apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I'm afraid that for once you will have to get over desiring "organic" and call a professional exterminator. My neighbor had this issue, and finally called in Orkin to fix it (he has a cat, and was very concerned about exposure to chemicals). Incidentally, he tossed his couch and several other items of fabric covered furniture while trying "less invasive" treatments -- to no avail.

BTW -- moving will not solve the problem, as it is likely you will carry some fleas with you to the new abode. Good luck -- this is a nasty issue to deal with.

While this method isn't exactly "organic" it might be more along the lines that you're looking for: try sprinkling borax on your carpet and upholstery and then vacuuming it up after letting it sit for 1bout 10-15 minutes. Borax is a laundry additive look for the brand "20 Mule Team" in your laundry aisle of your supermarket. The boric acid in the borax dries out the shells of the fleas and their eggs. It's safe to use and non-carcinogenic (I mean hey, people have been using it to brighten their laundry for years). You can also leaves pans of soapy water with a light shining on it and the fleas, which are attracted to the light, jump into the water and can't get out because the soap affects the surface tension of the water. Try these methods- they might help before you result to other solutions that involve more hard core chemicals.

Whether a rented apt. or a co-op, you can (and should) get the building to call an exterminator. And even better, get everyone on the floor above and below you to agree to have the exterminator in to their apts. too. Otherwise, the critters may just keep moving back and forth. Unless you want a chronic problem, just bite the bullet and do it. Go away for a weekend or stay with a friend for a day or two if you are very concerned, but we are exposed to far worse things in NYC than a single flea exterminator's chemicals. I hate the idea of chemicals too (I use all organic home cleaning products), but I hate the idea of bugs even more!

I found this contraption for a friend of mine who moved into an apt w/ fleas. At night the fleas jump toward the light and get stuck on the sticky paper.

The organic - and in my experience FLAWLESS - solution to fleas is something called diatomaceous earth. It is basically seashells ground into fine powder. I have only used it on carpet and it would make quite a mess on hard floors, but if you are serious about avoiding chemicals this is probably the only solution.
The way it works is that the microscopic edges of the shells are razor sharp. When the fleas crawl over it they get sliced and die. I'd leave it down for a couple of days, then vaccuum, see where you are and reapply if necessary. I used this on a very, very serious flea problem and it got rid of every last one. If you have outdoor space that is affected, it's important to use it there at the same time and reapply after rain. If you have pets, have them dipped the same day you apply it. You may have to do it a second time after the length of a flea egg incubation period, however long that is.

Uhh, get over it?? Are you afraid of the "harmful" chemicals used to kill bacteria--i.e., penicillin? Seriously, instead of a quick fix to this one problem, address your underlying chemical-paranoia, lest you be unable to navigate the modern world. More seriously, subjecting yourself to a single exposure to fumigating chemicals is probably way down there on the cancer-danger list, ranking far below things that you unthinkingly do or fail to do. Do you wear sunscreen daily? If not, do that first, then do all sorts of other worthwhile things, *then* ask trivial questions like this.

I'm afraid that you're in the same position I was in six months ago. I live on the seventh floor of an apartment building, and when I moved into my apartment, I was blessed with fleas (they left scars, the little buggers!).

After consulting my vet, he told me to:
1. Find a place that will flea dip and board your pets overnight if you have any.
2. During that overnight stay, bag up EVERYTHING that's washable and take it to the laundromat.
3. While it's washing and/or drying, fleabomb the apartment. Follow the directions carefully and STAY OUT of the apartment until the fog has cleared. It's best that you give it an extra two hours than what the bottle says.
4. By then, it should be about midnight or 1AM if you do this on a weekday (I did mine Friday). Open the windows and let air for several hours. IT's best if you can stay at a friends' house.
5. Pick up your laundry and leave it in your car (or somewhere away from the apartment) overnight. In the morning, get your animals, go back to the apartment, and things should be good from there.

I hope this helps.

