# Fleas! Using Indorex



## wind1 (Oct 24, 2010)

I have a flea problem! About 4 weeks ago I started getting bites around my lower legs and immediately suspected fleas. All 3 cats have been treated regularly but I had noticed they had the odd one or two fleas on them. They are now all completely flea free. I have only been getting the odd bite for the last couple of weeks now and have found a few fleas on the floor, all in the same place which happens to be by my feet when sitting on the sofa, they are always half dead. I have set up a couple of home made traps and caught a couple that way (lamp on floor with a plastic lid covered in sticky tape, fleas are attracted to the warmth and light, then get stuck on the lid). Two days ago I sprayed all the sofas, chairs, rug and edges of the floor with Indorex spray. I have never used it before but all reviews I have read say it works. Today I have found 2 fleas, one small one half dead and my trap caught another one which was huge, and I have a fresh bite. My question is, does this stuff really work? And having read up on the life cycle of a flea I understand that the spray will not kill the pupae so they will still hatch. Do they then die once in contact with the surfaces I have sprayed? If so why have I got a new bite?


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## Little P (Jun 10, 2014)

It does work, and as you are aware, it's the pupal stage that's hardest to crack. 

Lots of vigorous vacuuming will help both because they aren't sticky (so will get sucked up!) and also the vibrations will stimulate them. 

Have you treated and vacuumed under the sofa/chairs etc.? 

It sounds like you're almost flea free to be honest


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## wind1 (Oct 24, 2010)

I've hoovered under, over, inside, on top of and everywhere possible on the sofas and chair! I've also washed all the loose cushion covers. I have a wooden floor (floorboards) so I'm thinking they could be in the cracks. When I hoover I run the pipe along the cracks, I also sprayed the floor under and around the sofa where I have seen fleas, even though it says you don't need to, unfortunately it's made it quite slippery. I really do hope I am nearly flea free, I'm getting paranoid about them now, every little speck I see on the floor I'm down on my hands and knees inspecting it!!


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## SpotOn (May 7, 2013)

I would be hoovering every other day (and spray twice a week for at least for a month).... My landlady cats brought them in end of summer which was a nightmare. Spray ALL soft furnishings, any of your clothes that have been in contact with animals on hot wash, including washing pet/human bedding weekly. I'd also spray the car. Keep all flea and worming up to date for all animals as worms can be a host for fleas and vice versa. There is a real problem as we haven't had a proper first to kill off parasites this winter  

Eggs can be picked up on shoes/clothes/other animals, but can lay dormant for months. So likely hood is not all eggs hatched/picked up at same time, hence your still seeing a problem.


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## wind1 (Oct 24, 2010)

Thank you for the advice. I have been hoovering every day so far. I need to order another can of spray because I have only treated the living room and my son's bedroom as he was getting bites too. I have also been washing bedding frequently and hoovering my bedroom rigorously. I'm reluctant to use the spray in our bedroom as my husband is asthmatic and although the spray says it is fine for asthma, I never like to use them. Touch wood, I have not found any evidence of fleas anywhere now for a few days. I realise though there could still be some lying dormant so I will keep on with the hoovering and keep a close eye on it all.


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## winter (Dec 16, 2012)

Do you have a flea collar in your vacuum bag? some people put a flea collar in there vacuum bag to kill fleas they suck up with the vacuum or throw the hoover bag away straight away as I read the fleas can crawl back out the hoover.
I've just stocked up on flea products as we've had no cold weather to kill anything off at all.
Hope you manage to get rid of the little blighters.


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## SpotOn (May 7, 2013)

As long as you properly ventilate rooms after spraying (I usually add an extra 30mins) it should be fine. 

Also what products have you used to treat yours pets? And how frequently are you doing so? I only ask as I am a SQP and can sell most of the small animal flea and worm products.


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## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

No need to keep spraying Indorex! One application lasts 12 months; spraying more often won't make it work any more and only fills your house with even more chemicals! I'd treat the whole house, well, once - then concentrate on hoovering, washing bedding etc and being religious with the spot-ons etc.


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## Muttly (Oct 1, 2014)

A whole can on one lounge??? Unless you're lounge is gigantic, then you are using too much! A can should do a normal 3 bed house!
AS for not spraying you bedroom because of your husband. My Husband has one weak lung and so is extremely sensitive to all sprays/changes in air quality etc, Indorex has never bothered him and we did the whole house. Spray your bedroom in the morning and open the windows to air it.

As Shoshannah says above, do that. It does work, it's great stuff.


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## wind1 (Oct 24, 2010)

winter said:


> Do you have a flea collar in your vacuum bag? some people put a flea collar in there vacuum bag to kill fleas they suck up with the vacuum or throw the hoover bag away straight away as I read the fleas can crawl back out the hoover.
> I've just stocked up on flea products as we've had no cold weather to kill anything off at all.
> Hope you manage to get rid of the little blighters.


I have sprayed the bag with Indorex, I hope that will be sufficient or would it be a good idea to put a flea collar in as well?



