Flea Fumigation & Control
Getting rid of fleas in London and Kent
Just the thought of fleas in our home or place of work is enough to make us itch. A flea infestation can be very disruptive and upsetting, especially when your pets, family, visitors, or staff are being bitten alive. Fleas are highly mobile and multiply at an alarming rate, so it is important that they are treated quickly and professionally before the infestation becomes out of hand.
Domestic fleas from dogs and cats
A domestic flea infestation is likely to involve a cat or a dog. Most pet owners, we at PMP included, are devoted to looking after our fur babies, but they can easily pick up fleas from other animals. It can be very distressing for the poor creatures and even lead to more serious health issues such as dermatitis and tapeworm. Even if you do not own pets, fleas are incredibly common and it is possible to bring them home or to work on clothing or possessions, and some flea species will happily feed off of you in the absence of a host animal.
Commercial flea control
For business owners, a flea infestation can spell disaster, not only reflecting poorly on the company but causing discomfort and upset to staff and customers. So it pays to get rid of fleas fast, which is how we can help.
Highly effective flea removal
Project Multi Pest are trusted pest control experts and we have long experience in dealing with flea infestations in both private residences and commercial settings. We have a choice of highly effective flea removal methods in our arsenal, to free you, your pets and your property of these dreaded parasites.
How to spot the signs of a flea infestation
If you suspect that you have a flea infestation, you should seek to get rid of them as soon as possible. Here are some signs to look out for:
- Bites It’s likely that you will be first alerted to fleas in your house by receiving bites around the feet, ankles and lower legs. Flea bites are small, angry red dots, sometimes with halos, and usually found in a cluster of three or four. They are incredibly irritating and itchy to start with and can become sore, or even infected if scratched. For some unlucky folk, they may even trigger allergies.
- Pets By being alert to your pets’ behaviour, you may be lucky and catch a flea problem before it spreads to the rest of your house. Your poor pets will be constantly scratching and biting themselves if they have fleas. To be sure, check their fur thoroughly and also inspect pet bedding for signs. Look out for flea eggs as well as the insects themselves, as they can lay up to 50 per day. Although they are microscopic they are just visible to the human eye, resembling a grain of salt. You should also check for traces of flea dirt, which looks like tiny black dots.
- Soft furnishings It’s a horrible thought, but if fleas are in your home then they can very quickly invade your soft furnishings, such as sofas, beds, carpets, cushions and curtains. Adult fleas are tiny brownish dots, only a couple of millimetres in length, so they can be difficult to see. But look for movement – fleas are flightless but they have an Olympian jump, propelling themselves up to two feet off of the ground. They will become active if they sense movement, so disturb the area you are inspecting first.
If you find you have a flea infestation at home or in your place of business, do not despair. Although fleas can become widespread very quickly, with the services of a pest control expert they can be eradicated just as fast.
How to get rid of fleas fast
Like all parasites, fleas have strong survival skills that last throughout their life cycle, which can be anything from weeks to a whole year. Females attach their eggs very securely to household fibres such as carpet, so an infestation may not be eradicated by vacuuming alone. At the larvae stage, fleas are at their hardest to spot, burrowing away in hard to reach places, feeding on skin cells and flea dirt. At the pupae stage, although they most often become adult fleas within days, they can safely lay dormant for months until they sense a source of food.
If you choose to treat fleas yourself, you may discover that a few weeks or months later they have returned, which can be very frustrating. Chances are, they were there all along, but in a pre-adult stage of their life cycle. That is why it is wise to call in a pest control expert before it becomes a full-blown flea infestation.
At Project Multi Pest Ltd, we have two main methods of treating your property for fleas. Our preferred method is chemical-free and involves using heat to penetrate the property. We can also offer fumigation for fleas, using pesticides that are safe for humans and pets.
Heat treatment for fleas
Heat treatment involves a trained pest control expert carefully raising the temperature in the affected areas of your property, using large heaters. They will closely monitor the temperature over a matter of hours, depending on the severity of the infestation. The heat will permeate even the tiniest of crevices so the fleas have nowhere to hide and they very quickly succumb.
The advantages of heat treatment are many. First of all, it is the environmentally friendly choice. Secondly, heat treatment is more successful at killing fleas at all stages, including eggs and larvae. Also, there is research to suggest that fleas and other insects develop immunity to pesticides, but it would take a very impressive burst of evolution to build up a resistance to such extreme heat.
The one thing to note is that heat treatment doesn’t have a residual effect. Although it is very efficient in removing an infestation, it cannot prevent a new one so it is essential that you take careful measures to prevent fleas in the future.
Fumigation treatment for fleas
Fumigation involves filling the affected rooms of your property with an insecticide that suffocates the fleas. In preparation, a trained pest controller will seal the property thoroughly, to ensure that no chemicals escape. The time it takes very much depends on the size of the building and the severity of the infestation, but in most domestic cases treatments can be completed in a day, although follow-up treatments may be required to exterminate any unhatched eggs. Following treatment, the building will be thoroughly ventilated, allowing the safe return of you and your pets.
Once treated, fleas can take up to 48 hours to die. Fumigation only kills adult fleas, but the residual layer of pesticide (that is safe for you and your pets) should kill any larvae that hatch. That said, the effects may not last long enough to kill all of them, so a course of treatments may be required.
Project Multi Pest only uses insecticides approved by the BPCA and which are completely safe for humans and animals.
How long do fleas live for?
Alarmingly, adult fleas can live as long as a year in a hospitable environment, although on average their life cycle is around 100 days. Without a host animal, ie. human, cat or dog, they can survive a few weeks by feeding off of dead skin cells and flea dirt.
Females tend to lay eggs two days after feeding on blood, and the eggs hatch into larvae after five to ten days. In the next two weeks, they develop into pupae, and then a few days after than into adult fleas. However, pupae can lay dormant for months and still make the transition into adulthood, which is why they are very hard to treat without professional help.
Can I exterminate fleas myself?
With heat treatment, the fleas, their eggs and larvae die straight away. With fumigation, they take up to 48 hours to die, but it is important to note that it only kills the adult insects. Although the residual insecticide left behind can kill larvae as they hatch, it may be necessary to carry out several follow-up treatments to eradicate the fleas entirely.
How do you prevent fleas?
If you have pets, it is vital to give them regular flea treatments and always wash pet bedding, and your own, at a hot temperature. To minimise the risk in the rest of your home, it may be wise to regularly steam clean carpets, mattresses and upholstery, as well as keeping awkward nooks and crannies free of dust.
Flea control London and Kent
Project Multi Pest can promise a professional and swift service to rid your house or business from a flea infestation. Our methods are safe and highly effective, and we aim to cause you and your family as little disruption as possible. We understand how upsetting it is to have fleas in your home and to watch pets suffer, so you can be sure of a sympathetic and friendly service from our reliable team of pest control experts.
We are at your service 24/7, so contact us day or night to arrange a consultation and a quote.
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