Flea Control in Upper Marlboro, MD

Why do flea problems come back after one treatment?

Flea eggs, larvae and pupae sit in carpet, bedding and shaded soil, and the adults emerge over time. A single pass often reaches the adults and misses the stages still developing, so the return visit is part of the plan rather than an extra.

The most common reason a flea problem returns is that a room was treated and the bedding in another room was not. The animal moves between them, and each one becomes a new source. The walk-through lists every place the pet goes so that nothing is left out.

Vacuuming before the visit helps the technician reach the carpet edges and the cracks where the immature stages collect. A vacuum bag or canister should be emptied outside afterward, because the contents can still hold live stages.

A second look is planned rather than assumed. The return visit checks whether the rooms and the yard show the same activity as before, and the plan changes if they do.

What can be washed, and what should be thrown away?

Washable bedding, blankets and pet covers can be cleaned in hot water and dried on a high setting. Items that cannot be cleaned, such as heavily infested cushions, are discussed with the technician before anything is discarded, so the choice is made on the facts.

Pet bedding is the item most often overlooked. A bed that is washed weekly but never dried thoroughly can keep the population going, so the homeowner is asked to dry it fully as well as wash it.

Hard floors are easier to keep clear than carpet. A vacuum used on the carpet edges and under furniture removes many of the stages, and the bag or canister should be sealed and taken out.

Discarding furniture is rarely the first step. A technician can say when a piece of upholstery is past saving and when cleaning and treatment are enough, so the homeowner does not replace something that could be kept.

• Wash pet bedding and covers in hot water and dry them fully
• Vacuum carpet edges and under furniture before the visit
• Seal and remove the vacuum contents after each use
• Ask the technician before discarding any upholstery

Does the yard need treatment for fleas?

It can, when the pets spend time in shaded or sheltered spots outside. The yard is not the only source, but a shaded patch where an animal rests can hold a population that moves back into the house, so the technician checks it on the first visit.

Shaded soil under decks, shrubs and porches, along with dense ground cover and the spots where an animal lies down in the heat of the day, are the usual yard sites. Lawns in full sun are less of a concern.

Wildlife that passes through the yard can also bring fleas into the area. The technician looks for the places where animals rest or dig and notes them, without assuming which animals are responsible.

A yard plan is written with the pets' routes in mind. A dog run and the shade under a porch get more attention than the open lawn, and the homeowner is told which spots to keep clear of leaf litter and debris.