In this guide

Flea Treatment Cost by Method

Flea treatments vary based on the method used by professionals. Most rely on pesticide sprays to get rid of fleas that have infested the home. Family members and pets need to vacate the home for several hours during the treatment. However, alternatives are available for those looking for all-natural methods. The following are the most common methods used to get rid of fleas at home.

Vacuuming for Fleas

Every part of your home must be vacuumed, including furnishings, carpeting, pet bedding, and any crevices where larvae might be found. The chemicals that kill the adult fleas may not always kill the eggs. Vacuuming helps remove the eggs making the treatment more effective. After vacuuming, the exterminator chemically treats your home with a pesticide that kills fleas. Every part of your home must be treated, including subfloors and basements, to ensure no fleas or flea eggs are missed. Flea exterminators offer professional vacuuming services to target fleas. The flea pest control cost for vacuuming is between $80 and $140.

Flea Bombs Cost

Flea bombs are also called flea foggers. This method is used when the infestation is limited to a single room in the home. An aerosol can releases the pesticide into the area, and over several hours, the fleas and their eggs are killed. On average, flea bombs take between two to four hours to work, depending on room size. The flea pest control cost for bombs is around $100 to $200 for application and clean-up.

Spray for Fleas

The full treatment takes four to six hours on average from start to finish and costs around $150 to $300 for treating the house with a pesticide. The pest control technician sprays corners, crevices, and other areas suspected of having live bugs or eggs. Spraying for fleas is usually ideal for localized treatment areas.

Flea Fumigation Cost

Flea fumigation refers to using foggers or bombs in multiple rooms throughout the home. Spray applications may also be included with the foggers to confirm all bugs are exterminated. Clean-up is needed following fumigation to remove any of the carcasses. Flea fumigation and clean-up costs range around $175 to $350.

Heat Treatment for Fleas

Exposure to high heat kills fleas and their larvae and eggs. This method can be used when the infestation is limited to areas such as the bedroom. The flea exterminator uses heating devices to increase the room temperature to at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat treatments typically take an hour and require clean-up. The cost of professional flea removal with heat averages around $300 to $500.

Cost to Exterminate Fleas by Location

The location of the flea infestation impacts the overall cost of treating the home. Fleas are a nuisance and can be a challenge to get rid of if they spread throughout your property. Contact a pest control specialist at the first sign of fleas to avoid widespread treatment costs. The following are average prices you can expect to pay to get rid of fleas in your home.

Flea Removal for the Yard

Fleas in the yard can damage the appearance of your lawn. Fleas burrow in the ground and thin out grassy areas. Yard flea removal is usually low-cost for small to medium-sized properties. If you need to treat acreage for fleas, the cost increases substantially because more products and labor hours are needed. For a standard lawn, expect to pay around $75 to get rid of fleas in your yard.

How to Get Rid of Fleas Outside

Fleas can damage multiple areas of your outdoor space. Besides thinning the grass, the burrowing causes grass and plants to turn brown and wither. The cost to get rid of fleas outside is comparable to removing fleas from the lawn. However, you may treat areas such as patios, decks, or porches if you worry about a large-scale flea infestation. The approximate cost of treating fleas outside is $100 for standard-size properties measuring about 0.25 acres.

How to Get Rid of Fleas in Bed

When you have fleas in the bed, these pests have access to anyone who sleeps in the room. If the fleas are the type that bite humans, you could receive multiple bites from the pests. Fleas in the bed required multiple steps to be removed. First, all bedding is removed from the room, washed in hot water, and dried on high heat. Any carpeted areas near the bed must be vacuumed to remove live bugs or eggs. A pesticide application in the bedroom removes fleas that have infested any cracks and crevices. Since bedrooms are usually a moderate size treatment area, pest control professionals charge around $150 for treatment.

How to Get Rid of Fleas in Kitchen

Getting rid of fleas in the kitchen must be addressed immediately. The thought of any kind of pest in the kitchen is unappetizing and makes homeowners worry about food contamination. Fleas may also bite any pets that come into the kitchen. Flea treatment in the kitchen costs around $175 because pest control technicians must take extra precautions before treating the room. Precautions include covering any surfaces that may come into contact with food.

