Had back surgery on 7/11 and thats when I began to realize there was a flea issue ( never had one before and dog is on advantage II large breed religiously, every three weeks now. That made things worse, like we pissed of an army, they came out like crazy with a biting vengeance. Let me know if you would like a few free quotes . This is the height of tick season and when you leave the field with the dogs there are so many it looks like a flea infestation but its ticks. I recommend placing it for about a day and vacuuming it up afterwards. Just a regular vacuum with a bag works well. If I could apply it to myself, maybe I could enjoy the yard a little bit (I dont want to use the chemical Deet). Thanks for posting these detailed steps! Hey Shawn! Hope that helps! However, I recommend leaving it for 24 hours before vacuuming up all the powder (and any dead fleas) to ensure they die. Thank you so much for all of your help! Glad to hear it worked for someone. I get this question a lot, so I decided to add this into the article itself (lots of answers in the comments section if you want to read over them as well). Good luck! Hi Linda! At just about the same time when we begin to emerge from our homes in springtime, so do they. I have not seen any more since that time; about 2 wks. But all I have to do is lay down on my bed to sleep or just take a nap and I an finding little beige-ish bugs that run but I catch them in kleenex and flush them down the toilet. Can we do one room at a time or will the fleas move the room that has not been treated? You can use an plastic container with a lid. Good luck! I would say not to mix them. I also put down salt hoping they would eat it and dehydrate too. In conclusion, using this simple and natural powder can do wonders for household flea problems. HELP! I had bought food grade diatomaceous earth before and sprinkled it around for fleas, but no one ever said to vacuum it up after 12 hours, and I never knew anything about the pureness factor in the concentration of the product. I do need to add that after I did the Borax my vacuum cleaner broke and it took 4 days to get it back. I dont want to hire an exterminator, because Im wondering how much that is going to help if the fleas are all over my cats? We patiently waited while the precious spuds grew. Do that for a few days and let me know the results! Regarding your hardwood floors, you can try leaving a few DIY flea traps out at night, they are very effective. Just wipe the counters and check the books, I dont think using DE on them will help. I have a 3-month flea problem, first had pest control company spray all floors with toxic chemicals guaranteed to work for 7 months, did not even work for less than 5 weeks. If you have a large home, grab yourself a slightly bigger one. This year, were infested. Will it harm them if they walk or lay on treated carpets or furniture? Help! In some homes the powder was so thick it puffed up when walking on carpets.. and apple cider vinegar to put on a cat? Im so relieved! I have access to the hive in my wall by drilling small holes through the wallboard, would that be a good way to inject DE? Lastly, when cleaning it up, I highly recommend you use a shopvac, as they are very effective and you can usually hire one affordably. The vet had said avoid bathing as it would dry out her skin, but applying DE may as well. Intercropping companion plants helps deter flea beetles from the host plant. I would love to know more about this! I just want to add, if you want a dusting of DE put it in a powdered sugar shaker to distribute it. We will continue this treatment just to be safe and to make sure we catch any that have recently woken up. At this point (since you have tried a couple things), I suggest you get professional help from an exterminator. No problem with breathing. However it did say good for chickens such. While I have never gotten bit, seen them in the carpets, furniture, etc, every so often I will fine 2 or 3 on my dog. If you buy from one of our links,we may earn a commission. Its not dangerous but it might make her a bit wheezy so rather keep her away from it until its cleaned up. It is an amazing dust cloud! I wore a dust mask as I spread the DE around and noticed that my sinuses were very dry afterwards. However, if you really want a number, I would say that after a couple hard freezes its unlikely that there will be many fleas around. Maybe they know that its for I bought a glass shaker and have dusted my house all over my carpets Ive done it in the evening and then vacuumed it up the next evening. I then proceed to shake it wherever needed, I recommend that you do the same. Hope that helps! It already had salt rubbed into it and was sprayed earlier so we just put a clean mattress pad on it and he got a clean blanket and slept in his room. It doesnt, its not really a repellent. We live in Florida and we do get freezing days a few times but that is over a year away. I have a free range house rabbit and 7 cats, I live in New Zealand. I dont think just using DE on the dogs will work at this point since there are so many on them. I am starting it today. Can I use these in my very damp basement as well as my yard? Would love to hear your thoughts on our process and the likelihood that we got rid of everything. Because of its potential risks to pets, talk to your veterinarian before using food-grade diatomaceous earth for flea control in your home. I use just the neem powder with water to make a paste for my own hair, rub into