Using Flea Bombs For Severe Infestations

Adams Room Fogger

Flea bombs may be required for severe infestations. Some people find, that, after trying everything, they have to resort to the bomb.

This is sometimes a last ditch effort before calling in a professional exterminator.

After you've tried everything, you may find that you too, have to resort to the bomb (often referred to as foggers). Here are some things to keep in mind.

There are a few of things you should be aware of when using flea bombs.

  • Effectiveness. If you need to use flea bombs once, you'll possibly use them twice. If it has come this far, you can probably expect to have to use the bomb more than once to completely eradicate the flea infestation.

    The reason for this is the flea life cycle of the flea, and the fact that you need to control fleas in the house, on your pet, and outside the house.

    While flea bombs can take care of fleas inside the house, and, to some degree, developing fleas, just bombing the house doesn't take care of all three. In addition, nothing is going to give you 100 percent coverage.

    Many flea fogger/bomb products have an insect growth regulator or inhibitor (usually referred to as an IGR) combined with an adulticide. The adulticide, as you can imagine, is an insecticide that kills adult fleas. The IGR goes to work on the immature fleas to ensure that they never reach maturity.

    The effects of the IGR can last anywhere from three to six months. But, that's assuming the IGR got to the area where the eggs and larvae are hanging out. That's not always the case.

    An example of this would cabinets where the doors have been left closed, closets or rooms where the doors have been left closed, or under beds where skirts prevent the fogger from reaching. You also need to make sure that you use as many flea bombs as are required to cover the square footage involved.
  • Safety first. As with most pesticides, flea bombs are highly toxic. Remove all pets and people from the home for at least as long as the manufacturer recommends, and then some.

    Wear a protective mask and gloves when firing up the bomb, and make sure you follow the recommended safety instructions on the can. I'd spend an additional hour away from the house. Upon returning, open the windows and turn on air conditioning and fans, then leave the house unoccupied for another hour.

    You should seal up anything you don't want exposed to the chemicals. You will have to wash all bedding, including pet beds, linens, and so on. Afterward, you'll also have to clean all utensils, cookware, and dishes before using them. I'd scrub the counters quite thoroughly as well as any clean sitting areas.
  • Toxicity. Remember that any pet (or human) can be sensitive to insecticides, even those from natural sources, or synthetic versions of natural insecticides. Birds and fish are very sensitive, and cats and dogs can have reactions as well.

    Keep in mind that the Natural Resources Defense Council list various potential toxicity problems with chemicals, and warn that permethrin is:

    Likely to cause cancer

    Linked to asthma and allergies

    Suspected endocrine disruptor

    Very toxic to cats

    And Pyrethrins are:

    Possible carcinogen

    Toxic to the nervous system

    Linked to asthma and allergies

    Very toxic to cats

    These are two very common insecticides.

If at all possible, I avoid using bombs. It's far better to use more natural means to control fleas on your pet and inside and outside the home if you can. But for those times where things are out of control, the bomb may be the thing that does the trick.

Killing Fleas

Cat Lovers Only

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