Fleas aren’t only a nuisance to have in your yard; they’re also dangerous. Fleas carry typhus, which can have devastating health consequences on your family and pets.
So, if you have a problem with fleas in your yard, below are the best methods to get rid of them.
How To Get Rid of Fleas in Your Yard
There are over 2,300 species of fleas worldwide, so these pests are savvy at finding the best places to live and reproduce. Luckily, that doesn’t have to be your yard. Here are some ways to rid your yard of fleas.
Pick up Debris
A flea’s ideal living conditions are dark, humid environments. They love living under piles of leaves, branches, rocks, and other debris that might be hanging out in your yard.
Reducing the options for fleas to call home while waiting for a host will significantly cut back on your flea problem.
Keep Your Grass Short
For similar reasons as above, mowing your yard often will deter fleas. The longer your grass gets, the better for fleas, given that they can live beneath the shade and moisture of the blades.
Keeping your grass under two inches high makes it difficult for fleas to make your lawn their residence.
Invite the Sunshine
If you have a lot of trees on your lawn, consider trimming some of the branches. The more light that reaches your yard, the less likely fleas are to live there. Also, be sure to prune your bushes.
Use Cedar Mulch
Fleas aren’t a fan of the smell of cedar. Therefore, replace your mulch with the cedar variety to enjoy a natural, pet-friendly flea repellent.
Don’t forget about mulching around your trees. Since fleas enjoy the shade, mulching with cedar can be an excellent solution to getting rid of those that live beneath it.
Don’t Overwater Your Lawn
Since fleas love moisture, they gravitate to lawns that receive frequent watering. But, of course, you can’t control mother nature’s plans.
But if you water your lawn, opt for deep watering once weekly instead of doing so multiple times per week. Automated daily sprinklers are one of the worst things you can use when trying to eliminate fleas.
Deter Wildlife
Fleas can live up to two weeks without a host before they’ll die. So, placing themselves in areas with high wildlife traffic is vital.
For this reason, you should do your due diligence to keep wildlife out of your yard. Putting up a fence is one of the best ways to keep rabbits, dear, and other flea hosts away.
Maintain Your Pets
You should keep your dogs and cats on flea medication if you have a flea problem in your yard. But you should also bathe your pets regularly with anti-flea shampoo to stay on the safe side.
Brushing them with a flea comb is also helpful for ensuring their flea prevention medicine is working.
Use a Flea Spray
Many flea sprays for lawns exist on the market, with varying degrees of strength and suitability for kids and pets.
While using a flea spray on your grass is one of the most effective ways to get rid of these pests, it’s temporary; unless you implement the strategies above, the chances are high that fleas will eventually return to your yard.
Are You Ready To Get Rid of Fleas in Your Yard?
By following the prevention methods we described here, coupled with using an organic or chemical flea spray to give your yard a kickstart, you’ll soon be able to enjoy your yard without as big of a threat of fleas. You can also grow plants such as lavender to repel fleas.