SpotOn said:


> As long as you properly ventilate rooms after spraying (I usually add an extra 30mins) it should be fine.
> 
> Also what products have you used to treat yours pets? And how frequently are you doing so? I only ask as I am a SQP and can sell most of the small animal flea and worm products.


I use advocat to treat them every 4 weeks.



Shoshannah said:


> No need to keep spraying Indorex! One application lasts 12 months; spraying more often won't make it work any more and only fills your house with even more chemicals! I'd treat the whole house, well, once - then concentrate on hoovering, washing bedding etc and being religious with the spot-ons etc.


I'm going to order another can so I can spray the rest of the house. I am hoovering and washing bedding frequently and will be treating the cats every 4 weeks.



Muttly said:


> A whole can on one lounge??? Unless you're lounge is gigantic, then you are using too much! A can should do a normal 3 bed house!
> AS for not spraying you bedroom because of your husband. My Husband has one weak lung and so is extremely sensitive to all sprays/changes in air quality etc, Indorex has never bothered him and we did the whole house. Spray your bedroom in the morning and open the windows to air it.
> 
> As Shoshannah says above, do that. It does work, it's great stuff.


I live in a palace!! No, I haven't used the whole can but probably have used over half on the lounge and one bedroom. I'm not sure the rest of the can will be enough to do the rest of the house but I'll give it a go. I have all wooden floors throughout so no carpets to spray, that will save some.


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## Muttly (Oct 1, 2014)

Yeah that should be enough then, with no carpets to do


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## Matrod (Dec 22, 2014)

With my war in fleas I also use a handheld Hoover so I can quickly do the carpets & my bed where the cats have been sleeping to get rid of any eggs that have rolled off them. I don't use spot ons because of the cats health issues but I have found doing tonnes of hoovering has really helped, the Hoover has been sprayed with indorex & has a flea collar in it. I had a full on infestation years ago & indorex was brilliant at getting rid of them


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## winter (Dec 16, 2012)

Spraying the hoover bag with indorex is a good idea never thought of that, should be enough to kill the fleas that are sucked up.


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## wind1 (Oct 24, 2010)

Matrod said:


> With my war in fleas I also use a handheld Hoover so I can quickly do the carpets & my bed where the cats have been sleeping to get rid of any eggs that have rolled off them. I don't use spot ons because of the cats health issues but I have found doing tonnes of hoovering has really helped, the Hoover has been sprayed with indorex & has a flea collar in it. I had a full on infestation years ago & indorex was brilliant at getting rid of them


I don't have a hand held hoover but I do use a sticky roller on the beds where the cats lay and that picks up all the bits that they leave behind!

I'm still getting the odd bite. They are very tiny bites as in they don't come up in a big red bump and are only mildly itchy. I usually react to bites quite badly so I'm wondering if these ones I'm getting are from baby fleas so not as potent? I'm still hoovering daily and will wash all the bedding/blankets etc again over the weekend. I haven't seen any evidence of them for nearly a week now but there must still be something lurking for me to still be getting bitten. Pesky things are driving me mad.

One quick question, I have now sprayed our bedroom but because there is no carpet and no rugs I have just sprayed all round the edges and I did spray the floor under the bed. Is that enough or should I be spraying the mattress too? I have taken off all the bedding and that is in the wash.


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## Muttly (Oct 1, 2014)

winter said:


> Spraying the hoover bag with indorex is a good idea never thought of that, should be enough to kill the fleas that are sucked up.


Would spraying the filter do the same, mine hasn't got a bag?

Sorry Wind1, I'm not sure, as Muttly doesn't go on our bed, so I don't do it.


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## Muttly (Oct 1, 2014)

This might help more:
http://icatcare.org/advice/flea-control-cats
I googled to see if they could live on hard surfaces as I didn't think they could and was a bit worried your cats might lick it off the floor. (you said you sprayed the floor under the bed). *EDIT*: Just found confirmed that Indorex is safe (once dry) on hard surfaces.
It says all soft furnishings and gaps inbetween floor boards and on hard floors.

This is quite helpful too about uncarpeted floors:
http://www.pestproducts.com/flea1.htm
It also explains why Muttly picks up the odd flea after running around and lying in the long grass in the summer.


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## wind1 (Oct 24, 2010)

Muttly said:


> This might help more:
> http://icatcare.org/advice/flea-control-cats
> I googled to see if they could live on hard surfaces as I didn't think they could and was a bit worried your cats might lick it off the floor. (you said you sprayed the floor under the bed). *EDIT*: Just found confirmed that Indorex is safe (once dry) on hard surfaces.
> It says all soft furnishings and gaps inbetween floor boards and on hard floors.
> ...


That's great thank you. The link about uncarpeted floors is very helpful. My only problem with spraying the cracks in the floorboards is that it makes the floor slippery and it's impossible to just spray in the cracks without it going onto the boards. I will just have to keep up with the hoovering daily I think.


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## Little P (Jun 10, 2014)

Muttly said:


> Would spraying the filter do the same, mine hasn't got a bag?
> 
> Sorry Wind1, I'm not sure, as Muttly doesn't go on our bed, so I don't do it.


Give a squirt around the inside of the cylinder (and shut it quickly!)


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