When it comes to fleas, you should always be “concerned”.  As you know, flea problems can be a nightmare. To avoid another fiasco, get some FLEA TRAPS set up. They’ll work for you night and day and no doubt will catch fleas way before a full blown problem gets established. That being said, if you’re only finding 1-2 fleas in the trap per month, I would follow the treatment schedule you’ve been on. 1-2 fleas would be “normal” for any pet owner – especially during flea season – and finding a flea on any pet that goes outside doesn’t mean you’ve got a new situation that needs treatment.

But if you “all of  sudden” noticed 2-3 fleas in one week, I’d consider doing something. Surges are usually a sign something is developing inside the home. Since you’re pets seem to be protected, its not likely they’re dropping healthy flea larvae or eggs. That means if something was to develop in the home, it would have to be happening in an area you’ve not treated. And several flea traps set throughout the home will no doubt help to alert you should a new problem start to develop and based on what flea traps capture the fleas, you should be able to isolate the area needing treatments.

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

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

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

We have been dealing with a flea problem with our small dog and in our house for over 3 weeks. We first discovered several fleas on her over three weeks ago – I can’t be quite sure how long she had them. We immediately gave our dog a bath in flea shampoo but still saw fleas return to her immediately. We haven’t dealt with this before so weren’t sure how to handle and thought that would be enough – boy we were wrong!

After they returned, I then started by washing bedding (and anything she came into contact with), vacuuming the entire house from top to bottom, gave her another flea bath and treated her with Frontline. We still saw them return a few days later. We repeated this cycle three times.

We then got her an appointment to get a flea dip and while she was out of the house we did a flea bomb/fogger in our home – upstairs and downstairs. Left it the appropriate amount of time and then aired out the house and came back home with our dog.

That was this weekend and today (Monday) we just found a few more fleas on the dog! We are at our wits end and aren’t sure what to do.

We would appreciate any advice you can give us on where to go next as we thought a flea bomb was kind of a last resort and should solve the issue. We really just want to be rid of the fleas for once and for all.

Thank you!

For starters I suggest you read through our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE. This will help you understand just what’s happening in your home. It’s pretty obvious you have Flea Pupae throughout the home and they’re hatching. This is perfectly normal and to be expected. But if you don’t deal with them directly by treating the carpets and flooring, this problem will go on and on.

In our article you’ll learn that all the vacuuming is actually helpful but not until you have something like our ONCE A YEAR FLEA POWDER applied. You’ll also learn that total release aerosol’s aren’t going to offer much help either so save your money and time by skipping that process. All they do is spew chemical all over the home which is a huge waste. And since Flea Pupae will be hatching withing a day of using them anyway, you’ll find the fleas returning indefinitely until you have something in place that will control the eggs and larvae like our Flea Powder. So for the best overall treatment option, go with the Once A Year Powder. It’s odorless, easy to apply and works.

Lastly, at some point in time you should get some FLEA TRAPS installed since they’ll both alert you to any new activity as well as help to get flea pupae to hatch. Flea Traps won’t solve an infestation but they no doubt can help make the process of getting rid of them manageable.

Also in our article you’ll learn about just how long this can go on; sorry to be the one letting you know but on average, most homes will take 4-8 weeks to get under control once fleas are active. And this is after it’s been properly treated. So even though it’s been three weeks for you and the current problem, I’m afraid this could easily go on for another couple of months because only until it’s been properly treated will this vicious cycle end.

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

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

Flea Pupae:  http://www.flea.net/flea-control#pupae

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

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

My first question is that if there are no fleas in a trap and it has been 3 weeks does that mean that room has no fleas? No. FLEA TRAPS are a great tool to help monitor and even reduce local populations. But their range is limited. If you don’t catch any fleas for 4 days, move the trap 10-15 away from where it’s been and repeat the process. Only after you’ve moved them throughout the entire house for 8 weeks with no fleas having been caught can you safely know they’re done. But the key here is that during these 8 weeks, you will have been moving the traps as described above and not just letting them stay in one position.

