Flea Infestation...HELP!!

[Teaching2nd]

My skin itches just typing that word...infestation. I need help/advice from all you dog experts out there.

A bit of background first:

I own a home that was rented by a tenant who left. (ex-family member---long story) They had a dog, who apparently had fleas. I am now left to deal with this problem. The house has been flea bombed several times. The contractor sprayed some flea stuff around too. I am having some remodeling done and all the carpets have been ripped up and painting has been done. Still the fleas remain.

Short of a call to the exterminator (which I am not opposed to) is there anything else to try?

I appreciate your time. I do not have pets....wonder why?!

 

[Mrs. S.]

We had pets a while back and had a similar problem. I took the dog and cat to my FIL's for a few days, sprinkled Borax all over the carpets and went away for the weekend. We came back, vacuumed and that was the end of it. I think we treated both pets before bringing them back.

Oh, I see you don't have the pets. Try the Borax, I don't understand why the bombing hasn't done the trick though.

 

[Ima Teacher]

I fought a flea infestation last summer after my EX moved out with his dog. They pretty much stayed in the den, which is the only room with carpet. The carpet was full of fleas!

I sprinkled borax on the carpet twice a day, and I vacuumed twice a day as well. At night I had a shallow dish of Dawn dish soap and water mixture with a light pointed on it sitting on the floor. It attracted tons of fleas. I swept the rest of the house (hardwood) twice a day with Swiffer dry pads.

It took about two weeks before I stopped seeing fleas, and I bought a Victor flea trap that I left out the rest of the summer, just in case.

 

[Garden Gal]

Diatomaceous earth

We used to use seven powder but that is a pretty toxic chemical. I've heard that diatomaceous earth, like used in pool filters, works well. Check our the info on this web site http://eartheasy.com/non-toxic-pest-control/indoor/insect-dust-diatomaceous-earth-4-4-lbs.

 

[Mrs. G]

flea advice

1. Buy some flea bombs and go out for a day.

2. Get a few night lights that you will plug in down low. Below that set a dish of soapy water (just use dish soap). The fleas will be attracted to the light at night and jump into the bowl of soapy water and die.

3. You must vacuum everyday until the problem is corrected. Discard of the vacuum bag if you have one after every few uses. If you don't have bags make sure you empty the cup in a bag that can be sealed and take it right out to the trash.

Within two weeks you should have this under control.

 

[Tiki]

Fleas

I got them when I bought my home. I had two indoor cats. I vacuumed everything for days: rugs, baseboards, fabric furniture, etc. and threw the bags in the trash outside after each vacuuming. I washed all my bedding frequently and treated the cats. I bought a pet friendly (once dry) flea spray and locked the cats in a room for the evenings and sprayed the rooms they weren't in.

I know you said you don't have pets so you can't treat them. The cats most likely helped me get rid of the fleas since they were treated monthly and the fleas were attracted to them and would die after biting them. The reason you still have fleas after the treatment is because the treatments only kill the adult fleas. The eggs aren't killed so they hatch and quickly breed more fleas. I'm afraid you may have the same problem with an exterminator. You may just have to be diligent for a while to get them out.

I thought I was never going to get them out of here, but once the weather got cooler I won the battle. I treat around my house every year in the spring and haven't had a return visit it 2 years so there is hope!

 

[Daphne333]

Fleas

Did you treat your basement? My dogs NEVER go in the basement, but the fleas were living down there! I bought a spray from Pets Mart. It was for furniture and carpet, but I sprayed everything in my basement. After 2 treatments I got rid of them. It is supposed to last for 6 months. I didn't get fleas at all this summer and I haven't been faithful with treating my dog with preventative flea meds.

 

[Bethany]

Goodness gracious...need to read through the entire post before responding. Lol

Everything I wrote is what to do with your pet to get rid of fleas.

 

[Teaching2nd]

Thanks!

I will try the Borax tomorrow and get extra-friendly with my vacuum cleaner!

I will try the Dawn thing too.

I checked out the diatomaceous earth information and that was interesting too.

Will let you know what works! Thanks so much for your quick responses! If anyone else has anything to add....let me know!

 

[yesteach]

diatomaceous (sp) earth

is what I used. And buy food grade. Non-toxic. I had to consider my dog and cat still in the house, but my cat has been walking on it, and cleaning her fur, and she's fine.

I did just put it down and leave it. Don't vacuum it up right away if you don't have to. That way any that hatch out will be killed also, as it only kills the adult and larvae, not eggs. Took about two weeks, but I have no more fleas!

I also bought a cheap vacuum cleaner at Walmart with bags, so I could take it out and throw them away, not have the canister to deal with. Was 50.00, but it has done the job just to vacuum it regularly to get rid of them.

 

[BabyB]

Fleas

I had a huge problem. I finally hired someone to come and spray once. They recommended a contract for multiple treatments, but I just did once. Then I sprayed the yard and used Borax and the soap/light traps. That worked. I figured that spending the money on the professional saved me money in the long run because they actually got them.

 

[Mr Sensai]

What I did (same as some posters have done):

- borax sprinkled in the carpet

- set flea traps: warm water + dish soap in a small bowl. I set it on the floor under a lamp. I managed to trap 50 fleas in one night in one bowl.