Some of us have the worst luck when it comes to holiday’s. You have a great week away, come home and all of a sudden the house seems to be riddled with fleas! If you’ve woken up itching like crazy, and have large red blotches on your skin, you could have bought fleas home from your holiday.

Fleas don’t survive well on humans, so they’ve probably hitched a ride in your case. Or if you’ve taken your pet on holiday with you, you can be sure they’ve become infested with fleas.

Suitcases are a great spot for fleas to hide in and come home with you. Don’t give them access to your case at all. Use a case rack as much as possible. Also, keep your luggage off the floor and the bedding just in case there is an active infestation where you’re staying.

If you’ve found that your pet has bought more than a doggy souvenir home from your holiday, there’s a few options available that you can use. Flea collars, powders, shampoos, sprays and spot on products are all effective for getting rid of fleas. You can even make a natural flea deterrent with boiled lemons.

To spot fleas on your pet, rub their fur lightly and you will likely see fleas scurrying away through their hair. Fleas also leave little black pieces of grit behind that is easy to spot on your pets when they have lighter coloured hair.

Once you’ve treated your pet, you need to move on to the rest of the house. Wash all of your clothing, soft furnishings and bedding (including your pets) on a hot wash to kill all of the fleas. Put them on a hot dry as well just to be sure. Vacuum all of your carpets, paying attention to the skirting boards where fleas can hide. Make sure to empty the vacuum afterwards, to stop the fleas from jumping out and re-infesting your home.

If you have a bad infestation and you’re not sure what to do, it’s best to reach out to a professional pest control company, like Catch-it Pest Control, one of our favourite blogs on the web for advice and tips on pest control.

Martin Pope