Fleas are irritating, weightless insects whose bites are itchy and can cause disease and infection. They mostly feed on mammal blood and reproduce fast.
Inside your home, they can live on pets, your bed, inside the carpets, and other hidden areas. No homeowner would like to have these insects around.
There hasn’t ever been better than a natural way to drive them away, which is why most people ask, “Can steam cleaning get rid of fleas?” Steam cleaning is a natural way of getting rid of dust, grime, grease, bacteria, and insects from surfaces using very high temperatures. Fleas cannot survive in such temperatures.
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So, Does Steam Cleaning Kill Fleas?
Steam cleaning kills fleas and their eggs at or above 36°C (100.4°F). Plus, it’s effective for getting rid of these stubborn insects from hard-to-reach spots without involving chemicals.
Do You Have Fleas In Your Home?
First things first, you want to know if you have an infestation before attempting to find the most appropriate way to eliminate the insects. If your furry friend has started scratching, there are high chances that these insects are around.
Likewise, red, itchy bites on your skin are another indication of stubborn and dangerous insects. You can also notice them by sights of their hopping, and in this case, they’re already too many.
How Does Steam Cleaning Kill Fleas?
Steam cleaning is the use of heated water in form of vapor to remove dirt, dust, stains, and grime from surfaces. A machine is plugged into heat water and release steam at high pressures onto the surfaces to be cleaned.
It is the hot steam that kills fleas by subjecting them to unbearable temperatures. These insects are known to die at high temperatures of 36°C or above. Therefore, they won’t stand a chance.
A steam cleaner will eradicate fleas at all life stages, including its eggs, as long as you use it correctly. Always remember to comb all areas and let the steam cleaner heat to temperatures above 100.4°F.
Also take keen note that steam cleaning often comes with pros and cons, which we’ve also highlighted in the sections below.
Benefits Of Using Steam Cleaning To Kill Fleas
1. It is Non-toxic
Steam cleaning uses only pure water and heat to kill fleas. No chemicals are needed. You’ll feel safe when your kids and pets are playing in the same house because no harm is anticipated.
Steam cleaners are, therefore, safe for people with allergic reactions and the environment alike. It’s 100% eco-friendly.
2. Kills Fleas At All Stages
The high steam temperatures used in a steam cleaner are lethal to young fleas, cocoons, eggs, and old fleas. This is what makes it better than vacuuming, which may not eliminate larvae and cocoons. Moreover, steam cleaning penetrates areas that a vacuum may not reach.
3. It kills Other Microorganisms, Too
With a steam cleaner, bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms and insects also won’t stand a chance. Most bacteria and other unwanted microorganisms will often die at 140°F.
But nearly all steam cleaners usually heat to as high as between 245°F and 325°F. This means there’s no chance that any microorganism will remain alive after a thorough steam cleaning exercise.
4. Cheap In The Long Run
Another core advantage of using a steam cleaner to get rid of fleas is that it’s cost-effective in the long run. Once you invest in the machine, you do not need to purchase anything else, unlike is the case with pesticides and other chemicals that you need to purchase each time they’re depleted.
It’s also cheaper than hiring pest control contractors.
Disadvantages Of Using Steam Cleaning To Kill Fleas
1. Not Usable For Pets
You can always clean your carpet, sofa, upholstery, and other materials using a steam cleaner but you can’t do the same with your pets for obvious reasons.
Therefore, if you’re troubled by a flea infestation due to pets, and you want to use a steam cleaner to get rid of them, you must supplement it with other methods.
2. Can Destroy Some Materials
Steam cleaning is not for use on all materials that host fleas. For example, you can’t use it on silk, water-based paint walls, cracked floors, and unsealed surfaces like hardwood floors to mention a few. You ought to find alternatives in such cases.
3. Fleas Won’t Go Away Forever
Steam cleaners are excellent at killing fleas at all their stages of life but do not have a residual activity that helps keep these insects away. That means an infestation can occur again without the intervention of other measures.
Worse still, it eliminates the residual activity of insecticides that were sprayed just before it by wiping away all the traces of the chemical.
Other Ways To Effectively Remove Fleas From Your Home
1. Vacuuming
Vacuuming removes fleas and dirt from your surfaces by sucking them up. It’s another effective method of getting rid of fleas but it has the same disadvantages as steam cleaning, plus more.
It’s best to vacuum your surfaces after steam cleaning to ensure that you lock any dirt, debris, and dead flea that remained. It also helps with fast drying.
2. Using Hot Water To Wash
Hot water is as effective as steam cleaning when it comes to eradicating fleas from your home. Use it to wash your clothes, rags, and beddings. Don’t forget to wash your pet’s beddings, too.
Meanwhile, you must ensure that the water has a temperature of 100.4°F or higher to yield maximum results.
3. Using Chemicals
Chemicals are popular for getting rid of and controlling fleas, too. They kill fleas and remain to scare them off in the future to prevent infestations. You can always choose from many insecticides.
However, they’re not environment-friendly and can be expensive in the long run. Likewise, they do not kill fleas in all their stages, which means that they can grow again.
