Ella asked 6 years ago
I’ve seen one flea in my bed. My brand new mattress was delivered literally yesterday and I don’t have a bed frame yet so the mattress is just on the box spring on the floor. I woke up with 10+ bites on my legs. The apartment complex is pet-friendly, so it’s likely from the previous tenant. Will fleas persist even without pets? Is there any way to avoid subjecting my handmade quilt to excessive wringing and heat? Are they living in my mattress now? Do I have to wash every single article of clothes all at the same time? I’ve asked the landlord to have someone spray, but do they need to follow up frequently?
Adam Retzer Staff answered 6 years ago
Ella,
First of all, I am sorry for the late reply.
Immature fleas live in the environment, usually carpeting. Upon emerging, the adults will seek out a warm-bodied host. They usually can’t get onto beds, because they are too high off the ground. However, with your mattress on the floor, it’s low enough for the fleas to jump onto it and bite you.
The fleas shouldn’t be able to to survive without pets. It will take a while for them to be completely extinct though. Usually around 8 weeks. All of the immature stages need to mature into adults and die. Vacuuming is something you can do to speed up the eradication process. See our article on how often to vacuum for comprehensive information.
The fleas won’t be infesting your quilt. Adult fleas may jump onto it, and then try to bite you, but there shouldn’t be any eggs, larvae, or pupae on the quilt. And the adults don’t have any interest in staying there. Maybe just set the quilt aside for awhile, and then shake it out before using it again to remove any potential dead fleas.
Likewise, fleas shouldn’t be living in or on the mattress. Adults may be found on the mattress when they are attracted to your body heat though. The only time fleas develop on these kinds of items is when infested pets rest on them, and then eggs drop there. Without pets in your home, this shouldn’t be an issue. Fleas can’t survive or reproduce on human blood.
Again, the same factors apply to your clothes. Fleas aren’t attracted to these items. Laundering the clothes will kill any potential fleas though, if you are worried.
You could spray with an insect growth regulator (IGR) in the home. IGR mimics natural insect hormones and prevents eggs and larvae from becoming adults. And it lasts 7 months indoors, so multiple treatments aren’t necessary. However, without pets in the home, the fleas should go away on their own and spraying isn’t necessary. Vacuuming can speed up the process, as mentioned.
I hope this helps!
Warm regards,
Adam