I had a friend that used to spray the furniture with pennyroyal

There must be an Organic Pet site with lots of info on this somewhere...

penicillin isn't a harmful chemical. it's a mold.

and i think it's a perfectly reasonable approach to attempt to avoid overexposure to potentially dangerous chemicals where possible. that isn't to say one should move or throw out the couch rather than call an exterminator, but there's no reason not to look into alternatives. at this point just about everything we touch is laden with harmful (and even carcinogenic) chemicals. in many instances, we have no choice in the matter. why not learn our options and make decisions when possible, if it's something we care about?

if you're fine with surrounding yourself with that stuff, great. no reason AJ should have to hew to your opinions. if she's able to get rid of the fleas in a more organic way, good for her.

as for the apt, i really don't know, but i'd hire a professional. i'm sure they have options since they are used to dealing w/ places w/ infants & such.

as for your cat, even though ya didn't ask, i'd like to let you in on a few thnigs since vet used to be my major.
1. don't ever, ever, ever use that hartz crap to get rid of fleas. infact don't ever use that brand for anything. it's horrible on their skin & it doesn't touch fleas.
2. use advantage. it may be kinda $$, but a few drops on their back & you're good for months.
3. fleas are one of the main ways animals get worms. so, if you cat has been bitten, it's very likely she has them. but one type of dewormer won't work. you'll need 2 b/c 1 won't treat them all.

so, keep that kitty safe. :)

Actually, penicillin *is* a chemical. Penicillium (ital.) is a mold. Nice try, though.

Making decisions based on things "we care about" is not good in and of itself if we care about the wrong things. My point was that taking extraordinary precautions to avoid a miniscule risk is not an efficient use of time, when there are much greater risks that can be avoided with fewer precautions.

And penicillin is very harmful ... to bacteria.

Just like most household chemicals are very harmful to something ... just not humans.

Just a data point: you really don't want to be using diatomaceous earth or borax if you have a pet, unless there are places to spread them that the cat or dog can't get to.

AJ, good luck in trying to avoid bombing the apartment to get rid of the fleas. But look into different substances that professional exterminators use -- there may be a variety of them and you can pick the one that is least noxious for humans.

Plan on airing the apt out very thoroughly -- if you can wait for the humid weather to subside, that would be better.

Once the major infestation is handled, you may be able to get by with very diligent use of least-toxic methods like sticky traps, naturalish repellants, regular laundering, vacuuming and steam cleaning, etc., if any fleas remain.

There is a great book called "Least Toxic Home Pest Control" by Dan Stein that folks might want to check out.

I just realized that the rock guy must be "Flea" from Red Hot Chili Peppers? Something like that.

I agree with Sharon regarding the diatomaceous earth - I have used it twice in the past in rentals with great results. It apparently destroys the eggs - which is how to avoid a second outbreak. I washed all my linens - down pillows/comforter were tossed in the dryer since heat destroys the eggs too.
I did use it around my cats - dusted the whole apartment and then left the dust out for a couple hours before cleaning up. I got the idea form The Natural Cat by Anitra Frazier - and she didn't believe it would not hurt them (and she is a bit over the top). It was a little weird seeing them tiptoe thru the white dust - but they were unharmed. Since Emily thinks it is a risk, I would double check with my vet before proceeding if I ever have this problem again.

"priorities straight" - Just because you don't agree with the non chemical approach doesn't give you free license to flame. You fail to realize that she makese no mention of perhaps having her own animals and putting chemicals down on the floor with animals is a BAD idea. You're just asking for them to walk in something then clean themselves and get sick.

Yes, chemicals are great and aren't necessarily dangerous, but the kind that kill fleas probably aren't meant for eating.

AJ - I think it depends on if you have floors or carpet. I'm assuming carpet otherwise fleas probably wouldn't be as big of an issue. I'd check out some carpet powders, I found one a while ago that had rosemary and some other stuff in it that you rubbed into the carpet then vacuumed up and it did the trick!

