Can Washing Machines Kill Fleas? 5 Ways to Stop the Flea Party!
Did you find out that there are fleas in your clothes or laundry room? You just recovered an old linen box, and fleas are inside. Does your cat, full of fleas, like to lie on your sweaters in your closet? What horror! Fleas can be found in your laundry differently, but having clothes full of fleas is simply inconceivable. Your laundry is “contaminated,” It is unthinkable to spray your shirts or panties with an aerosol spray. So what do you do? You’ve thought of sending them into the laundry machines, whether this could solve the problem. But can washing machines kill fleas? Well, that depends on the way you conduct the washing.
Washing your clothes in the washing machines in hot water may be enough to end the flea’s party. But be careful; you may ruin your clothes! Here’s a complete guide on taking care of a flea invasion of your laundry room and the entire home.
How to Kill Fleas in Washing Machines (Solutions and treatments)
Here are some solutions and treatments you can try!
1. For flea-infested wardrobe or cabinet
You can perfume your wardrobe or linen cabinet with the essential oil of lavender. Place your diffuser in the center of your cabinet. The fleas hate this smell and will gradually leave this refuge. Don’t forget to vacuum the flea cleaner every day in the room where your cupboard is located – maybe you have a sachet of lavender that is still smelling? It will be just as effective and if its smell has faded a little, refresh it by adding a few drops of essential oils.
2. Washing dirty clothes with essential oils
As impressive as it sounds, your washing machines cannot kill all the fleas! They have claws to hang on to clothes; like many insects, it is not easy to drown them. Add a few drops of lemon or tea tree essential oils to your laundry. Their disinfectant properties will fight more effectively against these parasites.
3. Kill fleas in washing machines by washing at a high temperature
You can use washing machines to kill fleas by washing at the maximum temperature for clothes that can withstand high temperatures. This is suitable, for example, for sheets, tea towels, cotton, etc.
4. Quarantine washing
The best solution for contaminated clothing you cannot wash at high temperatures is to enclose the laundry in completely airtight containers for six months. Yes, it is very long, we know. But the nymphs (cocoons) can survive in this state for up to 150 days. So, six months seems to be necessary.
5. Freezing
For clothing materials that are not too fragile, you can try to place your linens in freezer bags before washing them. Freeze everything for 3 or 4 days. But beware of delicate fabrics. The cold is not very good for some fibers.
How to rid your home of fleas
Now that you’ve worked on the Fleas in your laundry room and clothes, it doesn’t stop there. Fleas and ticks tend to become active when the weather warms up in the spring. And it can be challenging to keep them outside the house. The best way to rid your home of fleas and ticks is to attack them on several fronts at once. This is done by thoroughly cleaning, treating your pets for fleas and ticks, and treating your home with a chemical insecticide. For best results, devote an entire day to doing it all simultaneously.
Treat pets with flea and tick repellent.
1. Apply flea and tick repellent in spray or drops
Your veterinarian should advise you on effective and safe treatment for your animals. Be careful to use the treatment the same day you clean your house and chemically treat it. This is so that your pets do not bring fleas into the home right after.
2. Quarantine your animals
Please keep them in a place with smooth, easy-to-clean surfaces, like a tiled kitchen or bathroom. Then clean your home from top to bottom. If they can have a nice place to play outside, that’s even better. Are you concerned that your pets will breathe a chemical for a long time or stay out? Then you may consider leaving them at the vet while you clean and treat your home. Before you bring them inside, make sure fleas and ticks are wholly gone, both from your pets and from your home.
Clean your house
1. Vacuum your house
Use a powerful vacuum to clean rugs, doormats, and furniture. Move the furniture from its usual place to clean properly behind and below. Aspiration removes both fleas and ticks as well as their eggs. So it is essential not to skip this step.
2. Vacuum the pillows and cushions on your sofa
Use a vacuum arm to thoroughly clean under the sofa and other upholstered furniture. Please pay particular attention to places where animals regularly go, such as rooms, play, and sleep. Don’t forget to vacuum the cupboards, especially if there are carpets. If you think your car may be infested, vacuum it well too. This is so that you won’t be carrying fleas and ticks from there to your house.
3. Wash your laundry and clothes
Use a hot machine cycle to wash your sofa, pillow covers, blankets, bedsheets, and clothing. Dry them as hot as possible to ensure any bugs or eggs are gone. Do you have fabrics you cannot clean with hot water, such as woolen coats? Then, please put them in tightly closed plastic bags. You will put them in the dry cleaning to ensure that no ticks or fleas are hiding there—Wash camping tents, tarps, and other fabrics can provide shelter for fleas or ticks.
4. Clean the corners and slots well
Use a cleaning spray and cloth to clean window sills, baseboards, and other places where fleas and ticks can grow. Pay special attention to the rooms where your pets spend the most time.
Treat your home with a chemical repellent
1. Spray a pesticide on your house
Natural treatments are not powerful enough to kill fleas and ticks. So you will need to use a pesticide to stop the infestation in your home. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for treating your interior, paying particular attention to rugs, upholstered furniture, and areas frequented by your pets. Use a pesticide that is effective on adult specimens and flea and tick eggs. Make sure you have read the instructions carefully before starting to treat your home. Your children and pets should not be inside when you spray the treatment. If you face a severe infestation, you may need to hire an exterminator to treat your home. In this case, the entire family must stay away from the house for several days. Because the chemicals used are solid and toxic.
2. Vacuum every day
This will complement the action of pesticides by continuing to kill adult fleas and ticks. However, note that fleas and ticks may take several weeks to disappear completely.
Prevent the return of fleas and ticks
1. Put a flea collar on your pets
Animals are the most common cause of fleas entering homes. So the best way to keep them outside is to prevent your pets from getting them. Ask your veterinarian which flea and tick collar is safe to use. Also, washing your dog with flea shampoo is an excellent way to prevent infestation.
2. Vacuum often
If other fleas or ticks enter your home, vacuuming it can be a good way for them not to stay there long enough to breed—vacuum areas where pets spend time daily and vacuum the entire house once or twice a week.
3. Keep the laundry you use for your pets clean
It would be best to regularly clean cushions and baskets for cats and dogs with hot water. Also, did you use a towel to dry your dog off after washing it? Wash it directly in hot water instead of putting it in the laundry basket.
Can Washing Machines Kill Fleas: Conclusion
Whether washing machines can kill fleas depends on how you do your laundry. Consider adding some essential oils or hot water. However, stopping the flea party doesn’t stop at that, and you have to clean your entire home. We hope you enjoyed reading the article and found a solution to your flea invasion. Don’t forget to leave us a message in the comment section, like, and share the content.