Indoor Flea Killer Fogger

[Dude]

I have a rental property. Last tennant had a cat. New tennant has no pets but is complaining of flea problem inside house. I've removed the old carpet (needed to be replaced anyway), and want to treat the inside for fleas before installing new carpet. I don't have pets so don't have much experience in this area.

I'm looking at Hot Shot brand "Flea Killer Plus Fogger". Anybody know if this product really works and has lasting benefit? Any better products out there? Thanks.

[CyclingInvestor]

Lifetime indoor / outdoor dog owner here. Foggers gave short term relief, but
within a month or two fleas were back. I have had much better results with
boric acid powders - a very fine white powder that you work into carpets
with a broom. Once every 5 years or so, not a flea in sight for at least 10 years.
It works by dehydrating the eggs. In the old days I could lay a newspaper on the
ground and hear the 'tick-tick-tick' of them jumping - time for another fogger.

[Dude]

Thanks. Can I buy boric acid powders at Home Depot? I guess the plan would be to fog the house before installing new carpet, install carpet, then use boric acid on carpet if fleas return.

[Khan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dude Thanks. Can I buy boric acid powders at Home Depot? I guess the plan would be to fog the house before installing new carpet, install carpet, then use boric acid on carpet if fleas return.

Yes.

It might be labeled 'roach powder' or something about ants.

[Notmuchlonger]

According to Amazon its good for Vaginal yeast infections too. Then you read down about its roach killing properties. Geez thats some stuff.

[Dawg52]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Notmuchlonger According to Amazon its good for Vaginal yeast infections too. Then you read down about its roach killing properties. Geez thats some stuff.

No comment.

[AzDreamer]

We had good luck using a flea trap like the one in the link below.

How to Make a Flea Trap - wikiHow

[calmloki]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Notmuchlonger According to Amazon its good for Vaginal yeast infections too. Then you read down about its roach killing properties. Geez thats some stuff.

And eye wash. Hadn't heard about boric acid as a flea killer - those flea eggs are like Alien - lay dormant till vibration tells them FOOD! and they hatch ready to bite and reproduce. I used Siphetrol from the vet's office and it still took me more than a month of repeat visits to get 'em all - and i think most of them hatched and left on my ankles, biting all the way.

[Notmuchlonger]

Then the guy at the bottom of Amazon comments section tells you not to digest it. Or seek medical attention..

[calmloki]

"the guy at the bottom of Amazon comments section tells you not to digest it". Ok, it's back to Ms. Post on proper dining etiquette for you! "when eating, do not attempt to reach your stomach through your eye, neither via..."

it had to be said....

[youbet]

Dude.....
You might also want to be thinking about how to reward your oh-so-patient tenant........ you know....... the folks who've been putting up with flea bites and not calling the health department! I assume there are no infants involved?

[Dude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by youbet Dude..... You might also want to be thinking about how to reward your oh-so-patient tenant........ you know....... the folks who've been putting up with flea bites and not calling the health department! I assume there are no infants involved?

Well, let me make it clear that I'm not a slum-lord. This house is in a good neighborhood, my neighborhood, 1 block away from my house. The previous tennants moved out last Thanksgiving and never made one comment about a flea problem. The problem was unknown when the new tennant moved in in January. This is far from an infestation. I personally have never had a flea jump on me at the house. My wife and two young children were over there for at least 1/2 hour last night, didn't see 1 flea on any of them. I don't deny that there might be a few fleas in the house, but this is Florida, we got bugs, there are some cats that roam the neighborhood that I can't do anything about, neighbors also have indoor flea problems, although they have animals inside. This tennant is turning out to be much higher maintenance and is used to apartment living.....renting a house is a little more "do it yourself" IMO. No infants living there, two kids one eight the other early teens. Fogging the house will probably be overkill but will make her happy. The reward will be me paying $500 for new carpet and $50 for flea kill products. The lease says in bold capital letters that extermination is the tennants responsibility. I'm taking care of the problem.

Thanks everone for the advice

[calmloki]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dude Well, let me make it clear that I'm not a slum-lord. This house is in a good neighborhood, my neighborhood, 1 block away from my house. The previous tennants moved out last Thanksgiving and never made one comment about a flea problem. The problem was unknown when the new tennant moved in in January. This is far from an infestation. I personally have never had a flea jump on me at the house. My wife and two young children were over there for at least 1/2 hour last night, didn't see 1 flea on any of them. I don't deny that there might be a few fleas in the house, but this is Florida, we got bugs, there are some cats that roam the neighborhood that I can't do anything about, neighbors also have indoor flea problems, although they have animals inside. This tennant is turning out to be much higher maintenance and is used to apartment living.....renting a house is a little more "do it yourself" IMO. No infants living there, two kids one eight the other early teens. Fogging the house will probably be overkill but will make her happy. The reward will be me paying $500 for new carpet and $50 for flea kill products. The lease says in bold capital letters that extermination is the tennants responsibility. I'm taking care of the problem. Thanks everone for the advice

Yeah - really fun being the blameworthy party. We allow cats with a $10/month surcharge/cat. My theory is that the charge will make tenants think about their pet and maybe care for it. Always seems to be the case that the person allergic to fleas moves in right after the lady with 3 cats who believes in only herbal flea repellants, read major flea infestation zone.

Hint: i've had good luck getting the tenant involved in the process - give them a 4-pack of foggers and tell them they can bomb when it's convenient for them - when they are involved there seems to be a lot less armchair quarterbacking on their part.

[Urchina]

You might also try diatomaceous earth, it's a fine white powder that you sprinkle onto carpets, then vacuum up. While it's nontoxic to mammals, breathing it in can cause lung problems (like silica can), so it's something to wear a dust mask and eye protection with.

I think the boric acid powder option is a good one. Rip out the carpets, line the edges of the room with the powder, put in new carpets. It's also much less toxic than the fogger. I can't imagine being a parent and asking for pesticides to be sprayed INSIDE my house, especially with an 8 year old.

Good luck!