Welcome to the world of pet ownership! I’m not sure if this is your first pet or not but for starters, I suggest you read through our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE which will explain this pest in great detail. As you’ll learn, there is a great chance of a problem developing in your home if you leave it untreated. For this reason, I suggest you do the following.

First, set out some ONCE A YEAR FLEA GRANULES. You’ll basically be treating your carpets and furniture so that any areas where flea larvae might prosper will have a layer of protection in place. Regarding the vacuuming you say you’re doing; keep it up. Especially on tiled or other hard surfaced floors. This will help remove any flea eggs and larvae which are near to impossible to remove from the carpet (which is why you should treat it).

Second, set out some FLEA TRAPS. These will not only help by collecting fleas; they’ll help by alerting you to any activity you may have otherwise missed.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Flea control Article:  http://www.flea.net/flea-control

Once a Year Treatment:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/first-defense-20-ounce-jar

Flea Traps:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/traps/electric/flea-trap

If you read our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE, you’ll learn that in fact fleas do not migrate or leave their host. Instead they’d much rather want to live out their life where they can stay protected, keep warm and have plenty to eat. That would be on a dog, cat or some other animal. Even in the cases where people are being bit the fleas involved do not want to stay on the target person; there is rarely enough to keep them satisfied beyond the food people supply so they’ll usually bite and jump away.

As for the “black droppings” you claim to have found; this is normal to see on any infested pet and if the pet isn’t treated, flea eggs and pupae would be falling off it as it moved about throughout the day. In fact, it’s all the flea eggs and pupae that fall off it which poses the potential for problems to arise.

Which leads me to your home. If your house is properly treated with some ONCE A YEAR FLEA GRANULES and you have some FLEA TRAPS installed, there is little chance of a problem developing even if flea infested dogs where present. So if you’d like her and her pets to come visit, get the home treated as our article explains and there will be no reason for concern.

As for your sisters home; it is quite possible for pets living there to harbor the flea problem and not the home itself. And as our article explains, it’s normal for fleas to ignore certain people yet be attracted to others so maybe they like you and not her. One way to find out for sure is to go to her home and see if you get fleas on you. If you do, there is no doubt a problem. But does that mean there is a problem? Well, maybe for you but what about your sister? I would say no if they’re not interested in biting her. And guess what? This situation exists and is quite common.

In fact I have a brother who doesn’t care at all that his home gets fleas because they’re not interested in biting him or his wife. For some reason the fleas ignore him but no one wants to go inside his house because it can be so bad. My other brother is immune to mosquito bites so when we sit outside his house, he doesn’t get bit while me and others get eaten alive! In this case he clearly has mosquitoes active but in his mind, it’s our problem and not his. Don’t be surprised if something like this is happening with your sister and her house as this scenario is quite common and exists all over.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Flea Control Article:  http://www.flea.net/flea-control

Once A Year Flea Granules:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/first-defense-20-ounce-jar

Flea Traps:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/traps/electric/flea-trap

Thanks

No doubt certain active ingredients can be irritable to cats and pyrethroids seem to lead the way. To avoid any problems like this, go with the ONCE A YEAR FLEA GRANULES for the carpeted area. Combine the treatment with some FLEA TRAPS and you’ll have a safe alternative for the pet as well as product that lasts longer than any other.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Once A Year Flea Granules:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/first-defense-20-ounce-jar

Flea Traps:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/traps/electric/flea-trap

First, I suggest you read our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE which goes over all you need to know about the life cycle of a flea. Most importantly, the article will explain how you need to control them in the yard, the home and on the pet. As you will learn, it’s so important to treat early in the season so you never get a problem. Now that you’ve got them, it will take a lot more work, time and cost to get them gone for good but you can reach that end with a little effort and patience.

In my opinion, the ONCE A YEAR FLEA GRANULES for inside the home combined with several FLEA TRAPS is the best treatment for inside. As our article explains, “flea bombs” are useless and a waste of time and money so don’t use them anymore.

In the yard, the BIFEN G applied and sprayed over the top with some CYONARA RTS applied every week till the fleas are gone works fine. Since your pets spend so much time outside, this area will be important in the long term control of this problem so it’s vital you hit this area hard.

