Does Lysol Kill Fleas? {Is It An Insecticide?}

Did you spot a flea and you’ve reached into the cupboard for any spray bottle? Does Lysol Kill Fleas?

Are there ingredients in Lysol that repel, suffocate or kill fleas on contact? How effective is Lysol in killing fleas?

In this article, we’ll find out if you can use Lysol to kill fleas.

Does Lysol Kill Fleas?

Yes. Since Lysol is a disinfectant and killer of germs and bacteria, the active ingredients can also be used to kill fleas.

The amount of these chemicals found in Lysol are outweighed by commercial insecticides, but Lysol can help you kill fleas when no other solution is available.

Diatomaceous Earth, dish soap, flea shampoos and insect sprays rank above Lysol in their ability to kill fleas.

What Is Lysol?

Lysol is one of the most popular producers of disinfectant sprays and wipes. It contains the active ingredient ethanol to suffocate fleas or other pests on contact.

Lysol is meant to kill viruses and bacteria at a claimed 99.9% efficiency.

You can find Lysol in just about every country. When you’re in a jam without other insecticides around, grab the bottle of Lysol and spray those nasty critters away.

Is Lysol a Good Way to Kill Fleas?

You can spray Lysol directly at any fleas you see. You are trying to drown or suffocate them.

Fleas are terribly fast and incredible jumpers so you will have to act quick.

Also, if you find flea eggs, you will not be able to kill them all with Lysol. Try bleach or harsher insecticides on flea eggs.

Does Lysol Repel Fleas?

Yes. Fleas will not go near the aroma of Lysol. The concentration of chemicals in Lysol act as a repellant for fleas and other bugs.

Spraying your home and tough to reach areas with Lysol is a good tip for the prevention of fleas.

If you already have an infestation of fleas in your home, you may need a thorough cleaning with dish soap, bleach, steam cleaning and vacuuming.

How Do I Use Lysol for Fleas?

You will need to target fleas with your Lysol spray can and make direct contact. Never use Lysol directly on a pet or any other host that is carrying fleas.

Look around areas such as:

  • carpets
  • beds
  • linens
  • sofas
  • floorboards
  • cracks and crevices

If you spot fleas, start drowning them in Lysol spray. It’s as simple as that.

Safety Tip: Do not inhale, ingest or make contact with Lysol spray on your eyes or ears. 

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Can I Spray Lysol on My Dog?

No. You cannot spray your pets with Lysol. The ingredients are toxic and dangerous on the skin, eyes or inhaled by the nose and ingested on food or through the air.

Phenol is an active ingredients found in Lysol that is known to be toxic for dogs and even worse on cats. Keep your pets at a safe distance when spraying Lysol.

How Fast Does Lysol Kill Fleas?

Lysol alone will kill fleas instantly if you catch one and douse it with ample amounts of chemical liquid. Your aim is to drown the fleas in Lysol.

If you want a more powerful concoction, mix 1 part bleach with 10 parts of water. Apply bleach spray first on hard surfaces, crack and crevices, then spray Lysol on top.

This method is recommended when you don’t see the fleas and wish to repel them instead.

Sprinkling Diatomaceous Earth is also an excellent method to quickly eradicate fleas, but this powder must be kept dry in order to work. Do not use Lysol and Diatomaceous Earth together or it will be useless.

Can I Spray Lysol on My Bed?

Yes. Lysol can be sprayed on beds and linens to eliminate viruses, germs, bacteria and even repel insects. You will need to give it time when you spray these areas with Lysol.

The bedding, sheets and linens must be completely dry before you make contact with it. Your skin and Lysol shouldn’t go near each other.

What Cleaning Products Kill Fleas?

There are several products that are either natural or chemical solutions and are not intentionally made to kill fleas.

They work indirectly on drowning, drying or suffocating fleas with insecticidal properties or repelling agents that fleas hate.

Here are a few household items or cleaning products that can kill fleas:

  • Dish Soap
  • Baking soda.
  • Salt
  • Lemon spray
  • Diatomaceous earth
  • Lysol 
  • Bleach
  • Vacuum and Steam Cleaners

How Does Lysol Affect Fleas?

