Article: Fleas and their eggs can easily hide in the grass and in areas of your yard where debris (e.g. leaves, etc.) has built up. To prevent fleas from being able to make a long-term home in these areas, keep your yard clean and your grass cut short. This is especially important in the areas of your yard where you dog hangs out the most. Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a calcium dust that's ground from single-cell ocean organisms. Only use DE that's been certified as "food grade." You can mix some DE in water (in a watering can if you have one) and sprinkle the mixture on your grass, sidewalks, decks, paving stones, and even in your flower beds. Focus on areas of your yard where your dog hangs out the most. This mixture dries out flea eggs and makes it impossible for adult fleas to breathe, therefore killing them off. If you live in a moist and humid climate, you may need to apply this mixture every two months. If you live in a dry climate, you won't need to apply as often, maybe once every three to four months. Make sure to wear a protective mask when handling the DE dust as it can irritate your lungs. You can buy DE online at shops like Amazon or at hardware/garden stores. Pest control companies may also sell it, as it's used extensively to kill other types of pests as well. Water drowns fleas and flea eggs. You can use a garden hose to drown fleas and their eggs in your yard in areas where your dog frequents (e.g. kennel, dog run, favourite nap area, etc.). Just spray water in the area until it's practically flooded. In order to kill fleas and their eggs inside your house, you need to keep up a regular cleaning routine around your house. Start by washing hard floors (e.g. wood, tile, etc.) as often as you can. Pay special attention to the cracks and gaps in the floors where fleas can hide. You should also vacuum your rugs and carpets every day to remove any fleas or eggs that may fall off you or your dog. To help keep fleas at bay, and to prevent you from needing to do too much work, it may be easier to simply remove and store away your area carpets or rugs during flea season. Give them a good cleaning before you store them and when you take them back out again. When doing your daily vacuuming routine on carpets and rugs, you may also want to run the vacuum over any furniture in the same rooms (e.g. couches, ottomans, pillows, etc.). If you use a vacuum with a bag, you can freeze the bag in-between uses to kill the fleas you vacuum up. Note that the fleas will stay alive inside the bag between vacuuming if you simply store the vacuum between uses. If small enough, wash your dog's bedding in your washing machine every week with hot water and mild laundry detergent. If the bedding is too big for the washing machine, you can always soak it in a tub of water mixed with vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. Worst case scenario, if your dog's bedding is too big for either washing method, make sure to vacuum it thoroughly. If the flea infestation is really bad, or if it's over but you want to make sure you got every last flea, consider hiring a steam cleaning company to come to your home. Ask them to use just hot water to steam clean your floors, furniture, and your dog's bedding. Make sure you move furniture in order to steam clean underneath too.
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Keep your yard clean. Sprinkle a water-diatomaceous earth mixture in your yard. Use a garden hose to flood areas your dog frequents. Wash and vacuum your floors often. Give your dog's bedding a good cleaning at least once a week. Hire a professional steam cleaner.