For a day or so he scratched a little and we saw a few crawling but now he seems fine and is no longer scratching. Here are a few easy steps that you can follow to get rid of fleas in your home using diatomaceous earth. in their water bowl. Hey Tom! On skin, it can cause irritation and dryness. Insane is what these pests make you. If you don't have any carpets, it can also be used on hardwood floors as a very effective way to kill off any flea infestations that may have found its way into your life. If all goes as planned, Ill wait a few days and treat again. Our basement is made of slate floors. I dont allow links in the comments but I have left your blog name in there so please can google it. Hey Yvette! Let me know how it goes and I will help you further where necessary! This week sadly my house came in contact with fleas due to my sister-in-law spending the week with me while my husband was in florida at a work conference. I have been using the chihuahua as the control because he has short white hair and fleas are easy to see on him. I just purchased food grade DE and am wondering how many times and how often should I repeat application of the DE on my carpet and furniture and also my yard to get rid of fleas and larvae for good? Just remember to use it when the grass is completely dry as moisture will significantly reduce its effectiveness. It is made up of the fossilized remains of single-celled aquatic microorganisms called diatoms. Sounds like you have a couple good flea fighting tools at your disposal (in the next couple days). We dont seem to be having a problem in the house but Im going to pick up some tea lights and make some flea traps to make sure. What is the best way to go about treating an outside infestation? Its important to purchase the food-grade variety of diatomaceous earth if you plan to use it at home. and when I put it all around house, when do you vacuum it up? Will it harm them if they walk or lay on treated carpets or furniture? Buying diatomaceous earth from Walmart or Lowes This is definitely a great option, especially if there is one of these outlets near your residence. Our dog has brought us the summer gift of a flea infestation. Since our new house was built in 1947, there are tons of cracks in baseboards. How would you suggest resolving this situation before it escalates further? Looking for a permanent solution, tired of being aggravated by the little pests! I recommend using it around the house, not so much for direct application. Just how much do I sprinkle on my three pound and eight pound dogs dont want to use to much please help thank u, Hi Kathy! Also, I always recommend a bagged vacuum cleaner; using a HEPA type bag helps keep dust and other particles from being sent back into your room as you use the machine. No offense to them, but if it has a toxic label, its very unlikely that its safe for your pets and kids. Amanda: I saw the same bag the other night at my local home improvement store. Im leaving it overnight into tomorrow just to make sure but, this stuff is clearly superior and fantastic. Older transplants may resist pest pressure and recover more quickly if they suffer damage. Sorry, these ticks have me all flustered. Hi Justin! Real Cheap, $9.00 for 4lbs plastic tub, or they had large plastic pages for $12.00 many pet stores carry it too but be prepared to pay 25.00 for small cantainer. 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. Attracts and Kills - Made from diatomaceous earth and selected baits, this powder causes insects to dehydrate and die within 48 hours after contact. Do you put it on and leave it (and if so does this harm them if they start to lick the DE/clean themselves? Im not sure how to avoid this (it was a fine sprinkling) and wonder why you caution against raising such a cloud. On a side note I did try Natural Care + , I dont know if it did anything or not but it was natural and I could use it on my pets. Natasha, I just got some DE this morning and I already see a big improvement. Additionally, you are killing the good bugs with the bad when you are broadcast spraying. We are using it right now. I had been suffering from pesticide resistant mutant fleas for about almost a month now. Hi Karen! Within 24-48 hours of application, 85% of my flea problem was solved!! 