how do you really get rid of fleas ?

[rh71]

Over the course of the last 10-14 days, my wife and I have been eaten alive. Right now, I'm up to 41 bites, she's got 20+. We've actually seen and killed only a total of 3 fleas, 2 of which are in our bedroom. The bites are 75% on our shins/ankles/feet. Just now, I've woken up to a new bite on my left hip despite having my shirt tucked into my long pants. Socks have prevented new bites on our feet the last 2 days we've tried. Funny our upper body (in just t-shirts) have been unscathed until last night when I mysteriously got 3 new ones while wearing a long-sleeve t-shirt.

We have no pets and none have been in our home since end of August. Again, this started within the last 2 weeks and we've been getting new bites on a daily basis.

We've washed/vacuumed 3 carpeted rooms, washed all linens and comforters during this time. I've tried the carpet powder + RAID for fleas and left our bedroom cooked with it for hours. 3 days later, they are evidently still in our bedroom eating us at night and obviously staying around by feeding on us, still. I am out of ideas short of a fumigator-in-a-can or even calling in an expert. Trying to avoid that for health reasons (and trying to have a baby recently) but I guess it's getting bad.

Like I said, I've seen only 3 fleas, plus a lot of dead 2cm bugs with a brown stripe... but the bites are flea bites matching pictures I've seen. What is the best way to get rid of these guys?!

 

[jagec]

Shower occassionally.

Did you get the bed secondhand from a hobo?

 

[rh71]

^ oh yeah, we've washed ourselves religiously and the bed was brand new 5 years ago and still looks new. We've lifted/inspected/sprayed that whole thing too. Inew've also made sure to throw away the vacuum bag in case of eggs.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Someone has mice...

 

[akshatp]

Wow, you can still post after being eaten alive!! You rock!!

In other news, I have no idea how to get rid of them, and after reading your post I hope to god I never get that problem.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
Someone has mice...

Since you mention it, I have heard scurrying footsteps on our ceiling but our ceiling is also the roof. We don't have an attic. I've thought it was a squirrel...

What is it that is actually biting us with mice around?

 

[akshatp]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=get+rid+of+fleas

 

[Juno]

anti-itch cream

 

[CorCentral]

Since no one has actually replied until me and they are all looking for a boost in their post count.....
Best stuff= Raid Flea Killer!

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
Someone has mice...

Since you mention it, I have heard scurrying footsteps on our ceiling but our ceiling is also the roof. We don't have an attic. I've thought it was a squirrel...

What is it that is actually biting us with mice around?

Fleas

 

[novasatori]

sounds like Bedbugs to me...

we've had flea problems from our dogs before but they usually die off after a single bathing...

I've no idea how they could survive for so long... Do have a huge infestation of rodents or something???

 

[CorCentral]

Reading is fundemental

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Flea bombs won't even help you because you can't get the eggs. If you flea bomb you need to do it many many times as it takes months to fully kill them. Your best bet is to call Terminix or any pest control specialist. It's a lot more powerful and you can call them back anytime in the middle of the treatment to intensify the pest killing.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: DLeRium
Flea bombs won't even help you because you can't get the eggs. If you flea bomb you need to do it many many times as it takes months to fully kill them. Your best bet is to call Terminix or any pest control specialist. It's a lot more powerful and you can call them back anytime in the middle of the treatment to intensify the pest killing.

Actually I have had good luck with flea bombs. I once had an infestation when my cat got fleas, but found that flea bombs, combined with Bayer Advantage flea treatment for my kitty, took care of them.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: novasatori
sounds like Bedbugs to me...

we've had flea problems from our dogs before but they usually die off after a single bathing...

I've no idea how they could survive for so long... Do have a huge infestation of rodents or something???

In our cleaning of the entire room and other rooms, we've not spotted a single bedbug. I do wonder what those 2cm thin/long with brown stripes are. Bed bugs would be flatter and rounder.

I have not seen any signs of mice/droppings anywhere but I've heard quick footsteps in the ceilings like I described earlier. No attic.

 

[grohl]

In our first house the fireplace had been blocked off. Two raccoons moved in and what followed was a massive flea infestation of our living room. I could walk across the carpet in white socks and count 40 fleas on my feet.

Two flea bombs later and the whole house was flea-free. Check it out.

 

[Kaspian]

Make sure you treat the outside of your house as well.

 

[marleymarl]

Originally posted by: rh71

In our cleaning of the entire room and other rooms, we've not spotted a single bedbug. I do wonder what those 2cm thin/long with brown stripes are. Bed bugs would be flatter and rounder.
.

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/

 

[0roo0roo]

bedbugs hide inside mattresses during the day, you wouldn't see them. my dogs had fleas before and they've never bitten me. as far as i know its bed bugs if they are that aggressive with humans. those suckers are hard to get rid off... fumigation and all that. toss the matress and seriously clean around everything.

 

[SpeedEng66]

hotshot flea fogger :thumbsup:

had this problem about a month ago my dogs had it then spread to my cat
on my house I used 9 cans just to be sure that the whole house would get it!

just remember to put alot of newspapers on the floor for each can (it leaves this slimmy gel on the floor)


good luck!

 

[JulesMaximus]

Dude, call an exterminator ASAP.

Edit-This thread is making me itch.

 

[akshatp]

You could always ask Joba Chamberlain

 

[MovingTarget]

Really need to call an exterminator here. I've had an infestation before since I have a dog/cat at home. We also live in a wooded area, so insects are much more prevalent outside, hence the occasional re-infestation. Anyway, aside from the flea bombs and other suggestions, try this. Take a regular kitchen bowl (or similarly shaped/sized bowl that you don't eat out of), fill it with water about 3/4 of the way and put a little bit of diswashing detergent in it. Place bowl on carpet where you won't step on it. Next, take a desk lamp, placing the bulb/head about 2-3 inches over said bowl. The trap is set. What this will do is provide a light/heat source to draw the fleas to the bowl. They will be attracted to it, and when they land in the soapy water, they will be stuck. This will kill quite a few of the ones that get near/jump on you, but more importantly, it will give you an idea of the size of your infestation. It won't take long before you see a few dead at the bottom of the bowl. It will help ease the biting you experience on your ankles while you wait for the exterminator to arrive. :-/ Best of luck though.

 

[Linflas]

You need to use flea bombs in the entire house and repeat 2 weeks later when the eggs left after the first fogging hatch.

 

[Old Hippie]

Over the course of the last 10-14 days, my wife and I have been eaten alive. Right now, I'm up to 41 bites, she's got 20+.

:shocked: Your wife put up with this? Mine would have left and told me to call when the fumigating was done!