Post # 1
Member
1669 posts
Bumble bee
- Wedding: Disneyland - January 2016
We just moved into the house across the street on Saturday. Everything was going great, no problems or anything. We were exhausted Saturday night and went straight to sleep. Sunday we left early to go run some errands and buy a new washer/dryer. We didn’t get home until late Sunday. Crawled into bed…and what’s crawling on ME? FLEAS.
Oh my gosh. We went to my parents house (thank God they live close by) and have been staying there while we try to figure this out with the landlord. Before we moved in we saw an extermination come by and spray the house twice, but obviously they did a crappy job. Yesterday the landlord set off some bombs in all the rooms and had the extermination company come by and take a look. They said they didn’t find any live fleas, to which I say BULLCRAP. I don’t trust the bombs to have gotten rid of them and I’m not ready to go back and just spend a night or two to check it out. Fleas absolutely love me and I’m covered in nasty, disgusting bites.
We’re going to buy some baking soda and bombs of our own to continue to try to get rid of them over the next couple weeks, but I’m so frustrated. We just moved in so obviously all of our stuff is EVERYWHERE, nothing is put away and I don’t want to go in the house at all right now. I feel so disgusted and embarassed, even though it’s not our fault the fleas are there. I’m not really looking for advice since I’ve been researching like crazy, mostly I just needed to rant. I’ve been so excited about moving to this place, and now I don’t even want to go inside.
Post # 2
Member
10479 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
I HATE FLEAS.
Boric Acid works well for fleas. Also, make sure they are treating any outdoor spaces as well.
Post # 3
Member
1890 posts
Buzzing bee
TwinkleBoss : Make sure the landlord uses a reputable company! Good luck and make sure any fur babies are treated!
Post # 4
Member
5081 posts
Bee Keeper
I’ve never dealt with a flea problem, but I’ve heard great things about using diatomaceous earth for getting rid of fleas. It’s not toxic and a lot of natural-types use it exclusively on their dogs instead of flea medicine. It can also be sprinkled all around in the house to kill them there. It’s worked great for me for ants, but it’s supposed to be good for any hard bodied insect.
Post # 5
Member
6168 posts
Bee Keeper
Are you sure they’re fleas and not bed bugs? Bed bugs would make more sense if your landlord can’t see them during the day + they bite.
Post # 6
Member
1669 posts
Bumble bee
- Wedding: Disneyland - January 2016
Thanks guys. Thankfully our two little pups have not yet stepped foot inside this house as we left them at my parents while we moved since I didn’t want to stress them out. I guess that’s the one silver lining in all this is we discovered the fleas before we brought them with us, so they’re going to be staying at my mom’s while we sort this all out. We’re also diligient about keeping them on their flea medicine schedule, but I’m still going to keep a close eye on them.
Post # 7
Member
8028 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
Two summers ago our dog went to the boarder and came home with fleas. First (and only) time we had ever had fleas in 9 years of living in the house. We did the bombs and I vacuumed like crazy after sprinkling the flea powder in the carpet. It worked but it was a pain in the ass. The worst part was bathing the cat and dog and getting them flea free- so you are lucky your pets didn’t go in your new place yet!
Post # 8
Member
7568 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
lifeisbeeutiful : Exactly.
OP, tell the landlord you want a licensed exterminator to come and tell you what kind of pests you have. Let them inspect and do the treatment.
Post # 9
Member
733 posts
Busy bee
Have you tried Diametacious Earth powder? (sp? ) That stuff is suppoed to work well, the bugs go through it and get dehydrated and die. I’m with some other people that I wonder if you have bed bugs. I’d get some DE powder (not the kind for pools) and spread it around and see.
Either way I’d see about getting pictures and document what’s going on big time. See if you can catch some and put them in a zip lock. Landlord needs to deal with this.
Post # 10
Member
1669 posts
Bumble bee
- Wedding: Disneyland - January 2016
Oh God, please don’t freak me out with bedbugs! I really do think it’s fleas as they’ve only bitten me around my ankles/feet whereas I think bedbugs tend to bite all over. I also know that the previous tennants had indoor/outdoor cats so I have a pretty strong feeling that’s how they got inside.
Thanks for the suggestions on how to get rid of them, I’m so grossed out we’re going to try absolutely EVERYTHING. I’ve also seen this trick about soap/water in a bowl. It doesn’t kill too many of them, but it might help me catch some to inspect them and absolutely make sure they’re not bedbugs.
Post # 11
Member
2539 posts
Sugar bee
Been there, only it was an infestation in the apartment complex I was in at the time. Super not cool.
I second Diatomaceous Earth. Get human grade though. Sprinkle it in the carpets. It cuts open the exoskeleton and causes them to die of dehydration, like PP said. It works so well, and without any toxic chemicals or irritants. Vacuum up when everything has died.