Remove Fleas from Home

Fleas can invade a home and build up populations in areas such as the carpet, pet bedding, and furniture. High infestations make pets and family members more susceptible to flea bites. Removing fleas involves targeting multiple areas where they have infested. One of the common areas is the carpet. Flea infestation in carpet can be targeted by using flea foggers. After using pesticides on the fleas, all furnishings and carpets should be vacuumed to remove any carcasses and potential live bugs or eggs that survived the treatments. Whole-house treatment and clean-up take six hours or longer. The treatments cost $400 and up.

Fleas Exterminator Cost

Because a flea infestation can be so widespread, getting rid of them can be a multi-step process. First, a professional inspects the home to ensure that the problem is truly fleas and not another pest. These inspections are usually done at no additional cost.

Professional flea control treatment costs more than DIY methods, but it has a higher effectiveness level. Home improvement store treatments are not commercial-grade and require multiple applications to work. Licensed professionals are qualified to use commercial foggers, sprays, and heat treatments to quickly and efficiently get rid of fleas.

Initial flea exterminator prices start at $75 to $100 for a flat service fee. If a flat rate isn’t charged, expect to pay around $50 to $75 per hour for a professional pest control technician. Flea inspection cost is usually included with the price of treatment visits. The pest control technician checks the home to locate areas where the fleas have infested. Flea inspections and treatments are usually performed at a single visit. If you choose not to use the flea exterminator, the company may charge $50 or more for the inspection.

Most exterminators recommend a follow-up visit within four to six weeks. Because of the flea’s life cycle and hatching larvae, they could reinfest your home. This follow-up visit consists of an additional spray to kill the newly hatched fleas before they lay new eggs and costs around $75.

How Long Does It Take to Exterminate Fleas

Getting rid of fleas can take an extended period. If the fleas in the home are found soon enough, professional eradication can be completed in a few short weeks. Medium to severe flea infestations often take several treatment visits. According to the American Kennel Club, it takes around three to four months to get fleas out of the home as they go through their life cycle.

Levels of Flea Infestation

The cost to treat fleas depends on how severe the bug infestation is in the home. If you catch the flea problem early on, then you may only need a single treatment to eradicate the pests. Medium to severe flea infestations may require multiple treatment visits. The following is the average cost you can expect to pay to control fleas at home.

Small flea infestation

Small flea infestations are the simplest to treat. The infestation may be limited to one room of the home or your lawn area. A single pesticide application and topical pet flea treatments could be adequate for removal. The professional assesses the home before treatment to confirm that fleas have not spread. This visit is usually included in the treatment cost and is not an extra fee. Small flea infestations cost between $100 and $175 to treat.

Medium flea infestation

Medium flea infestations refer to an incidence when the fleas have invaded multiple areas of the home. Perhaps, pet hosts carried the fleas around your home and yard. The average range to treat a medium flea infestation is between $175 and $300. An initial visit costs at least $100, with subsequent visits $75 or more.

Severe flea infestation

When pets are not treated with topical ointments or fleas have bred throughout an entire home, a massive flea infestation may occur. If fleas have infested a large outdoor area, you are likely faced with a significant flea problem.

If you have more than an acre of outdoor space to treat, costs increase. Severe flea infestations cost an average of $325 to $550 to treat and require one large-scale treatment and at least two follow-up visits.

Contract vs One Time Flea Treatment

If fleas are present on your property, pests will likely return and attach to a pet host. Single flea treatments cost an average of $270 or more depending on the size of the area. To keep fleas out of the home for good, homeowners can consider a routine pest control contract. Contracts are year-round and typically involve the pest specialist spraying for fleas every three months. Fleas don’t hibernate, so treatment should be done in the winter months too. A flea exterminator’s monthly contract may cost as little as $75 per visit. If you have an annual contract and the flea exterminator comes quarterly, the cost will be $400 annually or $100 per visit.

