸ™‚ Let me know!

  120. Avatar Julie says:

    Hi I babysit a child and there parents just recently told me they had a problem with fleas. I have now recently seeing fleas in my home. Was ity possible they transported from there house to mine in his bag or anything? I was wondering if it is possible so I know that I can hold them responsible on taking care of the costs for me to get rid of them thank you.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Julie! Its possible but very unlikely since we are not their preferred targets. I recommend that you encourage them to sort it out as soon as possible before they start multiplying. I have a couple DIY guides that you can review as well, most of them are extremely affordable and don’t require the use of insecticide. Good luck!

  121. Avatar rebecca says:

    Hi Natasha, thanks for your article. We have had a flea problem at home, from our cat, the cat is now treated and we had the house fumigated only today, I am at work and feel I am getting bitten still..could I have transported them with me to my work? If so do I now have to fumigate here as well?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Rebecca! Its very unlikely and besides, fleas will die without the necessary intake of animal blood (not just human blood) so they will die off unless you have pets running around at work πŸ˜‰ Is the flea situation completely sorted at home? If not, I will be happy to assist you further, let me know πŸ™‚

      • Avatar destinegirl says:

        So I have a question my mother in law got a new dog a week ago and knew from the day they got the dog he had fleas and didn’t mention to tell me and letting my kids (toddlers) touch all over him and let him sleep in our bed and not saying that he has fleas and I was wondering why I was breaking out and burning all on my back and now my head has been burning and I’m freaking out cuz I found fleas in my hair but it’s been almost a week and I just found out yesterday that he had fleas but when I take a shower my head still burns when I come out I think it’s gotten worser what do I do ????

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hi Destinegirl! The shower would have killed the fleas, your skin is probably just inflamed from the bites and will calm down after a couple days. Let me know how it goes!

  122. Avatar Salma Isse says:

    Thank you I think it is flea’s because i have a few bumps and i thought it was mosquito bites, I have 2 birds though so how do i tell if they have flea’s? their budgies by the way i would appreciate it if you knew πŸ˜€

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Salma! Its unlikely that your budgies have fleas but its very possible that its a result of mites, they can also leave bite marks on humans. I recommend taking your birds to the vet to be treated as they will need professional care. Its not super dangerous but since it won’t cost too much, I recommend doing it as soon as possible.

  123. Avatar Jacqueline says:

    I keep getting these bumps on my arms…they itch like hell and literally are all over my arms. Worst part is they hurt. Recently I found a kitten and brought her in to keep her from getting run over and did find a few fleas on her….Do you think the bumps all over my arms is from fleas?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Jacqueline! Sounds like the bites are from fleas, sorry that you have to deal with that, especially after doing a good deed for a stray animal. I have an entire guide that focuses on flea bite treatment and I recommend that you take a look at that. Feel free to drop me a message if you need more assistance πŸ™‚

  124. Avatar Salma Isse says:

    i’ve been feeling itchy for days im not sure if its flea”s or lice since my hair is really itchy too can you tell me?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Salma! If its fleas, you will likely have a couple flea bites. If you just have itchy skin, it could just be allergies to food or something like that. I find that if the weather is dry or I have been eating lots of unhealthy food, I also tend to get itchy skin so it could just be that.

  125. Avatar Mia says:

    My neighbor helped me wash my 4 cats and now I’m afraid she might get fleas. I don’t want anymore problem, I have enough. How do humans remove fleas from their body?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Mia! Fleas can be removed from humans by simply taking a hot shower and washing properly. If you have had fleas on your body, its likely that you have also had a few flea bites, I recommend checking out my article on this subject as it will help you find some relief. Let me know if you have any more questions.

  126. Avatar Iliana Yoc says:

    Hello Natasha,
    I’ve got two pets with fleas and their frequently getting into the house.
    Here’s my question, can fleas lay eggs on human heads?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Iliana! While its possible, its not likely and even if they did, flea eggs are smooth and will fall out when you brush your hair or something like that. My recommendation is that you follow a few of my guides on removing pet fleas and that will solve the entire situation completely πŸ™‚

  127. Avatar Jose Guillermo Ruiz-Garcia says:

    Hello Natasha. I’d like to thank you for this wonderful article. It certainly enlightened me a bit. Now, I just had one question: if has a flea infested pet within a household, is there a high possibility that a female flea would lay eggs in the carpet immediately? Or are there certain circumstances that must happen before such an extreme happens?

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Jose! Its a pleasure, glad you like it πŸ™‚ The female flea can lay eggs fairly quickly, depending on her environment and the availability of food but keep in mind that unless its fairly warm, the eggs could take many weeks to hatch. In ideal situations, it takes about 12 days for baby fleas to appear. To stop them hatching, use a flea product that contains an insect growth regulator chemical and you should be fine. Good luck!