Now for the pet – especially those who are suffering – the ANTI ITCH MED should be used combined with MELALEUCA SHAMPOO and WATER BASED PERMETHRIN PET SPRAY. The Anti Itch Med will help cut down on further irritation caused by non-stop scratching the pet will want to do. The Melaleuca will promote healthy skin and fur allowing the pet to heal faster and the Permethrin Spray is water based so it won’t further irritate the pets skin or fur like some of our alcohol based products (which are more common and stronger overall). Pets which are suffering need this gentle alternative and if you stay the course and keep them treated daily, you’ll get her back to how she was prior to the flea outbreak. Good luck!

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Flea Control Article:  http://www.flea.net/flea-control

Once A Year Granules:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/first-defense-2-lb

Flea Trap:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/traps/electric/flea-trap

Bifen G:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/granule/bifenthrin-g-25-lb

Cyonara RTS:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/cyonara-32-oz-rts

Anti Itch Pet Spray:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/pet/oxy-med-itch-relief-8-oz

Melaleuca Shampoo:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/pet/melaleuca-shampoo-16-oz

Water Based Permethrin Spray:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/pet/flea-spray-h2o-base

Your problem is actually quite common. Around 20-25% of our customers don’t have pets and over 50% have never had a flea problem before. Regarding the fact that most flea problems are the first experience for so many people; I suspect that the people who have had fleas also learned how hard it is to get rid of them and want to make sure they never get them again! And as you’ll learn, pretreating is by far the best way to make sure you don’t ever get them.

As for how you got them; our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE goes into great detail and explains why this routinely happens anywhere fleas are present. The main point brought out in the article is that one pregnant flea can lay hundreds of eggs so once she’s fed, in just a few days the eggs will start being laid. And if they’re laid in an environment which is not properly treated, there is a good chance these areas will develop a flea problem. It sounds like you’re in the middle of one right now.

At this time I suggest you read our article as it will do a great job of explaining just what you’re up against. Next, I’m pretty sure you’ll need several FLEA TRAPS and either the ONCE A YEAR FLEA GRANULES or some liquid treatments to control the active problem. The PERMETHRIN and FLEA FIX do a fine job and can handle most any flea problem; the Once a Year treatment is no doubt easier and longer lasting making it my favorite option when combined with some Flea Traps.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Flea Control Article:  http://www.flea.net/flea-control

Flea Traps:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/traps/electric/flea-trap

Once A Year Flea Granules:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/first-defense-2-lb

Permethrin:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/permethrin-10

Flea Fix:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/igr/igr-nylar

R.

If you review our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE, you’ll learn the real key to breaking any flea infestation is to get their eggs. Our ONCE A YEAR FLEA GRANULES do just that. They’re plenty safe for use in any home – even where a child or other other “sensitive” person might reside. More importantly, they actually works. Get this applied to any carpeting found in the home and you’ll be well on your way to solving your problem.

Additionally, you should deploy 3-4 FLEA TRAPS in the home where flea activity has been noted. They will really help to both collect any foraging fleas as well as alert you to any problem area you may have missed.

Lastly, don’t forget the yard or any pets that have access to the home or the yard. As our article explains, it’s important to get control of the problem throughout the home but if you leave the yard and the pet untreated, no doubt the problem will persist.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Flea Control Article:  http://www.flea.net/flea-control

Once A Year Flea Granules:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page23.html

Flea Traps:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page22.html

After renters departed (with their 3 pitbulls)…
After 1 week the room the dogs were in was flea infested.  We treated with store  bought products
After 2 wks fleas had spread through-out house,  We again treated while painting.
After 3 wks we bombed.
Now there are small fleas still inside

Yard was had annual termite treatment and flea treatment during this time
Please help!    House is 1700sq ft, Screen porch/pool area 1200sq ft.

What product and application will solve this so we can rent our house.   Only 4 rooms have carpet.

First, you should read through our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE so you can learn what’s happening. As you will find out, our FLEA TRAPS will be a big help given the set of circumstances surrounding your current infestation. Rental properties can be real headache when it comes to flea control but with the right products and some diligence, the fleas can be defeated.

