Biting & Stinging Pests · Austin, Texas
Flea control in Austin
Tiny, dark reddish-brown, flattened insects that jump. Most of an infestation is eggs, larvae, and pupae you can't see.
Signs you have them
- Itchy bites around ankles and lower legs
- Pets scratching constantly
- Flea dirt (black specks) on pet bedding
- Fleas jumping onto white socks as you walk the carpet
Why it matters
They cause itchy bites on people and pets, allergy dermatitis, and they transmit tapeworms.
Flea or something else?
Flea bites are small red bumps, usually on the ankles and lower legs, and they keep coming while you’re at home. Most of the time there’s a dog or cat in the house scratching too. Adults are dark reddish-brown, about the size of a sesame seed, flattened side to side, and they jump.
For the pet, comb over a wet white paper towel. Black specks that smear reddish are flea dirt. If the bites showed up overnight on your arms, neck and shoulders and there’s no pet, read our bed bug page. If they’re at the sock line and waistband the day after yard work, it’s more likely chiggers.
Where fleas come from in Austin homes
Dogs pick them up in the yard, at the dog park and on the greenbelt trails. Opossums, raccoons and stray cats bed down under decks and in the crawlspace of older pier-and-beam houses in central Austin, and they leave fleas behind. A lot of our calls are from people who just moved into a house or rental where the last owner had pets. Flea pupae can sit in the carpet for weeks and hatch when people start walking around again.
Fleas don’t only live in carpet. They’re on tile and wood floors too, and in couches and pet beds. Outside they stay in shady, damp spots like under the deck or the live oak where the dog lies. They’re worst from May through October, and a mild winter keeps them going.
How we treat fleas
We treat all the floor space of the whole house, not just the rooms where you’ve seen them. Sometimes we also treat couches and pet beds. We don’t spray countertops or inside cabinets. A growth regulator goes down with the treatment, so eggs laid afterward don’t develop into new fleas.
Outside, the technician sprays around the house about 2 to 3 feet up the wall and 6 to 10 feet out, plus under decks, patios and porches, and puts a granule down in the yard. Everyone, pets included, needs to be out of the house for 2 to 4 hours, until everything is completely dry.
After the visit: your half of the job
Our flea sheet says it plainly: the job is about half treatment and half vacuuming and washing. These steps make the difference:
- Vacuum every day or every other day for the first 2 weeks. Vacuuming gets eggs and pupae to hatch so the new fleas cross the treated floor. Empty the vacuum outside.
- Wash pet bedding, throw rugs and any clothes that were on the floor or slept on by the pet. Some pet beds are worth throwing out.
- Get every dog and cat on flea control from your vet the same week. A flea bath helps for a day, but the problem keeps coming back until the pets are treated.
- If it doesn’t rain within a couple of days, water the yard granule in.
- Mow, and clear brush, leaf piles and overgrown beds where fleas hide.
How long until it gets better
It gets better gradually, not overnight. Full results take 3 to 4 weeks, depending on how bad it was. Seeing some fleas in the first two weeks is normal. Those are new fleas hatching, and they die on the treated floors. We can’t re-treat until at least 2 weeks after the first visit. If you see no improvement at all by then, call us. When a second treatment is needed, it’s usually at 2 to 3 weeks.
If you’re on our quarterly plan, we do the flea treatment first and your regular visit about two weeks later. Fleas are quoted separately, after we know the size of the home and yard. Quarterly yard granules help some with prevention.
Prevention
- Keep every pet on flea control from your vet, all year
- Vacuum daily or every other day for two weeks after treatment
- Wash pet bedding and throw rugs on hot
- Keep wildlife out from under decks and crawlspaces
From a customer
“One of our pets got fleas and Magic was super responsive as soon as I reached out. They answered all my questions, provided extra resources, and were quick to schedule.”
How much flea treatment costs in Austin
- Most homes with a yard run $250 to $300 plus tax, priced by square footage. Larger homes are $20 more per extra 500 sq ft.
- A follow-up three weeks later is usually needed, at a discount.
- A one-bedroom apartment with no yard is $125. Yard only is from $180.
- 30-day warranty after the second treatment, when we treat inside and outside.
Treat the pets with a vet-recommended product the same week, or they bring fleas right back in.
Questions
How much does flea treatment cost in Austin?+
How do I prepare for a flea treatment?+
How long do we have to stay out of the house?+
Why do I still see fleas after treatment?+
Does the quarterly plan cover fleas?+
Do I need to treat my pets too?+
Why does my house have fleas if I don’t have pets?+
Where we treat fleas
Season in Central Texas: Active all year, peaking May–Oct.
Magic Pest & Lawn serves Austin and 26 surrounding towns, including:
