Eliminate Fleas: A Complete 4-Step DIY Pest Control Guide for Pets and Home

Fleas. Are you kidding me? This is one of the worst  external parasites for your pet. Hi, I'm Keith McCoy   with Solutions Pest and Lawn. Fleas live and breed  on warm-blooded animals, consuming blood and also   cause our pets to scratch constantly until they're  raw. But you're not exempt either. They will attack  

you as well. That's why it's important that we get  immediate control before it spreads throughout the   yard and the house. In order to do this, we need  to follow the Solutions Four-Step Process in   eliminating fleas. The first step to the process  is Identification. What do fleas look like?

What symptoms should you look for? Well, you need to know  that fleas go through complete metamorphosis. That means they go through an egg stage, larva, pupa, and  adult. The adult stage is the most common of these   that you'll see. It represents about three to five percent of the total infestation. Fleas are about 

a sixteenth of an inch long, brown in color, and their  bodies are vertically flat, which enables them to   very easily maneuver throughout the hair of their  host. As for symptoms and what to look for on your pet, well the most obvious: they'll keep you up all  night long from scratching. On you, you're looking  

for raised red whelps, something similar to a  mosquito or a bedbug bite. The second part of   the process is Inspection. You know maybe you woke  up one morning, you had red welts on your body? Or maybe your dog or cat kept you up all night long  scratching? These would be some concerns that you  

might have an infestation. Here are some things  that we can do to confirm if you have fleas or not. The first thing we want to do is the most  obvious: let's check your pet. You'll want to   start by combing through your pet's hair, either  using your fingers or a brush. You're wanting to  

look for adult fleas or black specks that will  be laid on the skin that resemble black pepper.   These are actually adult flea feces. Now it's time  to move on to the inside of the house. We want to   focus on where our pets frequent the most. This  likely is where your pet either rests or sleep.  

If you have a cat, that might be a windowsill. If  you have a cat or a dog, maybe they sleep in a pet bed, or they sleep on the floor next to a window.  All of these areas will need to be very closely inspected. Remember, we're looking for adult flea  feces. It resembles black pepper. If you confirm  

that you have fleas inside, then you can be assured  that you have a problem outside, because fleas got   transported to the inside either from your pet  or from you. We also want to take a look on the   outside and inspect those areas where our pets  frequent the most: flower beds, ground cover,

under shade trees. All of these areas will need to be  thoroughly and closely looked at. The third step   of the process is Control. Now that we've verified  that we have a flea problem, we'll want to start   with preparing the inside of the house for the  application. We want to make sure we pick up all  

loose items. Remove pet bed covers. Wash and  dry them. Vacuum the floors and the furniture.   If using a bag vacuum cleaner, remove the bag and  dispose of outside, or if you're using a canister   type make sure you rinse it after using. Now that  we have the inside prepared. we're ready to apply.  

We're going to use a product called Novacide.  Novacide is a ready-to-use aerosol that combines   four different types of chemicals. Also it has an  Insect Growth Regulator in it that will prevent   future reproduction of fleas. Novacide's not only  labeled for fleas, but also many other types of insects.

It can be used on many different types  of floor surfaces: carpet, linoleum tile,   ceramic tile, wood floors. You'll want to start at the  back of the house. You'll turn the can upside-down   and apply right at knee height directly to  the floor surface, working your way out towards  

the front of the house. Make sure that you stay off  the treated area until it dries. Your spray pattern   should overlap about 10 to 15 percent. Moving on  to the exterior we're going to use two different  products: one, Bifen L/P granules. Two, Reclaim I/T concentrate. We'll want to make a fresh cut on  

the turfgrass first. Then we're going to apply Bifen LP Granules using either a hand spreader or   a push spreader. We're gonna apply it to the entire turf.  Also, make sure you focus on those areas where   your pets rest more frequently, such as flower  beds, ground cover, shady areas underneath trees.  

Once we have applied the product, then we're going  to start using the Reclaim I/T. We're gonna apply   the product using either a hose end sprayer, pump  sprayer, or backpack sprayer. Whichever you choose,   we want to make sure that we use enough water  to carry our concentrate down to the soil.  

It does us absolutely no good to just wet the turf  grass. You start at the back of the yard, you work   your way out towards the front. Make sure that  you have a nice even coat that covers the yard.   Keep your dogs and cats and yourself off the turf  area until it dries. If you have a house that's up  

on blocks, make sure that you apply the product  up underneath there as well. Next, we can't forget   about our pet. Unfortunately, they're the reason  why we have the problem in the first place. We'll want to make sure we use an approved product  such as Prefurred or Petcor Flea Spray.  

Check out our video on how to properly apply  these products to your dog or cat. The fourth step   to the process is Prevention. The prevention of  fleas is no different than the control process   for an active infestation. You'll use the same  products: Novacide on the inside, Reclaim I/T  

and Biphen LP Granules on the outside. The only  difference is we're going to use these products   in the spring, in the summertime. That's when fleas  are most active. We'll also want to make sure that   we continue to vacuum on a regular basis on  the inside. Remember if it's a bagged vacuum cleaner,

dispose of it outside after each vacuum. If  it's a canister, rinse it out. Also make sure that   we treat our pets on a regular basis, either with  the Prefurred or with the Petcor Flea Spray.   Flea control can be difficult. Don't get  discouraged if you don't have immediate success.  

Oftentimes, it takes two to four weeks before you  eliminate the flea problem. Be patient, diligent,   follow the Solutions Four-Step Process. If you  do that, we guarantee you 100% that you eliminate   your flea infestation. For more information,  visit our website, visit one of our stores,

or give us a call. I'm Keith McCoy with Solutions Pest and Lawn. Ask us how, then do it yourself.