I am not a filthy slob!
OK, I hesitated before sharing my plague problem out in public. But now I'm feeling defensive about it. Kind of like the girl with "cooties" in school! The clean-up report is: no new bites since Monday, when I first realized I had the infestation. I first (briefly) tried organic or at least less drastic means of extermination, like Dawn dish-washing liquid and borax, and a couple of other "home-made" concoctions, but it didn't touch these bad boy bugs. So I brought in the big guns of chemical warfare, spraying and dusting everything, house, car, me, and any chair I had sat in at work (secretly--now that was difficult!) I bathed in flea shampoo (and am still doing that every morning) and slept in flea powder. They seem to be licked. But after finding out online that fleas have three stages, egg, pupae and adult, I am going to keep up the chemical warfare for awhile yet, just to be sure.
What an embarrassing problem! The clinic NEVER DID get me a prescription for people medicine like they had promised on Monday. They mailed me a two-page advice article about new pets and keeping dogs free of fleas. So very not helpful. I don't even have any pets, as I had told them during four different telephone calls. And I feel like people may judge me as being a horrible, filthy slob! I'm not. I'm not! I've always been a neat housekeeper and believe me, the house has been pretty near immaculate since I put it on the market last May. You could nearly eat off of the floors--well, now you wouldn't want to with all of the insecticide--but you know what I mean. Any given day the real estate agent could be bring strangers through the house, looking in closets and everywhere else. It's very clean in here.
Maybe I am celebrating victory too soon? I hope not. SLA has had the infestation for three weeks at least. Which means that she had visited my house TWICE while she had the plague and never said a word until the second time and it was too late. She's still battling the bugs and had to get rid of her beautiful living room furniture. I think that's what strengthened my resolve--I am NOT going to get rid of my new (last year) leather couch and loveseat! They are pale beige and getting a few spots from all of the bug spraying but I refuse to just throw them away! And the strategy seems to have worked, I hope.
What an embarrassing problem! The clinic NEVER DID get me a prescription for people medicine like they had promised on Monday. They mailed me a two-page advice article about new pets and keeping dogs free of fleas. So very not helpful. I don't even have any pets, as I had told them during four different telephone calls. And I feel like people may judge me as being a horrible, filthy slob! I'm not. I'm not! I've always been a neat housekeeper and believe me, the house has been pretty near immaculate since I put it on the market last May. You could nearly eat off of the floors--well, now you wouldn't want to with all of the insecticide--but you know what I mean. Any given day the real estate agent could be bring strangers through the house, looking in closets and everywhere else. It's very clean in here.
Maybe I am celebrating victory too soon? I hope not. SLA has had the infestation for three weeks at least. Which means that she had visited my house TWICE while she had the plague and never said a word until the second time and it was too late. She's still battling the bugs and had to get rid of her beautiful living room furniture. I think that's what strengthened my resolve--I am NOT going to get rid of my new (last year) leather couch and loveseat! They are pale beige and getting a few spots from all of the bug spraying but I refuse to just throw them away! And the strategy seems to have worked, I hope.
9 Comments:
Every once in a while, we'll get a few in the house but not often. I tell you what, if you've gotta bomb the place, you'll probably have to do it two to three times because as you said, there's three stages to them.
We once had them so bad in our back yard, we had to call an exterminator to get rid of them....they would COVER your pant legs...it was awful! That was a really bad summer....we haven't had them like that since then.
Good luck! :)
Oh honey, no-one will think you're a filthy slob. When my daughters were at their old school they were constantly coming home with head lice. For years on and off I had to wash everything in sight and the hair on one of my daughters was snapping off at the roots with all the chemicals.
They do make you feel dirty and disgusting and I would be pretty grumpy with SLA if I were in your shoes. I know headlice hate eucalyptus oil but I don't know if that works on regular fleas. At least that is less toxic to your organic environment. Maybe its worth a shot.
Go and sit in BZ's car for a while and give her a dose of what she deserves....LMAO.... ah sweet revenge.
I definitely don't think anything bad about you at all. I have pets and fleas are a constant battle for us. I totally understand how you feel though. The first time I had an infestation in the house I was so freaked out and thought it was due to my housekeeping. Nope...it's just those little suckers are so hard to kill. Good luck, sounds like you are doing everything right.
Oh, I've never had to get rid of any furniture so I can't imagine how bad it must be at SLA's house that she got rid of her furniture. YUCK!
Why in the world would we think you are a slob? It's definitely not you that brought the fleas in. And they are hard to get rid of. I told you my story so you'd know that I know how disgusted you feel, not to tell you that you're disgusting! I'm so sorry if it made you feel bad. :(
nasty critters arent they? dont worry.... as for other people...well it is THEIR problem..but yeah i know what you mean....
Actually, I'm relieved to hear of other flea stories--besides SLA, her neighbor and me!
Oh, boy. That sucks. And you with your bad back having to go around washing everything in sight.
I have never had fleas in my house although my sister did. Her husband is a dog nut and they had to have their house fumigated. My sister was mortified as she is about as neat as a pin...so it happens to LOTS of people.
Hope it gets better soon.
You would think she would get rid of hers first before she infested her friends, what did she think that they were loyal to her and would stay on her body.
eek! fleas! I always fear infestation, kind of like that guy from Creepshow.
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