Answering Your Frequently Asked Questions About Our Flea Treatment

At Gippsland Pest Management, we provide a diverse range of services, recognizing that each pest requires tailored treatment procedures. Take fleas, for instance. To offer insight into our treatment process and what it entails for you, we've compiled answers to common questions about our flea treatment service.

Pre-Treatment Questions

Fleas, as introduced pests, typically enter homes via pets or second-hand items like rugs. During treatment, we can only target the active population on-site. To ensure the treatment's full effectiveness, we recommend completing several preparations beforehand, despite the inconvenience this may pose. These steps are crucial for achieving comprehensive population control.

The following questions pertain to the Pre-Treatment Checklist we provide upon booking a flea treatment. This checklist, also available at https://www.gippspest.com.au/FleaChecklist.pdf.

Why do I have to mow the lawns before the treatment?
It is ideal that lawns are well maintained and accessible for the technician to apply the pesticides. The short grass helps the chemical penetrate the soil more effectively and target typical areas where fleas can be nesting.

Why is it necessary to vacuum all internal floor areas on the morning of the treatment?
Vacuuming assists in the hatching of flea eggs by inducing vibrations, allowing the chemical to reach the fleas directly. Ensure proper disposal of the contents collected in the vacuum cleaner to eliminate any eggs or fleas from the premises.

Why should pets have a flea treatment done on the same day?
For optimal results, we strongly advise coordinating flea treatment for your pets alongside treating your living space. Cats and dogs, being common carriers of fleas, often introduce them from outdoors. By addressing all affected areas, including the source (such as grassy areas) and carriers (your pets), we can more effectively eradicate the flea population.

Why should the floors and yard be cleared of personal items?
Despite popular belief, fleas do not fly, they can only jump, therefore we are treating areas low to the ground. They need to encounter the chemical for it to take effect, therefore we need to treat as much as of their harbourage areas possible. We request that floors and yards be cleared of personal items because in many instances, technicians are unable to treat areas containing clothing, toys, or soft furnishings due to safety concerns. Therefore, we aim to maximize the areas we can treat to ensure the success of the flea treatment. By not having toys and clothes on the ground, the technician, can ensure that the treatment can be applied to a majority of the areas of concern.

Why do I have to vacate for 4 hours?
It's crucial for both people and pets to leave for a minimum of 4 hours to allow the applied chemical to fully bond with the surfaces. Our technicians wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and work methodically to avoid direct contact with the chemical. Once the chemical has completely dried and bonded, it poses no harm to people or pets, and there will be no lingering odours or wet residue. This timeframe ensures the chemical has sufficient time to bond effectively with the surface.

Post Treatment Questions
Once we have completed the initial treatment, we request that as you are on site day in day out, you keep a look out for changes in activity and report back within the month.

How long after the treatment should we see a results?
As part of treatment, we do offer a 30-day aftercare program and would suggest that a follow up visit and treatment is complete at the two-week mark, as this allows enough time for eggs to hatch, but not enough time to reach sexual maturity and reproduce.

What should I be looking for after the initial treatment?
Due to the flea’s life cycle, it is important to keep an eye out for eggs and new fleas within the first few weeks of the initial treatment. Also, if any additional bites emerge, making note on if they are similar or different to what you were seeing previously.

Other questions

What makes our treatment different to a flea bomb?
A flea bomb can be purchased at many supermarkets and hardware stores is a gas-based product that relies on the chemical hitting the affected surface area to be effective. It must be within sight/reach of the bomb and present at the time, the flea bombs have no residual effect on the surface. The products used during our Flea treatment bond with the surface and thus have a residual effect, which lasts for 1-2 months on a surface.

How do fleas get into the home?
Fleas can enter homes through various means, primarily hitching rides on pets or wildlife. Here are some common ways homes can get fleas:
- Pets: Dogs, cats, and other pets can pick up fleas while outdoors or from other infested animals. Fleas then lay eggs on the pet’s fur, which can fall off onto carpets , bedding and furniture, leading to infestations indoors.
- Wildlife: Wildlife such as rodents, possums or stray animals can carry fleas into yards and homes. Fleas from these animals can then infest the environment and potentially bite humans or pets.
- Infested environments: Fleas can also be brought into the home through infested items such as used furniture, rugs or clothing.

How can I prevent fleas from entering the home?
Preventing fleas from entering your home involves several proactive measures:
- Use flea prevention products: Regularly treat pets with veterinarian approved flea prevention products, such as spot-on-treatment, oral medication, or flea collars. This help prevent fleas from hitching rides on your pets and bringing them into your home.
- Maintain a clean environment: Regularly vacuum carpets, rugs, and upholstery especially in areas where pets frequent. Pay attention to corners, crevices and under furniture. Dispose of vacuum bags/what was collected immediately to prevent fleas from reinfesting the area.
- Outdoor prevention: Keep your yards tidy by regularly mowing the lawn, removing leaf litter, and trimming vegetation where fleas and their hosts might hide. Consider using outdoor flea control products in areas pets spend time.
- Inspect new items: Before bringing used furniture, rugs or clothing into your home inspect them carefully for signs of fleas or flea dirt. Launder washable items using hot water and dry them on high heat if possible. Consider isolating the item away from the home for several weeks prior to introducing it into your home.