Second question is … could we take the fleas on our clothes and have someone elses home infested or our car? Yes. Since 25-40% of our customers are people who don’t have pets, it’s clear that fleas will jump onto a person, take a blood meal and then lay eggs where this person resides. So it only stands to reason that if you had a flea hitching a ride on you during a trip to the other part of your home or even during a visit to someone elses home, you could carry a pregnant flea. But remember, the reverse is true. In other words, anyone that enters your home or your car could do the same whether they own a pet or not.

Third and final question is that we are planning on steam cleaning the carpet and have gotten mixed opinions on whether to do it or not, will it help? Steam cleaning will definitely help the fleas but not the “flea problem”. In other words, fleas need moisture. And when you steam clean your carpet, you’ll be both destroying all the chemical you’ve applied as well as added moisture to where they live. The end result is that they’ll be able to develop faster and thrive. So yes, steam cleaning will help the fleas. But my guess is you were asking if it would help stop the flea problem and the answer to that question is no.

…and if we do treat the carpet/area rugs can we put powders (fleasbuster) down afterwards? How dry does the carpet have to be? It needs to be completely dry. On average, it will take 1-2 weeks for the carpet to dry enough before any ONCE A YEAR FLEA GRANULES can be applied.

Also, if we do steam clean the carpet does that mean fleas will hatch sooner and we can come home to a swarm of fleas afterwork? There is no way to tell whether there will be a surge or not. Surging populations are dependent on when the pupae are ready to hatch so if there are lots of fleas ready to hatch following a steam cleaning then yes, you’ll see more.

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

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

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

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

Cats are sensitive to many pests and can detect fleas before people. It’s my guess there is a flea problem developing in your home and he’s onto it before you’ve noticed anything happening. I suggest you set out some FLEA TRAPS in your carpeted areas to get a handle on what’s happening. They’ll capture many different pests that can be biting and not just fleas so they will probably alert you to what your cat already knows. I also suggest you read over our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE so you learn more about this pest.

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

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

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

1 small dog who is primarily inside, but takes walks and goes out in the back yard 1 stray young cat who mostly lives under front porch (among leaves and other debris that have blown under there — not readily accessible — meaning under the porch AND the cat!

Indoors has been infested; dog is miserable; I’m miserable (tho’ not bitten) and have been vacuuming and spreading Diotamaceous Earth like a coke dealer!

What do you recommend for treating under the porch (I’d have to push something through the lattice)? (I’ll be treating the cat with Program as soon as it arrives).

Indoors: the bed and bedroom where dog sleeps (in my bed — yikes!) I’m thinking there could be flea larva in the underside of the mattress (?) There is no box spring, but the dog has always used the platform of the bed as a back scratcher. Have an old leather couch in living room which is no doubt harboring the buggers.

I’m freaking out here … and will appreciate any advice you can offer. I’m a pretty old woman without a lot of money, but if you think I can conquer this, I’ll do it! Are your products really safe for cats who groom themselves so much? Thank you in advance for your help.

There is no doubt our products can solve the problem. For under the porch, use the DE supply you’ve been applying inside the home. If you don’t have an applicator of some kind, get a PUMP DUSTER that will enable you to get it under there with much deeper penetration.

http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/gilmour-d1-duster

For inside, go with the ONCE A YEAR GRANULES and FLEA TRAPS. This will prove a lot more effective in the long run compared to the DE.

Regarding contact with either product; once applied the materials should be so sparse over the treated area that they won’t pose a hazard to people or pets. This means they’ll be fine even if they lick themselves.

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

Duster: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/gilmour-d1-duster

Once a Year 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

This is an easy one. If you read through our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE, you’ll learn once the pet left, the developing fleas will have no place to go but focus in on people. Until all the pupae in your apartment are gone, expect more of the same.

You’ll also learn in our article there is no way to kill flea pupae and the only way to get rid of them is to vacuum and/or wait for all of them to hatch. The good news is hardwood floors are easy to vacuum and clean which will effectively remove all the flea eggs, larvae and pupae. This will help tremendously. But I also suggest you set out 2-4 FLEA TRAPS to help speed the process by getting any pupae left behind to hatch sooner rather than later.

