A flea treatment is not finished when the bottle is empty. The residue has to stay on the floor long enough to kill newly emerged adults, and the vacuum has to run often enough to pull pupae out of their cocoons. Those two requirements pull in opposite directions, so the order matters.
Before the spray
Vacuum thoroughly, especially carpet edges, under furniture and along skirting boards. Wash all pet bedding at 60 °C and dry it hot. Clear the floor — toys, clothes, cushions — and put them away in a closed room. Cover or remove food bowls and the water bowl.
The first 24 hours
Keep pets and children off treated floors until dry, and give it longer than the label’s minimum if the room is cool or humid. Open windows for ventilation but keep the animal out of the room. Do not walk on the carpet in outdoor shoes; the residue transfers to the soles and then to the rest of the house.
Days 1–14
Vacuum daily — this is the part people skip. The vibration triggers pupae to emerge, and the adults then contact the residue. Vacuum with the beater bar on, go slowly, and pay attention to the same edges you treated. Empty the canister or bag into an outside bin immediately.
Keep the pet on its flea treatment schedule. A treated pet is a moving trap: fleas that jump on it die before they can lay eggs in the carpet.
Laundry, in order of importance
- Pet bedding. Hot wash, hot dry. Weekly for a month.
- Your own bedding if the pet sleeps on it. Same temperature.
- Soft furnishings. Cushion covers and throws that can be washed; vacuum the rest.
- Pet toys and carriers. Wash or wipe, and leave them out of the treated room until dry.
What not to do
Do not vacuum immediately after spraying; you will remove the residue you paid for. Do not use a steam cleaner on a treated carpet in the first two weeks — heat and moisture degrade many actives. Do not re-spray every few days out of anxiety; the label interval exists to prevent over-application, and more is not better.
Day 21
Count fleas on the pet for five minutes with a flea comb. Zero to two is success. More than five, or new bites on your ankles, means a second application to high-traffic areas and a check for an untreated source — a visiting cat, a neighbour’s dog, a shaded spot in the yard where the pet rests.