Flea control requires The A-Ok Exterminating Company to enlist extensive aid from homeowners in order to achieve better control and to minimize risks. Such customer cooperation is important because of the nature of flea control procedures.

Flea control differs from most pest control treatments in a homes in that typically quite large volumes of insecticide are applied to exposed surfaces in order to eliminate an established flea infestation. For pests such as cockroaches, which mostly occupy small, hidden harborages, pesticide treatments can usually be targeted much more narrowly and the focus is usually on localized treatment of non-exposed sites, often by crack and crevice or void injection.

The use of relatively large quantities of insecticides over large areas in a home for flea control inevitably means that The A-Ok Exterminating Company will encounter more situations requiring more care than when treatments are more localized. In a fully carpeted home, where pet dogs or cats have the run of the whole building, it will usually be necessary to make pesticide applications in every living area, and often in other areas too, such as basements, garages and outdoor areas. Also, the fact that most homes with flea problems have pets means that special attention must be paid to these animals, both from the viewpoint of their safety and from the viewpoint of them being sources or hosts of fleas.

It is not possible to provide a quality flea control service without proper customer cooperation. Therefore, we have categorized customer responsibilities regarding flea control into the following four categories:

• Providing information to A-Ok Exterminating. 
• Cleaning and clearing the premises.
• Arranging pet treatments.
• Evacuating or safeguarding people and pets during and after treatment as necessary.

The customer cooperation that might be solicited is itemized below for each of these categories. Note that the customer’s responsibilities will vary with the type of treatments conducted by The A-Ok Exterminating Company. For instance, some pesticide labels specify that the premises be ventilated after treatment, but many require no ventilation.

Providing information to The A-Ok Exterminating Company. Customers may need to answer the following questions:

• Have you seen or been bitten by any fleas?
• Where have you seen or been bitten by fleas?
• How long have you had a flea problem?
• What treatments of the premises, if any, have already been conducted?
• What pets do you have?
• Do the pets have fleas?
• What treatments of pets, if any, have been conducted?
• Do any pets go outdoors?
• Where do pets roam indoors?
• Where do pets enter and leave the building?
• Where do pests rest, sleep and eat?
• Where are the pets’ 'bathroom' areas?
• Have any pets had any adverse reaction to pesticides?
• Have any occupants had any adverse reaction to pesticides?
• Do any children visit or occupy the premises?
• Do you know of any fabrics or other materials in the premises which can be adversely affected by pesticides?
• Have you had any past problems with carpet staining?
• Do any of your carpets carry warnings about pesticide effects?
• Do any of your tables, chairs, etc. have steel 'studs' on the underside of the legs?

Cleaning and clearing the premises. It may be necessary, or at least desirable, for the customer to conduct the following cleaning and clearing measures prior to pesticide applications by The A-Ok Exterminating Company:

• Remove toys and other objects from exposed floor areas.
• Remove objects from the floor under furniture and from the floor inside closets.
• Vacuum all floors, including under furniture and at floor/wall junctions, especially where pets rest or sleep.
• Vacuum drapes and upholstered furniture, especially under cushions.
• Remove vacuum cleaner bag after vacuuming and dispose of it outdoors in a plastic trash bag.
• Thoroughly clean wood or tile floors.
• Sweep steps, porches and decks.
• Wash or destroy all pet bedding.
• Remove wash from clothes line prior to any yard spraying.
• Mow lawn prior to any yard spraying.

Following applications of residual insecticides indoors, the customer will be instructed to put off cleaning carpets, floors and treated furniture with detergents or other cleaners which may deactivate the pesticide.

Pet treatments. The customer should have any infested pets treated by a qualified and experienced professional on the day the premises are treated by The A-Ok Exterminating Company. If the customer uses their own vehicle for transporting the pet, arrangements should be made for this vehicle to be treated by The A-Ok Exterminating Company at the appropriate time.

Safety first. The precautions that need to be taken during and after applications of pesticides for flea control vary tremendously. Some products require people and pets to vacate treated areas during application and not to return until the spray has dried. Other products are less restrictive. However, all products used by The A-Ok Exterminating Company to treat the premises are not allowed to be used to treat pets or their bedding. Depending on the product(s) chosen by The A-Ok Exterminating Company, the customer may be asked to cooperate in one or more of the following or similar ways:

• Keep all people and pets out of the premises until the spray has dried completely.
• Don’t allow any humans or pets to contact treated areas until the spray has thoroughly dried.
• Do not permit children or pets to contact treated surfaces until the spray has dried completely.
• Ventilate the premises for X hours after the treatment and before re-entering (if specified by pesticide labeling.)
• Remove pet food, water and bedding during pesticide application.
• Remove or cover fish tanks to avoid pesticide exposure.
• Where fish tanks remain, keep air pumps turned off and tanks covered until after the spray has dried (and/or until after the premises are ventilated.) Do not turn off heaters for tropical fish tanks.
• Call The A-Ok Exterminating Company immediately if there are any questions about the possible adverse effects of pesticides on pets following our treatment.

Our flea control programs have proven to be quite successful in the elimination of these burdonsome pests.  For additional information, please call us at our location nearest you, or you may e-mail us any of your questions. We will be happy to help you.

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