I'm Gonna Go Insane!

OMG y'all, I HATE FLEAS! The hot summer months have already started a few weeks back here on the Gulf and fleas are everywhere, including our house. I've tried everything to get rid of them, and of course hubby's freaking me out by dousing the carpets and furniture with toxic chemicals! :x I vacuum now several times a week as I know they constantly hatch off and live for at least 90 days to try and suck up the ones I can and immediately dump the vacuum canister in the trash each time. I even took some of my tea tree EO and mixed it with water in a small spray bottle and keep it by my chair and spray it and myself with it every so often, but that's an expensive option that doesn't last but a few minutes.

I just read about using dia-something earth (can't remember the full name right now) and how it's non-toxic and can be even rubbed onto your pet's coat and sprinkled about the home. I'm desperate and willing to try anything that doesn't involve poison! My crazy DH even took the liquid poison (it's commercial grade) and added it to our steam cleaner and literally soaked the carpets all over the house! I can't even stand the thought of going barefoot on the carpet anymore even though it's dry now. :sad:

And the fleas will only get worse since it's peaks around August/Sept! I HATE summers down here. It's too darned hot, muggy, fire ants and fleas everywhere! ARGHHHH

Its diatomaceous earth. And yes! It appaently works wonders for fleas on furry things like carpet and pets. You can also try borax. I had a friend who had fleas all over her house and she did the DE and they went away really quick. She didnt have dogs so I dont even know how she got them in the first place :eh:.

I would give it a try. Don't buy the expensive kind in food stores. I think they have inexpensive ones for gardening. Its all the same anyway.

If your interested, it comes from the sea and is actually comprised of the exoskeletons of dead sea creatures called diatoms. They are made of silica and are spiny (microscopic). They dry out the fleas and get stuck to them but they wont harm people or anaimals becasue out skin is too thick for them.

I've heard good things about DE, too, mage, worth a try. I know it is cheaper on Amazon, and it is all the same. I used it for gardening, I ordered a big bag of food grade stuff (I don't eat it, that's how it came, but I figured that meant it was pretty safe) fairly inexpensively compared to eg, Home Depot.

Yes, DE is the only thing that works here! Our problem was particularly bad because we have indoor/outdoor dogs and cats, and since using it outdoors in the dog run area, and sprinkling it around the house and vacuuming, the fleas have been drastically reduced. I rub it on 2 of the dogs, but my Jack has sensitive skin, so he gets a little bit in his food every day, and that keeps the fleas away from him.

ETA- make sure you get food grade DE, not industrial grade!

galaxyMLP said:

If your interested, it comes from the sea and is actually comprised of the exoskeletons of dead sea creatures called diatoms. They are made of silica and are spiny (microscopic). They dry out the fleas and get stuck to them but they wont harm people or anaimals becasue out skin is too thick for them.

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Ick... I just figured it was some special kind of dirt lol. Learn something new every day.

I have heard good things about DE.

Re: vacuuming - where do you put the trash after you empty the vacuum? If it's going right outside the door...they can hatch there and migrate back inside. You can put the bag in the freezer, and then put it in the can just before the trash people come.

You may need to get your yard treated.

Control of Flea Infestation -- Flea control is comprised of a three-pronged approach aimed at pet, indoor, and outdoor control.

• • Outdoor Treatment -- To effectively control fleas, the yard-source should be eliminated by applications every 2-3 weeks of a common garden insecticide such as diazinon, carbaryl, or malathion.
    Indoor Treatment -- The pet's local environment (bedding, carpet, et c.) should be thoroughly cleaned. Adult fleas should be exterminated through the use of an adulticide such as chlorpyrifos or the pyrethroids ("foggers" and similar insecticides are generally good initial products for this phase of flea control). Growth inhibitors (methoprene, fenoxycarb) should then be applied to bedding, carpets, and any other areas that fleas may inhabit. These treatments should be applied every 2 weeks for 1 month and then every month or two throughout the flea season.

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dixiedragon said:

I have heard good things about DE.

Re: vacuuming - where do you put the trash after you empty the vacuum? If it's going right outside the door...they can hatch there and migrate back inside. You can put the bag in the freezer, and then put it in the can just before the trash people come.

You may need to get your yard treated.

Control of Flea Infestation -- Flea control is comprised of a three-pronged approach aimed at pet, indoor, and outdoor control.

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Larva of flea can survive frozen for up one year so freezing does not help but fire does. I always used fire pit to fire the vacuum bags.
I must be awful to have fleas, I still remember when I had puppies how much of them was on them and our fight with it. Some animals like hedgedogs do have them, like thousand of them. I am talking about the wild ones not the ones in cage )
ooo they do not survive water so maybe an old bucket with water and dump the vacuum bags there

You're right - freezing wont' kill them. But it will stop them from hatching, so if you put the bag in the freezer and put it in your trash can just before trash pick up, it stops them from hatching in your trashcan and infesting your yard and then re-infesting your house.

Of course, it's always good to kill it with fire.

I have a dog who is badly reactive to fleas (skin issues)... new house, didn't have fleas until some magically appeared last year. I read somewhere the DE isn't good for cats and I have two , so I ended up doing the granules that you water in for the yard and buying the "good" topical stuff from the vet for a few months for the cats/dog and just vacuuming the heck out of the house. I use a shop vac so I just sprayed the inside of it with flea killer for anything I picked up.

