How do we deal with a possible flea problem?
July 27, 2013 7:12 AM Subscribe
While touring a house on Thursday, my husband was bitten around 40 times on his ankles. The house had a cat, so we're reasonably sure it's fleas. We may have at least one flea in our apartment now. What's our next step?
The itchy bumps didn't show up until Friday morning, but there's so many of them and they're all right above where his socks ended (he was wearing shorts and I was in long pants). This morning he saw a small bug jump off his leg, but we couldn't find it. We live in a second story apartment and have no pets, but everything is carpeted and upholstered.
1. How can he stop the ridiculous itching in his legs? Benadryl has helped a bit but it's still really bad.
2. How worried do we need to be about a flea infestation in our apartment?
3. What reasonable steps should we take to prevent any more flea bites and kill any fleas that may be here?
The itchy bumps didn't show up until Friday morning, but there's so many of them and they're all right above where his socks ended (he was wearing shorts and I was in long pants). This morning he saw a small bug jump off his leg, but we couldn't find it. We live in a second story apartment and have no pets, but everything is carpeted and upholstered.
1. How can he stop the ridiculous itching in his legs? Benadryl has helped a bit but it's still really bad.
2. How worried do we need to be about a flea infestation in our apartment?
3. What reasonable steps should we take to prevent any more flea bites and kill any fleas that may be here?
Best answer: Oh, god, I've dealt with a major flea infestation and it can be HORRIBLE. Good for you for being proactive.
Calamine lotion will help the itching.
As to how worried you need to be - well, listen. One flea jumping into your house probably isn't a reason to fumigate or burn the house down. But knowing what I know about actually having a flea infestation, I'd say you need to tune your response . . . to a gently humming quasi-fear.
Reasonable steps: (1) Buy a product containing d-limonene that can be sprayed on upholstery. (2) Consider a boron-based carpet shampoo product, if you have a shampooer, or a boron-based carpet dusting product if you don't. (3) Treat the carpet twice over the course of a week. (4) Vacuum EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE EVERY DAY for one week.
posted by sevensnowflakes at 7:20 AM on July 27, 2013
Calamine lotion will help the itching.
As to how worried you need to be - well, listen. One flea jumping into your house probably isn't a reason to fumigate or burn the house down. But knowing what I know about actually having a flea infestation, I'd say you need to tune your response . . . to a gently humming quasi-fear.
Reasonable steps: (1) Buy a product containing d-limonene that can be sprayed on upholstery. (2) Consider a boron-based carpet shampoo product, if you have a shampooer, or a boron-based carpet dusting product if you don't. (3) Treat the carpet twice over the course of a week. (4) Vacuum EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE EVERY DAY for one week.
posted by sevensnowflakes at 7:20 AM on July 27, 2013
Best answer: Vacuum everything often, and make sure you get crevices near walls (if you have carpet) and the couch cushions. There can be eggs/pupae emerging for weeks, and a vacuum will suck up live fleas and kill them. You may need some kind of carpet powder if they persist.
posted by polywomp at 7:22 AM on July 27, 2013
posted by polywomp at 7:22 AM on July 27, 2013
Best answer: Diatomaceous earth dusted about liberally in corners, around the bed--you can vacuum it up later.
As far as the bites, in the moment, run water as hot as you can stand on them. It'll probably sting a bit--then the bites won't itch at all for awhile, maybe 2-3 hours, sometimes longer.
posted by Sequence at 7:29 AM on July 27, 2013
As far as the bites, in the moment, run water as hot as you can stand on them. It'll probably sting a bit--then the bites won't itch at all for awhile, maybe 2-3 hours, sometimes longer.
posted by Sequence at 7:29 AM on July 27, 2013
I am very sensitive to flea bites and get some every few months (I am the canary in the well when the cats need their Advantage). Calagel works very well.
You don't need to do anything about the fleas that may have been carried with you, they will die without the correct host. Humans are not hosts for fleas. The chances of him getting bitten again are pretty low.
posted by nanook at 7:37 AM on July 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
You don't need to do anything about the fleas that may have been carried with you, they will die without the correct host. Humans are not hosts for fleas. The chances of him getting bitten again are pretty low.
posted by nanook at 7:37 AM on July 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Vacuum, and empty the bag outside after each cleaning. This will make sure flea eggs won't hatch in the bag and end up in your home anyway.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 7:47 AM on July 27, 2013
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 7:47 AM on July 27, 2013
Best answer: Tea treat lotion or ointment is great for the itchiness. I usually find it in health food stores.
posted by sadtomato at 8:24 AM on July 27, 2013
posted by sadtomato at 8:24 AM on July 27, 2013
Best answer: My response to a small flea infestation is to dust the floors with flea powder, leave for a few hours, come home and vacuum really thoroughly, disposing of the dirt outside, immediately. Then vacuum daily for a day or 3. Humans aren't their most successful host, so it's unlikely they'll reproduce.
posted by theora55 at 9:05 AM on July 27, 2013
posted by theora55 at 9:05 AM on July 27, 2013
I saw a flea in an apartment I lived in. A studio apartment. I went to the Safeway and got 4 flea bombs. The clerk encouraged me to use only one, I settled on two. Bombed the SHIT out of the place and that was that.
