Pest Control In Redbridge

Not based in Redbridge? Other local areas our pest control experts cover include Barnet, Islington & St Albans.

Redbridge has the enviable reputation of being one of London’s greenest boroughs with an embarrassment of parks, outdoor spaces and woods, perfect for taking a stroll or walking the dog.

Areas such as the expansive Hainault Country Park, the ancient oaks in Claybury Woods and Park and the desolate beauty of Wanstead Flats all provide breath-taking backdrops for a spot of fresh air.

Unfortunately if you enjoy a walk in one of these lush green spaces, there’s a chance you might end up taking home more than a sense of relaxation and rosy cheeks.

Fleas are something many pet-owners dread but you don’t have to have animals in the house to be invaded. Fleas can very easily hitch a ride on your shoes or trousers, jumping aboard from the wild grasses and clinging on until you get home.

Means of transport

All responsible cat and dog owners regularly give their animal’s flea treatments in order to reduce the risk of an infestation. This is undoubtedly for their furry friend’s benefit, but also to protect the home.

Once established, fleas are annoyingly resilient, and can be difficult to get rid of without the help of a professional pest control agency. Getting in early is therefore vital for the quickest and most effective treatment.

Cats and dogs are well known carriers of the tiny critters, bringing them in on their coats particularly after going for a long walk or roll around in the grassy fields!

But you don’t have to be a pet-lover in order to suffer an infestation. If the previous owner in your house had pets, they could have unwittingly introduced fleas into the carpets or curtains. Second hands beds, clothes, linen and furniture are other routes that can easily bring fleas into your home.

Getting rid of fleas

There are various forms of pest control on the market but unfortunately getting rid of fleas once and for all can be far more challenging than it would first appear.

Even after a good coating of flea treatment, the little critters can still appear, having hidden in crevices and nooks and crannies to avoid getting doused. Plus the pupae can lay dormant for as long as 18 months, fleas appearing once more even after you were sure that you had smothered your home.

In many cases therefore the only way to treat your home effectively is by calling in professional pest experts.

There are of course some steps you can take to help speed up the elimination of fleas from your house.

Firstly, groom your pets outside; this will ensure that any fleas being carried on their fur won’t fall off into your carpet or furniture. Make sure you also clean their bedding regularly, preferably on a very hot wash.

Vacuuming your house regularly is also a good habit to get into to both prevent and treat fleas. Run the hose around your furniture as well as into the smallest spaces on the floor. Once a flea treatment has been applied, continuing to vacuum regularly is vital as it will encourage the dying fleas to fall off your furniture, curtains or carpet.

Effective treatment

Professional pest control is extremely effective at getting rid of fleas but even then, it won’t be an overnight reaction.

A full lifecycle of a flea can last around a month and it may take 2-4 weeks for any treatment to be fully effective. This is because flea treatments do not usually work on pupae, so there needs to be time for the larvae to hatch and to be killed off.

Although fleas don’t carry nasty diseases like other types of pest, such as cockroaches, rats and even pigeons, their bites are still unpleasant and can cause extreme discomfort, particularly if you have an allergic reaction.