Elizabeth Jackson asked 8 years ago
Hi, I hiked with a friend and her dog approximately 5 days ago. Now that I’m home, I see fleas in my house. I’m pretty sure the fleas infested my backpack when the dog slept on it. … I have no pets, but I recognize the insects from having had a cat in the distant past. Today, I sprayed adult flea killer (Ekto-Kill IGR) and vacuumed, then I threw out the vacuum cleaner bag. I also sprayed my duffel and backpack and moved them outside. Do you think this is enough? Is there anything else I can do? When can I bring the duffel bag and backpack inside again?
Adam Retzer Staff answered 8 years ago
Fleas can’t survive and reproduce without pets in your home. They can’t live on human blood. Even without the control steps you took, they’ll soon die of starvation, and there will be no progeny to continue the infestation.
If the dog slept on the backpack, then that’s most likely where the fleas came from. The spray you used, along with vacuuming, likely went a long way in eliminating any potential fleas. And the IGR in the spray (Nylar) will prevent any eggs and larvae from reaching adulthood.
You can bring the equipment back inside. You shouldn’t have a problem. You may see a flea here or there for a week or two, but the infestation won’t continue.