I'm going to echo the recs for diatomaceous earth. I agreed to watch a friend's apt ~15 years ago; she left the week before I arrived, and took her flea-ridden dogs with her. By the time I got there, the fleas were starved. My calves were BLACK in 30 seconds, and the swarm started toward my head. Triple bug bombing and other big ol' chem assualts did not solve the problem. However, a thick coating of diatomaceous earth, which I let sit for an afternoon before vaccuuming up, did the job. I repeated in about a week for good measure. One side note - if you have old hardwoods, the eggs get down in there, so work the diatomaceous earth down in the cracks.

I do think you may need to use the bombs a couple of times for a really severe infestation. It happened to us when we went away for a few weeks and the house remained unvacuumed during that time. When we returned every surface was covered with black fleas as the young woman we had coming in to feed and care for the cats told us.

We got rid our large infestations of fleas basically by vacuuming and keeping moth balls or flea poison soaked cotton balls in the vacuum cleaner bag. The poisons they sell for fleas often are a hormone that prevents the young from developing -- they are not harmful for other animals or people as far as I know. Basically you want to get rid of the eggs -- by laundering or vacuuming rugs and upholstery. These are viable for a long time. The fleas will seek out something warm (like you and your animals) to feed on. Fleas gravitate toward warm bodies and there are traps sold that consists of a light bulb to attract them.

Getting rid of them mostly by mechanical means is time consuming but not too hard. We got rid of the fleas on the cats themselves by assiduously using a flea comb.

AJ:
My good friend in Washington was using a flea-dip treatment on her cat, following the instructions exactly, and the poisons killed the cat. My friend was heartbroken, but she had another cat and educated herself about safe alternatives to toxic poisons to make sure it wouln't happen again.

Here is a good source of info that helped her. http://www.peta.org/mc/factsheet_display.asp?ID=136

Consider that right on the packages of these poisons it warns you not to let the stuff touch your skin... does spraying it on every surface of your house seem like a good idea?

BTW, the argument about what is or isn't a chemical is pointless, since anything with a consistenly identifiable chemical structure is technically a chemical... this includes water, sugar, salt and chlorine (as in bleach).

Don't sweat it. I don't know what kind of monster fleas everyone else has, but where I come from they are a common and easily dealt with problem. We had dogs for years and inevitably, at least once a summer, we'd have a flea infestation.

Just wash all clothing and bedding. I never bothered with curtains or tableclothes, etc., just stuff that gets next to your skin. If it doesn't have 'residue' on it, the fleas leave it alone because it won't get them fed. Sprinkle bakig soda on all your carpets and upholstered furniture, leave it for 30 minutes, then vacum it up. Wash self and all pets with regular shampoo; I usually just dragged everyone into the same shower and closed the door. Aply Frontline to dogs and cats to prevent new infestation.

The whole thing takes about 4 hours (plus some extra TV watching while finishing the laundry) and we hardly ever had to do it a second time. It was never a big deal at my house, and I certainly wouldn't recommend moving over it. No worries, I'm sure you'll figure it out. Good luck!

Dear "Priorities Straight" - Get with it. Good use of one's time is entirely defined by the individual. And trying to avoid cancer causing chemicals doesn't make you phobic. I do, but I've also called the exterminator to deal with roaches. And I already wear sunscreen. Often.

Priorities straight,

My neighbor's dogs both had liver problems that the vet said were from the exterminating she had done each month. (This was also in Florida and windows were closed much of the year for air conditioning)

What's wrong with wanting to try other options first?

I don't think diatomaceous earth is toxic for pets. If you have a swimming pool, you use it all the time and there are no warnings on it that I know about.

1. Buy a bunch of vacuum bags. Everytime you vacuum, take out bag and immediately take to trash.

2. Mix baking soda and several drops of either eucalyptus or lavender essential oil, sprinkle on carpet, let sit at least 30-45 minutes, then vacuum and dispose of bag.

