Fleas are common parasites in animals. These are sometimes even found in your home. Because dogs being a common pet throughout the world, dog fleas are the commonest of all kinds. Dog-fleas are sometimes found in places where the host dog spends most of its time.
The most usual example is the dog bed. However, the flea dirt that falls off from your furry friend sometimes contains the larvae or the eggs of the fleas.
So, there are larvae here and there with the flea dirt on the dog-bed. This dirt contains feces defecated by adult fleas. The feces are the food for the larvae. Thus, their gradual growth gets easily provoked. So, cleaning the dog bed regularly is necessary.
Does Washing Dog Beds Get Rid Of Fleas?
Washing dog beds help get rid of fleas. Water rinses off any dirt from the bed. Salt-water or soap-water are the handy cleaners here. However, this is not a permanent solution to the flea-issue. The host dog has to be disinfected first. Only then the wash can have an effective result.
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Washing off the dog bed is necessary to subtract the risks of unknown diseases surpassing you. Any liquid solution for washing clothes will be helpful in this regard. Washing removes any dirt or parasites dwelling on the fabric of the bed. Hot water, saltwater, or any soap-based water gets rid of the flea larvae or even the eggs.
Fleas grow fast with time. Their breeding and production are very fast. The larvae that fall on the bed with the flea dirt, aka the excrements, feed on the feces. Their growth is somehow developed. So, from a single flea, there can be a lot of fleas just within several days. The cycle of the flea habitat is nowhere to be disrupted.
We recommend disinfecting the host dog in this case first. Because, after washing the Washing dog beds help get rid of fleas. Water rinses off any dirt from the bed. Salt-water or soap-water are the handy cleaners here.
How To Get Rid Of Fleas On A Dog Bed?
Fleas are usually everywhere in your house if once your dog or any pet animal is affected. Getting rid of these fleas are necessary for your and your pet’s good health.
Here’s how you can get rid of fleas from a dog bed-
Method 1: Wash Your Dog Bed
Washing your dog’s bed is compulsory. Only rinsing thoroughly can ensure the eggs and the larvae of the fleas getting washed away. Any detergent or soap water will do the job nicely.
Method 2: Vacuum The Specific Area
With the help of a vacuum machine, you can easily clean the area infested with flea eggs and larvae. Just use a narrow nozzle on the top of the vacuum to suction any loose dirt on the bed. Meaning the dry excrements.
However, the vacuum process does not vacuum the larvae. It only vacuums the loose dirt. But it’s not as effective as washing the bed will be.
Method 3: Steam Clean Your Pet’s Bed
Some pet bed materials are not washable. In that case, steaming will ease up the deworming process.
Heat is not pest-friendly. So, steam cleaning the specific area or even the entire bed will surely be a success in this manner.
Method 4: Vaccinate Your Dog
All of the other methods will be a total waste unless you vaccinate your dog. The flea generation is fast. Even after cleaning the dog bed, the bed will again be infested with fleas from your dog.
There are vaccines for flea ablation. These vaccines should be given regularly to avoid any risk of being gotten a hold by the fleas again.
What Temperature Removes Fleas In Washing?
The fleas cannot tolerate heat. The high temperature makes it tough for the fleas to survive. Hence, these start springing off.
The known temperature for removing fleas in washing is 35°C or 95°F. This temperature assuredly remove the fleas sustaining in the fabric. You can set the temperature of your washing machine to this level. Otherwise, in case you don’t have a washing machine, just boil water, check the temperature if possible and then use it on the fabric.
Setting the temperature to more than the designated heat will definitely remove the fleas. But it will cause damage like fading and shrinking to the fabric in case the fabric is not much heat tolerant.
Will Putting A Dog Bed In The Dryer Remove Fleas?
The fleas are one of the most annoying species on earth. As their production process is very easy, their generation gets developed faster than most other species on earth. Washing seems to be the most effective way so far regarding this issue.
As for a dryer, it definitely removes the fleas entirely. A dryer saves your energy and time and washes the clothes for you. These even dry up your fabrics and save you extra time. So, yes! Putting a dog bed in the dryer will definitely remove fleas.
Things You Can Use To Clean Your Dog Bed To Get Rid Of Fleas:
Fleas are stubborn. They aren’t easily gotten rid of. However, even after getting rid of the fleas, the larvae can still be somewhere in your house. They stay latent and wait for the proper condition to be developed. And once developed, your pets have fleas again. Fleas are everywhere in your house!
Here is the list of the things you can use to get rid of fleas—
Vinegar
The huge amount of acetic acid present in the vinegar helps get rid of fleas. Vinegar has to be mixed properly with hot water before washing the targetted fabrics thoroughly.
Baking Soda
Baking soda can be very helpful in a lot of things, including the flea-removing process. Mix only a little amount of salt and water with every tablespoon of baking soda and make a paste. You can easily rub it on the infected surface. Let it dry for a couple of minutes, and then rinse it through. Baking soda removes every single larva or the eggs effectively from the designated fabric.
Salt
Salt instead of vinegar will also work. Mix about a spoon of salt with every liter of water. Make sure the water is hot. If the water is both salty and hot, any parasite sustaining on the fabric will certainly clean away immediately.
Soap or Detergent
The basic salt present in the soap, as well as the detergent, is very unsuitable for flea lives. Thus, fleas expire as soon as they come in contact with soap while washing.
Vacuum Machine
Keeping a vacuum machine at home is necessary. It is used for a lot of purposes. One of which is vacuum cleaning the flea dirt.
Washing Machine or a Dryer
What does a dryer do? It basically washes the clothes and dries them up. We intend to get rid of the fleas. And voila! The washing is already done, and the fleas are eradicated!
Read more, Can Dog Beds Go in the Dryer?
Steam Cleaner
A steam cleaner is nothing but steam coming out of the machine with force. It is really effective while removing the fleas.
Herbal Flea Spray
This spray is easily found in any pet store. It contains herbal elements that are unsuitable for flea development. It’s easy to use and effective as a result.
Flea Shampoo
There is a lot of flea shampoos available in the store. These also contain anti-flea ingredients and using them on your dog or any pet will have a remarkable result.
Rosemary
Rosemary is a very effective herb in treating a lot of diseases. You can purchase rosemary powder from the store and mix it with hot water. However, in case the powder is not handy, you can always pick rosemary leaves from your garden or any garden nearby. So-
- Put it in the water and boil the water.
- After boiling, let the water come at a suitable temperature.
- Strain the leaves.
- Pour the water all over your dog’s body.
- Don’t dry it off with a towel. Let the water get soaked in your furry friend’s skin.
Neem
Neem is a medicinal tree. No pest can tolerate neem. If neem doesn’t remove the fleas, nothing will. You can use neem every way you want with your pet.
- Way 1: You can feed your pet neem by mixing it up with your pet’s favorite food. This is certainly deceiving your pet, but it’s worth it!
- Way 2: You can use the neem leaves just the way we’ve suggested with the rosemary leaves. And give your pet a gentle water splash!
- Way 3: You can also cut some small branches from the tree and spread them in the place where your pet is most likely to play and rub its body.
Anti-Flea Plants
Some indoor plants remove any pests, including the fleas dwelling inside your house. Some of these are aromatic, and some of these aren’t, but they are effective.
How To Keep Fleas From Coming Back To Dog Bed?
Always keeping the dog bed under strict inspection and cleaning regularly will help keep the fleas away from the bed. However, this will not be effective if your dog has fleas. So, keep your dog free from the fleas and you can easily stop the fleas from coming back to your dog’s bed.
Of all the other pests on earth, fleas are the most annoying. However, if taken well care of, your dog’s bed can be free of fleas.