You don’t mention if there is anyone living in the house now nor do you mention if there are any pets. This will ultimately factor in when deciding what will be your best treatment option. At this point (if there is no one and no pets in the home), I would say to apply the ONCE A YEAR GRANULES to the carpeting. Next, install FLEA TRAPS throughout. Wait 3-6 days and then start spraying over the surface with PERMETHRIN EC to kill off any adult fleas the traps aren’t catching. The combination of Flea Granules, people moving in the house and the Flea Traps should get the pupa hatching and over the course of a few weeks, they should run out and the infestation should be over.

If there are tenants or pets in the home right now, you may have to adjust some of these recommendations. For more advice, give us a call at 1-800-877-7290. We’re open Mon-Sat and can further advise on the phone.

Thank you,
T.

Non toxic flea control is best achieved with the ONCE A YEAR FLEA POWDER and the FLEA TRAPS we have featured in our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE. The granules are arguably the best flea product out there and in my opinion the most effective way to treat. I prefer it over sprays and aerosols and having used it many years, I’ve found it works better and is easier to employ as well. Additionally, neither pose a hazard to your pets – even when walked upon.

As our article explains, the Flea Trap is an excellent tool that when used with the Flea Granules will help you achieve the best results possible. Most homes will require 3-4 traps to get optimal results but it’s well worth the investment. As long as you vacuum the “non rug” areas of the home – specifically the hardwood, tile or cement areas – you should be able to keep these untreated areas clean and free of the debris flea larvae need to prosper. In the carpet, the Flea Granules will provide long term control and after a few weeks following the initial treatment, you should be well on your way of achieving “flea free” status.

One last note; start using the PETCOR on the pets to insure you are breaking the flea cycle that could be happening on them. Pyrethrin based spray by itself isn’t going to break this cycle and as our article explains, this can be a major contributor to the problem.

Lastly, if you suspect there could be a problem outside, treat the yard as explained in our article.

Thanks!

The once-a-year flea granules, First Defense, will not stain or discolor any rug when used properly. I don’t think it could change the color of any carpet unless you pour a whole container out in one location and left it there for several weeks. Maybe then the color would fad a bit but I doubt it; the product is just not that caustic and has never shown any type of bleaching characteristic in all the years we’ve been selling it. If it did, someone would have said something. I personally have used it on all kinds of carpet and furniture varying in color from light to dark and it’s never altered any of the treatment surfaces/material. And when applied as it’s supposed to be applied ( as the following clips shows), for sure nothing will happen. As you can see, very little of it actually comes out so it’s just not enough to really matter. In fact, once it settles in, you won’t even know it’s there.

On carpets with little to no nap like low laying oriental rugs, you can still use it but it definitely won’t last as long. For obvious reasons, the product does vacuum up rather easily without long carpet fibers to hold it in place. First Defense typically adheres to the long strings of standard carpet fibers and on low profile rugs (carpet lacking long carpet fibers), it just doesn’t do a good job of lasting as long as it normally can. If you are treating a situation with no current flea problem, I would stick with the First Defense and use it on these low risk rugs trying to hold off vacuuming them as long as possible. And remember, the vacuum can do a good job of removing all the flea eggs and other debris from oriental rugs and other low nap carpeting. It’s the long string, more common wall to wall carpeting that poses the real risk and not these low nap area rugs. So even if you don’t treat them with the First Defense, a good vacuuming can do wonders and will keep them flea free.

But if you really want to treat them (for example, if you have an active flea infestation and don’t want to take any chances),  go with the Precor 2000 listed in our Flea Control article. It’s what we recommend for use on hardwood floors too so you’d have a few locations where you could put it to use anyway.

Lastly, don’t forget to install some of the Heated Flea Traps. They do a great job of monitoring local activity and if you have an ongoing flea pupae problem, the traps will really make the problem more tolearble.

It’s fairly common to have a cat which gets some fleas so don’t feel too badly. The key is to take care of the problem once it starts so the pet doesn’t have to suffer needlessly. The ONCE A YEAR FLEA TREATMENT is a great way to treat the house. It’s easy to apply, safe to the people and pets inside and lasts a long time. When done properly, treatments should last a year or more.

FLEA TRAPS should be installed if you’re seeing fleas throughout the house which you didn’t mention. As explained in our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE, the pupae of the flea cannot be killed so seeing some following the treatment is to be expected. A few fleas would be tolerable but if you think there are too many around, set out some traps to help minimize this last phase of the problem. Usually within a few weeks the average problem is handled and no longer active.