I adopted a kitten who turned out to be flea infested. After several months of washing and combing him and following the above steps, I am virtually flea free. But I have to stress that getting the vacuum bag (or contents of vacuum, if bagless)out of your apartment IMMEDIATELY is key because eggs will hatch and fleas will jump out of the bag and back onto the floor!

According to the No-Chemical Pest Control Guru who has a column in the SF Chronicle, the diatomaceuous earth sold for use in swimming pools is not something humans or pets should inhale (or lick off paws if a pet!), but the DE sold as "natural grade" is safe around pets:
http://tinyurl.com/rghva

Interesting, someone sends a flea question in this same column, and he does not suggest DE for dealing with it, but says proper treatment depends on the type of flea.

When I had two cats and a white-carpeted townhouse and I noticed we had fleas, I went to the vet. He gave me Advantage or Frontline (I forget which, but get the prescription stuff, NOT the Hartz stuff from the store). Amazingly, treating both cats with little tubes of that stuff not only saved them, it saved me and the house. The fleas were GONE in 24 hours. With white carpet, you know when they're there, and they were gone. I never bombed, sprayed, sprinkled, or even vacuumed or did laundry beyond the regular schedule.

My understanding of fleas is they react to vibration, eg you walking around. This is from wikipedia:
" In about five to fourteen days, adult fleas emerge or may remain resting in the cocoon until the detection of vibration (pet and people movement), pressure (host animal lying down on them), heat, noise, or carbon dioxide (meaning a potential blood source is near). "
Therefore if there is no host around for at least 2 weeks, the adult fleas emerge & starve.
How about going on holiday?

Table salt. Sprinkle table salt into your carpeting and let it stay overnight. Vacuum thoroughly next day. You'll have to repeat in a few days as the eggs hatch (salt only kills the fleas and not their eggs), but everything should be pristine with 3 rounds of salt.

Plain table salt works really well, as do pans of soapy water, but I thought the salt dried out the eggs, not killed the fleas. I'm always getting everything backwards!

We had fleas in our apt too. I wish I read this 2 weeks ago. We just sprayed everything with "animal friendly" anti-flea spray. Everyone in our house has been sick since, with red eyes, ichy skin and horrible allergies. If anyone knows how to get rid of flea spray, I would really appreciate that information.

Dehumidify below 35%, and fleas will die en masse.

Vacuum twice a day with a vacuum cleaner with good filtration.

Treat your pet with Advantage or Frontline.

Dropping the temp below freezing is also extremely effective. Just not very practical during the summer! *g*

Use the soapy water, I also have used a candle in H20, that draws the fleas inthe H2O and they can't get out. As for sunscreen that causes cancer, not the sun. Read the book natural cures by Kevin Trudeau. Wake up people you are all dying a slow death with chemicals!!!!

