No pets but new house has fleas!

mamabunit

We moved in to our house 6 weeks ago, the previous owner hadn't lived here for a month prior to that. In the last week seen about 10/15 fleas. We don't have pets but the previous owner had a dog so I assume they're left over from that although I don't understand why we're only just seeing them?

How do we get rid? We have 2 children under 5 who both seem to have fleas bites so I really want them gone ASAP but can't afford to get pest control in. The whole house is carpeted so is it just a case of hoovering a lot?

Thanks for any advice!

Peter333

Phone the council. (Operational Services/Pest Control.) They can advise you as they have experts in pest control. You may need to cough up fifty quid, but it will be well worth it! You may only have seen a dozen or so fleas, but you can bet there are a lot more!

mamabunit

Thanks Pete! I had images of it being 100s of pounds so £50 is doable!

Peter333

mamabunit wrote: »

Thanks Pete! I had images of it being 100s of pounds so £50 is doable!

That's OK! And don't worry, they will zap them pretty quickly and make your home all pest free!!!

And yeah, if it's the council, it is usually fifty quid for removal of fleas or wasps or ants etc...... So I would be surprised if it was much more.

But yeah, call the council on Monday.

Mrs_Z

Try Indorex spray. Kills fleas for 1 year. You can buy it from good pet shops, vets, online.
Flea larvae survive for months in carpets apparently. Good luck! We had a flea problem once and it took about 5-6 weeks to get rid (but we had pets).

sheramber

Fleas can lie dormant until they detect vibrations which means a host is available.

You can get household sprays that last for a few months and prevent the eggs developing. ZODIAC, ACCLAIM and INDOREX. You can buy these online or from a local vet.

Hoover thoroughly everywhere. In corners, under cushions, down the sides of furniture, along the top of skirting boards..Fleas like to lay their eggs in dark places. Treat the whole house as you and your family could have carried fleas on your clothing to all rooms.

teddysmum

Indorex, as mentioned above is only £9.39 from Animed Direct.It kills dust mites as well as fleas and I've just had to order some since I found fleas on my two cavaliers, yesterday.


I've had dogs for over 40 years and these are the first fleas I've come across, despite not using preventatives. (I think the one who went to the vets, a couple of weeks ago, must have picked them up, as there was some hair on the floor, where he sat.)

andromedean

I remember reading that fleas (or their eggs) can remain dormant whilst the house is quiet and start to hatch out up to a year later once activity and vibrations begin.

A few years back, I was looking after someone's dogs with flea's which infested the carpets. I suspect the flea's were resistant to the Indorex spay, at least in the larvae and pupae stage since it took about 2 months to clear them in my bedroom, even though I refused to take any animal during that time. A pest controller told me it might be easier and quicker to replace a thick shag pile carpet than try to fight the fleas within it.

I suspect the council will advise you better and have access to more powerful industrial strength chemicals which are more effective.

gettingready

A can of Indorex may be cheap but it will not cover the whole house - council will do a proper job on the whole house for a price of what you would need to pay for Indorex and doubt it would be same result to be honest.

I moved into a house like that years ago and had fleas jumping up to my knees, I had no pets then. Tried everything and only when I called professionals they were able to kill them all and the eggs that were in the carpets etc, whole house was carpeted... It was horrid few days before I called Council but after that all was sorted

teddysmum

The Indorex can I've had delivered is large and will do the whole house as I found when using to be sure the house was free of dust mites, some years ago.

I have done my boys with Advantage, but it does say to reapply in 4 weeks. It kills fleas within 48 hours but the reapplication is to be sure that all life cycle stages are treated. (I think the eggs are more resistant, so you need to kill off any fleas that survive the egg stage).

royofpark

have you tried using frontline? I think its good for such things as fleas. But if you're looking for a non-chemical solution try using vinegar. Its not harmful to the health but may not work as much effective.