Do Fleas Jump on Clothes?

Fleas and pets, these two creatures go together like bread & butter. If you have a dog or cat, at some point you will see fleas around the house. While you take great care to keep your pet flea-free, those little creatures seem to get into all sorts of household items to wait for their chance to feed.

To learn if they do jump on clothes or not, just continue to read our article. It has that information and more. Take a few minutes to see where you can upgrade your defenses, so those fleas do not get on you or your pet.

Can I Bring Home Fleas on My Clothes?

While fleas cannot fly, they do have the great jumping ability. That means that even if you have a flea collar on your treasured four-legged friend, fleas can still invade your home.

Instead of jumping on your pet, they jump on your unprotected clothing items. They are an all-inclusive pest as it does not matter which clothing item you have on., fleas will and can jump to them.

The good news is that unless you are brushing against a flea-infested object, those nasty fleas will only jump on your lower pant leg or cuffs. They may jump on your socks or nylons if you are wearing any as well.

However, while the fleas will travel to your skin, they are great walkers, they may only live on your clothes for a day. That means they will be gone before you know it.

If you are wearing shorts, you are just making it easier for those fleas to get on your skin and have a nice banquet at your expense.

What clothing does is provide a nice place for the fleas to hang onto and hide from you. Clothing makes it more difficult for fleas to feed on your blood, but they do have 24 hours to try.

Do I Have to Wash All My Clothes If I Have Fleas?

Since fleas only live on clothing for a day, this is not a mandatory step. However, it is a very good idea to wash all the clothing items you were wearing once you realize it has fleas hiding in them.

You should wash your clothing and bedding if you put your clothes on your bed with fleas still in them. That action will kill the fleas and any babies they produced while living on your favorite pants, skirt or socks, etc.

Use hot water if possible as the heat will kill the fleas. If your clothing is not made for hot water washing, use a strong detergent and some turbulent washing action to kill all the fleas and their offspring. The dryer wheat will help kill what the washing machine missed.

Some Flea Facts

Fleas Do Not Hibernate

That means you and your pets are vulnerable to flea infestation throughout the year. While freezing temperatures will kill fleas, if they get into your pet’s fur, your hair, or clothing they stand a good chance of surviving for a little while longer.

Fleas Like Couches

Once your pet sits or lays on your couch, chances are they will transfer their fleas to that piece of furniture. Then those fleas can make their way to you.

Fleas Do Not Like Human Hair

While fleas will get into your hair, our hair is not nutritious enough for them, so they do not lay eggs in your nice head of hair. Fleas do have their preferences and human hair is not on that list.

Using A Vacuum is a Good Tool to Fight Fleas

Studies have shown that fleas are killed when you use the vacuum on them. It doesn’t matter what stage of flea life the creature is in; the vacuum has a 96% success rate when it is used to kill those fleas.

The Flea Human Attraction

Fleas are attracted to warm atmospheres, food, the dark, and movement. They are also attracted to your breath when you exhale. While you cannot stop eating, breathing or moving, you can take steps to make your home less inviting to fleas.

Fleas Do Not Sleep

They have a body rhythm like the circadian insect, and they do rest but they do not sleep. Since they like the darkness, they are more active at night than in the daytime.

Some Final Words

Getting rid of fleas means making your home a place that fleas do not like. However, if you are outside, just watch where you walk your pet as they will jump on your clothes and pet. A little caution will help keep the fleas away.