Can New Carpet Have Fleas? (What You Need To Know)

It sounds impossible but can new carpet have fleas?

A new carpet can have fleas because all it takes is a viable host to bring fleas into your home. So fleas can make their way into your house on a pet, old furniture, or through holes in your home’s foundation.

This article will cover how fleas get in your new carpet and the best ways to eliminate the problem. Also, we’ll discuss the top signs of a flea infestation to ensure that fleas are the cause of your problem. Keep reading to learn more!

How Do Fleas Get in New Carpet

Fleas latch on to hosts to enter a home, whether on a pet, rodent, bedding, or carpet. So, even if you purchase a new carpet, there’s still the chance fleas have made their way inside.

For example, if the new carpet is in your garage and your dog walks around it, fleas can go from your pet to your new carpet. Even if your pet hasn’t had fleas in the past, they can easily pick them up from another pet, thick shrubbery, or pests in the yard.

Fleas can get in new carpet due to the following:

The carpet was infested before you bought it
Fleas use a host, like a pet, to enter your home
Fleas attached to a pest in your yard and made their way into your home
They came through small cracks in your home’s foundation
Fleas can hide in old furniture brought into your house

Fleas don’t usually use humans as hosts, so they likely didn’t hitch a ride on your to get inside. However, they also don’t have to come in on the new carpet to cause an infestation. In addition, you can have fleas without pets if you have a pest living in your yard that is infested.

Unfortunately, fleas can lay around 50 eggs a day, so once they get into your carpet, they will multiply until you take action. In addition, flea larvae can live for months on the carpet and survive by feeding off adult fleas’ feces and dried blood.

Signs of a Flea Infestation

Finding fleas on a new carpet can be frustrating, and you might wonder if you imagine it. For example, fleas can irritate your skin and cause significant issues in pets, like tapeworms and cat scratch fever. However, there are certain signs to look for if you suspect your new carpet has fleas.

Some of the tell-tale signs of a flea infestation are:

You find bite marks on your arms and legs
You see black dots when you run your fingers through your carpet
You find flea dirt (droppings) in between the fibers of your carpet

If you have a dark-colored carpet, wear tall white socks around your house for a day and see if you notice any fleas attach themselves to you.

Also, flea eggs are tiny white ovals and are challenging to see with the naked eye, so if you have a magnifying glass, you can get a close-up look at your carpet to help identify eggs.

How to Get Rid of Fleas in Carpet

Once you determine you have fleas, it’s time to remove them from your carpet. Even if you’ve only spotted them in one area, cleaning all rooms is a good idea to ensure you eliminate the problem.

Follow these steps to help get rid of fleas on carpet:

Thoroughly vacuum your entire house to help clean. As an added tip, place part of a flea collar in your vacuum to help kill them while you suck them up.
If you have any pets, ensure you bathe them in appropriate shampoo. You also want to use a flea collar or flea prevention treatment on your pets.
Wash all bedding and blankets in the hottest setting
Treat your yard for fleas, if you suspect that’s where the problem originated
Pour baking soda, diatomaceous earth, or salt over infested areas, as fleas quickly dehydrate
You can use pest spray or a fogger, but ensure you treat all rooms. Remember, no humans or pets should be home while a fogger is in use.
Contact a reputable pest control company to help if the issue seems out of control.

If you’ve treated your home but are still finding fleas, your actions are still working. Any signs of new fleas are likely newly-hatched, and you can remove them by vacuuming and washing infected areas.

In addition, fleas don’t fare well in heat, so you can turn the heater on in your house while deep cleaning. It might not be enjoyable for you, but it can help speed up the removal process.

Finally, ensure your yard is free of debris, wood piles, overgrown hedges, leaf litter, and rock piles, as these are suitable places for fleas to hide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it take a long time to get rid of fleas?

Depending on how long they have been inside, it can take a while to get rid of fleas. However, since fleas multiply quickly, an invasive infestation can take a bit to eliminate.

Can I vacuum to get rid of fleas?

Vacuuming can kill all stages of fleas; however, you must dispose of the dust immediately to prevent the fleas from infesting your home. Therefore, opening the vacuum container outside would be best to prevent fleas from escaping.

What’s the quickest way to remove fleas from the carpet?

You can sprinkle baking soda or salt on your carpet and thoroughly vacuum to remove fleas from your carpet. In addition, you can use a pet-safe spray and use it directly on infected areas.

Final Thoughts

While it’s a nuisance for a new carpet to have fleas, it’s possible, and you must take action to prevent the issue from growing. So, for example, if you find fleas on your carpet, vacuum thoroughly and use a pest spray or fogger throughout your house to help eliminate the problem.

Hopefully, this article will help you get those pesky fleas out of your house in no time!

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