Help! insect problem and I have no clue.

[rebirth]

ok, I have no idea how this happened, but my home has developed a flea problem! We don't even have any pets, so I have no idea how this happened.

What do I do? It seems worst in our living room, where we have fabric couches. I can sit for 10 minutes and have 1-3 fleas jump on me in that time frame. I haven't noticed them on a regular basis anywhere else, but I want to prevent it before that happens.

What is the safest, easiest and hopefully budget friendly way to rid my life of these buggers? I'm pregnant, so safety is more of a concern then anything else. We're toxin free/organic as much as possible.

[jjawm]

I HATE fleas. I'm allergic to them, so I don't take kindly to their invasion. I've never known a house w/o animals to have fleas, though. Are your couches used?

There are different flea products on the market - my only experience is with the nasty bomb things. If it were me, I'd bomb but be out of the house for a few days. Or else treat the couches with a spray, and have them sit outside for a day or so.

[rebirth]

Originally Posted by jjawm

I HATE fleas. I'm allergic to them, so I don't take kindly to their invasion. I've never known a house w/o animals to have fleas, though. Are your couches used?

There are different flea products on the market - my only experience is with the nasty bomb things. If it were me, I'd bomb but be out of the house for a few days. Or else treat the couches with a spray, and have them sit outside for a day or so.

They are used, but we've had them for over a year- so it can't be that, right? We've never had an issue before. We do have a few cats that roam our property occassionally- but they have NEVER been in our home, and we chase them off as much as we can.

We may just have to resort to bombing the house... but i'm hoping it doesn't come to that! Any other advice from anyone else?

[Smocked]

Don't bomb! They will go away eventually since you don't have pets.

Sprinkle borax on the carpet and the couches, let it set for a bit...an hour, then vacuum it up.

I'm sure you know already, but be sure to keep kids away from the borax. It's natural but not safe for little ones at all.

[rebirth]

Well- we're resorting to pestisides. I have someone over spraying soon.... It has become a HUGE issue overnight, and my feet/legs are covered in bites. I got 10 on my legs in a matter of minutes. With how sick my pregnancy has made me I just can't handle the stress. We'll stay at my moms tonight I think.

I also figured out the source, and I am beyond mad!!! I bought some fabric chairs at a yard sale nearly 2 weeks ago, and it much have come from them. They were priced way too low, even for a yard sale- so I should have suspected! The woman told me she had just steam cleaned them, but didn't say a thing about the flea issue she must have. I hope karma sends her a good one for being so shady!!!!!!!!!!

[rebirth]

We'll also be boraxing and washing all of our linens. I just can't believe this has happened!

[Smocked]

that's awful! I hope that you are done with the flea problem after the treatment though. I know how much of a pain in the neck fleas are, especially if you don't have any pets!