Fleas are one of the nastiest blood-suckers known to man.
For that reason alone, everybody dealing with a flea infestation wants out.
So, they try to use different products and remedies.
As long as it can kill off fleas for good; for these people, any product, whether homemade or commercial, is a go.
Oftentimes, one of those over-hyped flea killer products is a disinfectant called Lysol. But is that really true? Well… In this article, we’ll explore that very question: does Lysol kill fleas? Read on to find out!
What Are Fleas?
It might sound a little unnecessary to tell you about what fleas are.
However, many people often find it difficult to tell fleas and bed bugs apart. If you can’t identify which type of insects are called fleas, then how can you be so sure that the pest you have at hand isn’t a bed bug.
Fleas are parasitic insects that suck blood like bed bugs.
But unlike bed bugs, fleas are not Hemipterans, aka, true bugs.
Instead, they belong to a group of insects called Siphonaptera. Oftentimes, Siphonapterans are wingless.
They like to suck mammalian and avian blood. And they are very small; a max length of about 4 millimeters.
Couple with that size, you can identify a flea with their flat, brown bodies, strong claws, and jumping back legs.
In fact, fleas are so good jumpers that they can jump about 3000 mph within a thousandth second. If our calculations are right, that’s like 50 times their entire length.
In most cases, their adults feed solely on fresh blood. As for the females, they lay small, whitish, oval eggs.
These eggs hatch into tiny and pale larvae whose bodies are covered with hair-like bristles.
When these larvae grow up, they become adults whose bites can cause a skin condition known as Flea Allergy Dermatitis. Dermatitis, of course, comes with a very painful, uncomfortable, and itchy sensation.
Not only that but flea bites are also known to cause anemia.
Add to that, fleas are also carriers of pathogenic infections like murine, bubonic plague, rickettsia, and even a supreme killing disease called Tungiasis. All in all, fleas are dangerous to humans, hence the need to get rid of them asap.
READ MORE: Does bleach kill spiders? Find out here
Does Lysol Really Kill Fleas?
In case you don’t know, Lysol is an American brand of disinfectant.
For 133 years now, many people have used Lysol as part of their household cleaning agents.
However, this same Lysol can also be used to get rid of fleas for good. The reason, of course, is quite obvious.
You see, because Lysol is a disinfectant, it has antiseptic properties, just like vinegar. As we all know, antiseptic agents are designed to kill both bacteria and viruses.
But aside from that, Lysol also has some insecticidal components. These components include ethanol and other compounds. These components are toxic to fleas when sprayed directly on their bodies.
However, using Lysol to kill fleas gives a result that’s two sides of a coin.
One, Lysol would not only help you to kill the fleas when used the right way. But then, it would also give your house a refreshing smell.
Both things, you get, at an affordable price because Lysol is one thing that almost every one of us has at home.
On the flip side, common insecticides that work well for fleas can be hard to come by. However, compared to Lysols, these insecticides can be quite choking, and original ones can be hard to procure.
How to Use Lysol to Kill Fleas?
Lysol indeed can kill fleas.
But as said earlier, it has to be used the right way. By the right way, we mean that the Lysol has to be applied directly to the flea.
Now, there’s the problem; fleas are very fast. So, it’s almost impossible to kill off an entire flea colony with Lysol spray. However, with certain guided techniques, Lysol can be of great help when it comes to killing fleas:
- Pinpoint those areas within your house with the highest probability of flea infestation. Oftentimes, if you look to such areas with beddings, carpet, and furniture, there’s a high chance that your pest fleas will be hiding therein.
- If you find an infected region, apply your Lysol disinfectant directly on the moving fleas.
- Perform a general house cleaning in your house. It would be good if you make that a routine.
- After cleaning, apply your Lysol disinfectant on hard surfaces like carpets, rugs, and even furniture. This will help kill off the eggs already laid by the fleas. Of course, this would help to prevent an uprising of a new flea colony.
- When cleaning rugs and carpets, the best way to remove the fleas within is to use a scrubber and more concentrated solutions of Lysol.
- Pets like dogs are usually the first host that brought in the fleas. So, wash off their clothing and even your own bedclothes with dishwashing soaps or detergents and boiling water.
- Consistency is the key. So, until you see no further signs of fleas, the steps above should be repeated for best results.
READ MORE: Does Dawn Kill Fleas?
While Lysol can be a good combo of insecticide, disinfectant, and air freshener, it could also be a dangerous thing to have around the house.
This is because oftentimes when we deal with a flea infestation, there’s a high chance that your pets brought them in.
Now, using Lysol without caution can be dangerous to your pets and even around kids. The following precautions will help:
- Every chemical product has labeled guidelines. Ensure that you read all the precautions written on the labels before using any brand of Lysol. This goes a long way.