Types of Fleas

Most people aren’t aware that there are more than 2,000 types of fleas. The most common, however, and the most likely to infest your home, is one of the following:

Cat fleas

Cat fleas measure around 2mm as adults and have a reddish-brown color. They prefer the blood of cats but will also infest dogs and humans. Cat fleas rarely leave their hosts once they have access to a reliable blood source.

Dog fleas

Dog fleas have a very close physical resemblance to cat fleas with a reddish-brown body color and an adult size between 1mm and 2mm. The only difference is the shape of the head, which is more rounded. They prefer the blood of dogs but will infest other hosts.

Rodent fleas

Rodent fleas are also known as tropical rat fleas and oriental rat fleas. They have a tan body coloring, lighter than cat and dog fleas. Adult rodent fleas measure around 2mm to 3mm. They prefer rats, mice, and rabbits but will jump to cats, dogs, or people.

Human fleas

Human fleas are also known as house fleas. Human fleas have a dark brown body color with a flat shell. As adults, they measure between 2mm and 4mm. They are less common and prefer to live in human hair.

Bird fleas

Bird fleas have also been called hen or chicken fleas. Adult bird fleas have flattened body shapes with a medium brown coloring. As adults, the bugs measure between 2mm to 3mm. They mostly prefer poultry and other birds but will also inhabit a cat, dog, or human.

All About Fleas

Fleas are tiny, dark-colored, wingless parasites that feed on mammal blood. They have a backward bent spine that makes them extremely difficult to brush away once they grab on a host. Their incredibly strong legs enable them to jump from host to host. While they cannot fly, fleas can cover great distances. Fleas pass from host to host even if they only come within a few feet of one another.

An interesting fact about fleas is that they have an unusual life cycle. The life cycle of a flea includes four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The flea lays eggs on an animal host. The eggs fall off the host onto yards, bedding, furniture, and flooring. The eggs hatch into larvae and feed until they form a cocoon. From the pupa, the fleas hatch as adults and must consume blood to survive. The entire life cycle takes an average of 21 days.

Where Are Fleas Found?

Fleas are found in multiple locations inside and outside of the home. The biggest reason you don’t want fleas in your home is that it is challenging to get rid of them. Adults lay eggs in crevices and cracks around your home and in your pet’s bedding. Fleas multiply quickly. So, even if you get rid of the initial adults, you may find your home reinfested within a few weeks. Since fleas travel by animal hosts, they can access any area that a pet can. Fleas will infest a lawn or garden outside the home. Inside your house, fleas are most often found in pet beds and carpets. If you have carpets, the fleas may reside inside the fibers.

On a pet, fleas hide inside the fur in select regions of the body. A flea will infest a pet’s neck, back, and belly. If a pet starts to scratch these regions, it could indicate the animal is carrying around fleas.

Are Fleas Harmful to Humans?

Fleas may cause the host to become anemic due to blood loss. Fleas may cause allergic reactions, itching, and secondary infections due to scratching. According to the vet-curated website Pet Med, fleas can bite a human and transmit diseases such as cat scratch fever and plague. The fleas don’t live on humans but can repeatedly bite if you come into contact with them. Not all fleas carry diseases, but there is no way to know for sure that the fleas in your home are clean. It’s best to eradicate them as soon as you notice a problem to be safe.

Signs of a Flea Infestation

Because fleas are so small, their bites mimic the bites of other insects. You may not realize your house has fleas until the infestation has grown beyond your ability to easily get rid of it. The most common sign of a flea infestation is the presence of flea dirt. Flea dirt looks like black pepper sprinkled over your pets, their bedding, and other areas where your pets lay. These flakes are not made of dirt, however, but are the flea feces. Flea dirt is dried blood that the fleas excrete after eating. If you are unsure whether or not what you are seeing is flea dirt, wet a paper towel and sprinkle the flakes on top. Flea dirt will spread out, dissolving into a red color in the water.