FYI if you put the topical stuff on the animals, do not give them a bath in soap ever. Found out from the vet that I just washed my $20 right off the poor dog even though I waited a week before giving her a bath! Ended up going to an oral (capstar I think) pill since the dog needed twice a week baths in a medicated shampoo for her skin. Vet said you have to use a soapless shampoo with the topical stuff. Never did tell me what that was though...

Good luck with defleaing!

You can also use hydrated lime anywhere outside to kill fleas. It doesn't hurt dogs/cats or plants. Its actually good for grass and it kills fleas like crazy. You can get it at the hardware store in the same section as all the ready mix concrete bags (at least here in Australia thats where it is). There is also a table to give to dogs that works wonders on fleas (again not sure if you can get it) Its called comfortis. A once a month tablet, but I find I only need to give it to my dog once ever 6 or so weeks.

dixiedragon said:

I have heard good things about DE.

Re: vacuuming - where do you put the trash after you empty the vacuum? If it's going right outside the door...they can hatch there and migrate back inside. You can put the bag in the freezer, and then put it in the can just before the trash people come.

You may need to get your yard treated.

Control of Flea Infestation -- Flea control is comprised of a three-pronged approach aimed at pet, indoor, and outdoor control.

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We don't have bags, we have a cannister that we dump outside in the trash bin. But during flea season we dump it in a separate bag then spray the crap out of it with flea spray before tying it up and putting in the can.

Well I found DE at my local Tractor Supply just down the road and they had a 40 lb bag on sale for $16 so I grabbed it! I took one of my large baby powder containers and filled it to use for easier sprinkle application and put it on the carpets, in darker hiding spots around the house, outside where my labs love to nap, and even dusted them really well as well. This was all yesterday, and I noticed this morning that my girls weren't biting themselves at all, so maybe it's actually working. And because of my back, I can't sleep in a bed anymore, so noticed when I slept on my couch in the solarium where the fleas are the worst, I didn't see any on me at all this morning. So maybe this is the trick but only time will tell. At least I have plenty of it to keep applying when needed!

De is good but when you put on carpets you constantly breath in the silica in it , it is not safe. The place you put the DE (must be food grade) should be vacuum very well before let the animals in, especially small animals. DE is kind of trendy lately but no one looks at safety of applying it. One should use mask when doing it. It is awesome in the garden, on grass, no shrubs or veggies patch
When I had dogs I had also container vacuum cleaner with hepa filters. I dumped it into water then washed the container

I used my mask when applying and it is food grade. The one I bought is actually meant as a supplemental diet for large animals like horses and cattle. I never thought about breathing it in, so thank you. I only did a light dusting and haven't noticed any irritation when I breathe at all and I sleep on the couch surrounded by it so I think it's okay. I mostly put it under the furniture and other dark hiding spots since that is what they recommended.

Soapmage the irritation does not show immediately, be very careful with it. I wanted to use it in home but I had search extensively for the safety of that. It is save in food for animals even for people but it is not safe to have it sprayed or dusted in house. Just vacuum it well. It will kill all shell less insect "soft bodied" but not the one that have shell. I think it will kill larva but not the grown up. It is a real problem with the fleas. I am trying to live green but with that insect and having the dogs I sprayed house with the chemicals.

Okay, thanks I will be careful. I may just use it for outside by the entryways and where the dogs like to nap instead of the in the house in the future.

Flea control is definitely a good idea every once in a while. I guess the statement 'kill it before it lays any eggs!' applies here.

In any case, prepare for the worst as it is only starting, thank God we don't have them here (most of the time)

DE works by cutting the bodies and then absorbing the liquids...and fleas are hard bodied, not soft {thats why you can't kill them if you catch one and try to squish it} Normally you sprinkle enough to coat the top of the carpets etc and then take a broom and lightly go across it by 'rubbing' not 'sweeping' to make it work down into the fibers..dont leave it sitting on top.

Fleas will be dying within 4 hrs..but good idea to leave it sitting for at least 12 hrs.

Also to note that any vibration will cause inactive fleas to begin moving about, and any eggs will begin to hatch..so vacuuming will get them riled up..you also need to redo the process about a week or so later to catch any newly hatched fleas.

For yards, the ground must be dry, because DE absorbs liquid like a sponge, and it wont be very effective against pests if the ground is wet.

Not only does it need to be 'food grade' it also needs to be at least 91% pure

ETA: the particles are very small, and wont cause irritation for the most part, just wear a normal face mask or something and dont sprinkle it in a drafty area where a fan is or anything..also putting it directly on an animal isn't advised, because it can cause skin drying..better to place it on areas where the animals sleep {unless the animal is being eaten alive..it wont harm the animal but if you do put it on the animal, it would be best to bathe them after about 4 hrs and make sure they are very dry before letting them back into a treated area}

Thanks for that info Jstar!

Where do you get food grade DE? I'm.not able to order online right now and would like to get some locally, but have no idea where to look for it. TIA

gigisiguenza said:

Where do you get food grade DE? I'm.not able to order online right now and would like to get some locally, but have no idea where to look for it. TIA

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How much are you looking for? I've got a bag that I got from a friend. I can send you some (if your not looking for pounds of it) until you can source it.

ETA: I found this product at Lowe's. It is not food grade (of course), but I'm pretty sure it is all DE. If there are any chemicals in it, they're not listed anywhere on the bag. I haven't used it yet, but as soon as the flea season starts in the spring, I will use it outside.