Help with fleas!

[Taylormade]

I visited my trailer in storage yesterday and when I stepped in, a fella with a clipboard told me I wasn't on the list.

Fleas have taken over my baby and my legs were covered in them within a minute of being inside. Is this as simple as setting off a regular house bomb and leaving her shut for a day or two? Are there any other concerns I should have? Best practices?

Thanks in advance!

Scott

[dznf0g]

I guess I'd handle it the same as I would with the house. Use all the same precautions with dishes, food surfaces, etc.

[SuperTrouper]

Hi Scott,

I've never had them in the AS but have had plenty experience at home. First take any bedding you have out of the trailer as well as food items and plates / dishes. Wash the bedding in hot water and hot dryer. While the bedding/food stuffs are out, open all the compartments and doors inside and set off a flea fogger and shut the main door. Be sure to put newspaper under it on the floor before discharging and leave it for a few days. For ongoing non- toxic flea control we used to use a small bare 7 watt green bulb over a tin pan of water/dishwashing liquid on the floor. The fleas would come and jump at the warmth of the bulb (not sure why they like green) and fall into the soapy water and drown. You could also use a sticky mouse trap pad instead of the water. This method need continuous power and is good for maintenance but if the place is infested the fog bomb is the only way I've found to take em out. Good Luck!

Brad

[eljay]

I like "full season" flea killers/spray. Kills adults, eggs, larvae. Use per manufacturer instructions.

[pappy19]

After all the above, buy 2-3 "extra large" dog flea collars and cut them into 2-3 inch pieces and place them in strategic locations, inside and out. Cheap insurance for fleas and also keeps wasps and other critters from coming into your AS.

Pap

[Taylormade]

Thanks for the feedback, folks, I'll be on my way shortly!

[daveswenson]

Originally Posted by pappy19

After all the above, buy 2-3 "extra large" dog flea collars and cut them into 2-3 inch pieces and place them in strategic locations, inside and out. Cheap insurance for fleas and also keeps wasps and other critters from coming into your AS.

Pap

What would you consider "Strategic locations"?

[aftermath]

Originally Posted by Taylormade

I visited my trailer in storage yesterday and when I stepped in, a fella with a clipboard told me I wasn't on the list.....

Scott

I missed the point of this opener. What list are you talking about? And how is this related to the fleas?

I would use the house bug bomb and see where that takes you. Do you have pets? If so the dog collar thing sounds like a good idea.

Good luck.

[Taylormade]

Originally Posted by aftermath

I missed the point of this opener. What list are you talking about? And how is this related to the fleas?

I would use the house bug bomb and see where that takes you. Do you have pets? If so the dog collar thing sounds like a good idea.

Good luck.

Sorry my attempt at humor. I was saying that the fleas had a doorman keeping me out.

I bought three cans of flea bomb and set one off already in the living room. Tomorrow I'll set can two off in the walkway between the bathroom and the twin beds and Saturday I'll probably finish them off with a can in the kitchen.

[Wayne&Sam]

Three cans in that area is overkill. You'd be better off doing them one at a time, every two weeks to the newly hatched ones.

[Phoenix]

A few days parked in the Arizona sun in mid-summer will kill fleas, bed bugs, house flies, bees, and about anything else in your Airstream. Caution, this will also kill children and pets, which are illegal to leave in parked vehicles, anytime.

[NJtoNC]

if anyone is interested, we use diatomaceous earth for a number of insect related issues; fleas and ticks for the cat (rub her down, put in food) mites for chickens (put in dirt bath and in food for internal pests) and to kill fire ants (dump / stir in nest). It's organic and can be consumed by humans, too. Also good for bed bugs. It's crushed fossilized shells, i believe.

[mccrosti]

Fleas cannot live without human or animal blood to feed on. If there a source in the trailer? Maybe even a dead animal? The fleas are hungry that is why they jumped all over you. They do'nt live on an animal, they jump on, feed then jump off. I would get some Adams Flea spray or something similar and spray before I used a bomb. Good Luck!

[aluminitus]

I second the diatomaceous earth idea. We use it on both of our dogs and haven't seen hide nor hair of fleas since we started. I got two big bags off Amazon...be sure to buy FOOD GRADE, not pool grade as this is poisonous to dogs and people.

[jdalrymple]

The fleas don't simply like your decor. There is or was a live mammal in your trailer at some point.

You did not mention how long it had been since you had used the rig, or if you have pets that might be carrying fleas.

But, if it has been more than a couple weeks, the fleas would all be dead without something to feed on.

I would look for signs of rats or mice.

Regards,

JD

[mandolindave]

If not dormant, and left alone with no food source for a few weeks, they WILL attack.

In addition to every thing else you do. ( Flee Bombs )

# 1 Hot water to clean linens ( Borax and detergents )
# 2 Dawn Liquid Detergent ( Blue ) to clean what you can
# 3 Sprinkle Borax Laundry Booster on carpets/matress, wait a few days,
Vacuum,Repeat a few times ( I was told that Borax melts bugs) .

[Taylormade]

Ok, thanks so much everyone for your feedback and advice. The trailer hasn't been used since March 31s but we did have our two dogs in it for two weeks prior to that. At Jekyll Island, we had them out in the fields a lot, so I can definitely see them being picked up there. When we got home, it was time to give the dogs their flea and tick preventative medicine, so we did. We haven't had a problem in the house. I was in the trailer a week or so ago taking some measurements and didn't notice any fleas at the time. I DID, however, take a piece of visqueen I had at the house on the patio and took it to the trailer a few days back... THAT could very well be the source.

If not, I could see mice getting in there as well, as it's stored in a gravel parking lot with a ton of other RVs.

Anyway, I started the fogging earlier today and will go back and check up on Thursday I think.