      • Avatar Claire says:

        Hi thank you so much for your info. I found 2 tiny black dots on my foot yesterday morning tried to get then off and they jumped like Olympian athletes something I have never saw before as I don’t have pets. I do have a 1 yr old son. I’m covered in itchy spots on feet and legs I’ve hoovered all my house washed everything in sight and sprayed with vet flea spray so I’m hoping its over. How did they get in is my question though it was the day after I had a friend and her kids visit they have 3 cats so I’m assuming it was them , this is awful for anyone iv even used nit treatment on my hair I have the cleanest house ever so was having a meltdown !!! Do u think its over now?? My spots r very sore and I feel like my feet r on fire with itching why has my son got nothing not even 1 bite thank god he hasn’t but its strange isn’t it ? Thank you I’ve found more info here than anywhere else x

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hey! Its a pleasure πŸ™‚ Yeah it probably came from that source but its unlikely that they would have reproduced to a large degree in such a short amount of time. I recommend that you use a couple flea traps (see the guide on this site) to kill any lurking fleas and to reduce the itchiness of your bites, place a little lemon juice on the affected area. However, if it gets any worse I recommend seeking medical assistance as you may have a sensitivity to them. Good luck!

        • Avatar Claire says:

          Thank you Natasha I did rip the house to bits washed everything n sprayed with a vet flea spray to I’m living In the cleanest house on the planet in sure and yes I needed steroid cream but the little 1 did not get any bites to happy days. Iv also had a word with my friend who treated all pets and house. Thanks again your site was my salvation in a very scary situation I’m sure lots of ppl think I over exaggerated but better that than a breakout eh. Many thanks keep doing your thing Claire n Aaron …

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Its a pleasure Claire, thanks for your feedback and taking the time to comment. I hope you have a fantastic day!

  128. Avatar Emily says:

    I’ve been housesitting a pet flea-infested home for five days now, and I’m wondering if I should be concerned about having flea eggs under my skin? I’ve had to sleep there so I’m worried that they may have hopped on while I was asleep.

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hi Emily! You don’t need to worry yourself, those eggs are not going to find their way under your skin. If you are interested, I have an entire article on flea eggs, check it out as I think it will give you some relief and hopefully help you to get some well deserved sleep πŸ˜‰

      • Avatar Kerri says:

        I have a similar question. I just spent the night, with my baby, at my sister’s who is watching a dog. Ice come home COVERED in flea bites. Could I have brought them home with me??

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hi Kerri! Its slightly possible but I wouldn’t worry about it. Keep an eye out though.

  129. Avatar anthony wells says:

    Natasha, how do you stop flea eggs from hatching I am more than interested in stopping fleas becoming larva ???

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Hey Anthony! You simply need to purchase a flea spray/bomb/product that contains an IGR componant. This stops the flea life cycle and ensures that you dont suffer another outbreak of fleas. Let me know if I can help you further πŸ™‚

      • Avatar KAYLE says:

        HELLO WONDERING HOW OFTEN TO BOMB ,OR SPRAY FOR FLEAS?

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hi Kayle! I wouldn’t recommmend proactively spraying or bombing. Just keep an eye out for fleas and act IMMEDIATELY when you find them, either with a spray, some of my natural DIY methods or with an exterminator (contact me if you need quotes).

  130. Avatar Bobby says:

    This really helped me thank you

    • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

      Pleasure Bobby, let me know if you need any assistance with your flea control efforts and I will make myself available πŸ™‚

      • Avatar Tina says:

        Is there anything that I can put on myself to repel fleas until I can get rid of them? I am highly allergic to fleas and am getting very sick. Thank you in advance

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hi Tina! Sorry that they are making you sick πŸ™ I suggest grabbing a general insect repellent (that also repels fleas, a store clerk should be able to help you) that smells decent, you can usually just spray it on your clothes.

      • Avatar Anita says:

        Hi Natasha. I live in a pet free apartment and have fleas!, we’re sure we got them from our neighbors because they do have pets. Me and my brother are getting bit at night ( ankles, legs, and arms) but can’t seem to visably see much of them, we are planning to bomb our apartment but I am worried about the furniture and clothing. What do you suggest I do for that, Or do you have other alternatives for getting rid of fleas ? Please help !

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hi Anita, if you are going to bomb, rather let a professional do it for you. I will email you some info.

      • Avatar Mar says:

        This website has helped but now I have a strange crawling feeling, I don’t know if the fleas have stuck on my clothing but I have spent about $300 in laundry and I’m still feeling this crawling feeling in my clothing. Any suggestions? Can fleas survive the washer and drier? I have used any and every detergent.

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hi Mar, no they wouldn’t have survived. Might just be in your imagination, deep breaths πŸ˜‰

        • Avatar Lindsey says:

          They may be bed bugs, instead of fleas. These are just as hard to kill once an infestation begins. They are more likely to attack humans without pets- and can be spread very easily. Hot water will do nothing to them, but definitely research them as they are more likely to linger on humans without being able to see them. You will only see small red dots on the area. If you are still feeling itchy- there is more of a problem and I promise it is not just “in your head”. I have MS and people often believe it’s not real as they can’t see it. Nobody knows your body more than you, if you know you’re having problems I would ask your doctor. Best of luck!!!

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hi Lindsey! Thanks for helping Mar, I really appreciate it.