scalp, leave on for 30 minutes and wash out. Regarding your dog and its fleas, I highly recommend that you use a spot on treatment and not that collar (see my article on the subject of flea collars, they are bad news). I have a screened porch I havent allowed my cats to hang out on because of fleas, and Im wondering if its safe to let them out for a while in the winter. Please help suggest some way to apply my De in a less hellaceous manner. My house is old, I live with my grandfather, and he refuses to get rid of all his old stuff around the house (making it very hard to deep clean and de-clutter, which makes it very hard to thoroughly clean to get rid of fleas). Please help. It is used to control slugs, millipedes, sowbugs, cockroaches, ants, and soft-bodied insects like aphids. However, if thats what you have, be sure to do the emptying outdoors away from any open windows. Thanks for your kind words and for sharing those valuable tips with the community, its really appreciated! This is a cultural method implemented by many, especially in the spring and fall. In this case, the fleas will be torn apart. She had 2 baths. Help! None of them worked. While it is sometimes required, its always good to give a couple tested home remedies first before taking a drive to the nearest shop for flea products, especially when they work as well as diatomaceous earth does! What if I placed the DE down and left it for days, weeks instead of vacuuming everyday and redoing the process. I recommend getting your yard a lime treatment (its not too expensive) or alternatively, as I just recommended to Shannon, get yourself some beneficial nematodes to kill those fleas outside. I know it says its okay to vacuum after 12 hours but I did it 4 days ago just to be sure :p and Im going to clean and reapply tomorrow. Hi Natasha, lot of really great tips on here. . Drink lots of water. Any dust, including silica, can be irritating to the eyes as well.. Hi Kim, thanks for your suggestions, love them! Im not sure which is the cause but my little friend is in bad shape. In addition to being by some people to control flea populations, diatomaceous earth has a number of other uses. Hi Natasha, I did a search of this page for the term Red Earth with no results. They roll around and get the DE on their coats. is a fairly large oriental rug (which is one of the nicest things I own), so I am a little leery of putting something on it, for fear it would make it powdery and/or affect the colors ? Dusting the comforter cover will work, just do it lightly and you will be fine. I hope that helps, looking forward to your success story in the next week or two. So we only have one in the living room, we keep our bedroom door shut to help keep it cooler in the living room where we are during the day. If you spot flea beetles in your trap crop, consider spraying or dusting (depending on your chosen method of management) to control the population and keep them from migrating towards the main crop as the trap crop becomes less desirable. I just bought a home and it so happens that one room is infested with bird mites Just wanted to ask that if DE would work with that Tried everything but its a killer at night I have sprayed my room with Lysol all around That is the only way that I can rest at night. I am freaking out and would appreciate any advice. . Good luck! I think we brought them home from groomer when they were shaved in July. Patiently awaiting your reply. Every night id get bitten 10 times no matter which room I slept in, tried throwing my bed away to sleep on the floor and same thing. If there are fleas on your dog, I suggest a topical spot on treatment. Hi Deb, I dont recommend it. DE is not for direct pet application, its pretty much only for your carpets, etc. You answered every question I had. Hey! (We live in an old coal mining area I am assuming the floors are slate). My pets are laying in it on floors. That being said, rather dont put anymore down if you can easily purchase some food grade stuff because it is better. Are they dead fleas? I gave him a good 10min soak in dawn soap last night and afterwards brushed him out like crazy. We dont really want to hurt the snakes as they are harmless black snakes and are doing a good job of keeping rodents from entering our home (we live in a huge hay field so we are a target). How do I know if its good grade if it doesnt say anything on the package? I originally purchased DE when i noticed my cat had worms. Its really as easy as that. Can I hose it down? All my rooms carpet and wood will have to be cleaned with DE, but putting DE down in every room at the same time is not a possibility. kittens, rabbits, hamsters, puppies, etc.) Seeking flea advice! @Bonnie, the itching and scratching will usually last awhile, especially if they were infested pretty bad. A ton on the back patio I need to do but there are only so many hours in a day. What do you think? Would it be better to do one level at a time to try to chase them all to the basement or just do both at once? Hope that helps! I found over 15 on my dog in a two day period. I have a bad flea problem in my basement where I let some cats stay in there for the winter. Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a powder made from the sediment of fossilized algae. These skeletons are largely non-crystalline (amorphous), although diatomaceous earth can contain varying amountsof crystalline quartz. In fact, food grade diatomaceous earth can even be used to kill other pests like bed bugs, chiggers and gnats so feel free to try it elsewhere if you are having a problem with those in your home. I wont be able to handle months of this, my stress will likely kill me and I cant afford costly options. But way worth it to stay healthy. Hi Allie! I highly recommend actually treating your garden (with lime, etc.) Hi Julie, thanks for the fantastic tips, I really appreciate you sharing those gems with us! Hey Nina! I dont usually apply it directly to pets but you can, let me know how it goes (I usually use a spot on). like sprinkling on the carpet. How should I use the DE and do I need to treat the beds? DE does help if your dog has worms. Also put a flea traps down (I have a guide on how to make your own) and you will find relief. I came across the above recipe after one of my dogs vomited for 3 days after advantix. Food grade is placed in seed storage facilities to dehydrate bugs from eating and reproducing in warehouses. Good luck! This is ground remains of a freshwater algae called Diatoms. Ive had to put a fan in the window and it is boggling how much dust comes up when I broom it. diatomaceous earth and scanmask nematodes Created by skcarr717 on June 16, 2016 at 8:45 am We have been using diatomaceous earth on our garden and we have an order of beneficial nematodes (Scanmask) coming. I have also sprinkled their window beds. Not on her just in house / yard. . The flea beetle (family Chrysomelidae) is a pesky visitor to most gardens. Can we still sleep on the bed or avoid for a while? Great product! I will be sharing this on my facebook page, I think everyone needs to know there are safer solutions to pest control than just spraying chemicals. Oh boy,I already applied it and left it for 24 hours and i still see them attack me.Should I leave the component for 4 days and more? I think its important to remember that pets are no less vulnerable to these side effects, says Hanna. Im terrified of going out there because my angles and legs are so scarred from continuous bites (they must like Chinese food hahaha) everytime I open my front door I see some jumping around. Im trying to get a handle on a flea problem that we are having and want to come up with the best plan of attack. My bird thinks shes a dog and runs around the house on the floor with them and on the furniture. Hi Natasha, I used borax all over my wood floors and carpet 2 days ago, vacuumed it up after 12 hours. Ive already had 3 jump on me. Unlike the other varieties and mixes, this is completely safe for the family and will not cause any problems in the house. Hi Barb! Country fleas are as big as horses lol. This is a valuable cultural control. I was trying to find an alternative to feeding her poison to get rid of them. Hello Natasha. I have been using apple cider vinegar to get rid of fleas on my dog and cats but I have noticed that my dog has got fleas again he still has apple cider in his food and water every day it did work at first and can I use diatomaceous earth with Apple cider vinegar and other natural herbs and oils on my dog and cats. Does DE dry out eggs and larve too or t least eggs? Use a plastic container with a lid, poke small holes in the lid and use it to gently spread the DE over your carpets. Ideally, try and purchase a product less than 1% of other ingredients (the purer the better) as this will ensure its completely safe. Just ordered 25lb bag of DE food grade with duster! Well, it gives you the confidence that you can use it for flea control without stressing about potential complications with health. Got my powder spreader and DE today and sprayed the crap ton in all my rooms. And while I know it is a non-toxic and an overall safe product., I am paranoid about spreading it around my house for my familys lungs sake. Parasitic Nematodes need to be applied in the evening and watered in well. Hu, some very useful comments on here! Is this a product that I want to buy to use to kill the fleas in my home? I have 2 questions. Hi Suzanne, I have only ever used the white one, so probably go with that. Hope that helps! Glad to hear that you are going to use DE in the house, combine that method with Frontline on the your pets like you mentioned and you will see fast results. BUT, I could find nothing on how long it was going to take to kill these little boogers once they made contact with it. Dont understand food grade part of it. For your hardwood floors, normally just cleaning them with your floor cleaner (whatever one is safe for your wood) is enough to kill fleas on contact. My one cat keeps getting reinfected with tapeworms even after medication and applying revolution. If your pet is older they may need to be bathed to help get the DE out. You can find DE at hardware stores. Put it under their sheets (vacuum it up after a couple days though and dont use too much) and put it liberally anywhere else, you dont need to worry because food grade DE is completely safe. Also, I think it is a good idea to brush the coat of your pet so the DE doesnt get too thick in the fur. Pet food allergies are very common, especially if their food has any type of corn variation or soy in it. Hey! Additionally, Pet parents should make sure they are purchasing a product that is approved by the EPA and that is coming from a reputable distributor, says Falk. Also will it harm bees? I will definitely add that to the main article so that others can benefit from your suggestion. Sharon, sprinkle some DE on the end of a broom bristles and then pass the broom under your bed as much as you can reach on each