mimzee asked 5 years ago
I’ve had a terrible flea infestation in my house for about 2.5 months now, and it shows no signs of slowing down. I have two cats, but they’re both indoor-only, so I’m not sure how the fleas got in. Anyway, I’m getting eaten alive, and I’ve tried multiple flea treatments (bombs, liquid sprays, aerosols) to no avail. The fleas seem to be biting me even when there’s a perfectly viable cat in the environment. Our entire house is carpeted though (including the bathroom), and we have a lot of clutter and upholstered furniture, so there’s no way to treat 100% of the house. The cats have been on multiple treatments since this whole epidemic started, and nothing seemed to be working – this month I’m trying a combination of Revolution and Comfortis, which has reduced the flea dirt I’m finding in one cat’s bedding, but not the other.
Anyway, all of this is to say that somehow in the past 2.5 months, the fleas got into my car (probably rode in on my clothing), and it’s now infested too. I get multiple bites on myself every time I’m in the car. I talked to an exterminator, who is coming out to treat my house, and they said they can lose their license if they treat my car. However, I’ve tried vacuuming my car every week or so, and at different intervals (every week or two) spraying Precor 2000, Alpine PT, and putting down Adam’s flea powder, and I’m still getting bitten. I’m at a loss for what to do, and this is literally ruining my life, because I’m highly allergic to the flea bites (I swell up and get rashes). I’ve been wearing bug spray, but the deet smells bad and is making me sick, and my skin is breaking out. And I’m still getting bitten on my arms and shoulders, not my legs (because I wear pants and full shoes). Do you have any suggestions for what I can do to treat my car so I can finally be flea-free at least in that environment?
Thank you.
Adam Retzer Staff answered 5 years ago
mimzee,
I am sorry to hear about your flea problem. It sounds severe.
With the weather getting cold now, one easy option is to leave the car outside for a few days. Maybe crack the windows so it isn’t insulated from the outside air. No flea stage can survive near-freezing temperatures for long. See our article on At what temperatures do fleas die? for comprehensive information.
I hope this helps.
Warm regards,
Adam
mimzee
replied 5 years ago Hi Adam,
Unfortunately, I live in southern California, and the coldest it gets here at night is around 50F. Do you have any suggestions for products that are OK to use in the car and/or around electronics? Will the fleas die out without an animal (other than me) to feed on? What are my options here? Will getting the car detailed help?
I get bitten every single time I use my car and it’s making me (I think understandably) really averse to going anywhere, but I can’t get anywhere in my city without a car. My seats are leather so I can’t spray product in them, and I can’t get up underneath them because they have wiring and are heated, but my floors are carpet. I can’t afford to get rid of this car and get a new one, but I don’t want to be passing fleas back and forth between my house and my car forever.
Adam RetzerBummer about the climate in your location. Using the heat and cold is a great, chemical-free way to deal with fleas in cars.
My other ideas would have been to use a flea spray with an IGR, such as Precor 2000 Plus. And to vacuum the car thoroughly. However, you have already employed both of these steps.
Your situation is strange to me, because the fleas shouldn’t be able to continue surviving and laying eggs without an animal host in the car. They should have died out after a few weeks, because there should be no new generation. And with an IGR sprayed, new eggs and larvae shouldn’t have been able to reach adulthood regardless.
I’m not sure what other advice I can offer. It may be good idea to hire professional pest control. As your issue may need an in-person evaluation. In any case, continuing to vacuum the car would be a good idea.
I apologize that I can’t offer more help.