Fleas have been quite active the past month so you’re not alone. If you have a pet that goes outside, there is a good chance that it will be bringing in some fleas. If the home isn’t pre treated with one of the products we have listed in our FLEAS ARTICLE, an infestation could blossom.

Clearly the ONCE A YEAR FLEA GRANULES are one of the best and easiest things you can do to treat the problem. They’re both easy to apply, long lasting and highly effective. But since they don’t kill adults, they do require some patience as you must wait for hatching pupae to run their course before the activity subsides. This can be quite painful if you have a lot of fleas.

To help deal with the current adult and hatching pupae, it’s perfectly OK to spray over the top with some PERMETHRIN. This will offer immediate relief and won’t affect the granules. Setting out some FLEA TRAPS can also help reduce the activity and is strongly recommended. In the end, it’s usually a combination of both that will do the trick for fast results even though the granules by themselves will do the job over time.

Lastly, it should be OK to spray any furniture where fleas have been seen. If the fabric on the furniture is smooth, a good vacuuming on it will usually get rid of all the fleas, eggs and larvae so you shouldn’t have to spray it but if you insist, test it first by spraying the underside of a cushion to see that the fabric is OK getting wet. Remember, it’s mostly water you’re spraying so if the fabric can withstand water, it should be fine. Good luck!

Fleas can readily take over any house or apartment if given the chance. Areas left untreated can quickly become a flea breeding ground inside as explained in our FLEA CONTROL article. Cats, dogs and many other common household pets can all contribute to such an infestation and though most people think fleas come from “outside”, in most cases the key to getting rid of the fleas is to treat inside.

Flea infestation remedies range from liquid to aerosol to powder to granules. Clearly products like PRECOR 2000 and PERMETHRIN and NYLAR applied to carpeting and hardwood floors can do wonders at reducing the local flea population. But the ONCE A YEAR FLEA GRANULES are very effective and one of the most mild treatment options currently available. Odorless and long lasting, I suggest this flea remedy quite often and our customers love it. Simply sprinkle it out, broom it into the carpet and you’re done for a good year. Combine this treatment with some FLEA TRAPS and you’ll be able to keep the house protected without having the inconvenience of normal flea sprays.

Fleas can be a persistent pest once they have established their life cycle and start breeding inside the home. Though there are some home remedies that can help prevent fleas from completing their life cycle inside, once they’ve started it’s always best to use a real pest control product to get rid of them properly. Fortunately there are plenty of safe and effective products available these days and I’m sure you can get the problem under control with a little patience.

First, you should look over our on line FLEA CONTROL article. This discussion explains just why fleas are such a pest and what you must do to get a local infestation under control. As you’ll learn from the article, flea control is really egg control. Get the eggs from being able to develop and you’ll be able to reduce and eliminate the ones you’re seeing inside.

Based on what you’ve used before, I think the ONCE A YEAR FLEA GRANULES would be ideal for you’re situation. This product is related to borax but is designed different in that it will last 12 months or longer once applied to carpeting. It really works at stopping the flea cycle by dehydrating the flea eggs so once applied to the carpet, the cycle will be broken. Since it will take a little time for the pupating fleas to emerge, you might want to set out some FLEA TRAPS to help make the next 1-3 weeks tolerable since the traps will help catch some of these newly hatching fleas. These options are very safe and effective and compared to spraying, easier to do. I’m 100% sure you’ll be able to handle this problem yourself but if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 1.800.877.7290.

We’re not aware that 20 mule team borax is labeled for controlling fleas in the house. I don’t think the company intends to have people using it for this so I’m not sure it’s a good idea. We do know the products listed in our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE will take care of any infestation. They’re easy to apply and work well; if you prefer something that’s similar to a powder go with the ONCE A YEAR FLEA GRANULES which are both safe to use and very effective. Apply them before you ever get fleas and you’ll be flea free for a year or more.

Flea control is all about egg control as explained in our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE. Once you understand what is happening, you should understand that using either the FLEA GRANULES or the PERMETHRIN with NYLAR will be required. And based on what you’re describing, I expect you’ll have to treat 2-3 times to get rid of them once and for all. FLEA TRAPS will probably help too since they get flea pupae to hatch out that much faster.