Be careful though, the chemicals can be nasty if you're sensitive.
Go to the doctor and get a steroid injected if you can. Minute Clinic or urgent care should be able to accommodate. I don't say it lightly but I'd rather be in pain than itch and that may bites. Also, THAT many bites, it's problematic, it can turn into a serious anaphylactic reaction. I wouldn't dick around with it.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:42 AM on July 27, 2013
Be careful though, the chemicals can be nasty if you're sensitive.
Go to the doctor and get a steroid injected if you can. Minute Clinic or urgent care should be able to accommodate. I don't say it lightly but I'd rather be in pain than itch and that may bites. Also, THAT many bites, it's problematic, it can turn into a serious anaphylactic reaction. I wouldn't dick around with it.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:42 AM on July 27, 2013
Unfortunately we don't get to use the good stuff anymore when dealing with fleas and such so it actually takes longer now to get rid of an infestation than it used to.* The point is to start that shit now!
And it's still going to take about a month. And be persistent and vacuum and use all the chemicals you can find.
Also, if it gets bad, consider wearing bug spray (I had to do that once) for short-term protection.
Oh yeah, I've survived like five infestations in my life and it's all-out freakin' war if there's even a hint of a whiff of one of them damnable creatures. By the time you think it's bad enough that maybe there is an infestation brewing it's too late. Do not wait for proof of infestation, assume the worst now and get started.
That said, I haven't dealt with one in 10 years so there is the possibility that newer stuff works faster but don't count on it.
* During one infestation while I was living in a very small town in east Tennessee, the vet told me that some of the farmers in the area still kept supplies of DDT around and that they might be willing to let me have some and that it would kill the fleas dead quicker 'n anything.
posted by bfootdav at 1:21 PM on July 27, 2013
And it's still going to take about a month. And be persistent and vacuum and use all the chemicals you can find.
Also, if it gets bad, consider wearing bug spray (I had to do that once) for short-term protection.
Oh yeah, I've survived like five infestations in my life and it's all-out freakin' war if there's even a hint of a whiff of one of them damnable creatures. By the time you think it's bad enough that maybe there is an infestation brewing it's too late. Do not wait for proof of infestation, assume the worst now and get started.
That said, I haven't dealt with one in 10 years so there is the possibility that newer stuff works faster but don't count on it.
* During one infestation while I was living in a very small town in east Tennessee, the vet told me that some of the farmers in the area still kept supplies of DDT around and that they might be willing to let me have some and that it would kill the fleas dead quicker 'n anything.
posted by bfootdav at 1:21 PM on July 27, 2013
Recently I inadvertantly brought fleas home from my brother-in-law's dog, (I got the first bite on the drive home, and by the next morning had eight) and they itched abominably until I finally took one of Mr Telophase's Zyrtecs, which seemed to break the itch cycle. Caveat: Zyrtec knocks me out, unlike most people, so I may just have aberrant reactions to it.
The cats have shown no signs of fleas whatsoever, although we gave them Revolution to stop them getting any, and mine seemed to stop biting me after washing all my clothing and the sheets we used. (Which might have just entertained me until they died from the Revolution or whatever.)
posted by telophase at 2:36 PM on July 27, 2013
The cats have shown no signs of fleas whatsoever, although we gave them Revolution to stop them getting any, and mine seemed to stop biting me after washing all my clothing and the sheets we used. (Which might have just entertained me until they died from the Revolution or whatever.)
posted by telophase at 2:36 PM on July 27, 2013
Best answer: From my vet: "vacuum, vacuum, vacuum"
Then you can set out shallow bowls like pie tins, although white ceramic is best (better to see the fleas), fill them with water and dish soap. put a light over the bowl if you have one. any fleas in your carpet will jump in the bowl and die from the soapy water. this will not kill all the fleas in your house but it will let you monitor the situation. if no fleas jump in the bowl then you have vacuumed enough. but keep vacuuming.
posted by cda at 3:35 PM on July 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
Then you can set out shallow bowls like pie tins, although white ceramic is best (better to see the fleas), fill them with water and dish soap. put a light over the bowl if you have one. any fleas in your carpet will jump in the bowl and die from the soapy water. this will not kill all the fleas in your house but it will let you monitor the situation. if no fleas jump in the bowl then you have vacuumed enough. but keep vacuuming.
posted by cda at 3:35 PM on July 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
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Keep your place and you shouldn't have to worry about an ongoing infestation..
posted by notyou at 7:20 AM on July 27, 2013 [2 favorites]