Since we moved in our house about 3 years ago, I always notice these itty-bitty bugs in the bathtub. Not a big problem since I could rinse them down the drain. I tried Draino once or twice, but they eventually came back.
Well last night I had a piece of white paper on a shelf really low to the carpet and I noticed one on the paper, so I thought I would put it on the floor to see if I notice any others and sure enough I noticed a couple more.
They are gray and they hop - the shape of a grain of rice but only a fraction of the size. I need help and I don't even know what they are - are they mites??? How do I know and how do I kill them.
Here are a couple links that may help, at least if it is none of these, they can officially be ruled out. Look into the bedbug thing especially, they are a lot more common than people think.
Since you say they jump they sound like fleas. We had this problem in an apartment we once rented. We could barely see them, but they would hop in the carpet. We could not figure out the source (we had no pets) and come to find out they were coming from a bird's nest that was near out air conditioning unit. The nest was moved and the apartment was fogged (twice if memory serves) and that got rid of them. They never bit us or mad us itch....but I would think they would bother your cat...so maybe that's not it.
We moved into a rent house one time that had bugs all over inside & out. I called the pest control people. They said since most of them were in the carpet, to move all the furniture, sprinkle table salt all over the carpet, wait 20 minutes, and vacuum. Do this for 2-5 hours. Yes, it was a long process and I had to move furniture from one side of the room to the other, but it worked. Something about the table salt not being able to make the bugs breath. If you think it's bed bugs, do the beds too. Good Luck!!
get on a regular plan with a bug company - they'll come out 4 times a year and more if necessary. we live in the country and there are all kinds of things that end up in our house, now that we're on their yearly plan it is so much better - definitely worth the money!
I don't know what they are called, but I think that they are some sort of mite. I have had them in my house too. They always seemed to be around areas that had moisture...bathrooms, window sills. I have a pest control person spray regularly, and I have not seen any lately. We don't have carpet (hardwoods) so, not sure on how to get them out of the carpet. Good Luck!
Hi Nikki, it does sound like fleas to me. If you have a small lamp that will set about 6 to 9 inches off the floor put it in the middle of a room with a saucer of water under it on the floor when you go to bed. The next morning IF it's fleas the saucer will have them in the water. You could call a pest control but a cheap way to get rid of fleas is a carpet fleas spray you can get at wal mart. I can't remember the name but it has a black lable something like flea begone. You can also mix equal parts of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar & spray your carpet. The smell will evaporate but will kill the fleas. You will need to treat it several times to make sure the new hatching ones die. I would do it once a week for at least a month. The white vinegar will also kill ants. Good luck.
If you decide to use a pest control company, try Wise Chem Safe Pest Control. They are in Wise County and the metroplex. I use to work for them & they will take good care of you.