Indorex. What am I doing wrong?

[LittleDaffyCat]

I let the fleas get out of control. My fault. I tried to sort it out last year, I spent absolutely every spare penny that I could, on random flea sprays & got the cat on the monthly 'itch' treatment. None of it worked. I'm sure we've had them all winter when the heatings been on &, the last few weeks they are everywhere.

I got the cat to the vet a few weeks ago. She gave him whatever it is they get given, tablet, gave me a 2nd one, & said I can collect a 3rd when it's due on month 3. & the problem will be all sorted after that (I don't intend to leave it there, I intend to keep up the monthly treatment)

I asked if I can get the stuff for the house & she sighed & said 'Do you just have the one cat? Is it needed?' so, I had a mini meltdown & said 'Yes! It's needed! They are in my kids beds, in my daughter's hair, on me in the shower, yes, it's needed!!!'

She found an old can of Indorex in a drawer - told me that unless I live in a mansion, that will do the whole house.

I must use too much as I sprayed all of the upstairs after a THOROUGH hoovering & washed all the bedding on hot, then half downstairs & it ran out, so I got a 2nd can & did the rest of the downstairs & the bedrooms again.

Yesterday the kids said the fleas are back, I kind of said 'Oh it's probably just a bug' we were in the garden.

But today I've had one on my sock.

Is it just a case of wait it out with the spray or should I spray again?

I hate the thought of having to constantly pay out for Spray again when everything you read says Indorex is the best stuff going, isn't it?

Everything I've read makes it sound like you spray a bit of floor & anything that steps foot on that bit drops dead

When we had a very bad flea infestation a few years ago, Indorex cleared the house. BUT. I used three tins in the house first round and needed to retreat two weeks later with another three tins to finish the job. (4 bed house)

How are you spraying ? You have to go right around the edges of all the carpets, if it's so bad I would be tempted to get someone in to spray

Years ago we had moved onto a new house but went away for a week whe the temp was up a as nd I came home to a horrible infestation, they were jumping in my legs while on the loo (old carpet we'd not got round to ridding)

You can use a steam cleaner ad it will kill fleas but cause the eggs to hatch so you need to keep doing it. It may be better for the kids beds as well

We had this a year or so ago and nothing seemed to work l!

Your cat needs stronghold flea treatment to nuke them on the cat first - you can only get from vet

Then I sprayed all the corners of the room with indorex , the stair treads etc. It says not to but we also did under the sofa cushions etc and the cat bed - we did all go out for the day and put the cats outside and then aired the house thoroughly

Vacuum everything! Then repeat a few days later

Thanks everybody.
Yes I think I'll get another can (I still have some of can 2 left) & do it all again. I suppose I don't get absolutely every corner (cluttered house)

But I got 90% of them by moving things around, spraying, then moving them back. I went out after spraying both times & sprayed it right up the front hallway carpet on my way out the door! Also onto my socks as I went up the stairs & spotted some on me

Im really tempted to get somebody in but I'm worried it will be money that I can't afford & then they still aren't gone.

Bravecto spot on for the cat, you only apply every 3 months and it's brilliant, we had constant issues before we switched.

Get REALLY tidy indoors and de clutter. You need to vacuum in every nook and cranny then use the Indorex. For a 3 bed house I used at least 2 cans and then did it again 2 weeks later. Not had a problem since and we were crawling! I think with Indorex even if it doesn't kill them outright it affects their ability to breed so the infestation doesn't get worse.

You also have to keep vacuuming like a demon housewife. IIRC even Indorex doesn't kill all the eggs. They can lie passive for weeks or months, until they are triggered to hatch by vibration. So you have to vacuum and vacuum and vacuum, especially when you move furniture that hasn't been moved in ages.

We once moved into a house and discovered a severe flea infestation. We tried everything, including Indorex every time we were away overnight, but what finally solved the problem was ripping up and binning the carpets in all the bedrooms.

Thanks MrsPelligrino Unfortunately, with no car it's difficult to get rid of things. I took 14 bags of clothes to the charity bin last week so I'm getting there!

Ours is a 2 bed but 2 double bedrooms, big bathroom, I'm glad I'm not the only one who's found that one can just doesn't do it!

I don't know what the vet gave the cat, I should of asked really.

Indorex carries on working for up to 12 months and DOES kill the eggs too according to google. If you spray the kitchen floor and then mop it obviously you have to spray it again as you've washed the Indorex off.

Dilbertian I can't do anything about the carpets as it's rented.

How soon do you vacuum after using the Indorex? I asked at the vets but they were a bit short tempered with me for all the questions! They said 'Read the tin'. I had stood there & read it & it doesn't say.

Hoover thoroughly. Then use Indorex and then leave for as long as possible so it gets to work. I usually manage about 3 or 4 days.

