Table of Contents
Why are fleas so hard to get rid of?
What kills fleas the quickest?
How to permanently get rid of fleas
Will fleas be completely gone in 24 hours?
Why are fleas worse after treatment?
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Can you get rid of fleas in 24 hours?
- By Sarah
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- April 14, 2026
- 3 MIN READ
Found a flea? Let’s try to get rid of them as quickly as possible! As much as you want fleas to be gone, removing them from your pet and home in less than a day is a little unrealistic, but this doesn’t mean you can’t make a huge difference in 24 hours… Scroll to find out the quickest and most effective flea treatment for your pet.
Why are fleas so hard to get rid of?
Fleas have a fast and stubborn life cycle. An adult flea is only the tip of the iceberg. Only about 5% of a flea infestation is made up of adult fleas. The remaining 95% are immature stages hidden around your home. This is why fleas often seem to “come back” even after treatment.
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Adult fleas live on pets and feed on blood
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Eggs fall off pets into carpets, bedding, and cracks
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Larvae hide deep in soft furnishings
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Pupae can remain dormant for weeks or even months
What kills fleas the quickest?
While you may not wipe out every flea in a day, you can certainly get started and make a big difference in the first 24 hours achieve several important things within 24 hours:
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Use a fast-acting flea treatment to target fleas on your pet straight away, Try the Itch Instant tablet in our Get Rid Of Fleas Itch Eradication Kit which kills fleas on your pet in the first 4 hours of spotting them!
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Vacuum your home and then spray everywhere you can with a household flea spray. Use Itch Flea House Spray to kill all living fleas in your home and stop any eggs from developing to cause further infestation.
How to permanently get rid of fleas
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1: Treat your pet immediately
Your pet is the primary host, so this must come first. Use a vet-approved flea treatment for your pet, like flea tablets or spot-on treatment. Most flea treatments will give your pet protection for a whole month like Itch Flea Treatment for Cats and Itch Flea Treatment for Dogs which targets not just fleas, but flea eggs and larvae too!
A lukewarm bath with a pet-safe flea shampoo can help remove live fleas quickly. This won’t provide long-term protection, but it can give immediate relief when combined with medication.
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2: Attack fleas in your home
Even if fleas are gone from your pet, your home can re-infest them. Make sure to vacuum thoroughly focusing on:
Carpets and rugs
Sofas and cushions
Skirting boards
Pet bedding
Cracks and corners
Dispose of the vacuum bag immediately or empty the canister outside.
Wash all pet bedding, blankets, throws, and any washable items your pet uses at 60°C or higher. Heat kills fleas, eggs, and larvae.
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3: Use a flea spray
To make the biggest impact in 24 hours, you’ll need a household flea treatment. A good flea spray will kill adult fleas but also target flea eggs and larvae. This means that the young fleas in your home won’t develop and cause further infestation.
To get rid of all fleas, spray carpets, soft furnishings, and cracks where fleas hide. Many sprays continue working for several months.
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4. Preventative flea treatment
To ensure fleas don’t return and an infestation is stopped, you need to regularly treat your pet with flea treatment as the fleas feed on your cat or dog. The Itch Monthly flea subscription tailors the perfect dose to your pet and delivers it for free, exactly when you need it, so you never forget.
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5. Keep up with cleaning
Sometimes even with the best flea treatment, some fleas can stick around. This can even be due to flea larvae being able to stay dormant for a long time - Click here to understand more about dormant fleas. So to help, continue to clean your home regularly. Vets recommend vacuuming your home every day for the first 14 days of infestation and then drop down to once every week or two for the next 4 months.
Will fleas be completely gone in 24 hours?
In most cases, no – but that doesn’t mean treatment has failed. This is normal and expected.
Here’s what often happens:
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Adult fleas are killed within the first day
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Pupae continue to hatch over the next 1–3 weeks
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Newly emerged fleas die once they contact treated surfaces or your protected pet
Why are fleas worse after treatment?
You might notice fleas appearing after the first day and think the treatment hasn’t worked. But actually, vibrations and warmth encourage pupae to hatch which then in turn leads to new fleas emerge but they die quickly (if you spray your home). This gives the illusion of an ongoing infestation, but they are disappearing.
You can’t realistically eliminate every flea in 24 hours but you can stop the infestation in its tracks.
- 24 hours: Adult fleas mostly eliminated, biting stops.
- 7–14 days: Flea population drops dramatically.
- 3–8 weeks: Full life cycle broken with proper treatment.
Regular vacuuming and ongoing pet protection speed this up significantly. The key is fast action followed by consistency. Stick with your treatment plan, and those fleas won’t stand a chance.
Get rid of fleas and stop them from coming back.
Is your home riddled with fleas?
The Itch Flea Eradication Kit is our proven method to eliminate fleas from your pet and your home! It’s got everything you need to get rid of fleas fast with fast, free overnight delivery.
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