Table of Contents
The flea life cycle – Why they stick around
The immediate battle – 24 to 48 hours
The real work – 3 to 6 weeks
The stubborn cases – 2 to 3 months
Steps to speed up the process
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How long does it take to get rid of fleas in your house?
- By Katie
-
- February 21, 2025
- 2 MIN READ
So your home as some lovely unwelcome guests... Fleas. Your cat or dog is more than likely scratching incessantly, or maybe you’ve noticed tiny, jumping critters making themselves a bit too comfortable on your sofa. Either way, you've got a flea infestation you want it gone – and fast! Keep reading to see how quick you will regain control of your home and our vet-recommended tips on speeding up this process.
The flea life cycle – Why they stick around
Let's understand why fleas are such persistent little blighters. Fleas have four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. This is called the flea life cycle and put short, if you don't break it then you'll continue to get flea infestations. Unfortunately, while you may kill the adult fleas you see, there’s likely a whole army of eggs and larvae lurking in your carpets, pet bedding, and between the floorboards.
A flea’s life cycle can last anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months, depending on environmental conditions. That’s why one treatment usually isn’t enough – you have to break the cycle at all stages.
The immediate battle – 24 to 48 hours
If you go in guns blazing with a flea treatment that tackles all flea life cycle stages, like the Itch Flea Treatment for Cats and Dogs you’ll likely see a difference in fleas within the first 24 to 48 hours. Adult fleas are relatively easy to kill, but don’t get complacent just yet. You’ve only tackled the visible problem.
The real work – 3 to 6 weeks
This is where patience comes in. While adult fleas die off quickly, eggs and pupae are much harder to destroy. They can lie dormant in your carpets and furniture for weeks before hatching into fresh waves of pests. That’s why flea infestations can seem to reappear out of nowhere – the little horrors were just waiting for the right moment to hatch.
To truly get rid of fleas, you need to be on it with your vacuuming, washing pet bedding, and reapplying flea treatments as recommended. Most flea control plans take around three to six weeks before you can confidently say your home is flea-free.
The stubborn cases – 2 to 3 months
In some cases, infestations can be particularly stubborn. If you’ve got a heavy infestation or didn’t act quickly enough, you could be in for a longer battle. If you’re still seeing fleas after six weeks, you need to get the big guns out. Try to Get Rid Of Fleas with our proven method, the Itch Flea Eradication Kit. It's a one-stop-shop to remove all fleas from your home and prevent them from coming back!
Steps to speed up the process
If you want to get rid of fleas as quickly as possible, here’s what you need to do:
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Treat your pets immediately – Fleas don’t just live in your house; they live on your pets. Use a vet-approved flea treatment and follow up with regular flea prevention.
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Treat your home - 95% of fleas live in your environment, not on your pet. Kill the fleas in your home and prevent them from coming back with the Itch Flea Home Spray.
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Deep clean – Vacuum daily, especially in areas where pets sleep. Empty the vacuum outside to prevent reinfestation.
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Wash everything – Wash pet bedding, soft furnishings, and any fabric your pets frequently touch on a hot wash cycle (by this, we mean 60 degrees or higher!).
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Be persistent – One treatment isn’t enough. Keep vacuuming, keep washing, and keep treating your pets. Consistency is key. If you need advice or have any concerns, our qualified Vet Team is on hand to support. Get in touch!
Get rid of fleas and stop them from coming back.
So your home is riddled with fleas?
The Itch Flea Eradication Kit is our proven method to eliminate fleas from your pet and your home! It’s got everything you need to get rid of fleas fast with fast, free overnight delivery.
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So, you’ve found fleas on your pet. Bad news: this means that they’re also highly likely to be in your home too.
The good news is that the combination of your gold-standard, Itch Flea treatment and Itch Flea Home Spray will get rid of those fleas in no time.
Itch Flea Home Spray as a one-off will kill adult fleas that are in your home. It will also prevent any new fleas from hatching for up to 12 months.
Don’t forget, once you’ve finished annihilating the adult fleas in your home, you need to stay up-to-date up with your monthly Itch Flea treatment for your cat and Itch Flea Treatment for your dog to keep your home and your pet flea-free forever.
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For any cat riddled with fleas, it's unpleasant for the poor kitty and unpleasant for any owner to watch. With all the itching and scratching, you wouldn’t be the first owner to blame yourself for your cat getting fleas. But are you responsible? Let’s find out…