Advice
How to Get Rid of Fleas in the Home
Fleas spend most of their life cycle in carpets, bedding and furniture rather than on your pet, so clearing them means treating the pet and the home together.
Read the guide →Adult fleas on a pet are only a small part of the picture. The rest are eggs, larvae and pupae in the carpets, rugs and sofas, so the home needs treating as well as the animal.
Dense housing, shared floors and hidden fleas
Plymouth has a lot of tightly packed terraces and a large number of rental homes. In houses that change hands often, carpets can hold flea pupae for weeks, which hatch when warmth and movement return. A tenant arrives, and within days there are bites.
We often hear that nobody has had a pet in the property for months. That does not rule fleas out. Pupae can lie dormant, and a visiting dog or cat, or a stray coming into a garden or hall, can bring in more. We inspect the usual hiding places and treat them.
How we deal with a flea problem
First we listen: where are the bites, which rooms, is there a pet, and have you spotted black flea dirt on bedding. We then inspect your Plymouth property, agree what needs doing and give you the price before we start work.
Treatment covers carpets, rugs, soft furnishings and floor edges. You help by vacuuming well before and after, washing bedding on a hot cycle and asking your vet to recommend a suitable product for your pet. We arrange a follow-up too, because eggs and pupae that survive can hatch after the first visit.
Working with landlords and letting agents in Plymouth
Property managers in Plymouth often need a flea problem cleared between tenants, with clear notes on what was done. We can work to that. For households, we keep things simple and respectful, and we do not blame anyone for an infestation. We also cover Ivybridge, Salcombe and Dartmouth, so call us if you are just outside the city in PL1 to PL9 or beyond.
Frequently asked questions
My Plymouth rental has fleas but the tenant before me had no pets. How?
Fleas can travel in on visitors, or arrive with a neighbour's pet or an animal in the garden. Pupae can also survive in carpets for weeks. We would inspect the property, treat the affected areas and tell you how to stop it coming back.
Can I just wash everything and vacuum instead of calling someone?
Washing and vacuuming help a lot, and we ask you to do both. But eggs and pupae lurk in carpet fibres and floor gaps that a vacuum misses, so a targeted treatment and a follow-up usually stop the problem properly.
Should I keep my dog out of the room after treatment?
We will tell you exactly what to do on the day, including how long to keep pets and children out of treated rooms. Please follow that advice, and speak to your vet about a flea product for the dog.