Lysol kills germs, viruses and bacteria with the same ingredients that can kill fleas. Ethanol and Phenol are two examples of killing agents found in Lysol.

The amount of insecticidal properties found in Lysol are few and far between commercial insecticides. This makes Lysol less powerful and less effective.

The reason why we advocate for using Lysol is because of its availability when nothing else is lying around the house the moment you spot a flea.

How To Use Lysol To Kill Fleas In Your Home

Here are some ways you can kill fleas with Lysol:

  • Look for areas where fleas could be breeding or hiding.
  • Spray these areas directly and drown the fleas.
  • Spray graciously on flea eggs that may not die with Lysol unless they drown.
  • Use Lysol multi-action cleaners with a scrubber and hot water on carpets. 
  • Wash clothes with Lysol Detergent. 
  • Mix Lysol with bleach on hard surfaces. 
  • Wipe down the house with Lysol wipes after using dish soap, baking soda or diatomaceous earth alternatives.

Can Lysol Disinfectant Spray Be Toxic To Dogs?

Yes. Do not spray Lysol anywhere near your dog. There are cases of dogs developing oral or gastric ulcers due to their food being contaminated with Lysol.

You may be risking your dog’s life when you spray Lysol everywhere. Focus the spray directly on surfaces or insects if your intention is to use Lysol as an insecticide.

Should I Use Lysol on Fleas?

If you can catch a flea before it jumps, spray it down with Lysol and try to drown it. Lysol cleans, disinfects and kills fleas. You can do so in the following ways:

  • spray
  • scrub
  • mix with laundry detergent
  • wipe down surfaces

Spray the home, then wait an hour and vacuum up all the dead fleas you see.

What Exactly Does Lysol Do to Pets?

Pets may end up with liver damage or ulcers when they ingest Lysol. A cat may automatically begin licking his or herself when sprayed indirectly with Lysol.

This natural instinct can prove to be lethal. Be careful when spraying Lysol near your pet’s bowls. The vapors in Lysol are also harmful when inhaled by smaller children and animals.

Your dog or cat’s tongue could receive this poison and become sick as a result. Phenol is found in Lysol. It’s mildly acidic, but deadly for dogs and cats.

Does Lysol Repel Fleas?

Yes. Lysol that is sprayed in large amounts will certainly repel fleas. They will hide or look to jump aboard a new host and leave the scene.

You will have to spray Lysol directly on fleas to kill them. Repelling fleas is easier if your aim is to prevent any future infestations.

Stronger methods of killing fleas with the use of Diatomaceous earth, dish soap traps or harsher insecticides are advised over Lysol.

Conclusion

Lysol was never intended to be advertised as a flea killer. The manufacturer of Lysol wishes for every household to have a bottle or two (or three) of Lysol to spray anytime there is the chance of any odor, bacteria, germs, viruses or even bugs in your home. They want Lysol to be an all-purpose cleaning agent, but the truth is that many specific flea sprays contain far more active ingredients in killing fleas than Lysol does.

The downside is that Lysol is toxic enough to warn you and I to keep the spray away from pets and their bowls or beds. If we’re going to resort to using chemicals, we may as well go for something stronger and kill off the entire colony of fleas. Otherwise we can choose safer alternatives such as dish soap traps or Diatomaceous earth sprinkled in areas where fleas are present.

The home should be vacuumed, steam cleaned and Lysol could be the added bonus to prevent fleas from returning. The best overall reason to support the use of Lysol is the convenience of having it in your cupboard when visiting the nearest shop to buy an insecticide means that the flea you spotted will jump and disappear.

If you need to kill that flea you see right now, go for the Lysol bottle and drown it with this popular household item.

 

Thanks for visiting ThePestManagement.com for the best information to help you to make the pest control process easy, safe & affordable. We have plenty of articles on fleas, bed bugs and other pests that need to leave your home right away. Take a look if you have time. Bye for now!

Jason Barrett

Hello, I'm Jason. I have 11 years of experience in dealing with pests. I try to provide you the best information that'll help you to make the pest control process easy & affordable