Vacuuming Fleas With Bagless Vacuums

Vacuum cleaners are used to clean carpets, upholstery, rugs, and other fabrics. They are also used to eradicate some household pests like fleas.

Vacuuming is an effective way to remove fleas from carpets, furniture, and other surfaces. 

However, is vacuuming fleas with bagless vacuums effective? Can you get rid of them in your canister, or do you just make things worse?

You’re fine to vacuum fleas with a bagless vacuum, it will work well. Fleas typically do not survive the intense vacuuming process, and do not infest the canister or bag of a vacuum. So you can go ahead and vacuum up fleas with a bagless vacuum, or a bag one!

In this article, you will learn the technique and the reason for using bagless vacuums while vacuuming fleas.


Can Vacuuming Control Fleas?

The best way to eliminate fleas is by disturbing their breeding grounds – where they lay their eggs, such as carpets and furniture where they have been living for a long time without being noticed.

The vacuum can kill fleas by sucking them up through its powerful suction. The air pressure inside the chamber causes a force that sucks them into an enclosed space where fleas die from a lack of oxygen. 

According to a survey, the vacuum helps remove around 40% of larvae and 70% of flea eggs. Usually, larvae are quite tough as they firmly stick to the carpet fibers, and it becomes hard for them to remove. 

Vacuuming helps to control fleas as it removes all the organic matter and fecal debris that larvae feed on for growth. Therefore, if any larva is left behind after the cleaning process, it won’t be able to develop to the next stage due to starvation.

Moreover, vacuuming helps to remove all the hidden cocoons and may reduce the risk of future reinfestation due to eggs hatching. 

Also, the dry, warm air of a vacuum helps to straighten the fibers of carpets, which lets the insecticide absorb beneath the carpet where clusters of eggs and larvae are found.

Eventually, vacuuming helps reduce the life cycle of fleas, extinguishing the growth of flea infestation.


Removing Fleas With Bagless Vacuums

There are basically two kinds of vacuum cleaners available on the market. One comes with a filter bag, whereas the other is a bagless vacuum. It uses a canister that can be emptied and reused.

The primary difference between a filter bag and a bagless vacuum is that the filter bag has a filter that traps the dirt in it, while the bagless vacuum has a permanent filter that is positioned before the canister.

Generally, people prefer to use a bagless vacuum when removing fleas from the carpet. The container is emptied as soon as the task is accomplished. It’s easier, less maintenance, and cheaper than constantly buying new bags!

Remember, fleas always need a certain environmental conditions to survive. 

Fleas can’t get those favorable conditions in a bagless vacuum. As soon as fleas are sucked into a vacuum cleaner, they are violently slammed around the internal surfaces of the vacuum due to the strong air pressure, brushes, and beaters.


Do you need to disinfect container vacuums after vacuuming fleas?

No, you don’t need to disinfect your vacuum! Unless something very strange is going on, fleas will die during the vacuuming process.

The survival chance of fleas escaping and reproducing is less than 1% in a bagless vacuum. 

Regardless of whether you have a canister vacuum or bagged vacuum, you can vacuum fleas with it!


How to Vacuum Fleas

There are many ways to get rid of fleas in your home, but most are ineffective. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to vacuum fleas.

Step 1 – Use The Correct Attachment

You must ensure that your vacuum cleaner has an attachment that can pick up small particles like dust and hair. 

Step 2 – Shut Down External Temperature Devices

Don’t forget to turn off the air-conditioning or heating system because these devices might cause the fleas to scatter away from their hiding place. 

Step 3 – Remove Loose Debris

Use a brush attachment with soft bristles to remove any loose debris from the carpet or furniture before vacuuming it with your vacuum cleaner. 

Step 4 – Strong Suction Power 

Make sure that your vacuum’s suction power is strong enough to pick up all the scattered fleas and any remaining debris.


How Frequently Should You Vacuum for Flea Removal?

Vacuuming must be done promptly and regularly, as this process can take a while to kill fleas. Don’t bother with the flea bombs, just vacuum vacuum vacuum!

It is important to know how often you should vacuum for fleas removal, depending on your vacuum cleaner and the size of your house.

Stick to vacuuming all of the areas around your pets and upholstered furniture every 3-4 days, and as your infestation subsides, you can start to lower that to weekly until it goes away completely.

When vacuuming, it is important to vacuum carpets, upholstery, and any other potentially-infested fabrics.

While you don’t need to disinfect your vacuum or do anything special to it, it’s a good idea to empty out the canister outside when you’re done vacuuming.


Ways to Prevent Flea Infestation

Fleas are an extremely common household pest that can significantly impact your pet’s health and well-being (and your own!). They can cause ugly bites (particularly on the ankles), skin irritation, hair loss, and even transmit diseases.

Fleas have several ways to enter your home. For example, they can jump from one place to another, lay their eggs on a pet’s fur, and then hatch into larvae that fall onto your carpet or furniture.

Here are some ways through which you can prevent flea infestation:

1. Treat the Exterior Environment

Treating the outdoor environment helps prevent flea infestations. You can treat the yard or outdoor space by removing any potential food sources for fleas and using natural pesticides like diatomaceous earth or borax to kill them off.

Fleas often live on rats, raccoons, squirrels, etc. so if these are somehow getting int your house, they may spread an infestation!

Fleas thrive in warm, humid environments. It makes it easier for them to breed and thrive than in dryer conditions like in a garage or attic, where they might not be able to live.

2. Treat Pets

Pets are great companions, but they also have a downside. They can carry fleas and other parasites that can cause serious problems.

While fleas are no longer a real concern for humans, in the past fleas have lead to the deaths of millions of people.

Fleas historically carried diseases such as the bubonic plague and the plague of Justinian. Pets are treated with topical flea treatments or using flea collars that prevent the fleas from biting their hosts. 

According to a study by the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, treating pets with medicines and flea shampoo can help prevent flea infestation. in addition, the study found that when pets are treated with chemicals, they develop an immunity to the parasites, which is why keeping your pets on a regular treatment schedule is important.

3. Clean Your House Regularly

To prevent flea infestation in your home, you should clean your house regularly to remove their eggs and larvae. Make sure to vacuum all carpets, sweep floors (they can even hide in the cracks in floorboards), and wash bedding and furniture regularly with hot water and soap.

In addition, vacuum the walls every other week or so for any leftover debris like flea eggs or larvae that may be hiding in the cracks and crevices.


Conclusion

Vacuuming is highly recommended to remove fleas from the house. While many fear that a bagless canister vacuum is unsuited for fleas, the reality is that fleas will not survive being vacuumed. You can use your bagless vacuum to rid yourself of your flea infestation.

Bagless vacuums are easier to maintain and don’t require as much maintenance as filter bag vacuums. They also have less impact on the environment as they use less energy than bags.

So vacuum away, no need to disinfect!