Lastly, there is usually no need to treat when one only have hardwood floors so I see no need to change that approach now. Adding to the list of reasons not to treat is the fact that you’re pregnant so as I see it, a good vacuuming and some Flea Traps will be your best solution.

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

If you read through our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE, you’ll learn the three areas where fleas like to reproduce are on pets, in the house and in the yard. The most common is on the pet but it sounds like you’re handling your dog just fine. But what about the inside of the home? This is the second most likely place where they’re inclined to develop. And as our article explains, pets are where fleas want to be so since you’re seeing just 1-2 on your dog at a time, I’m pretty sure it’s the home that’s causing the problem.

Now if the pet had hundreds of fleas in her fur, you’d no doubt be seeing some too. But just 1-2? That’s a sure sign flea eggs must have landed in the home some time in the past year and now you’ve got some pupae laying around waiting for a meal (pet).

The least I’d recommend is to get some FLEA TRAPS and then install them around the house. At least 2; 4 would be ideal. This will enable you to monitor the problem. But even if it turned out you don’t have many if any fleas in the home, I’d still say to go ahead and get the carpet treated with the ONCE A YEAR GRANULES that work so well at controlling most anything that wants to live in the carpet.

Lastly, the outside could be involved. But in most cases (95%+), it’s either the pet or the home that’s the cause. Once you get these areas treated if you still see fleas you can consider treating the outside with one of the products we have listed but for now, I’d focus in on the home.

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

If you read through our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE, you’ll see we have all kinds of products listed. But since you’ve had a recent treatment done, I would suggest you go with the ONCE A YEAR FLEA TREATMENT and some FLEA TRAPS inside the home.

For the outside, get some BIFEN GRANULES applied and then spray over the top with the CYONARA RTS which comes with it’s own applicator.

For the furniture, you can apply some PRECOR 2000 lightly to exposed surfaces but don’t forget to treat under the cushions and the under siding as well.

In general, no protective equipment is required. But I do recommend using LATEX GLOVES when spraying which will eliminate any dermal exposure. I also recommend viewing the “safety videos” which are on every product page that has a product for which some safety measures should be taken. These video’s are quite informative and cover all areas you need to be concerned about.

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-2-lb

Flea Traps:  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

Precor 2000:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/precor-2000

Latex Gloves:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/safety

Fleas can’t live on a person as long as they shower and wash their hair daily. This simple act alone will remove all the debris, flea eggs and pupae as well as kill larvae and adult fleas. If for some reason she isn’t yet on this schedule, make sure you get her to do so for now on. This will insure the fleas aren’t reproducing on her.

And once you know they’re not reproducing on her, it will mean there must be a “flea generator” somewhere in the home. If it was the pet, the fleas would stay on it so there is no surprise the pet is flea free and your daughter is having the problem. But the fact that the pet isn’t accumulating fleas is a clue as to what is probably happening. In other words: your daughter is seemingly going somewhere the dog isn’t and this other location is where the fleas are sitting in their pupae stage waiting to come out. This means the key for you will be to identify this location and get it treated.

To help identify this location, I suggest you set out some FLEA TRAPS around the home. These will attract hatched fleas as well as get flea pupae to hatch. Leave them out in one location for 2-4 days and if you’re close to the flea generator, the trap will catch some. If you don’t trap fleas any after 4 days, move the traps at least 20 feet to another location in home. Rotate them out over and over so that all areas  of the home are eventually covered and at one point you’ll locate an area which is releasing fleas. Once this area is found, you’ll need to treat using either the PERMETHRIN and NYLAR spray or the ONCE A YEAR FLEA POWDER listed in our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE.

My guess is there is some piece of furniture like a couch, chair, bed or sofa which your daughter is using but the dog does not climb upon. It could also be a specific room in the home. Regardless, as our article explains, the pupae can live on anything for 6-12 months waiting for a target to arrive and when it does, they’ll hatch and jump on the target. In this case the target sounds like it’s your daughter. And only until all the pupae have hatched will the problem be gone so unfortunately, it sounds like you have some work to do in order to get rid of them.

