how do I permanently rid my home of fleas!?

Leah M
by Leah M
I have called the exterminator, used a spray from Lowe's, and set off diggers but nothing gets rid of all of them! What can I do else!
  19 answers
  • Leah M Leah M on Apr 27, 2012
    set off *foggers please help!
  • Walter Reeves Walter Reeves on Apr 27, 2012
    Control involves three steps: control on the animal, control on floors and control where the animal loafs outdoors. What have you done to the animal and outdoors?
  • Leah M Leah M on Apr 27, 2012
    had exterminator put granules in the yard, and applied frontline to the dog. Now going to spray yard with a chemical I purchased today because nothing the exterminator did really improved anything. Now seeing only very small "baby" fleas after fogging the interior. How often should I spray? Any amazing yard flea control products you'd suggest?
    • Diane Sterling Diane Sterling on Jul 30, 2014
      @Leah M You will need to fog the house and vacuum daily until all the adults, babies, and eggs are GONE. Also clean bedding and other areas the pets visit frequently. Killing fleas outside is kinda like peeing into the wind I'm sorry to say, although it is a good start to kill massive colonies of fleas in your yard to assist the other precautions you need to take. Frontline is easily available, however, it doesn't work. I use Vectra on my dogs and cats. It is only available at a vet and can be a bit expensive if on a tight budget...but worth every penny. I have not had a single episode of fleas or ticks since having them on it. A monthly application and you are done. I actually spread it out to every 45 days in winter because the pests don't usually survive in the cold. I also give heartworm meds because it is important as well. Pesky mosquitos will result in a very costly cure if a dog gets heartworm. I am an animal rescue foster and have plenty of animals come through my home. I also live in the South...everything survives down here and can be VERY troublesome. These precautions work very well but take continual dedication. I have also been told to change up and alternate years between Vectra and Revolution but I have had such success with Vectra I haven't changed. The smaller the pet, the cheaper the treatement. I have a 135 pound Great Pyrenees. If you are familiar...plenty of long hair...loves the outside...lots of potential for fleas/ticks. If she gets one I would never see it until it is out of control! Not good! Good luck in your efforts, but discuss with your Vet about the Vectra. Also, you can feed the dog garlic and brewers yeast to help with a myriad of things...including fleas. The fleas jump off immediately (maybe part vampire..who knows)
  • Melissa W Melissa W on Apr 28, 2012
    We had a bad flea problem. In addition to indoor and outdoor treatment by the exterminator, it was suggested that I vacuum the entire house everyday for three weeks. That way you break the life cycle of the flea. It took a lot of time, but it did work. Also, I now keep a flea collar in my vacuum bag to kill any live ones I might pick up.
  • Darlene R Darlene R on Apr 28, 2012
    20 mule team borax applied to carpets (dry) leave on for at least an hour then vaccum. I did this & it works, suffocates the little pests. Also advantage plus for the animals, kills eggs also.
  • Flea life cycle is pretty fast. The fogger, spray, borax all work on live insects, but its the eggs that still hatch which is why you still have issues. As none of these products work on the eggs. You need to vacuum a lot. Having the carpet professionally cleaned helps. But you need to continue to vacuum every day and using products that dry such as the borax helps when you miss eggs that do hatch. Throw the vacuum bag out after every cleaning. Keeping outside lawns cut short, remove any piles of leaves or areas in which protect them. Insect and lawn chemicals help keep them at bay. Be sure to remove all pillows and couch/chair cushions and clean well with vacuum. Daily critter cleanings are also part of the mix as well. Any good shampoo works well to kill the live fleas. We deal with this issue every year. Dog is at barn and runs wild in fields. Cats all over the place as well as horses so barn is quite the breading grounds. Our dog gets bath at barn, before he even gets into car to go home. Then when hes home he gets another shower. We still find them on him. But we find if we keep after the vacuuming in the house every day its a controllable issue.
  • Retha S Retha S on Apr 28, 2012
    Do you have a slab house or a crawl space? I had a problem with fleas, I couldn't get rid of. Found out they where breeding under the house in some sand. So besides treating the house and yard I set off bombs under the house and NO more fleas. Good luck
  • Leah M Leah M on Apr 29, 2012
    thank you all I will try a daily vacuums definitely with the flea collar in it, genious! Where can I pick up some 20 mule team borax
  • Darlene R Darlene R on Apr 30, 2012
    You can purchase 20 mule team borax at most grocery stores, usually by the laundry soap.
  • Sandra R Sandra R on May 01, 2012
    Once you have fleas it's a battle. Sprays kill the fleas but the eggs can stay dormant for a long time(forget exactly how long, but months). Table salt sprinkled everywhere and on everything(under cushions,mattress,etc) and also the borax. The salt does something to the eggs (deforms them ) so they do not hatch. When you vacume also get rid of the dirt outside the house, not in your trash can. I have also used a product call "Enforcer" @Walmart, in the pet area. I also use Ortho Home Defense on the outside of my house and inside in places I can't sprinkle the Borax, salt mixture, Along sides of refrig., stove, underside of chairs,sofa, bed. Also if you have pets, use the Borax,salt in their bedding and on them. It will not hurt them. Any further questions message me, I'll be glad to help. I have animals and spring is the worst!
  • Bobby Jean S Bobby Jean S on May 12, 2012
    I used old fashioned borax. Under a microscope, borax looks much like crystal shards. Those sharp edges excoriate fleas' bodies, killing the critters. I use it in my carpet shampooer but you can also use it dry ... sprinkle it onto a carpeted surface and work it in. NOTE: If you have infants in the home, avoid placing them directly on the carpet after a dry treatment. Place blankets on the floor for the baby, to ensure no fine particles are inhaled.
  • Shirley V Shirley V on May 12, 2012
    Use a very low sided dish. fill it with water and some dish liquid. Place it on the floor in the infected area. Place a small lamp by it and keep it burning.. The fleas will jump in it and drown. I had an infestation and this is what i did. I emptied the plate at least 10 or 12 times. there were at least fifty fleas in it each time. when the water evaporates, put more in it.
    • Sherri Sherri on Jun 02, 2014
      @Shirley V This does work!!! My husband had a flea problem in his shop and somebody told him to do this and in no time they were gone!!
  • Bobby Jean, I think part of the problem is that Frontline is no longer effective on fleas. Some vets don't even carry it anymore. I wasted my money on it & my dogs still had fleas. http://www.1800petmeds.com/Flea+++Tick-cat10.html?AFFID=MS&ID=161478562 Advantix works & here is a website or you can buy it from your vet.
  • Gloria S Gloria S on May 16, 2012
    "Precor' it gets the fleas as well as the eggs!
  • Bobby Jean S Bobby Jean S on May 16, 2012
    @LeeAnne ... I found zero success with Frontline also. Borax, however, works wonders. I use it beneath Rowdy's bedding outside and around his dog house. I also put some in my carpet shampooer to treat indoors.
  • Priscilla E Priscilla E on Jun 07, 2012
    Where can you buy this product
  • Jennifer Dodge Jennifer Dodge on Mar 23, 2015
    Salt and baking soda sprinkled on carpets , let sit a few days, then vacuum. It dehydrated them. throw bag out after use.
  • I have concrete floors.....my dogs are treated with K-9 Advantix, seems like I have been treating them sooner than a month....they still are scratching like crazy. IDK what to do. My neighbor swears by the pills you get from the vet.