We have fleas! In a pet free, carpet free home..

[Beanie]

I feel like the worst mother and homekeeper in the world. DS has bites on his thighs and back, which I thought were mozzies (which would be a whole other vent), but I have just seen a few fleas around the couch.

We don't have pets, and we have tiles on the floor, so I am just surprised that we could have a flea problem I feel terrible for poor DS who has been copping most of the bites. I haven't had any problems, and nor has DH.

What can I do about them? I don't want to be bombing the house when we have a toddler and I'm pregnant, and anyway, would they live in all the rooms when we don't have carpet? I think they must be living in the couch, so I will definitely be washing and vacuuming that..

Any other ideas or insights welcome. I feel so bad about this, I actually feel sick when I think about fleas hopping round the house.

[angelskies]

we had this problem and it turned out to be what are called sand fleas that liam was bringing home when he had pockets and shoes full of sand. people also get fleas from birds on the washing so there are a few ways of getting fleas without pets!

sadly they are a buggar to get rid of! good luck with it!

[luv'nhubnbub]

Are you sure they are not bird lice? We thought we had fleas once as DD, Myself and my husband we waking up with bites. But it turned out to be bird lice coming in from the roof. A corner of the roof in the kitchen had a bird's nest under broken roof tiles. We got a pest control in and stayed at Mum's house for a few days and he said it was fine for children. It got rid of the problem. Just let them know you have babies and are pregnant and they will tell you if it is safe or not.

HTH
Melissa

[hippi_chick25]

I have known fleas to live on tiles in a bathroom where there was carpet in the house but they were in the bath, not mine thankfully. I would say the sand option is probably the most likely cause but I dont really know, I do know they hate garlic and tea tree, so perhaps that could be a natural way to get rid of them sorry im not more help..
its def not soemthing you should feel bad about these things happen...
good luck

[Toria]

If tea tree oil works, then maybe trying mixing some of it with bicarb & sprinking it on the sofa. Leave a while, then vacuum it up.

[blondeboys]

we have this problem, we do have 2cats and a dog, but we keep them flea treated- almost anal retentive about it- we have NO caprpet in the house, we ripped it up and polished the floorboards when we 1st got the problem, last year we bombed the house twice and got it professionally sprayed twice, this year the same, they have started are gone now, my parents also had this problem. from what i understand, they live in the dirt under the house. but having tiles i wouls assume you are on a slab?

[Beanie]

Thanks guys. We are in an apartment, on the 1st floor (ie one level up from the ground), so it can't be coming from under the house as such. There are dogs in our complex, I guess maybe DS was playing with one and the fleas hopped on to him?? Or who knows? We do have a sand pit but DS hasn't used it for about 6 months.

Anyway, they do definitely look like fleas, as they jump and are tiny and black, I will definitely try that tea tree oil and soda trick after I wash and vacuum the couch in a first round attack.

[mum2squish]

A darling possum which took up temporary residence in our roof spread fleas into our house
Happened when I was pregnant with Pickle, we ended up having to flea bomb the house (which we were told is safe but we weren't taking any chances) DS and I left home (yay for my mum living in next suburb!) for the day while DH bombed and then came back and aired out the house and vaccumed and mopped before we came back...
Nasty little buggers
(we have polished wood floors too...)

[Theresa]

Combine equal parts of borax and bicarb soda and sprinkle over any affected area.

After 2 days vacuum it all up.

May take more than one application.

Havne't tried it myself, but its come to me for super chemically sensitive people to use so hopefully it would be fine for bubba's and pregnant mummies

[my3sons]

Try mixing water soluble eucalyptus oil with water in a spray bottle 10mils to around 200mil of water spray on the lounge and also a grate for mozie repelent, dust mites,ants and all round cleaner (even pen and pencle of the walls)