side of the ed, that should do it. Develop a keen eye for spotting these pests, so you dont have to suffer the devastation of their less-than-creative artwork on your plants leaves and tubers. We will discuss specifics on this a little later but be assured, its definitely not going to cost much! Jon. We have blackout curtains in our bedroom also. Thank you! And who doesnt like a good head start? Hi Kim, thanks for this tip, appreciate it. I will eradicate them but for those of you fighting these DE is an amazing product and I WILL win this fight. Natasha, I just got some DE this morning and I already see a big improvement. I found 2 fleas on my adult male cat today and immediately bathed him with flea replenent. However, after further investigation of its chemical makeup, this soft, often crumbly deposit was actually diatomaceous earth in its natural form. Hi Shelby! I also bet that your pets love you for it hehe . Hi Angela! I know its possible to apply safely but I am not going to recommend it and have hundreds of people knocking on my door with pitchforks in their hands . Hey Judith! I recommend that you use a brush and pan to get most of it up and then use your vacuum to get the rest. Other stuff I have used with success -our dogs we give them whole lemons to play with & the acid kills the fleas. Lets start with a very common question that many people ask on a regular basis; what is it and is it safe to use? How do I use DE on hard surface floors? Stands to reason, if you think of all the other gunk we breathe in, even microscopic parasites that ride the dust in our houses and air we breathe every day. Natasha, I am so thankful to this site. It may work on carpets but its not working when dusting my cats. Pleasure, have a good one and thanks for stopping by to read my blog , This article has definitely been one of the best Ive read in all my research. Kate. Sounds like you have a couple good flea fighting tools at your disposal (in the next couple days). It is best used in conjunction with some DIY flea traps, put out at night (article on this blog), as well as a good spot on (such as Frontline) for your pets. Can I use it outside in my yard and on my patio? I didnt have an infestation or anything, not even enough for them to be biting me, please help, knowing theyre still in here is driving me nuts, an just FYI I cant put anything chemical wise on the cats as they are allergic to most anything thats not natural, Thanks. Did I not put down enough? Is it okay to leave for a few weeks and come back later and vacuum? Hi Suzanne, the dawn and warm water should have killed the fleas instantly, if it didnt, perhaps you didnt reach all areas during the wash. Alternatively, it is possible that he got the fleas from his bedding before they were flea free, thus starting the cycle again. I will be writing about roaches in the next couple months and I will definitely include something about this. Our cat sitter recommended diatemeous earth. It is not effective for flea control when used in this manner and could potentially result in lung damage if inhaled, says Dr. Jennifer Coates, a veterinary writer, editor and consultant based in Fort Collins, Colorado. Ive recently experimented with using a power sprayer (think Wagner) for large area coverage in a very short amount of time (in our rental property) and had great success. I will also check my blog , I just bought food grade fleas r bite my poor pom try boric acid on rugs still here. This morning the fleas were jumping up on both my daughter and my legs at regular intervals, all over the house. So my two kittens are now in our basement until we can figure something else out.we may just have to bomb the place :-/ I have seen soooo many flees on them but Ive read original dawn is great for killing the fleas on the animals, it did but then we quickly realized ourhome is infested because they keep infesting our kittys. My dog is scheduled for neutering in November and I really would like the bugs to be gone by then. The only rug in my apt. I pray this stuff works I came across this article doing research to see if it actually works and let me tell you Im feeling a little relieved at all the positive feedback! I just put down de for fleas. Depending on the humidity and moisture level (it works better in lower humidity), diatomaceous earth can last in the environment for an extended period of time, says Falk. Thanks for the heads up, yeah while it depends on the amount of DE being sucked up, it is definitely hard on the vacuums. I also have Comfortis (flea med) coming for them which has helped in the past, but it wont be here for another week or two so I need to do something now! I do not use it on wood floors but use a damp floor mop with liquid that has some white vinegar. Absolutely, unless you have very small kittens (even this shouldnt be a major problem), its completely safe for your family and pets. Hi guys, Ive recently had my small 2 bed flat sprayed with K-Othrine to kill fleas I inherited from an abandoned cat I took in for a week before I found him another home. I have three cats, one doesnt have fleas really but the other twoboy do they have fleas. Omg. The algae tiny, aquatic organisms called diatoms have skeletons made of silica or silicon dioxide. Hi Teresa! How can I get it up without spreading it all over my house? I bought DE and have used it like suggested here. I actually left the DE under the furniture and under the mattresses. Thank you! 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