Did you know that flea eggs and larvae can live on furniture for many months? What about the adult fleas? Can Fleas Live on Furniture?
Can they live in your bed? How long will they survive without a host or blood meal? How can you find them and how should you get rid of them?
In this article, we’ll discuss if fleas can live on furniture, which also includes our beds.
Can Fleas Live on Furniture?
Yes. furniture and beds are perfect hiding spots for fleas to wait for a pet or human to pass by and jump on them.
Flea larvae also find furniture and pet bedding to be comfortable places full of edible debris for them to develop through this stage in their life cycle. Flea eggs also survive and hatch in furniture and beds.
An adult flea will need a blood meal within 2 weeks and will most likely perish without finding a host while it waits patiently on, in or under your furniture or bed.
Can Fleas Live in Beds?
Yes. a bed is an ideal location for a flea to stay warm and hidden in darkness. This is also a great location for fleas to lay their eggs inside the mattress or on the sheets.
Adult fleas will produce fecal matter as they wait in beds. This adds to the additional debris left from our dead skin cells to help their larvae feed.
If you would like to get rid of fleas in beds you can start with a non-toxic mixture of water and vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray all over the bed with this mixture then sprinkle salt all over your bed.
A steam cleaner or vacuum cleaner will complete the job. It is best to leave the salt on your bed for one night and sleep elsewhere. Vacuum the next morning to pick up dead fleas, larvae and unviable flea eggs.
How Long Do Fleas Live on Fabric?
Fleas find that fabric is a easy location to patiently wait for a live host to deliver them the blood meal that they need in order to survive.
Fabrics include:
- Bed sheets
- Couches
- Blankets
- Pillow cases
- Clothing
Fleas can usually remain on one piece of fabric for about 24 hours. In some cases, they can also lay dormant for 2 weeks to 3 months. It depends on the stage in their life cycle.
An adult will require the blood meal much sooner than any flea larvae who can remain alive on your fabrics as long as they can eat debris such as our dead skin cells or fecal matter from adult fleas.
How Can I Tell If My Couch Has Fleas?
It is time to take out a flashlight and possibly a magnifying glass as well. You are looking for a small specks that are dark in color.
Fleas can be brown, black or red. These tiny little specks can move slightly revealing the fact that you have found fleas on your couch.
You’re looking at the tiniest pest that is about 1/8 of an inch in length and contains six legs that helps them jump onto a live host who happens to sit on the sofa or walk past it. This includes your favorite animal or your body.
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How Long Can Fleas Live on Furniture Without a Host?
Adult fleas require feedings every few days to 2 weeks. During this time, they can remain dormant on furniture without a host.
They would prefer to hide underneath furniture or inside cushions where it is dark and moist. A flea would prefer fabric-based furniture or beds instead of hardwood floors, tables, chairs or stainless steel appliances.
Let’s take a closer look at:
- Leather Furniture
- Patio Furniture
- Wood furniture
Leather furniture
Fleas do not like to remain on top of leather furniture. You will have to search underneath the cushions or within cracks of the leather.
Without a host, the adult flea will not be able to survive much longer than a few days to 2 weeks. The eggs and larvae can survive for much longer because they do not need a blood meal.
Outdoor furniture:
Look for the corners of your yard to see if there are any suitable locations where fleas can hide. They will try to remain in cracks or gaps in your outdoor furniture.
If you have cushions on your patio furniture, you might need to dust them with diatomaceous earth or borax powder. This will dehydrate their exoskeletons and cut into their bodies.
Wood furniture:
Adult fleas do not prefer to infest wooden furniture, but they can hide in the edges or cracks. If there are cushions on top of wood furniture, they will need to be dusted with diatomaceous earth or borax powder as well.
Adults will die off within a few days, but the eggs and larvae could last for several months.
What Do Flea Eggs Look Like on Furniture?
Fleas are already tiny little specks and their eggs are even smaller. Adult fleas are much darker in color, but their eggs are slightly lighter. They are microscopic very hard for you to be able to find them.
If you were to use a magnifying glass, you might find eggs that look like tiny little grains of rice. They are oval in shape and lighter in color to resemble a more yellowish or whitish tint. They start as translucent in color but turn into a bright solid white just before they’re about to hatch.
Look for flea eggs in the following location:
- Corners
- Cracks
- Edges of furniture
- Inside the cushions
- Underneath beds
The largest sized egg that you might find is about 1/50th of an inch. Imagine the size of one grain of sand.
Your best bet is to sprinkle borax powder, diatomaceous earth or baking soda on furniture to kill them all rather than trying to find tiny little flea eggs.
How Do You Get Rid of Fleas on Furniture?
You are not alone if you are experiencing fleas on furniture.
Look underneath the furniture pieces and inside any cracks or gaps.
- It’s time to begin vacuuming. Remove all the cushions in vacuum all over the surface and below the furniture.
- Take all the covers off the furniture and clean them with soap and water.
- Sprinkle the rest of the furniture with diatomaceous earth or borax powder. Sprinkle the powder and let it sit for up to a few hours.
- Complete the task by vacuuming once more.
Do not empty your vacuum cleaners dust in your home. Take it outside and dump it away from your home.
What Happens to Fleas in Furniture?
Fleas remain patiently in or on furniture. They wait for a human or a pet to walk past it. Fleas are capable of jumping very high and far to catch a ride on a host. This could be on your outdoor or indoor furniture.
These pests will prefer animal blood over human blood. It’s easy for a flea to jump from furniture onto an animal. An animal’s fur creates a perfect hiding place for fleas to remain unnoticed.
At some point, they will lay many eggs as well. These eggs will usually land in your furniture, bed or carpets. The infestation will continue through another generation of fleas
Can Fleas Live In A Clean House?
If your a clean freak like myself, you are not excused from the possibility of a flea infestation. A spotless home can still contain fleas. They may enter your house by hitching a ride on your pets.
They may also be on your clothing. They can jump right into your house on their own from outdoors. Fleas can live in cracks around the edges of wood floors. They can hide in furniture, bedding and rugs.
Unfortunately, fleas may have already infested your home in the past before you even moved there. Flea larvae and flea eggs can survive for several months without a blood host.
Conclusion
Fleas find that furniture and beds in your home hide them well. These locations can be dark, moist and the fabrics and fibers on cushions or rugs make it easy for fleas to hide.
They will wait patiently and jump on the next living animal or human who will provide them with another blood meal. Act fast and promptly when you notice flea bites or itchy skin.
Vacuuming helps kill fleas, but if you sprinkle baking soda, salt, diatomaceous earth or borax powder the first and let it sit on your furniture for a few minutes to a few hours, vacuuming up everything at once will help to eliminate flea infestations.
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