Flea treatment in Enschede: recognising and confirming fleas
Fleas are tiny, dark brown insects, flattened from side to side, that can jump astonishing distances. In homes it is almost always the cat flea, which also lives on dogs and bites people once numbers build up. Signs to look for:
- small, itchy bites in clusters, especially around the ankles and lower legs
- a pet that scratches or licks a lot or develops bald patches
- black grains in the coat or bedding that turn reddish brown on a damp white tissue, which means flea dirt
- specks jumping on the rug or onto light-coloured socks as you walk across the room
If you recognise one or two of these, run a fine flea comb through your pet's coat over a sheet of white paper. You will soon know for sure.
Why fleas are so persistent
Adult fleas live on the animal, but their eggs drop off wherever your dog or cat lies and walks. The larvae that hatch hide in carpets, between floorboards, in cracks and in the sofa. They then pupate inside a cocoon that resists many products, and the new flea only emerges when it senses movement, warmth or vibration.
That explains two things people often find puzzling. After a holiday, or in a home that has stood empty, dozens of fleas can suddenly leap at you. And after treatment you may keep seeing fleas for a while: these are latecomers from the cocoons, which still die once they touch the treated surface. Keeping up the vacuuming is the key.
Treating your home for fleas
At the inspection we look at where your pet sleeps and lies, what kind of floors you have and whether there are places the animal sneaks into, such as a loft or a wardrobe. We also ask whether the vet has already treated your pet. Home and animal must be tackled in the same period; otherwise the fleas simply jump back and forth.
Before we arrive, you vacuum all floors, rugs and sofas thoroughly. We then treat floors, skirting boards, cracks and furniture with a professional product that only certified pest controllers may use and that also tackles the next generations. As with all our pest control in Enschede, we adapt the approach to everyone living in the house, including young children and other animals.
Your part during and after treatment
What you do makes all the difference. Vacuum every day in the weeks after treatment, under furniture and along the skirting boards too; the vibrations coax fleas out of their cocoons. Empty the vacuum bag or canister into the outside bin straight away, and wash the pet's bed, blankets and cushions on a hot cycle.
Avoid wet-mopping treated floors for the first few days so the product keeps working, and stick to the vet's treatment plan for your pet. Flea bombs and sprays from the shop rarely reach deep cracks, and a flea collar or shampoo on its own will not clear an infested home.
Fleas without a cat or dog
You can get fleas even without a pet of your own. If you move into a home where the previous occupant had a cat, fleas may still be waiting in their cocoons. An abandoned bird's nest under the roof tiles or in the gutter can produce bird fleas that find their way indoors. And neighbourhood cats that sleep in your garden or shed sometimes leave them behind.
If you mainly get bitten in bed at night, in a line, and notice blood spots on the sheet, bed bugs are the more likely culprit; read about our bed bug treatment for that. If in doubt, we will settle it during the inspection.
