Flea bombs do exactly as the name says. They bomb the fleas. There are a few different types of flea bombs, but what they all have in common is that they are designed to exterminate a large population of fleas in a contained area. You put these pressurized flasks in a room infected with fleas and set the trigger. After a period of time, the flea bomb (aka flea fogger) will blow up, killing everything around it with pesticide.
Should you use flea bombs?
When your home is suffering from a serious flea infestation, the fleas can be almost impossible to get rid of. You may already have tried vacuuming daily and treating your pets with flea drops or other types of flea remedies, but without success. It can be an ongoing struggle to get rid of every single flea and every egg inside your home, as they spread quickly through your dogs and cats. Flea bombs or flea foggers may be part of the solution for your problem, because they provide a quick way to eliminate all living fleas except the ones on your pets. You need to follow different procedures to get rid of fleas on your dogs or other pets.
Are they safe around pets?
Flea bombs spread aerosol insecticide around the home, eliminating large number of fleas in a given area. As with any chemical control, flea bombs can never be 100% safe. In fact, some flea bombs may contain chemicals that your pet is allergic to. Many small kittens and cats have been known to suffer from terrible symptoms like lethargy, vomiting, disorientation, seizures etc. after using flea bombs or other products containing insecticides around them.
If you plan to use flea foggers, make sure you use one with a known chemical. Do your research before buying. If needed, speak to a vet. Most flea foggers are unsafe to use around fish tanks and aquariums, so have these removed from the room or at least cover them up properly. If and when you decide to use these products, make sure family pets, kids and elderly people are outside the house before spraying the insecticide.
How do flea bombs work?
If you have never tried using a flea fogger or flea bomb before, what you do is place it on the floor in the center of the infected room, making sure you cover up everything you do not want pesticide on first.
When flea bombs are triggered, they quickly fill the room with insecticide, affecting every living flea on all exposed surfaces. This would take ages for you to do with flea spray and chances are you would probably miss a spot. It only takes a few minutes for the flea fogger to work its magic, but as we are dealing with insecticide, you have to stay out of the area for several hours. This is to make sure the fumes have completely disappeared.
Please note that some flea bombs or flea foggers only kill living fleas. See if you can find one that kills fleas, but also prevent them from reproducing, thereby ending their lifecycle for good.
How to use a flea bomb
Preparation is key when you flea bomb your house. Here are some important steps to follow:
- Treat all open furniture, gaps under cupboards, drawers, internal doors etc.
- Protect delicate items using old sheets and covers.
- Cover up fish tanks. Remove pet food and water bowls from the area.
- Close all doors and windows to prevent the insecticide fumes from leaking out. Turn off air conditioning, fans and lights.
- After setting off the bomb, evacuate the house right away. The product label will instruct you to keep the house closed for a few hours. Follow these instructions carefully.
- Upon return, remove the remains of the bomb.
- Open all doors and windows.
- Thoroughly wash all sheets and covers used to protect furniture.
- Vacuum and mop the entire house. Throw away the vacuum bag.
- Mop all hardwood floors and wipe down countertops. Discard the rags used for wiping. Wash the mop and bucket used in hot water and dry them out completely.
As a part of effective flea treatment, it is often required to retreat in order to kill newly hatched fleas.
Flea bomb disadvantages
There are a few disadvantages of using flea bombs. You should note that it is not an all-in-one solution to get rid of fleas in your home. Several other procedures must be followed to take care of a severe flea infestation. Also remember that when a flea fogger has been triggered, you cannot use the area for several hours, so it needs to be planned carefully.
The pesticide used in flea bombs is not healthy and possibly even deadly to smaller pets and fish, so you really have to be careful when using it. Read the instructions and follow them step by step to prevent accidents from happening. Think it through before you trigger the flea bombs and remove or cover all the items in the room you do not want pesticide on. Clean all surfaces afterwards if you plan on placing food on them. All in all, use common sense and remember that you are dealing with pesticides.
5 reasons why you should use flea bombs
- Flea bombs kill hatching flea eggs, adults and larvae.
- Provides nearly 30 weeks of protection from fleas and ticks.
- Can be used for up to 5000 cubic feet areas or an entire average sized house.
- Affordable and convenient pest control for every pet owner.
- No lingering odors or sticky messes.
Where can you get them?
Flea bombs are readily available in pet stores and at most vet clinics. You can also buy top brands of flea bombs such as HotShot Bedbug and Flea Fogger, Spectracide Bug Stop Indoor Fogger and Eliminator Indoor Fogger from stores like Home Depot and Wal-Mart. These products are also available from online retailers like Amazon.
A flea bomb is great for mass extermination, so if you have a lot of fleas that you need to get rid of fast, you can get some flea bombs here.