Wow, so many comments about these pesky little nuisances! I am currently in the middle of a 'flea war'.....and I'm telling you, it's not pretty. The problem is, this should've never happened in the first place, but I tried to save a buck and got the Hartz flea stuff for the cats....wrong move...I have ordered Frontline for my two cats but am waiting for it to arrive. I have tossed both cats outside until I am able to treat them so they don't continue to drop more fleas and eggs into my carpet. I'm not wasting my time trying to bath or dip two cats who do not appreciate water..Reason being? It's a waste of time...a more permanent solution is what I am looking for and I know Frontline, when it arrives, will be that solution. I set off foggers as well and the numbers have dropped but there is still a problem, unbelievably and I figured out why.....outside, by my door, the fleas are multiplying...when we go in and out, we are bringing them in....Just this morning I sprinkled table salt all through the capeting to give that a try since so many of you have said that it works....This is only the second time I've ever had to deal with a flea infestation. I can honestly tell you all I know the medications for the pets, if you don't try to skimp and buy the cheap stuff, does work. It is how I got rid of the first flea infestation years ago. You have to nip the problem at the source, which is the fleas getting on your pets. If you don't....then you will continue to live with fleas. I don't know about the rest of you, but I know living with fleas is not very enjoyable when they are making you their main meal. Some of you have said you have done this or that...and that the flea problem is virtually not there...virtually not there is STILL a problem. Do you realize how many eggs just one flea can lay? (2000, if you didn't know) I've noticed not many of you are considering the ill effects (disease wise) that fleas can have on you and your pets, also. I personally feel there are no other alternatives to permanent flea control and treatment but with use of chemicals on your pets. I'm sure all of you who have used borax and salt, and oils mixed with this or that have begun to nip the problem in the butt, but really...if you don't start at the source of the problem, sooner or later it is going to surely return. Really though, if you think about it, there is no way around exposing you, your kids or pets to chemicals. We do it every single day when we eat, drive or whatever. Don't you people realize the poison in and on our foods? (unless you are a self substaining person who grows and eats their own foods, which I seriously doubt) Look at table sugar for God's sake...or coffee....the chemicals used to process these things...and we are trying to decide whether or not to use chemicals on our pets or in our homes for a flea problem? Sigh......We put more harmful chemicals into our bodies each day than any of these chemical treatments for fleas. So honestly, if you are reading this for flea control advice...buy frontline...it's plain and simple...apply it to your pets each month during flea season...and watch the problem disappear...It is Vet approved....I know I will be doing it as soon as my Frontline arrives...until then? I will have to continue vacuuming and trying these other little things you all have suggested...(hopefully it will only be a few days until it gets here...) Good luck to you all!

Hey- it's so funny to come across this posting...I am in the midst of a flea war myself and just this evening dusted my entire house with diatomaceous earth ("Flea Away")which I got at 'Only Natural Pet Store' online. Tonight the kittens get dusted, too. One thing I'd like to say about Frontline is that you will start to see new, fresh fleas emerge about 2 weeks after the treatment, which blows. Especially because you can't treat the cats with Fromtline again until 30 days has passed...so it really is a horrible cycle. It's the eggs and the larvae that make it tough-the eggs are so small and they fall into the environment so easily, it's a really tough battle to win. But I figure I'm bigger, so I'll win...right? Yeah. Tell that to staphylococcus. (Hey- get me that penicillin...) Fleas are tenacious and adaptable critters. Good luck- I will let you know how the diatomaceous earth works.

Wow! Carrie is right about alot of comments on this subject. Opinions; we all have them. Diatomaceous Earth?, simply put, crushed shells! I spoke to an Exterminator as to the use of this stuff... IT DOES NOT TAKE MUCH to kill pesky things. He puts it in a big squeeze bulb type blower and "puffs it" into cracks and crevases and into walls etc. (I have one of these, it's for battery filling; can be foud at most car parts stores).He said it will work even if you CANNOT SEE it. So my point is; You don't have to put it down THICK as my friend once did. It will kill ANY hard shell critter and Scorpions are such. I did not know Fleas were of the same. I found this site because of a flea problem and I to am looking for the NATURAL way to rid them. Borax, Salt, Dia...ground shells, Lemon boiled water (you message a small amount thru the furr)... I am going to try them all.
And on another note: Why do people think Dogs or Cats cause Fleas ? That would be like saying I have a Mosquito problem because of humans living next door, or downstairs. I will save this site and re visit after my attempts at erradicating these buggers.

Hello...and so do I have a fleas problem.
Can someone tell me what can I put on my self? to keep of fleas that I have in my house. I got the frontline for my 2 dogs...but how about me??
I do vacume everyday now...should I take all my stuff out from closets?? This is new to me. But I'm iching like crazy just reading this.
Thanks for any info.
Please feel free to send me an em at:Gosia204@aol.com.

If you or your dog are allergic to flea bites you may have to put cortisone on the bites to speed healing.

