# Fleas on soap help



## Lin19687 (Jun 30, 2018)

So because this is next to the woods there are bugs. I figured that and have big spray.
But what I didn't figure on were FLEAS ON the soaps !
 They seem to like them.. grrr 

Anyone know what I can do for next time ?  I'm at a loss
I will move to the street side and not the woods side for starters next time.


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## Serene (Jun 30, 2018)

what??!!!


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## Lin19687 (Jun 30, 2018)

Yeah, gross. Totally reminds me when i worked at the animal hospital and shelters. 
I did find that putting the side wall up on the side that was the worst side seems to have helped greatly !

It's Carlisle, lol, it's all woods and 70s houses. Which I love.


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## earlene (Jun 30, 2018)

So you had this happen at the small Farmer's Market?  Gross.  Do people also sell foodstuffs at the same location?  I'd talk to the market manager and ask what they plan to do about this problem.  I'd say it's a customer service problem that the Market Manager should address.

In the meantime, you could use some cheap flea collars or some such, but I think it would lend a questionable odor to your booth and look pretty tacky if they are visible to your customer.


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## IrishLass (Jun 30, 2018)

Are you sure it's a Farmer's Market as opposed to a Flea Market? 




IrishLass


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## scard (Jun 30, 2018)

I have some neem soap you could probably sell safely!?


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## cmzaha (Jun 30, 2018)

earlene said:


> So you had this happen at the small Farmer's Market?  Gross.  Do people also sell foodstuffs at the same location?  I'd talk to the market manager and ask what they plan to do about this problem.  I'd say it's a customer service problem that the Market Manager should address.


I agree with Earlene they need to do something about. I am severely allergic to fleas and can take up to 8 months for the bites to heal up, and won't mention the scars I end up with. This happened when my rental was vacant a year ago, I walked in there and my legs were riddled with bites. The worst took over 6 monts to heal and the scars are ugly. So I would have a definate issue doing a market that was infested with fleas. Good thing I do not live in the country  or back East, I am also severely allergic to mosquito bites. Emergency room time and when on a bike trip in Colorado I discovered gnats also sent me to emergency, so that rules out living in a canyon. We stayed at a small inn in a canyon. 


IrishLass said:


> Are you sure it's a Farmer's Market as opposed to a Flea Market?
> 
> 
> IrishLass


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## Lin19687 (Jun 30, 2018)

So when I put up the side wall curtain they seemed to be at bay.  I sprayed bug spray at the back of the curtain behind us.  Gah I hate that stuff.

This IS the country, and it is Woodsy.  There is nothing that can be done about it.  No one really said anything and I did bring up the bug factor to the main guy at the end.  I don't think they knew there were fleas.  I really wonder if it was the scents of the soaps that lured them to us 
They REALLY liked the soaps, which is so weird ! Loving spell was the Fav of them hahahaha.   <--- the fleas lol

And yes, before someone asks, yes they are fleas.  I worked 15 years in Animal hospitals and shelters...  ugh I hate fleas.  And you bet your bottom dollar I shook everything over and over !.   but I have NEVER seen Fleas like this , you would have thought I was a Furry Collie smelly dog ! , No I am not furry and not a dog, but occasionally I smell  

Next week I will move over to the "sunnier" side across the parking lot from the woods and use 3 wall side curtains.

BTW, there are a LOT of people that haev bad reactions to fleas and other bug bites.  In the ER I used to work at we got several a month from June till Sept.

OMG @IrishLass  I am so glad I didn't read that at the FM or while drinking  I would have fell outta my chair !  Way funny !


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## dibbles (Jun 30, 2018)

I've been trying not to, but I have to ask. Did you end up not wrapping your bars and putting them out naked? If the fleas are getting on them, I'd rethink that. Leave one naked and wrap the rest in paper that can be recycled. I am not disrespecting your choices, but if I was a buyer, I'd move on.


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## I_like_melts (Jun 30, 2018)

What about having one "display" soap and keeping the rest in iceless coolers or clear boxes?