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

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

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

Nylar:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/igr/igr-nylar

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

Flea Control Article:  http://www.flea.net/flea-control#once-a-year-treatment

Go with the ONCE A YEAR FLEA POWDER and FLEA TRAPS. By far the most effective. Combine this with the fact that it’s odorless, nothing that will cause you to have to evacuate the house for any length of time and that it won’t hurt the carpet, this is really the best way to treat. The Traps will really help speed up the removal of the pupae too so be sure and have enough installed.

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

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

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

Inside Flea Control:  http://www.flea.net/flea-control#once-a-year-treatment

So I need to know all the cat friendly treatments for the house. Can flea traps be used to get the fleas under furniture that can’t be moved? Is there any flea treatment for cat’s which isn’t harmful if used too often or with other flea treatments? And how on earth do we treat the house quickly enough?

If you take some time to read through our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE, you’ll learn there are some basic things about fleas which will make the process of solving this problem a lot easier than what you anticipate. Based on your questions above, there are a lot of things about fleas you appear to misunderstand and no doubt our article will help you see a lot of what you’re worried about is unfounded. This in turn will give you the confidence needed to treat the house and do so with the proper expectations, time line and mind set.

First and foremost, it sounds like the cat is clearly responsible for the fleas getting active in the home. But as you’ll learn in our article, there are many reasons why a flea problem can start in any house. In fact, about half our customers are people who don’t own a pet so your situation is far from “odd”. Other things you’ll learn will be that fleas don’t migrate off pets; it’s the eggs that fall from an egg laying female which will cause all the trouble whether this female is on a local animal or person. And all it takes is one of these in the home and she can lay hundreds of eggs leading to a massive problem. And if you’ve seen more than one or two fleas, there could be very well have been thousands of eggs distributed around the home so the potential is very real any where an egg laying flea is able to access.

You’ll also learn in our article there is no need to treat the outside since you don’t have pets using the yard on a daily basis. Additionally, there is no reason to worry whether or not the cat has been treated and we most definitely have a flea treatment that will be very safe to you, the cat  and the local environment. But amidst all this “good news”, there is one thing you’ll learn which I’m sure you won’t appreciate. There is no way to solve the problem quickly. As explained in our article, the third stage of the flea – known as the pupae – takes awhile to fully develop. More importantly, it won’t hatch out till it has a target on which to land. And since it can stay dormant for several months, it’s quite possible the flea problem will last that long. In other words, since you can’t kill the pupae, you’ll only be flea free when all of the pupae in your home hatch out and just how long this will take is anyone’s guess. So where do you start?

At this time I strongly recommend getting some FLEA TRAPS installed. These will no doubt help. They’ll get flea pupae to hatch, they’ll trap out quite a bit of fleas which then won’t be able to bite and they’ll serve as a great monitoring device to let you know where the bulk of the problem exists. In the end, Flea Traps are a great tool to employ.

You should also apply some of our ONCE A YEAR FLEA GRANULES to all the carpeting in the home. This product is so mild it won’t even kill adult fleas but it will take care of the larvae which is critical when solving flea problems. And there is no reason to use HOUSE FOGGERS. They’ll disperse chemical all over and most of what they treat aren’t important when it comes to flea control. Additionally, they won’t kill the flea pupae so withing a day of using them active fleas will be seen and felt as explained in this post:

http://www.flea.net/fogger-bombs/foggers-for-fleas-not-working.html

This is why we don’t recommend using them and if you stick to the Flea Granules and Flea Traps, we’re sure you’ll achieve success. More importantly, you’ll be doing this in a simple, long lasting method that’s easy to do, does not involve any complicated “set up” and won’t displace anyone in the home during the process.

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

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

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

Once a Year Flea Carpet Treatment:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page23.html

House Foggers:  http://www.bugspray.com/item/indoor_insect_fogger.html