One of the biggest issues we have regarding flea control is being able to treat everything for fleas. A lot of times we get to a home and the house is not ready for a flea treatment. To get the best service for your money, below are some tips to get your home ready for a flea treatment.
Before Service
- Be prepared to leave your home or apartment during treatment and until insecticide is thoroughly dried. This will be approximately 2 to 4 hours.
- Wash all pet bedding in hot water or destroy it.
- Vacuum all carpeting and mop wood and tile floors, including along walls and inside closets.
- Clean or vacuum furniture, especially between and under cushions.
- Dispose of vacuum cleaner bag in a trash container outside your home, close tightly. If using a vacuum with a reusable bag, empty contents into a container outside your home, close it tightly and discard. Wash reusable bag in hot water.
- Remove all pets and have them treated for fleas by a veterinarian. If you plan to treat the animal yourself, it is essential that all label directions be followed and that you use only products specified for the species of animal on which the product is to be used. It is critical, however, that pets be treated at the same time as the home so that neither reinfests the other afterward.
- Cover fish tanks with wet towels and turn off pumps until reoccupying home.
- Pick up all toys and items off the floor. This includes picking up items from floors inside closets and under beds. We will not spray near children’s toys.
- Strip all bed linens and wash in hot water.
- Remove all caged pets (birds, reptiles, hamsters) before service is rendered.
- Ensure that all pet food and water containers are picked up from the floor and washed before refilling. Water buckets outdoors should be emptied as well, and refilled with fresh water after our visit.
- Cover and store any open food products, dishes or utensils before service is rendered.
- If the yard also is to be treated, the same steps as directed for in the home must be followed—that is, wash all pet bedding in hot water or destroy it, pick up all toys and items from the lawn and areas to be treated.
After Service
- Give the chemical time to work. Do not mop or clean the carpet for a few days.
- Vacuum regularly for a week and dispose of the vacuum bags according to the guidelines above. Vacuuming helps pull the eggs up into the chemical and it also agitates the larvae to hatch and get into the chemical.
- It is important in rooms without much foot traffic to vacuum or place a box fan on the floor to agitate the larvae to hatch.