aargh - how do I get fleas out of my sofa??!!

[MissChief]

have washed the covers, cushions, hoovered loads and of course de-fleaed the cats but several weeks on still being bitten to death and saw one of the little buggers jumping around last night! how exactly can we get rid of them, do we need super-strength flea powder for cats/sofa??
TIA!

you can buy a spray that you just spray your furniture and carpets with, quite expensive though

Yup, get the spray. We are infested too - and moving house! Poor incoming people!

we struggled for ages with fleas in the house. we bought a spray in a pet shop called 'canovel' and it was brilliant.

The best treatment we found was when the pet gets drops on their necks-3 pets were infested! (got it from the vets had to go back 2 weeks after 1st treatment for a second dose) Also used the same brand spray which the vets supplied. I can't remember the name of the treatment but after trying lots of different powders and sprays and spending loads, it worked instantly.

thanks - will try both spray and vet's stuff - can that only be got from the vet through consultation normally or can I buy it in pet shop?

You're supposed to do a basic four step programe to rid your house of fleas:

1. Spray your pet with flea killer (or put drops on the back of the neck)

2. About 3 days later spray your house (this should catch the fleas who've jumped off your pet who weren't quite killed by the flea spray/drops). Make sure you spray the area where your pet sleeps most frequently and wash this bedding (as well as cushion covers and curtains etc.)

3. About 3 days after this put a flea coller on your pet to stop them picking any others up when they're outside (unless you used a drop on the back of the neck, this works in the same way as a flea collar).

4. Worm your pet (worms live inside fleas).

When you spray your house everywhere needs to be sprayed. Spray around the edges of the room (this is where they migrate to) and in a criss-cross pattern on the carpet (even if you have laminate flooring you should still spray the edges and if you have wooden flooring pay special attention the spaces between the floor boards). As you already have, you ideally should wash curtains, cushion covers etc.

Either sprays from the vet or a petshop should do it if you follow the above.

thanks - oh god serious decontamination programme and am about to give birth so wanted to avoid chemicals - are they truly nasty?

My parents used to get the council to do theirs once a year - they keep black labradors and cats, so need to keep on top of it. The come round and spray everywhere with strong stuff that kills everything (they treat the animals the day before). They have to stay ut of the house for a few hours after it is done, and then all is clear. it's the oly way they have found to really get rid of the whole lot, and doesnt cost too much.

TBH the chemicals in flea spray need to be treated in the same way you would a very strong household cleaner ie. don't breathe it in and use in a well ventilated area.

Obviously, being pregnant I would use extra caution and maybe ask someone else to do the spraying for you (Kelly's suggestion seems a good one if your coucil offers this). Once the spraying has been done, leave the house for at least 4 hours to let it settle. If you do have to do the spraying yourself maybe invest in a face mask (from DIY shop) just to be absolutely sure.

I find powder easier for carpets as you know which bits you've done. Sprinkle it on, leave for a while (overnight if you can manage it)and then just vacuum it up. We found this very effective even when de-fleaing a large pub which was infested when we moved in. It's also strangely satisfying to think you are vacuuming up all the little corpses! (or is that just me?!)

Hiya, the stuff to put on the back of their necks is "Spot-On" and I've seen it in Tesco !! Not sure if that is as full strength as the "Spot-On" you buy from the vets - prob is and prob cheaper in supermarket (a la Aspirin etc...)

The spray I've only ever got from the vets - but you just buy it over the counter - no need to actually have an appointment. Bet you can buy it on internet !

Good Luck !

What do you use on your cats? If you use frontline it attracts all the fleas to the cat from around the house and kills them all. We had fleas on our furniture when we first got out kittens from a farm, but the frontline got rid of the lot!

Sorry, I know you were talking about sofas but obviously there's not much point unless you do the carpets etc as well. My mind works in roundabout ways sometimes!