How To Use Chlorine In Your Washing To Kill Fleas
Dealing with fleas in your clothing can be absolutely devastating. Not only can the fleas transmit diseases, but they can make you itch, bite you, and cause possible skin infections. You want to get rid of them as soon as possible! Lots of people actually use it to get rid of them, but does it really work?
Also Read: What is flea dirt and What Does It Look Like?
Steps for Getting Rid of Fleas
First off, simple washing can actually help you kill those fleas. Start your cleaning by washing any clothing in regular temperature or colder water to destroy living adult fleas. You’ve got to remove the flea eggs too though, so I’ve got some more in depth cleaning tips to follow when it comes to your laundry.
Bleach Safe Clothing
Any clothing that can handle bleach should be immersed with diluted bleach in water. Bleach and chlorine actually work the same since they both contain sodium hypochlorite, so you can use it as a substitute. Chlorine is just more concentrated than bleach, so it’s likely you’ll have to dilute it a little more. For machine washing, mix one cup of bleach for every 16 gallons of water. More than likely, you’re already using chlorine bleach, but if you’ve got just chlorine, around a half cup of chlorine in 16 gallons of water will work just like bleach to disinfect your clothing and remove most of those eggs.
Also Read: Top 5 Best Flea and Tick Treatment for Dogs & Cats – Reviews
High Temperatures
When you’re washing with your chlorine and bleach, use the highest water setting, with the hottest temperature and longest wash cycle possible for clothes that can take it. This is guaranteed method for removing fleas, eggs, and larvae.
Other Clothing
You’ve probably got clothing that isn’t bleach and chlorine safe, so try detergents that have antimicrobial action, or something like pine oil. If you’re using them in washing machines, add one cup to machines that top load and a half cup to front loading machines.
More Information You Should Know
Pet owners are the most likely to have issues when it comes to fleas. If you’ve cleaned out the fleas from your clothing and house, then you will still need to tackle the fleas on your pets? There are a few chlorine related methods that people have considered before they try harsh chemical treatments.
Take a Swim
For those of you who have a pool, putting your kitty or pup in a chlorine pool might be a viable option. There’s not necessarily a definitive answer about whether this works or not, but you can always give it a shot! Put your pet in the pool for a swim with you for around five minutes before you remove them and scrub. You do need to remember to be careful however not to let your pet ingest it, and to be conscious of them when they’re in the pool.
Other Options
It’s not clear if the diluted chlorine in a pool will actually kill fleas, so when it comes to your pet, you might try a few other options like Frontline or Advantage a few days in advance. Products to protect your pet like these are actually waterproof, and will work with chlorine too.
What To Do If My Swimming Pool is Overrun with Fleas
It’s unlikely that bathing a pet in your pool will infest it with fleas, but what if you find your pool to be contracting fleas like crazy? Skim them to get them out, make sure the water levels are perfect, and do shock treatments too. Be sure your filter is working great too, but make sure to confirm that you’re actually dealing with fleas.
Fleas or Not?
Believe it or not, those fleas might be springtails, another type of bug. Lots of people have had problems with fleas or springtails, but you can try a mild solution of liquid dish soap and water to kill springtails with ease while the pool vacuum sucks them up. Try a chlorine shock treatment for the fleas and your pool should be perfectly clean and ready to use again.
Other Bugs
There are lots of different types of water bugs you might be dealing with along with the fleas or springtails too. This can include the water boatmen and the backswimmer. To clear these guys out, scoop them up and put them in an airtight container to kill them, or they’ll keep flying back into the water. Shock your pool after they’re gone and keep the chlorine level high for around a week, or try products specifically meant to keep bugs out of your pool. You should be all ready to go swimming again in no time!