I use the Wilko brand one, half the price and same ingredients

https://www.wilko.com/wilko-household-flea-spray-500ml/p/0142203?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIh5W6o8eo8gIV0ON3Ch06xAx9EAQYASABEgKFGDD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

These flea bombs worked well for us

Insecto Pro Formula Insect Fogger 150ml (Pack of 3) www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008Q6RHQK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_GA7C6VYDKW7JTC0XDZAC?psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor

Indorex carries on working for up to 12 months and DOES kill the eggs too according to google. If you spray the kitchen floor and then mop it obviously you have to spray it again as you've washed the Indorex off.

This was 15 years ago. Perhaps it's changed since? Or perhaps I'm thinking about spaces the Indorex might not have reached, like under furniture.

With 95% of a flea population living in the home environment, Indorex is a vital part of any integrated flea control programme. Indorex kills adult fleas and house dust mites on contact for up to 2 months after application, and prevents the development of flea eggs and larvae for up to 12 months

From the Indorex website

@LittleDaffyCat

Dilbertian I can't do anything about the carpets as it's rented.

How soon do you vacuum after using the Indorex? I asked at the vets but they were a bit short tempered with me for all the questions! They said 'Read the tin'. I had stood there & read it & it doesn't say.

That is not nice. The vets were perfectly lovely and patient with me, and I didn't even have a pet. (I do now, and e we have registered with them because they are still lovely.)

IIRC how soon after it's not particularly relevant. Regular beckoning of every space you can reach that could harbour fleas - carpets, soft furnishings, bottom of curtains if they touch the carpet - a couple of times a week, plus every time you move things and expose anything that hasn't been regularly vacuumed. The idea is to hoover up eggs r they hatch and upping fleas before they lay. It's a bit like nit-combing!

How does autocorrect do it?

IIRC how soon after id not particularly relevant. Regular vacuuming of every space you can reach that could harbour fleas - carpets, soft furnishings, bottom of curtains if they touch the carpet - a couple of times a week, plus every time you move things and expose anything that hasn't been regularly vacuumed. The idea is to hoover up eggs before they hatch and baby fleas before they lay. It's a bit like nit-combing!

Are you throwing your hoover bag/emptying your Hoover after hoovering? Even if you are put a cheap flea collar in the bag/collection chamber if it's bagless.

Indorex has always worked in one go for me. The key areas to spray are edges and corners of rooms, and soft furnishings, including mattresses.

Restrict cat's access to bedrooms until it's sorted so you can contain the problem.

Restrict cat's access to bedrooms until it's sorted so you can contain the problem if the cat has spot on treatment the cat needs to roam all over the house as that's how it works.

Good shout about the hoover, spray the Indorex into the bag so they don't crawl out again or change the bag every time you hoover.

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor

Restrict cat's access to bedrooms until it's sorted so you can contain the problem if the cat has spot on treatment the cat needs to roam all over the house as that's how it works.

Good shout about the hoover, spray the Indorex into the bag so they don't crawl out again or change the bag every time you hoover.

I don't think that's how spot-ons work, and OP said the cat is being treated with tablets.

To be fair, I've not had a mass infestation since the days of those awful flea powders and Nuvan Top spray (!) as as soon as I see a flea in a room I Indorex the room and exclude the cat and this has worked for me.

The big problem is that products based on Fipronil are still licensed for fleas when they are ineffective.

Ah right, I missed it was tablets. With spot on that IS how it works, cat gets bitten, flea dies.

Thank you everybody.

Yes, the cat had a tablet, I had to wait outside due to Covid & she bought him back out & said she'd given him one, problem will be gone in 3 months etc. Then I asked about the house spray & it was the 2 ladies on reception, when I had to go back in to pay, that were short with me.

The vets I'm going to now is the RSPCA clinic for people on benefits. They were short & to the point even before Covid, but I'm not complaining as they get the job done for people who can't afford it right now.

I do empty the cylinder of the hoover & wipe it over after every use religiously anyway. But I could do with hoovering more I think. I worry that I'm going to spray all that stuff & then hoover it all up

I do try to keep the cat out of the bedrooms but he comes up in the night generally (spends all day outside in the summer, then all winter he's in) & I get up in the morning & there he is on somebodys bed!

@Butterflystar76

These flea bombs worked well for us

Insecto Pro Formula Insect Fogger 150ml (Pack of 3) ]]

Another vote here for the Insecto flea bombs. I used them in all the carpeted rooms, and they did the trick. I had bits of sofa/chair, and bedding, separated and draped around. I always keep some Indorex in as well though. Killer cat has his annual vacc this week and I’m going to get him Bravectoed while he’s there (plus Milbemax worm tab)

GiantKitten I get the impression that flea bombs are for those with a tidy/clutter free house to start with?! I read a quick write up about them & it said you can't even leave your clothes uncovered in the wardrobe. Do you cover everything before you use them?

@LittleDaffyCat I hadn’t heard that before I used them, and my house is very cluttered and untidy

Did the job anyway, and didn’t seem to cause any problems.

Thanks GiantKitten I don't know anybody who's used them so you never know do you!