And definitly talk to management, if its a problem just in that booth space, they may be able to move you.


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## Lin19687 (Jul 1, 2018)

@dibbles I do sell Naked, this is a Very earthy Crunchy crowd.  But I may have to look into that.  I could make it work, just really was looking to keep as naked as possible. 
I can't do Clear boxes as the only one I know would be Plastic and that is a no no here, not legally though but I won't use it if I can.

I will have to see how it is on the other side of the lot and then decide.
thanks


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## DawninWA (Jul 1, 2018)

How are they getting there?  Do they just jump? Or do they climb the canopy or table legs?  If they climb, maybe you can put something at the bottom, of the table legs to keep them from climbing.  I don't know much about fleas, but you can keep ants off a table my putting the feet in water. Or maybe a little oil on the legs? 

Maybe some peppermint or lemongrass or something flea repellent around the outside of the canopy?


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## Barmaid (Jul 1, 2018)

Lin19687 said:


> @dibbles I do sell Naked, this is a Very earthy Crunchy crowd.  But I may have to look into that.  I could make it work, just really was looking to keep as naked as possible.
> I can't do Clear boxes as the only one I know would be Plastic and that is a no no here, not legally though but I won't use it if I can.
> 
> I will have to see how it is on the other side of the lot and then decide.
> thanks


You could look into the biolefin option from National Shrinkwrap. It is compostable and biodegradable, AND they send you stickers to put in your booth to help educate about the biolefin film! I really like it (so do my customers!) and have been using it for years! http://www.nationalshrinkwrap.com/order-shrink-film.html


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## earlene (Jul 1, 2018)

I agree that clear plastic boxes would be a bad choice.  If your booth ends up in the sun, those plastic boxes would just heat up the soap, in addition to being non-crunchy.  But how about pretty paperboard boxes?  I recently starting putting my cured soaps into pretty paperboard boxes that have magnetic lid closures because I had some and like the way they look better than plain cardboard boxes or shoe-boxes.  Sometimes the local Dollar Store has them on sale pretty cheap, but I also bought a few at Goodwill just yesterday (varying sizes), so deals are possible.

I have a recipe that I use for bug repellent spray that works well for me.  I cannot guarantee it works with flees fleas, or even that it will work for everyone, but I am willing to share of course.  I posted about it here, if you are interested.  I have three links in that post as well that might help with which EOs to use for fleas.


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## Lin19687 (Jul 1, 2018)

I did originally look into that Biolefin but it is too expensive and really i still would have to explain that to everyone that walks in.
Once they see anything that is Plastic game is off.  No matter how you explain it. 

I do use Butcher paper, brown and thick like the old grocery bags. I use that for lining my drying rack and shipping of soap.
I could wrap with that and a sticker to hold closed.  Just really didn't want to wrap anything.   darn bugs  Now I have to rethink my display.


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## cmzaha (Jul 1, 2018)

If you have a restaurant supply nearby, they have sheets of oil resistant paper in different sizes and works nice for wrapping soap with a natural look. They somewhat resemble parchment paper. Get the small sheets and you may not even have to cut them. As for wrapping I find my customers will not purchase naked soap, that people have touched and they get very dirty when going to markets. None of us like to wrap but it is much more sanitary. Biolefin is much to expensive for the amount of soap I wrap so have to use regular shrink wrap.


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## penelopejane (Jul 1, 2018)

dibbles said:


> I've been trying not to, but I have to ask. Did you end up not wrapping your bars and putting them out naked? If the fleas are getting on them, I'd rethink that. Leave one naked and wrap the rest in paper that can be recycled. I am not disrespecting your choices, but if I was a buyer, I'd move on.



I agree with dibbles. Personal preference I know but I won’t buy naked bars. I wear gloves and wrap mine in paper or real (wood pulp) cellophane.  

At markets I’ve seen people pick up bars and hold them to their nose, then put them back. I don’t want to buy that bar.


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