How long will fleas live in a house without pets?

It's common knowledge that pets carry fleas. But can you find them in a pet free home?

Unfortunately, fleas are known to make their way into homes without pets. As long as they have a reliable food source, they'll have no problem keeping residence in your home even without any furry friends to host them.

But how long will fleas live in a house without pets? And how can you treat fleas in the home to avoid a full blown infestation? Let's take a look.

What are fleas?

Fleas are common, small, flightless insects found in the UK. It's well known fleas feed on mammals and birds - particularly pets - but fleas will bite humans too if they can get access to the blood source.

Though they may seem harmless, a flea infestation can be a nasty business if left untreated. In fact, a female flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day, which means it doesn't take long for a flea population to get out of control.

The flea life cycle

Understanding the entire life cycle of the common flea is really important. The life cycle goes through four stages: egg, larvae, pupae and adult.

The entire life cycle can take anywhere from a few days up to a few months depending on the environmental conditions. Once they've matured into full adults, they'll search for a host and feed on its blood for survival.

Where do fleas come from?

Plenty of people associated fleas with animals - and will regularly check their pets for any fleas to prevent an infestation. But unfortunately, pets aren't the only thing a flea will feed on, and homeowners can find themselves with a pest problem even in a house without pets.

Because they can jump as high as six inches, it's easy for fleas to travel from place to place. As well as pets, fleas can enter your home through soft upholstered furniture, new carpets you bring in, or they may even linger if the previous owners had pets or other animals with fleas.

Sometimes, other people can bring fleas into your home if they've experienced an infestation in their own house, or been in contact with any infested pets.

Dormant flea larvae can also cause an infestation. At this stage in the life cycle, fleas can remain dormant for months and only emerge when they detect a food source (for example, if someone has just moved into a rental property that wasn't treated by the previous occupants).

The dangers and risks of fleas

Flea bites can be annoying, but sometimes the risks go beyond minor itches, especially if they become infected or if they trigger allergic reactions.

Fleas can also transmit diseases like plague, cat scratch fever, spotted fever and typhus. That's why it's really important to treat a flea infestation quickly.

Can fleas live in a house without pets?

Unfortunately, fleas live quite easily in a house without pets if they have other hosts to feed on. Though they don't like to stay on the human body for long because of exposure, they can survive on human blood, and will often settle in soft, warm environments around the house. Because of the warmth and carbon dioxide we exhale while we sleep, our beds are a prime spot for a flea infestation.

Fleas will usually hide around areas of the home that are dark, warm and humid. As well as beds, you can find them in carpets, mats, bath mats and rugs where they lay eggs that were transferred from pets. Other hot spots include sitting room furniture like fabric couches and seats, or even your clothing.

Find out how to keep your bathroom clean and help avoid fleas nesting in your home.

Signs flea infestations

If you're suspicious about a flea infestation in your home, there are some common signs to look out for, including:

Bug bites on your body

Flea bites will have a distinct pattern of two or three groupings or clusters and will look like small red dots. They may be really itchy and could become swollen or inflamed. If they appear on your legs or ankles, this is a common indicator of a flea bite.

Adult flea feces

Adult flea feces or flea dirt looks like coarse ground black pepper, and you can find it on carpets and rugs. It'll often leave a stain similar in colour to dried blood because it excretes the waste from a dried blood meal.

Flea eggs or flea larvae

Because flea eggs are only around 0.5mm in length and almost translucent, they're really difficult to see with the naked eye. They may be easier to spot in patches, in which case they'll resemble salt on darker backgrounds.

Flea larvae and flea pupae are easier to spot. Larvae have a work-like appearance and are 1-2 mm in length, and are usually an off-white colour. Pupae are 2-3 mm in length and are encased in a silken cocoon that can collect organic debris.

Visible adult fleas

Adult fleas can be easier to see, measuring between 1-2mm and usually reddish-brown or black in colour. In some extreme cases, fleas may jump around trying to land on you if there has been a long absence of hosts in one area.

How to test for fleas in your home

If you're worried about fleas in your home, try not to worry. There are ways you can test for the little pests.

Rugs, floors and carpets

Wear long white socks that cover your ankles and calves before shuffling around on the floor. This will disturb the carpet fibres, which will then agitate fleas living there and cause them to jump on your socks.

You can also check manually by pulling apart the carpet fibres on the carpet's lining on the floor. You're likely to spot fleas along the edges where the carpet meets the skirting board.

Fabric curtains

Fleas might sometimes settle in the folds of curtains if they're struggling to find a host. To find fleas in your curtains, examine the back of the material against the wall, as well as any parts touching the floor.

Upholstered furniture

Furniture is a very popular hiding place for fleas, so make sure to thoroughly check for flea dirt, flea eggs, or adult fleas from cushion to frame. Then wipe it with a damp, light-coloured cloth and clean all the areas, keeping an eye out for fleas on the cloth.

Beds and bedding

You should also check your bed and bedding if you suspect fleas. Use a bank card and a white piece of paper to scrape over the bed - any flea larvae, eggs, or flea dirt will collect onto the paper.

But remember - insects in your bed may actually be bed bugs rather than fleas, which will need different treatment.

How long will fleas live in a house without pets?

Though fleas die eventually if they can't find a food source, generally fleas survive up to two weeks without blood. But in the right conditions, a single flea could live in a house without pets for quite a while. In fact, if there are plenty of warm, dark hiding places for them to settle, pre-emerged adults can live for several weeks without a host. In some cases, younger fleas can live up to a year if they have a good source of food.

Female fleas need to eat before they can lay eggs; if they have a good blood source to feed on, they can lay up to 50 eggs a day! So once those flea eggs hatch, it won't be long before you have a big pest problem on your hands if you leave the infestation untreated.

How to kill fleas

There are plenty of ways to kill and treat fleas. Here are some of the most popular flea treatments:

Baking soda or salt

Sprinkle baking soda on your carpet before giving it a scrub and vacuuming it up. Regularly vacuuming your carpet is also a good way to prevent fleas from getting out of hand.

You could also try salt: leave the salt on the carpet for two days before vacuuming it up.

Lemon spray

A lemon's acidic quality means it's a great way to remove fleas in your home. Add boiling water to some lemon, let it sit overnight, and then use it as a spray to get rid of any fleas nesting in your home. Rosemary also works in the same way.

Wash bedding

If you have a mild infestation, you can wash your bedding in soapy, hot water which will kill the fleas as well as their eggs and larvae.

Check out our blog on how to get rid of woodlice in the home if you’re struggling with other bug infestations!

Summary: No pets doesn't mean no pests!

Unfortunately, fleas can still live in a house without pets, and for quite some time. Make sure you're looking out for the signs early on to avoid an infestation, and try to treat them as early as possible to prevent fleas from spreading any further.