- Wear protective clothing like gloves and goggles. No matter what you do, make sure that your body parts and eyes are well guarded against Lysol spills and splashes.
- Never, ever, use Lysol on your pets. They could die.
- Keep Lysol bottles and other dangerous chemicals like bleach and vinegar away from kids.
- Keep all labels intact. And never for any reason make cocktails of different brands of cocktails to enhance faster results. It could be fatal.
Will Lysol Spray Also Kill Fleas on Furniture and Carpets?
Yes. But not really.
You see, like other pests, fleas tend to colonize not only their hosts, they also look for hide-outs in the environment of the host.
For household fleas, pets are often the primordial carriers.
Once these infected pets like dogs or cats get into the house, the fleas would find a way to colonize your furniture, rugs, and carpets. When this happens, you would have to double up your aggression to remove them.
Now, remember that Lysol spray needs to be in direct contact with the flea before it can kill it.
However, the fleas on furniture and carpets tend to hide the crevices. So, it’s unlikely that the Lysol spray would kill the fleas completely.
To get rid of furniture fleas completely, you can mix a cocktail of warm water, lavender oil, cedar oil, and bleach.
Bottle the mixture up in a spray can and use it as needed.
However, you need to ensure that the cocktail of essential oils enters every crevice in the furniture where the fleas can hide. On rugs and carpets, use the mixture alongside a scrubber for the best effect.
Does Lysol Kill Flea Eggs?
Before a full-blown flea infestation can occur, a pregnant flea will have to make it inside.
Once it does, egg-laying at suitable spots would be its next line of action.
These eggs would be the ones to start up the flea disaster you have in your house. Now, if you kill off the adult fleas and leave behind the eggs, another colony will start-up real soon.
So, it’s back to square one.
When used properly, Lysol can kill flea eggs.
By proper use, Lysol should be applied directly to the eggs. But most times, many people who’ve tried it say Lysol isn’t that effective to destroy all the eggs in an entire flea colony.
Some say that you would need a cocktail of Lysol, boiling water, and vinegar to kill off the eggs.
We guess you may need to try this out to find out.
Does Lysol Kill Fleas on Dogs, Cats, and Other Pets?
Yes, Lysol can kill fleas, whether they are on dogs, cats, birds, or even humans.
However, don’t try to apply Lysol on anything that’s living. So, dogs, cats, or any pets at all is a no, no.
This is because Lysol has some compounds like phenol. This phenol and other related compounds are poisonous when ingested. Aside from that, Lysol tends to cause chemical burns on cats.
So, instead of using Lysol, you can opt-in for flea shampoo to treat the flea on your pets.
If you need any information on how to use these special shampoos, you can read the packaging labels of the bottles. Likewise, try to repeat the treatment until you’re sure that the fleas are gone.
Other Home Products That Kill Fleas
1) Dishwashing soaps.
Dish soaps are known to be active pest repellents.
To use it against fleas, make a trap of dish soaps and water.
To make this trap, mix water and soaps inside a bowl and place them at places with the highest chance of flea infestation. For best results, do this at night.
Fleas have four stages in their life cycle.
Regardless of the stage, a flea is in, the antiseptic agents within dishwashing soaps and detergents will help kill them.
Oftentimes, the major agent in detergent that works is Boric acid. Not only that, but the mechanical action will also help squish those fleas.
If you want to make the process very fast, you can even try to wash your clothes during hot weather.
Afterward, you can sundry your clothes. This is possible because fleas tend to die above a temperature of 95 ⁰F. If you sun dry your clothes at hotter temperatures, then laundry is sure to help you eradicate fleas.
2) Baking Soda.
When dealing with fleas or most of the other bug-like pests, cleaning the entire house with a high-pressure vacuum always comes in handy. To make it more effective, you can start by sprinkling baking soda on rugs, carpets, and furniture. Afterward, you can make a hard scrub on these articles. Then you can suck all the dirt and the dead fleas using a vacuum.
3) Bleach.
Bleach has an antiseptic agent. As such, it can be used to kill fleas, whether adult, eggs, or larva. But then, you will have to use it right.
You also have to know that the safety pin that comes with using bleach to kill fleas isn’t secure. However, there’s a way around it. Just mix bleach with about an equal amount of water, bottle it up in a spray can, and use it as required.
Final Words.
Summarily, Lysol can work as an effective insecticide to kill fleas. So can other common household agents like bleach, white vinegar, baking soda, and soaps. However, Lysol is not really that effective when it comes to killing flea eggs. Likewise, it shouldn’t be used on pets and should be kept far away from children’s reach.