        • Avatar rebecca ann bruton says:

          I want to add that if you have an HE washing machine that uses so little water like mine, it does NOT work to wash thing s in hot water since there is no real immersion.
          Take everything ! to a commercial laundromat to get the fleas and larvae out. I learned this the HARD way! it is NOT your imagination.

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hi Rebecca! Thanks for helping Mar and sharing your experience, I appreciate it πŸ™‚

      • Avatar Shannon says:

        Is it ok for me to hold my puppy and still let her lay on the couch once i have sprayed? She is only 7 weeks so I can’t spray her, but I have bathed her twice is dawn soap and got her a flea collar. I sprayed them whole house with Natural Care + flea and tick home spray

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hi Shannon! Let the couch air for about 24 hours, just to be safe. Also, please remove that flea collar. I have an article on the subject, please read it as soon as possible, they are dangerous. Otherwise you are doing well, congrats on the new puppy πŸ™‚

      • Avatar Thor Montgomery says:

        We had the worst flea infestation of fleas I nor the exterminator had ever seen. Turned they were running up wires and hoses into the basement run, it became infested w/ fleas, and the summer after moving in, they came to lie, i had 149 flea bites just on one foot, documented in the medical records from the infection that resulted from 1 or more bites making a portal of entry for cellulitis. Five sprayings, and the exterminator was at the end of his ropes, too; so I then remembered there was a huge, deep-pile rugs in an outdoor-accessible basement. Here’s what worked for us that foggers, exterminators, etc. hadn’t tried.
        We took a bag or regular kitchen table salt and we covered every floorspace, after the offending rug was pulled out…working it into the old cracks between the pieces on the floor and the carpeted room in the apartment. So we put our kitty in a carrier the day we did this, and then, had her washed and groomed, the water ran bright red w/ the blood apparently, she was visibly shook-up, so we put her in a quiet room that was small enough and treated her w/ Advantage flea liquid, which kills eggs and juvenile fleas…larvae, can you imagine what our animals go through. The morning after all that action, we had a container vacuum, and promptly put the black and white resulting mix into a sealable bag and the one room w/ the carpet was steam-cleaned, and the hard floors washed w/ bleach and water, just to be through.

        Following that, I never saw a flea in my bed, in my pants, or anywhere else, and they stayed away. The science behind the method is that salt is a highly jagged crystal and bugs breath and water are absorbed through their bodies, the crystals cut them, and they die.

        Hope this offers a good method for safely getting rid of your infestation, there is hope!
        Thor

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hi Thor! Thanks for taking the time to write such a lovely guide for the community, I love it!

    • Avatar Tammy says:

      Hello my name is Tammy and i am commenting on some of your answers that you have given for major flea infestation. Ok now first yes people can get fleas and yes especially if they don’t have animals. I have tried just about all the home remedies that i have read about on line and i still have them .And a lot of people do not be leave that fleas burrow. Well they do and i have so many scares to prove it. And i had a so called professorial pest control come all the way from Portland or Vancouver and he guaranteed that nothing would live through that last treatment he did but that didn’t work. I am going to try the eucalyptus and 100 percent pure lemon juice, do they both work? Thank you for your time i will be watching out for your reply, have a good day.

      • Avatar lisa hansen says:

        I just found fleas in my hair what can i use to get rid of them

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hey Lisa! A nice hot shower will do the trick. But since you have fleas in the house, I recommend reading my articles about removing them otherwise you might end up getting them again. Just to check though, are you sure you don’t have lice instead of fleas?

        • Avatar Jessica says:

          What color are fleas? Do they suck blood? And how long do they live?

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hey Jessica! They are dark brown, they do and they live around 8 days before laying eggs. Hope that helps!

      • Avatar Nicole says:

        Can you get fleas off of you by taking a shower?

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hi Nicole! Yes that will work.

      • Avatar Corey says:

        Hello my name is Corey and my roommates cat had fleas,we got rid of them but they are still in my room after the treatment and a exterminator.I am wondering why it is only happening in my room and now they are starting to attack me after I vaccumed the other day! Thank you so much for the article!

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hi Corey! They might have laid eggs in your room and each time you kill off the adults, the next generation appears. Try get a spray with an IGR and give my DIY flea trap a try.

      • Avatar Kitty says:

        Hey, you should look into scabies.. i think thats what you have

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hi Kitty, thanks for helping Tammy.

      • Avatar Brianna Bango says:

        I have tried , foggers, insecticides, tea tree oil, lavender, eucalyptus, lemon oil, homeade fresh lemon sprays, salt, flea carpet cleaner, vacuuming every day washing furniture that can go in the washer and these things I swear are immune.. I’ve even used borax.. I don’t know what else to do.. but it hurts and my poor babygirl gets bit the worst. They seem to enjoy her blood, or her warmth or both. I am moving out of my apartment because of this.

        • Natasha Anderson Natasha Anderson says:

          Hi Brianna! Sorry to hear about this, sounds horrible. I will send you something that I have put together (usually $9) that I want you to try, should arrive via email shortly. Please let me know what you think of it.

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