1. While this guide is designed to help you understand more about this alternative method of flea control, your veterinarian will be able to best determine if diatomaceous earth is right for your lifestyle. Flea infestation. Have a good one! I was wondering, would I be able to use the diatomaceous earth alongside the K-Othrine? Though estimates vary widely, scientists believe there may be as many as two million species of diatoms inhabiting lakes, oceans, ponds, and most other aquatic environments. Use a soap and warm water solution and wash down the bathroom (mops, cloths, etc. Yes it sounds like it, the traps almost always catch some if there are fleas around. Dig day arrived, and to our great annoyance, our spuds appeared to have been poked by a ballpoint pen, with dark holes spotting the otherwise beautiful tubers. Also I notice his skin is starting to very get dry and actually flaking off in areas, can I add olive oil to his diet without disrupting the effectiveness of the DE? The little twits (fleas) seem to becoming immune. Food grade diatomaceous earth may indeed kill fleas in certain instances, but its not the most effective or efficient method of control or prevention, experts say. You can read more about the benefits of a no-till garden here. Also I wondered if you could feed it to your pet and yourself to deal with bugs and or worms? Hi I just found your site. Glad to see you are treating your pets otherwise you will never win the fight against fleas. Lisa's Landscape & Design Fot application on my carpets I used a small seive with a handle for hard to reach spots, and an old hand crank sifter, probably 50+ yrs old, and it worked beautifully depositing finely sifted powder on the larger areas. Will this product work as well. Non-food or filter-grade diatomaceous earth is toxic to mammals. Didnt think anymore about it. Thanks! The powder should not be applied directly to pets unless you are specifically instructed to do so by your veterinarian. Hi Dotti! DISCLAIMER: Although some . In some homes the powder was so thick it puffed up when walking on carpets.. Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it! Hi Becky, I suggest using DE around the home, not directly on your pets. According to Extension.org, it should be applied frequently (two to three times per week) to be used effectively on flea beetles. Its better to treat fleas on your dog or remove fleas on your cats by using alternative methods. We all have computers, and Im a bit worried about the fridge as well. Thanks for all the info Really helps, as does your reassurance. Does all the DE have to be cleaned up? I recommend it is used for the home and sleeping areas. Sounds like you are making good progress and I am glad you are trying the natural route, I also prefer them over chemicals where possible. Apologies for the delay in my response, just catching up on commments atm. You shouldnt need too much but the good news is that its fairly cheap so you could even store the leftovers in a dry area for future use. However, it should still work. Although the DE should be fine around your dogs (the food grade is completely safe), you can keep them out for this time period. Ok, I have fleas, I have sprayed, bombed, put down IGR, etcand now Im leaving for a month, and I still have a few fleas. Do I put the DE down and treat my pets at the same time or how would you suggest I go about the whole problem. I am concerned because I have two elderly (15 year olds) cats, one is asthmatic, and I frequently babysit my grand-cat who is 4, who has allergies and so, licks himself a great deal. Maybe I should just put in in their beds etc. Do i put this on her fur. While research about the effectiveness of diatomaceous earth for flea control is unsubstantiated, there are some advantages to using food grade diatomaceous earth. I always advised against using water but doing that and then letting it dry, such a good idea. We searched for them because I was bitten while doing laundry in the basement. I have a problem area of my yard that was full of ants and was dried out from the previous years drought. Will using DE for a month take care of the problem or will we be battling this forever or until the fleas are nearly gone in the environment next winter. Do you have a picture of what you use to spread the DE in your house? Hi Kevin, apologies for the late response. Good luck! Lisa, can you please tell me which to use in the backyard? Its my pleasure and thanks for taking a moment to share this article, I really appreciate it I am glad that you are starting to see results, if you need more help, just shout and I will see what I can do. The bag of DE with insecticide is already open and I wouldnt want to waste it. Thanks. can i apply this to my dogs/cats i hear every day is a no.but how about once a month in place of topicals. So Boo was put outside for the night. I have to walk around with my pants tucked into my socks and Im constantly finding them on my socks and picking them off the floor. I am not sure what model you have but it might clog it up. This was about 3-4 wks. It should be fine, just lay it out where it needs to go (dont forget to rub it in with a broom) and vacuum it up after about a day. Weve completed a Dawn soap bath on her and applied Revolution, which seems to be killing the