You may also see signs of the fleas themselves. Fleas are very tiny--less than ⅛-inch in size--and may show up best on light-colored fabrics or hair. You may see them jumping or moving through your pet’s hair or bedding.

Finally, you may notice signs of a flea infestation if you and your family are experiencing frequent bites around the ankles. If your pets are scratching excessively, seem depressed, or are losing hair, fleas may be the cause.

How to Spot Fleas

The first step for spotting fleas is to check for parasites on pets in the home. Run a comb through the pet’s coat and then check the bristles for small black dots. You may find flea droppings or live bugs in the comb. Another method is to place a white towel under your pet and rub their coat vigorously. Check the paper for any fleas or flea droppings. Kill any live bugs by drowning them in soapy water.

If your pet has fleas, the home is likely to have an infestation too. Areas to check for the bugs include pet beds, carpeting, and furniture pieces. Perform a visual inspection to look for black flea droppings or live bugs. All areas, especially pet bedding, should be searched for flea eggs. Flea eggs appear as small, white oval sacs. If you have trouble spotting the fleas or eggs, use a magnifying glass. Another method to spot fleas on carpets and other types of flooring is to wear white socks. Walk around the home to see if any fleas or droppings are found on the bottom of the socks.

How to Prevent Fleas

Homeowners often wonder what to do after flea extermination. Focus on preventing recurring infestations. If you just spent several months going through pest control treatment, you don’t likely want to go through the process again. Since fleas attach to pets outdoors, start by taking care of your lawn. Fleas are less likely to reside in short, neatly trimmed grassy areas. Lawn pesticides can be applied seasonally in the fall and spring.

Protecting your dog or cat against fleas is another preventative strategy. Talk to your vet about using a topical treatment. Liquid or powder topical treatments may be applied to the pet’s coat. A flea bath could also be given to prevent your pet from playing host to fleas.

Keeping your home clean, especially rooms where any pets reside helps control fleas. Wash pet beds and pet blankets routinely using hot water and soap. Vacuum furnishings and carpets to get rid of any potential live bugs or eggs.

Pet Flea Treatment

The first part of the treatment involves treating the animal or animals that brought fleas into your home. You may give the pet a flea bath using a chemical shampoo to kill the fleas and larvae on your pet. Also, an oral or topical medication administered by your veterinarian helps rid your pet of fleas.

Speak to your vet to determine the most suitable treatment for your pet. Many flea medications are administered by weight, so be sure to get a current weight for your pet before applying.

After your pet is treated, it’s important to keep them away from the house while the rest of the treatment is administered to avoid reinfestation. Flea treatments for pets cost around $10 for a bottle of flea shampoo and around $40 to $50 for oral and topical treatments per year. If your vet administers the treatment, there may be an additional $50 visit fee.

Flea Cleaning Service

Talk to a pest control specialist about whether services like carpet cleaning after flea treatment are offered. The flea exterminator may refer you to a cleaning agency to perform a deep clean following a pest control treatment. Carpet cleaning after an exterminator visit costs an average of $50 to $75 per room. Whole house cleaning averages $219 per visit. The clean-up rids the home of any dead fleas, eggs, larvae, and pupa. Keep the home clean as a preventative method for pest control.

Additional Considerations and Costs

• If your pets are continuously picking up fleas, you may want to treat your yard. This can be done by keeping it dry, spreading cedar wood chips, using diatomaceous earth, or spraying pesticide every two weeks.
• Most pest control services only guarantee or warranty that your home remains free from fleas if you have a follow-up visit and use preventatives on your pets.
• Small biting insects in your home may not be fleas, but bedbugs. Bedbugs are most commonly found in sleeping areas, while fleas are more likely to be found near or on pets and pet bedding. Most pest control services offer a free inspection to determine which pest is in your home.
• Natural flea treatment options are available. For example, heat treatments rely on no chemical applications. On the DIY side, essential oils, such as tea tree, peppermint, and eucalyptus, are used as a holistic flea repellent. However, the recommended option is hiring a professional, since that’s the only thing that can guarantee getting rid of fleas.