Fleas do prefer dogs and cats because they are warmer than people. They only bite people when starving.

There are organic flea traps you can buy that basically consist of a light bulb (or candle) to attract the fleas (by warmth) and a tray of water in which they drown. (The usual caveats about water and electricity apply.)

Never underestimate the power of water to get rid of things (especially when combined with soap or shampoo). You can comb the fleas and flea eggs out of your dog or cat's fur and flush them (the fleas) down the drain. Dogs can also be washed with regular (or dog) shampoo and that goes a long way to get rid of the fleas in an of itself.

You could try Dr Brommer's liquid Peppermint soap (on your self not on your dog), however, if you feel you need a personal repellent. I'm not sure if mint agrees with dogs, it may not be good for them.


I really believe that putting a cotton ball soaked with flea poison in your vacuum cleaner bag (rather than poison all over your house) is the way to go. If you use the frontline on your dogs, vacuum the floors and upholstery, and launder the sheets in very hot water you shouldn't have any more problems.

Fleas are a lot easier to get rid of than lice!

PENICILLIN [penicillin] any of a group of chemically similar substances obtained from molds of the genus Penicillium that were the first antibiotic agents to be used successfully in the treatment of bacterial infections in humans.

First of, penicillin is a medicine, so never trust anyone who can't figure that out. take a look at products like these

http://www.enforcer.com/pages/fleahouse.html

it is a simple powder that you shake on you carpet and vacuum up. do some research, the internet is full of great ideas, but to be honest, a product like this one or similar would be your best bet shy of hiring a pro, which I would highly recomend.

I'm with Gosia. I have been fighting the flea battle for over a week. The animals and indoor areas seem to be fine, but with our current heat wave the outdoor areas are exploding with fleas. We have several acres so I'm at a loss. Every time I go outside, I end up with fleas on my legs, which I sometimes inadvertently carry into the house. Am I starting the cycle all over again?

I also did not think to check my kayak for fleas and now am literally covered from head to toe with bites. I've covered myself with several forms of anti-itch cremes (benadryl, hydrocortisone etc.) and taken antihistamines, but there are so many bites that my entire back is swollen and I'm feeling very ill. Does anyone know of a really good flea repellant and anti itch product for people? I'm going nuts! Thanks.

Update: OK! So...the diatomaceous earth (DE) has been down on the floors for about a week now and it seems to be kicking ass! Took the kittens to the vet yesterday and there was no sign of fleas. I basically got a dry broom and swept the DE into the cracks, etc. of the floor and I put a tiny bit on the kitten's fur. I wash the sheets and blankets or put them into the dryer just about every other day just to kill the eggs that might be lying around. Hey- one word of caution about the DE: get the food grade type (like Flea Away) and keep breathing it in to a minimum. As for the flea bites: why don't you spray your shoes with a DEET bug repellant. This way it's not on your skin, but the fleas will get a whiff and move on...just a thought...good luck!!

I am using Frontline Plus on my dog, but am still seeing a few fleas here and there on him - is that normal? How do you know the Frontline is really working??

I also have a house infested by fleas. It was rented out to a family who had an alsation dog! They moved out 26th June and on July 2nd we went in to redecorate and lay new carpets as we planned to live there now.
We took up all the carpets but left the underlay, and happily worked their for a couple of weeks decorating, and never saw any fleas.
We then had new carpets laid, apart from a small piece in the kitchen/diner. This was on a Friday. We decided to give ourselves a weekend break and when we went in to the house on the following Monday we were covered in fleas. We were shocked and very unhappy. We had the house fumigated by a professional last Monday so yesterday we went back to hoover the place throughout as recommended, only to find ourselves covered in fleas once more. We left in a hurry, and the house will be fumigated again on Monday.
Having discovered this website, I now realise these dirty little bloodsuckers are not going to go away easily.
Still I am heartened by all the advice and I am going to try lots of the things recommended, wish me luck. We have seen a couple of fleas at the house we are living in at present! so we plan to treat this one as well.
Will let you have an update soon,
Bye

Well, as I said above in an earlier post...the frontline has done the trick and my pets and my house are flea free. As for those of you who seem to be infested without pets because of previous owners with pets, my suggestion to you is to use foggers every few weeks until the problem is resolved.