last few left on her. And, the dog had been on the foot of my bed.) Hey Frances! It also dries up their eggs keeping them from hatching. I dont like being restricted like this, but it seems like the best policy for me. Yes, you can just leave the DE there, it is actually more effective that way. Hi Derek! I put in in my backyard today. Check out my flea trap article, you can do those at the same time for maximum flea destruction . Hi Jessica! Is it safe to put DE on my mattress and sheets and sleep with it on there? Its really as easy as that. Then it is food grade and safe. So many theories about where the fleas could have come from, but lets not dwell there and move on to advice on how to get rid of them! I am sure that Jon appreciates your help and I think the community will benefit as well. I got my DE at the health food store. Came home and vacuumed each room a few times over and rubbed the diatomaceous earth over every inch (even under and all over furniture) by hand. Nematodes in the families Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae are particularly noted for their capacity to manage populations, while Steinernema carpocapsae are known to manage flea beetle populations in potatoes. I usually use DE for killing fleas on carpets/etc. However, on that note, I dont usually recommend DE for direct application on pets as it can dry out their skin. What if I placed the DE down and left it for days, weeks instead of vacuuming everyday and redoing the process. Do I give my cat a bath later that day? The next day, tiny fleas are biting the heck out of my feet/ankles. Would this work for ticks? I needed a quick reminder on the application process and your site was perfect. And in my laundry, there are black specks in my clothes? Hi Mary! Diatomaceous earth powder is the most common form and it usually comes in bags, but is also available in jars and bottles. my vet treated with a pill, and all seem to be dead however, i am convinced i need to treat my home to prevent any future problems. Organic gardening is the responsible choice for many reasons. Thanks for all the information Natasha! Hi Cheryl! So glad I found you and youre super informative site, Natasha. 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 had a few questions, and I love that it seems you respond to most questions even two years after posting this article. The DE could be dusted around and under the bedroom furniture, especially under the bed. and for my pets, I either use a natural treatment (check out my articles on specifically killing fleas on either dogs or cats) or a spot on treatment like Front Line. Do you know why? I have already used borax through out the entire house. Reapply every couple weeks when you think fleas might be invading. Any help would be appreciated. Yeah it takes a while, just put it down and continue with your life, it will start thinning their numbers. Much better than using unsafe poisons etc. Great Question, Thanks for asking! Thanks:). Up to 30 at a time in my own home. I believe I read either in the article or in a response to another question to be careful with younger pets; at 6 weeks old and weighing just about 1.2 lbs, is she too young for us to use DE on the carpets and allow her to roam freely as she does? That will be fine, hope it works out for you! I think it dried out the motor and made grind to a halt. So I have my dog take a summer vacation to my daughter while I take care of the unwanted guest that is residing on my carpet. I cant sleep at night, constantly getting up with a flashlight to see if I see whatever I feel is crawing on me. After I bought it I read it is a little coarser grade, although it is an off white color it is still like talcum powder. Using AdvantageII, Siphotrol Premise spray, and I bombed w/ Raid flea and bed bug bomb that 1st week of October. Anyway, heres my situation. Hi Natasha, I have recently bought DE, Product of Canada, and it is labeled Food Chemical Codex Grade. Hi Krista! How long will it take to start killing them on my cats. When preparing it for consumption I mix half a teaspoon DE per cat with a little of the dry cat food that I have soaked for a few minutes in a little water to make a paste. Hope that helps! But any information regarding this application use would be very helpful. and saw one lady used a turkey baster to get into cracks in baseboards. Should I vacuum up the DE I put down and reapply? I got a spray for inside, but Im about to sacrifice a Rubbermaid container & go shake some DE in the yard. Would it be safe to say that applying it on a regular basis would help maintain a flea free home? Also, Im a bit confused after reading the above comments. We live on a nature preserve and have found them in our yard. Im bringing the pets home Tuesday night so please give me your