Fleas may be itty bitty bugs (only around 0.1 to 0.32 centimeters) but they can cause major trouble. That’s because these small, flightless parasites feed on the blood of animals—and are therefore a lurking threat to your pets that could be hiding out in the backyard.
At the very least, they’re a major nuisance pest, causing incessant itching and discomfort. But at their worst, fleas can also carry and transmit diseases to your pets.
Plus, the last thing that you want to worry about is an infestation. Fleas breed like crazy. The eggs are laid in your pet’s fur in bunches of 20. But those eggs rarely stay on the pet. Instead, they end up in your lawn, or maybe even your home, where they can continue to spread.
It’s also gross (but true) that fleas rely on blood their entire life. They are one of the few insects that need blood at every single stage of their life. That makes them an unrelenting pest.
If you’re worried about fleas on or around your property, you might be looking into solutions. You may have heard of homemade flea killer and you’re wondering how well it will work. There’s lots of information out there about homemade flea sprays for lawns, and pet owners are curious about whether it’s worth trying.
We sometimes get asked about these types of homemade concoctions. Since we know that fleas can be a serious problem, we want to help set you up for success. That’s why we’re talking about whether or not homemade flea sprays work and when it might be time to hire a professional.
If you perform an online search for homemade flea spray, then you’ll see there are lots of different types of remedies out there, all with different ingredients. We’ve seen everything from mixes made from rosemary and peppermint to others with lemon or baking soda that are supposed to ward off fleas. Vinegar is also said to be a repellent to fleas.
In addition to these solutions, we have seen homemade flea traps trending online.
The idea usually involves filling a bowl or plate with water and that fleas which land there will get “stuck” because they can’t swim. But this is contingent on the fact that they’ll actually end up in the water in the first place. The truth is, if fleas find a home in the carpet, on drapery, or on couches, that’s where they may hang until they find their next blood meal. Fleas can live a full week without feeding.
As with most homemade concoctions, the results are mixed.
You’ll find people online who claim that their remedy worked for them. But you’ll also find lots of stories from people who have said they were not effective. Sprays with lemon or rosemary might make your house or yard smell nice, but we can’t imagine they do that much to ward off fleas.
Plus ,when it comes to homemade flea sprays for lawns, you’d need so much of the product to really cover the whole lawn and feel fully protected. Even if it did have some effect on fleas, it’s hard to say how long a homemade solution like this would “last.” Would you have to keep reapplying it frequently? It’s hard to imagine that a homemade solution like this would be effective for long, if at all.
While we can understand why people might try a homemade flea spray, we believe it’s simply not worth the risk. It might seem like an easy or an inexpensive option to get rid of fleas in your yard—but it’s too uncertain if it will even work.
The last thing that you want is a bunch of unknowns when it comes to a dangerous pest like fleas.
At Master Lawn, we recommend professional pest control so that you don’t have to be worrying about whether your control solutions will work or not. We understand that your pets are family and that you simply can’t take any risks. Plus, you don’t want to be worrying that your precious pets will end up bringing fleas into your house, either. There’s just too much to worry about when you take a DIY approach to flea control.
At Master Lawn, we have a couple of recommendations to help protect your pets and to get rid of fleas in your yard.
For one, we always recommend following through on any treatments that your vet recommends. This will go a long way in keeping your furry family members safe. Even if you are using professional flea spray in your yard, your pet could pick up fleas at another location. So, you want to make sure you listen to your veterinarian’s advice.
We also recommend utilizing yard flea and tick spray, which (as you can tell from the name), will also take care of ticks. That’s a huge benefit as ticks are also a major threat in our area and can carry and transmit dangerous diseases. Plus, unlike fleas which actually prefer animal hosts, ticks are just as likely to bite you (or your family members). They are a pest that you certainly do not want lurking around your property.
At Master Lawn, our flea and tick spray includes targeted applications to areas where we know fleas and ticks hang out, looking for their next meal. We are using a professional-grade, highly effective product that is applied by trained and skilled technicians who know exactly what they’re doing when it comes to application rates, where to apply, and how often to treat. This type of approach simply can’t stand up to a DIY one.
By treating some of the exterior areas around your home, the goal is to keep fleas and ticks from ever having the opportunity to make their way inside. It will also give you the confidence you enjoy your yard again without worrying about these pests hanging around, looking for their next meal.
In the end, it comes down to wanting to take back control of your yard. You shouldn’t have to worry about pests lurking on your property every time that you go outside. With a professional solution, you no longer have to stress.
Ready to say goodbye to fleas (and ticks) at your Memphis, TN or Northern MS home? Talk to an expert, learn more about adding our flea and tick program to one of our 3 lawn care programs, and become the master of your lawn!
Image Sources: Flea
