Then they begin to bite because fleas will bite humans when there is no animal nearby, repeatedly. This is probably why you might need to find ways to eradicate the insects from your sleeping area.
However, a report published by University of Florida – Entomology Department confirmed that a large majority of people do not react to flea bites and fleas have to be particularly hungry to feed off humans.
How do I know it’s a flea that bit me?
Bed bugs hangout in your bed also and like fleas they feed off humans though less frequently than fleas. Both bugs leave almost the same kind of bite mark, a small swollen spot. While fleas will bite humans and animals, bed bugs do not feed on animals, so if you notice that your cat or dog is scratching just as much as you, then chances of the bug definitely being a flea is quite high.
How to remove fleas from your bed
You can take care of your flea problem by following these steps;
- Machine-wash all your bedclothes; fleas die in extremely hot areas. Add a dash of lemon juice to the machine, to make it more effective. Next, sundry your mattress for two to three days.
- Vacuum the house especially those areas frequented by your furry friend, sprinkle those parts with salt and allow it to stay for two days only before vacuuming. This method should dry out adult fleas hiding in your carpet.
- Take your pet to the vet immediately to be treated of the infestation.
However, the Department of Public health in Philadelphia suggests that the following methods be applied along with the bed treatment.
After treating your pet, do not take it back home with you, first eliminate fleas from the house. Focus your treatment on those places where your pet plays, which in some cases, could be everywhere. Any material used as pet bedding should be discarded far from the home.
Upholstered furniture, carpets and rugs should be thoroughly vacuumed, and the dirt bags thrown into the trash ready to be disposed. In a case where the flea population is not much, vacuuming at least four times a week should suffice. Heavy flea infestations will require the use of an insecticide or pesticides on cracks, carpets, baseboards and crevices and any other place where there may be fleas. If these methods seem too convoluted for you, contact a professional and determine the source of infestation and apply the suitable method to get rid of fleas.