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

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.

If you review our on line article on Flea Control, you’ll see we talk about this exact problem and why it would be wise to set out some Flea Traps to help get the cycle broken. Only then will you notice a big drop in the flea population as the current population of Flea Pupae start to hatch out and get used up. Be sure to set out enough following the guidelines on our Flea Trap page.

If they are still persistent after 1 week, get either some Permethrin or Precor 2000 to spray over the top of the Granules. This will help kill off some of the adults and make living there that much more tolerable.

The combination of both Permethrin and Precor will be safe to spray outside and should work fine. Just be sure and apply enough; gallons only cover 800-1000 sq/ft so it usually takes 2-3 gallons to treat the average house.

Additionally, this approach won’t prove to be the most efficient way to treat large areas as explained in our Flea Control article. Permethrin sprayed over the top of some Bifen Granules would be ideal for any yard over 5,000 sq/ft but if you have a small area being treated, I would say the same spray tank mix will do just fine.

Based on the limited information provided above, it sounds like you have a bad problem which will require a lot of flea treatment to be done to break the current flea cycle. For situations like this, we always suggest you use the Permethrin and Growth Regulator. With the Permethrin, you’ll be able to apply a fresh amount of adulticide out over and over which in turn will provide adequate control of the adults and make the situation more manageable. Be sure to apply enough. Most homes will need 2-3 gallons applied if they have a lot of carpet; 1 gallon per 500-1000 sq/ft should do the job. Use the growth regulator with the first tank mix and then again 2 months later but in between, spray with the Permethrin as much as is needed to make the home tolerable to all who live there. It would also be wise to set up some flea traps as they will help reduce the local population too.

Once the problem is under control which will only happen following some heavy flea carpet treatments are done, you can then change over to the once a year flea carpet granules and rely on them to provide a good long lasting flea treatment. The problem is they don’t work quickly and based on your situation, I don’t think you’ll be happy if you use them now. And don’t forget the pets. If you keep them flea free by paying them some attention daily, you will be able to get this problem under control eventually. Good luck!

As our on line FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE explains, the cocoon or flea pupa (the third stage) can lay in a dormant stage on pets and in the home for a long time. Since the average adult flea only lives 7-14 days, pupae won’t hatch unless there are people in the homes you’re selling. In other words, the fleas that do come out will die off quickly if they don’t find a host on which to feed. And instinctively they know this so they won’t hatch unless they “feel” a food supply (a person or a pet) close to them and moving. Since you aren’t in every area of the home each time you visit, no doubt there will be pupae still dormant laying in wait for many months after someone with an active flea problem leaves a house vacant. Only after all the pupae on the property do hatch will the cycle finally be done and the problem will go away. Till then the best you can do is wear a flea repellent which will keep them off you when visiting a flea infested property.

The two actives you mentioned are in fact two really good flea repellents. We have a 100% ODORLESS DEET formulation which works quite well. Use it on exposed skin such as the ankles and legs below the knee if you’re wearing shorts. In the home one application a day should do the job. For clothing, we have a PERMETHRIN AEROSOL which should be applied to shoes, socks and pants. Fleas which hatch out onto treated skin or clothing will die. For your visits to homes with fleas a combination of these two products should keep them off you while on the premises.

Here are direct links to the products mentioned above:

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

100% Deet:  http://www.bugspray.com/item/100_deet.html

Permethrin Aerosol:  http://www.bugspray.com/item/741031.html