Can fleas or flea eggs live on clothing?
I have washed everything in the place and used a cheap spray from a store.
Will just washing something kill the fleas and eggs on that item?

Comments

  1. Suzy Cutes

    Flea eggs can survive decades of arctic temperatures, so a little wash water is no biggie to flea eggs. Flea eggs and fleas will survive washings, which is one of the things that make them so insidious. Once the meds on your cat start working, your flea problems will diminish, but the vacuum is going to be your biggest friend. Not only will it help get up any residual eggs that have gotten scattered all over the place, but the noise will prompt any dormant eggs to hatch so they can be vacuumed up or killed with the cat’s flea med. I had moved into a house that came alive with fleas when we moved there, and it took about 3 months to get flea free (and the cats did most of the work with their meds). Don’t be surprised if you still see fleas for a while. Just keep up with the meds that that will end.
    ADDED: Youch, don’t use Borax. While effective, it can be deadly to your cats. If you want to do something similar to sprinkling Borax, use Diatomateous Earth — it is a natural, non-toxic powder that is razor sharp to fleas and their, cuts them, and they die of dehydration. In fact, I put some in the vacuum’s dirt well when I vacuum, and keep it stuffed in crevices, corners, under things where fleas and flea eggs can hide until they are ready for a blood meal. As a thought, two of my cats had some anemia issues because of the fleas, and as cats replace red blood cells slowly, you might want to give her some kitty vitamins until you are sure the fleas are handled.

  2. brutusmo

    By washing everything, you can get rid of the ones that are ON it, however MANY MORE EGGS will be down in your carpets / rugs, under your furniture, etc. You MUST get those, too….The fleas you see NOW, were EGGS 3 WEEKS AGO!! They hatch out in “cycles”, so, unless you TREAT your home, they’ll just continue to hatch!
    Sprays don’t work very well and are hard on the lungs of everyone…..and the environment! So…….
    Go to the grocery store, get some 20 Mule Team Borax powder ( in soap aisle ), sprinkle it ALL OVER your carpets, etc, then using a broom, BRUSH IT DOWN INTO THE NAP……until it disappears. Leave it there for a couple of days (give the borax time to dry up the fleas), then vacuum thoroughly and get rid of the vacuum cleaner BAG. Don’t want any fleas that might still be alive to get back out into your home.
    In a few days, RETREAT the WHOLE PROCESS…..and wait again. Depending on the extent of your flea infestation, you may have to retreat 3-4 times. This will work…….just takes TIME and COMMITMENT !!
    Meantime, go to vet and get some GOOD flea preventative for your animals. The OTC ( over the counter ) stuff doesn’t work as well, and collars don’t work AT ALL………
    Hope this helps, and you rid your animals AND HOME of fleas SOON.
    Good luck.

  3. CC

    You have gotten some excellent advice here already. I simply want to add: please do NOT use a flea collar on your cat. They are not only less effective than other methods, but a cat can actually work the collar loose and get it caught in his/her mouth. Happened to me one time. Very scary. All those chemicals in her mouth ….
    There are superb liquid products that you apply to the back of the neck once a month, like Revolution and Advantage. You can research them online (I use Revolution because it kills so many unwanted “varmints”), and your vet will tell you which are best for your cat. Tip: you can find them online for much less $$ than your vet charges, but most vets will match the online price, plus shipping – you simply have to print out an order sheet from the company and present it to your vet. They will request a same-day printout.

  4. Valkyrie C

    Yes, they can.
    You should treat your pets once every fortnight for the next month, and comb their fur to find fleas.
    Yes, washing everything will kill the eggs and fleas. To stop it from happening again, you could get your pets a flea collar.

  5. BLUNT AND STRAIGHT FORWARD

    yes wash everything in STRAIGHT hot water, they can survive in warm and cold water, and as for spraying your house the cheap stuff doesnt work, go to petsmart and get some good house spray for fleas

  6. djbremix

    LUCKY FOR YOU A FLEA CAN LIVE IN A CARPET FOR ABOUT 9 MONTHS WASHING EVERYTHING DOES HELP. YOUR CAT COULD HAVE A SLIGHT ALLERGY TO FLEAS I HAD ONE ONCE THAT HAD IT. IT CAN BE TREATED. GOOD LUCK.

  7. Ark Lady

    To eradicate fleas you need to treat the animal, yard, and home.

    If you use something like eucalyptus or lavender laundry additive you can get rid of fleas.

    Contrary to popular belief, this oils or herbs are not ideal for use on the animal or animal bedding.

    Also, please note the different stages of flea development do not survive temperatures under 55 degrees F.

    If you dry out the environment and keep cleaning diligently you can usually get rid of fleas within eight weeks.

    Washing is effective when combined with other flea control aids and using sheets to cover furniture and the favorite places where pets rest will help you get this under control and make clean up a bit easier.

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