Practical Tips for Treating In and
Around the Home
Preparation and Cleanup
Pick up items from the floor:
Magazines, shoes, children’s toys, pet’s toys, etc. Remove items
from under beds and furniture. Dispose of cat litter and replace with
new material. Launder your pet’s bedding or replace with fresh
materials.
Thoroughly vacuum all carpet, rugs, and upholstered furniture. Place
the vacuum bag inside a plastic garbage sack and dispose of it outside.
For “bagless” vacuums empty the contents into a trash bag and dispose
of it outside the house. Pay particular attention to the areas where the
pet eats, sleeps, rests, and walks. Remember to vacuum under furniture,
floor cracks, stairways, and the baseboards along the walls.
Use any cleaning solution and damp mop the linoleum, tile, and cement floors
Remove pet birds from the house and cover fish tanks with a damp
towel. Turn off the air pump. Birds may be brought back after the house
has been well ventilated.
Arrange to have your pet treated per the recommendations of a veterinarian on the day you treat the house
Plan to be out of the house for two to four hours after the
treatment is completed. The floors must be dry before you reoccupy the
house. Leave the windows open so the floors will dry faster. You only
have to close the windows if you plan to use an automatic room fogger.
Life Cycle (Egg to Adult: Average Time 12
to 28 Days)
Treatment Procedure
Always read and follow the directions on the package of the pesticide you are using.
Use Mystic Home Pest Control Spray with a one ounce bottle of insect growth regulator added to the spray.
One gallon of spray with the growth regulator will treat about 1500
square feet which is about an average 3 bedroom home that is 1/2 to 2/3
carpeted. Alternatively, you may use Precor 2000. One can of Precor 2000
(which contains the growth regulator) will treat up to 2000 square
feet. Growth regulators prevent fleas from reproducing and act like a
“birth control agent”. Apply the material with a sprayer adjusted to
give a coarse fan spray pattern. DO NOT TREAT PETS OR HUMANS WITH THESE
PRODUCTS. DO NOT SPRAY THE TOPS OF CUSHIONS OR SOFAS. DO NOT SPRAY
BEDDING OR MATTRESSES.
The carpet must be vacuumed and floors cleaned before you do the treatment.
Begin in one room and direct the spray toward the baseboards especially
where the carpet meets the wall all the way around each room. Spray
under beds and furniture. Spray the surface of the floor in an
overlapping pattern. Do not “soak” the floor. Spray only until the floor
is lightly damp to the touch. In rooms where there are no carpets or
rugs spray very lightly and concentrate on the edges around the
perimeter. Do not puddle the spray on the floor.
Thorough coverage and deep carpet penetration (that means getting the product to the base of the carpet fibers) arekeys to effective flea control. Thicker shag and plush type carpeting will require more material and a very thorough treatment.
Work from room to room until the job is completed. Pay special
attention to the areas where the pet eats, sleeps, rests, and walks.
This is where the flea infestation is likely to be the highest.
Be Careful: The floors will be slippery. Keep off the treated area until the surface has dried.
Upon returning to the house make sure the floors have dried and the
house is well ventilated before re-occupying. A slight odor from the
spray may persist for several days especially if it is very hot, damp,
or humid. Keep windows open and allow fresh air to circulate just as you
would in a room that had been freshly painted.
Special Situations
Basements: Arrange items in the basement so that
you have as much exposed basement floor as is possible. It may be
necessary to use a room fogger if there is a lot of clutter or personal
possessions
in the basement.
Garages: If the garage is attached, plan to treat the garage floor just as any other room.
Crawl Spaces: If there is a crawl space under the
house and the animal was known to frequent this area, plan to treat this
area with spray or an automatic room fogger. Window Sills and Ledges:
If your pet (especially a cat) rests on a window sill or ledge remember
to treat this area.
Yards: If your pets spend time in the yard or you
have a designated run or a pen in the yard then the lawn may need to be
treated. Use Bonide Yard Spray with the convenient hose end sprayer.
Read and follow the directions on the label. Pay particular attention to
the shaded areas around the perimeter of the house.
Cars: If your pet spends a lot of time in the car,
it may be necessary to treat the carpeted areas. Use the liquid Mystic
Home Pest Control, Precor 2000, or Enforcer Flea Aerosol for Upholstered
Furniture and Carpets on the surface of the car rugs. Spray very
lightly.
Upholstered Furniture: If your pet spends time on the furniture it may be necessary to treat the
cushions. Use Enforcer Furniture Spray or Precor 2000 and lightly treat the cushions, arm rests, base of the
furniture, etc.
Beds and Bedding: Even if the pet sleeps on the
bed, there is no need to spray beds or bedding. Rather, launder the
sheets, pillow cases, etc. in hot water.
When Will the Fleas Be Gone?
Expect to see adult fleas for up to 14 days. This is normal as the
hidden cocoons hatch. Continue to vacuum carpeted areas several times a
week. If the fleas persist after two weeks you may need to retreat a
localized area or repeat the entire treatment.
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Practical Tips for Treating In and
Around the Home
Preparation and Cleanup
Pick up items from the floor:
Life Cycle (Egg to Adult: Average Time 12
to 28 Days)
Treatment Procedure
Always read and follow the directions on the package of the pesticide you are using.
Special Situations
in the basement.
cushions. Use Enforcer Furniture Spray or Precor 2000 and lightly treat the cushions, arm rests, base of the
furniture, etc.
When Will the Fleas Be Gone?
Expect to see adult fleas for up to 14 days. This is normal as the hidden cocoons hatch. Continue to vacuum carpeted areas several times a week. If the fleas persist after two weeks you may need to retreat a localized area or repeat the entire treatment.