When fleas invade your home, they quickly multiply and can become overwhelming before you know it. Professional treatment is the most reliable way to eliminate them, but for it to be fully effective, your home needs to be properly prepared. Taking a few steps before and after your flea control appointment helps ensure the treatment reaches every hiding spot and delivers lasting results.
Here’s an outline of what you should do before, during, and after your scheduled flea service in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Preparing Your Home Before Flea Treatment
- Give your home a thorough vacuuming: Before your technician arrives, vacuum carpets, rugs, and upholstered furniture, especially where pets spend a lot of time. Don’t forget to reach under furniture and between cushions. Vacuuming removes adult fleas, eggs, and larvae from fibers, allowing the treatment to penetrate more effectively.
- Clean or replace pet bedding: Wash all pet bedding and blankets in hot water and dry them on high heat. If the bedding is heavily infested or not washable, it’s best to discard it to prevent re-infestation.
- Dispose of vacuum waste properly: Once you’re done vacuuming, immediately seal the vacuum bag or contents in a plastic bag and throw it away outside. Skipping this step could allow fleas or eggs to escape and reestablish the infestation.
- Clear treatment areas: Move clutter, boxes, or small furnishings away from walls and floors. Open spaces make it easier for your pest technician to access baseboards, furniture edges, and other common flea hiding areas.
- Leave during the service: All people and pets must vacate the property during treatment. Fish tanks can stay if covered and unplugged, but birds, cats, dogs, and other animals should be removed from the home until the product has dried completely.
Post-Treatment Guidelines
- Allow time for the treatment to dry: Avoid walking or placing items on treated areas until the product has dried. Keep children and pets off floors for at least 24 hours after drying for safety.
- Hold off on cleaning for a while: Do not mop hard floors or steam clean carpets for at least a week. The treatment needs time to work through the flea life cycle, targeting larvae and pupae as they develop.
- Expect to see some activity: You may notice live fleas for a week or two after your service, but this is normal. The treatment causes pupae to hatch, and those fleas will soon die upon exposure.
- Contact your veterinarian: While Cooper Pest Solutions treats your home, only a veterinarian can recommend treatment for your pets. Talk to your vet about appropriate flea preventatives to stop re-infestation.
After Treatment Tips for Long-Term Success
Flea problems rarely stem from just one source. These pests can thrive on your pets, within your home, and even around your yard or garden. To achieve lasting control, each area must be treated and monitored.
Discuss outdoor flea control solutions with your pest technician, and consult your veterinarian about a reliable flea prevention plan to protect your pets year-round. If you notice any other pest concerns around your property, take a look at our flea page or talk to your technician to learn additional pest-management strategies.
- Continue vacuuming daily. Frequent vacuuming encourages dormant eggs and pupae to hatch, exposing them to the insecticide. Focus on carpets, rugs, pet bedding areas, and along baseboards.
- Wash pet bedding regularly. Keep up a routine of washing and drying pet bedding on high heat to kill any remaining fleas or eggs.
- Dispose of vacuum waste correctly. Always seal and discard vacuum contents outside after each use to avoid reintroducing fleas indoors.
- Protect your pets. If your pets are on a vet-approved flea prevention treatment, they’ll help trap and kill any remaining fleas that try to feed on them, preventing a full cycle from restarting.
Why Preparation and Follow-Up Are So Important
Flea control works best when everyone does their part. Here’s why preparation and follow-up are so important:
- Vacuuming removes debris and exposes hidden fleas so treatments can reach them.
- Aftercare ensures resistant pupae hatch and are then killed by residual insecticides.
- Pet treatments stop fleas from feeding and reproducing, breaking their life cycle entirely.
When you follow these guidelines, you’re setting the stage for your flea treatment from Cooper Pest Solutions to work as effectively as possible, giving you long-lasting protection for your New Jersey and Pennsylvania home.
If You Suspect a Flea Infestation, Don’t Hesitate to Reach Out
Proper preparation and follow-up can make all the difference in getting rid of fleas for good. If you have any questions about your upcoming flea service or need help identifying problem areas, reach out to Cooper Pest Solutions. Our experienced flea control specialists in New Jersey and Pennsylvania are ready to help you reclaim your home from these persistent pests.
Contact us today for a free quote and inspection of your property.