knowledge or oppinion PLEASE!!!! I see under your cautions it states I dont recommend rubbing it on your pets skin on a daily basis (I have heard of people doing this) as it can cause dry skin, itchiness and dehydration. hi and thanks for all the info. Went to the pool store and got a 10lb box lol. Use a plastic container with small holes in it to dust your carpets, use a soapy mixture on the hardwood and make sure that dog gets a bath + a good spot on treatment. As well as myself. I will eradicate them but for those of you fighting these DE is an amazing product and I WILL win this fight. I washed floors with apple cider vinegar deleted ,flea traps with dawn dish soap and water.vacumed floors ,even salt ,and borax, in areas where they hide.we have 3 cats.2 female 1 male .we keep 2 upstairs the male on main floor.we also have tried the boiled lemons.and put in spray bottle .so now I have just purchased a bag of diatomaceous earth food grade and going to try it soon ,by the way the best place to find it is a hydroponic store.the guy said to wear a mask when you use it .i will keep you updated on my results. If your pet is coughing or sneezing, take them to clear air, make sure their bed is up off the ground for a while. We have hardwood floors and have used it along all floors and keep a dusting in the gaps in the floors. Hi Kathy, it probably will be fine, just keep an eye on him. We are getting front line in the morning to treat all 3 of our cats. I dont know how they got in here again, Unless through open windows (with screens.) Also i do not own a vaccum and we only only have hard wood in our appartment but our couch and bedding have gotten quite bad, as i dont have a vaccume is there a way i could create a spray with water and the de for my furniture? hank you for any help you can give me. I hope the DE does the trick!! It is greatly appreciated. Hope that helps, good luck! So thanks for posting! An do I just sprinkle it around with my fingers or buy a sifter? Secondly, when using the broom, it is all about small, mainly downwards movements. 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. DE comes in the form of a fine powder and is extremely rich in biogenic silica. I did this and it broke my Oreck vacuum which was very expensive. I purchased DE that says its 100% DE however I misread the bag; it said safe for food establishments but its not food grade (sob). 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. Is that overkill an dangerous for the dogs to do both? I would prefer to avoid using a bomb and am interested in DE. Ive been giving it to her for a couple weeks in her food, and I had seen no signs of worms anymore. For inside the home I used old fashioned 20 mule team Borax..It seems to be working better then all the high priced stuff we tried.. Trying the tealight method now these last few nights which seems to help some, will try to order some DE online that were mentioned here in the and try that soon. THANK YOU! Diatomaceous earth is a good way to manage any of the following pests: Ants, Bedbugs, box elder bugs, carpet beetles, centipedes, Crickets, Cockroaches, earwigs, Fleas, Grasshoppers, millipedes and Silverfish. He seems fine not bitin or scratching, he sits about 5 feet off the ground mostly. Im finding no trace of fleas or flea dirt on the dog (1 week flea free). Two of my dogs got the worst of the fleas and had some really bad skin problems and tons of loss of hair but they recovered fantastically. Dusting the comforter cover will work, just do it lightly and you will be fine. Patiently awaiting your reply. Neil is the problem in your house or outside? Again, thank you. This stuff completely wiped them out. Handling pest issues without a professional can often worsen existing issues, says Ramsey. I am glad that DE has helped you and thanks for sharing those tips. This morning the fleas were jumping up on both my daughter and my legs at regular intervals, all over the house. Hello, I read a post up above not to use the Safer brand of DE.. however, I have already put it down in a few areas, mostly room perimeter and a window seat where the dog hangs out. The places I need to apply it I would be walking over it all day and night. I took it back and went Rosedale Mills in my area and they had a product that this food grade. I also wanted to ask of any product that will do to get rid of flea in my head and my daughters. You can use an plastic container with a lid. Hey Annelyse! I usually recommend just a standard bag based vacuum cleaner with no fancy cyclone technologies, etc. and I swear the fleas have multiplied. I discovered hundred of eggs in these place. My cats are still miserable. Its in a yellow bag, 4lbs. Ive recently purchased Diatomaceous Red Lake Earth. 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