Learning that our Golden Retriever had a flea problem was a little too late. By then, the fleas have moved into the living area where he often lounges.
This wasn’t a problem we wanted to handle alone, resulting in us consulting a pest control service for flea treatment.
Upon prepping the house, the exterminators applied flea treatment, leaving us a list of things to do and avoid.
We followed the instructions carefully since we clearly understood the severity of the problem and the importance of playing our part in eliminating the infestation.
After some anxious times and hard work, we got rid of the fleas feeding from our beloved pet and causing us discomfort.
Flea treatment creates a layer of invisible and odorless pesticides that kill mature fleas and stop the development and reproduction of young fleas.
Generally, people can expect to see more fleas than usual. Still, they should eventually die within two to four weeks.
Let’s learn about how flea treatment works, the residual effect, and what to expect after flea treatment.
How Fleas Reproduce
Understanding how fleas reproduce is vital in eliminating fleas, especially following flea treatment.
Female fleas lay approximately 25 eggs daily, producing around 800 eggs in their lifetime. Depending on the temperature, flea eggs generally take 18 to 26 days to transform into adult fleas.
Fleas need to feed on the host animal’s blood to produce eggs.
It’s critical to remember that insecticides do not affect their eggs and pupae, making follow-up actions essential in eliminating fleas after treatment.
How Professional Flea Treatment Works
Pest exterminators use chemicals to kill adult fleas and interrupt the reproductive cycle of flea pupae.
These usually consist of two components: Adulticide and Insect Growth Regulator.
1. Adulticide
Pest exterminators use adulticide when treating fleas, killing all adult fleas upon direct contact.
2. Insect Growth Regulator
This component affects flea eggs and pupae since adulticide only affects mature fleas.
Any fleas in their larval or pupal stages will not develop and reproduce upon directly contacting these chemicals, halting the continuation of the infestation.
3. The Residual Effect
Flea treatment creates a layer of invisible and odorless insecticide residue.
This residue must be left for two weeks from the day of initial treatment for the treatment work.
Avoid deep cleaning or vacuuming during this time, enabling the residue to poison as many fleas as possible, ideally all.
4. Communicate and Follow Instructions
Pest exterminators require full cooperation and commitment from their clients to eliminate flea infestations successfully.
Establish clear communication with the pest control technician and follow their instructions during all stages of the treatment to ensure desirable results.
Pest control professionals usually provide printed instructions for different stages of treatment, before, during, and after.
These lists typically contain all the details regarding preparing, vacuuming, laundering, cleaning, and ensuring the well-being of residents and pets.
Expectations After Flea Treatment
The adulticide component of exterminator treatment against fleas generally significantly reduces the adult flea population.
However, it is common to notice more fleas for one to two weeks following the initial treatment.
These are distressed fleas or young fleas in the pupal stage who do not die upon touching the adulticide.
The pupae, however, are affected by the residual effect of the Insect Growth Regulators in the two weeks following flea treatment.
As a result, their development stops, leading to premature deaths without reproducing more flea eggs.
Avoid vacuuming and deep cleaning the house for two weeks following flea treatment for the residual effect to eliminate fleas’ reproduction effectively.
What To Do After Flea Treatment
Following up after treatment requires a lot of effort and commitment.
Residents, including pets, should wait for at least three hours before moving into a house after the exterminator applies flea treatment.
Then, there was an anxious waiting period of two weeks, and I avoided vacuuming, washing, or cleaning, giving enough time for the residual effect to act.
1. Treat Pets for Fleas
Consult a veterinarian and treat pets for fleas immediately.
Our pest control technician advised us to attend to this task during the three-hour window we had to stay away from the house.
Any mature or young fleas who move to the house from the pet will die or become sterile after touching the invisible residue of the treatment.
Fleas usually hitch-hike into houses through pets after invading yards on the back of stray animals and wildlife. Continue treating the pets as advised by the vet until the fleas disappear for the foreseeable future.
Regularly wash the pet’s bedding in high heat, which should kill any fleas hiding in the bedding and their eggs. Remove any uncovered pet food or water bowls exposed to flea treatment.
2. Open the Windows
Ventilate the house by opening the windows, especially ones in the treated rooms, so that occupants have fresh air to breathe.
3. Vacuuming
After waiting two weeks, I vacuumed the entire house, paying particular attention to the hot spots that the exterminator worked on.
This should help collect all the residue from flea treatment, dirt, and dead fleas from the house and furniture.
Use disposable vacuum bags when vacuuming after flea treatment. Seal and dispose of the bags ensuring that any persistent fleas do not return.
4. Deep-Cleaning
It is safe to deep-clean the house after 14 days.
I thoroughly washed all the surfaces.
Deep-cleaning every other day for a week will ensure all the invisible residue will be flushed out of the house.
5. Avoid Unknowingly Bringing In Fleas
Do not bring in any object that wasn’t exposed to flea treatment and might harbor fleas, especially after deep cleaning the house, since the residual effect will no longer be active.
6. Keep Pests and Wildlife Away
Stray animals, pests, and wildlife usually introduce fleas to urban areas.
Fleas then transfer to house pets who bring them indoors.
Therefore, keeping such animals away from properties and preventing pets from venturing into areas frequented by strays, pests, and wildlife can help avoid flea reinfestations.
7. Follow-Up With the Pest Exterminator
Flea treatment doesn’t always work since they have a knack for hiding, especially their eggs, which are difficult to destroy.
After two weeks have passed, keep an eye out for living fleas.
I scheduled a follow-up inspection a month after the first treatment to be on the safe side.
We were also open to needing a second treatment, although we didn’t in the end.
Summary
It took us a while to realize that our dog had brought some unwelcome visitors to our living room, causing significant discomfort.
However, the pest control service we hired for flea treatment did an excellent job, and we also did our part in ensuring that their efforts eliminated the budding flea infestation in our house.
Since then, we have taken flea control and prevention seriously, helping us maintain a flea-free pet and home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Fleas Become More Active After Treatment?
Fleas sometimes appear on the surface more than usual following flea treatment.
This should not cause alarm since the residue left from the treatment will either kill them or stop them from reproducing in the next two weeks, eventually eliminating the infestation.
Is It Normal To Still See Fleas After Treatment?
Seeing distressed fleas or ones that have come out of hiding after treatment is normal. These fleas will eventually die after touching the layer of pesticides left from the flea treatment.
Any young fleas that emerge after the treatment will become sterile upon coming to direct contact with the residue, putting an end to the infestation.
What Should You Not Do After Flea Treatment?
Do not enter the home for at least three hours after flea treatment.
Avoid cleaning, washing, and vacuuming the treated surfaces and areas for two weeks after the treatment, ensuring the residue has enough time to kill or sterilize all the fleas infesting the house.
How Do You Know When Fleas Are Dying?
Fleas generally move fast. Fleas that are stationary or moving slowly enough to catch them easily are signs of them dying.
How Do I Know if Flea Treatment Worked?
There should be no living fleas a month after flea treatment.
Seeing living fleas after four weeks have elapsed from the initial treatment is a sign of needing a second round of flea treatment.
