Ha!  I moved to a cold climate, na na na, no fleas!  Ok, sorry about that,
its just after living with fleas constantly for 13 years in Houston I have
to gloat a little.
 
Yep, that's right, constantly.  You only get hard freezes there every few
years so none of the bugs die off.  Your objective is to reduce the flea and
mosquito population to a bare minimum and keep it there.
 
I cannot used many insecticides due to extreme allergies.  So I used the old
tried and true traditions of baths, washing bedding and keeping a clean
house.  And I never washed my farts more than once a month, except at the
first outbreak of fleas, usually from bringing a new one in.
 
If you do have fleas, remember that timing is everything.  There is a 21 day
cycle to their hatching and to get rid off all the eggs, you should bath and
treat every 7-10 for 3 weeks or so.  I use castile or tea tree oil shampoo
on the guys, any soap will kill a flea.  Flea shampoos usually have a
residual.  I am very hesitant to put insecticide on my animals after
accidentally poisoning by cats years ago.  They're fine but it was tramatic.
 
I wash all bedding in HOT water with borax added.  It will kill fleas.  Wash
anything and everthing you can, it is the easiest way to kill fleas.  Do
this on a weekly basis!
 
As for the house, vacuum everything in sight and out of sight.  Don't forget
closets, under furniture cushions, crevices in wood floors and even the
appliances.  Throw away the vacuum bag every time you vacuum!  The little
eggs will hatch in there.  Vacuum bags are cheap!  If you want to treat I
would recommend the micro encapsulated form of boric acid, such as
Fleabusters.  It works well and you can apply it yourself.  It lasts around
a year and has a very low toxicity.
 
This is what I used to do in Houston and didn't have trouble with fleas or
any other bugs in a place where the roaches knock on your front door!
 
Happy Hunting!
 
Mo' Maggie and her now itchless Mob of Monkeys
[Posted in FML issue 1874]