Flea treatment in Port Elizabeth
Usually people already know they've got fleas when they phone. I ask where the dogs spend time, especially where they lie down for long periods, and look at the animal bedding.
True Clean treats the property in Port Elizabeth. Treating the cats and dogs is a separate job for the owner, using a suitable flea treatment from the vet.
Written by Diederik Visser
Operations, marketing and pest control at True Clean. Seven years in pest control.
First-hand information recorded .
Which areas do you check?
I start with animal beds and ask where the dogs or cats spend their time. The client often already knows fleas are the problem, but we still need to understand which areas are affected. In our jobs, that is often the house as a whole rather than only the spot where someone first noticed them.
Where a dog lies for long periods is particularly useful information. It might be a regular bed indoors or a place outside. Cats move around much more, so one resting place may tell us less about the whole area that needs attention.
Outside, I look for the dog's usual daytime resting places. Flattened grass and dug-out patches can show us where it spends a lot of time. Those are areas I want to assess as well as the floor inside the house.
What does the property treatment involve?
The property treatment works through the floor areas of the house, including under beds and beneath loose rugs where we can lift them and get access. It is broader work than treating the pet's bed and leaving the rest of the rooms.
Outside, we assess the practical treatment area around the house and the places where the dogs lie. How far we can work around the perimeter and which resting areas need attention depends on the property.
Access is part of getting that work done. A loose rug we can lift or an area under a bed we can reach needs considering during the visit, rather than being missed because the middle of the floor is clear. The products and surfaces decide how each affected area can be treated.
What should I do before you arrive?
If you can pick up toys and unnecessary loose things lying on the floor, that's great. It makes it easier for us to reach the areas that need treating.
Picking things up doesn't mean you need to empty the house. I mainly mean the toys and other loose items scattered over the floor. Having those out of the way gives us access to the floor areas we came to treat.
The pet treatment needs arranging alongside our visit. Our service is for the property; the animals need suitable flea treatment from your vet separately. Doing the house while leaving the cats and dogs untreated leaves an important part of the problem unaddressed.
Why is there a seven-day follow-up?
With flea treatment, we always do a seven-day follow-up. One visit isn't the whole service plan, even if the house feels much better after it.
We've had cases sorted within two or three days, but that isn't always the case. Usually, it's around two weeks in my experience. Those are observations, rather than a guarantee for every property.
More fleas can emerge after the first visit, so an early improvement isn't a reason to drop the follow-up. I explain that seven-day return as part of our normal flea service from the start. The two- or three-day cases have happened, but around two weeks is a more useful account of what we usually see than promising that best case to everyone.
Can I clean the floors after treatment?
After the first treatment, I normally ask clients not to wash the treated floors until the follow-up arrangements have been explained. They can still vacuum and sweep as instructed for the job.
Before we return, I usually ask for the floors to be given a good wash. They have had a week without washing, and the follow-up treatment is then carried out after that cleaning. We'll confirm the timing and which areas this applies to for the products used in your house.
That sequence is worth getting clear: leaving the treatment undisturbed between visits and cleaning before the next treatment are different stages. Follow the instructions we give you, including when people and pets can use the treated areas again.
Questions we get asked
Do you treat the pets as part of the job?
No. We treat the property. The owner needs to arrange suitable flea treatment for the cats and dogs separately.
Should I arrange carpet cleaning at the same time?
Tell us if the carpet also needs cleaning so we can plan the order of the work. Don't book cleaning over a treated area without discussing it first.
What does the work cost?
The table below lists inside-and-outside treatment, one-side-only treatment and their follow-ups separately. VAT is included. We confirm the scope and follow-up price before the work.
| House | Inside and outside | Follow-up | One side only | Its follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 bedroom | R1 610 | R1 035 | R1 150 | R748 |
| 4 bedroom | R1 840 | R1 380 | R1 495 | R805 |
| 5 bedroom | R2 013 | R1 610 | R1 725 | R920 |
| 6 bedroom | R2 128 | R1 840 | R1 955 | R920 |
See the travel charges by area for work outside Port Elizabeth/Gqeberha.
Prices can change. We keep the site up to date as best we can, and the price we quote you before we start is the one you pay.
Tell us what you're seeing
Tell us where the problem is and what you've noticed. We'll take it from there.
Or phone 061 905 0514 if you'd rather talk to a person.