I have inherited a house and had some cats inside when we weren’t staying there yet they ended up getting fleas. The cats are not inside anymore but the fleas are so bad that we can not move in. We have vacuumed and set out flea foggers and still when you walk in your pants are immediately black with fleas. I don’t know how to get rid of them. The floors are hardwoods and tile.
If you read our FLEA CONTROL article, you’ll learn what’s happening. First, foggers are a waste of money so don’t use them anymore. Second, understand the flea cycle. Its explained in detail here:
www.flea.net/flea-control#most-important-8211-understand-you-can8217t-kill-flea-pupae
In this section of our article you’ll learn that removing the pets is the worse thing you can do because now the flea pupae have no target other than the people inside. And since you can’t kill the flea pupae and since they can live over a year before hatching, the problem won’t go away anytime soon unless you implement the following process.
So if it was my home, I’d set out 5-10 FLEA TRAPS. Next, I’d get some knee high boots and walk around 1-2 a day to get the pupae to hatch. They are basically laying all over the home waiting for a target. Once they see you coming (assuming they’re ready to hatch) they’ll emerge and try to get on you but the boots should keep them off.
Now after walking the first time, I’d immediately spray the entire home (floors) with PERMETHRIN and NYLAR. This will kill any that hatched. Next, I’d leave the house and let it sit overnight. The following day I’d walk through the home at least once; twice if possible. I wouldn’t treat; just walk around inside for 5-10 minutes. I’d do this for a week following my initial application and after setting out traps.
The net effect of you walking should cause the pupae to hatch. And any that don’t die from the spray will go to the traps when you leave (they think the traps are animals so they go to them thinking they can eat).
After one week, I’d walk through with nothing but long white tube socks on my feet to see if I still pick up fleas. If I collect 3 or more fleas, I’d repeat the process of spraying and then walking through the home daily 1-2 for another week. After 7 days, I’d walk through with nothing but socks on to see if more are active.
Eventually the pupae will run out and I won’t see any on my socks. But it could take awhile. We typically find problems run their course in 2-3 weeks but it could take 1-2 months. The good news is if you follow this procedure, you’ll get control of the problem.
Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
Flea Trap: www.bugspraycart.com/traps/electric/flea-trap
Permethrin 10: www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/permethrin-10
Nylar: www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/igr/igr-nylar
Flea Article: www.flea.net/flea-control
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Jonathan
Customer Care
bugspray.com
1-800-877-7290
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