My nickname is bug, but I hate fleas. I love my pets. Fleas and Roaches can live for ever. No matter what we use. Fleas some how will be back.
I have hard wood floors and fleas every where.
We bombed it just stuned the fleas. Now I am back of mopping with Hot boiled water and bleach. The remopping with Hot boiling water with bronz acid.
Everyday until no fleas. Then frist sign on a flea after that back to mopping until you have no fleas. Finally you have no fleas no eggs.
Please take care of your pets. You need to treat then with flea stuff from Vets or baths everyday.
There is not a easy solution here. You can try every thing and they will be back.

Hey carrie who THREW her 2 cats outside. Nice move, you sound kind of heartless. But good for you now the fleas will use you as a host instead of your cats. Karmas a great thing.

I, too, want to treat my pets organically.
As for 'Priorities Straight', get a clue!!
I run an animal rescue and bathe each animal, BEFORE, they spend any time in my home. I use Dawn dishwashing liquid/vinegar(50/50) and start by putting it around their ears and neck (careful of eyes) and then put tearless baby shampoo on their heads/face. Then, I submerge them (NOT their head, of course) in a tub of water and lather them in the Dawn mixture. They must stay lathered for 20 minutes.
I vacuum every day and spray the dogs/cats twice a week with a boiled lemon/rosemary mixture.
1 lemon
1 tsp. ground rosemary
1 qt. of water
boil for 20 minutes
let sit over night
strain and put in a spray bottle
spray dogs/cats with it twice weekly
also works for people!!

Cider vinegar, in their drinking water.
Small amounts of garlic in their food (not for cats).

A common myth is that brewers yeast also works, but, they use brewer's yeast to GROW fleas..so..

where can you get diatomaceous earth? is this sold at home stores like lowes or home depot?

i am helping my mother combat a severe flea infestation in the house and on her dog and it is not pretty. we shaved the dog yesterday, bathed him and took him to the vet (treated with frontline) but i think that is half the battle.

her property seems to have fleas in the sand of the house that was just built.

i want to try DE but cannot seem to find it anywhere here in houston. help!

Hey- houstonmacbro, I hope that things are at least a little better since the shaving and Frontline...as for the DE...you have to get the food grade type. That's VERY important so that it is safe for you, your mom and for the dog! Beware of the type that is used in pools- DON'T GET THAT ONE! I ordered mine from a web sight called Only Natural Pets .com The stuff is called "Flea Away". You can actually put it right onto the dog and you can lightly dust the floors of the house with it. As for the outdoor sand: you can buy DE on line (or maybe at a garden center) that is for insecticidal use (not for use on your pet, but for use outside). Sometimes they mix it with pyrethrins, which are 'natural' bug killers found in the chrysanthemum plant. That sounds like the perfect solution for the sand...You just have to be really vigilant. Vacuum every day and keep treating the dog and the house- it'll take a couple of months but it'll work out. As for Frontline- I like Advantage MUCH more!! I found that my cats had fleas after just 2 weeks of having the Frontline on them. Advantage has been better and it's great because it kills the next generation by making the fleas sterile. You gotta love that. It works. GOOD LUCK!

Hey Marisa...lmao..I only temporarily tossed my cats outside until the meds arrived. (they are indoor/outdoor cats??...reason for fleas to begin with.....) Anyway, as I have already stated...flea problem taken care of with Frontline...Once the meds were on the cats, let them back in...they picked them up, the fleas died....and whaaa laaaa...no problem..How about that?

I have a flea problem. I bombed my house and it seemed to help a little. They seem to be in my yard as well. I heard about using Borax mixed with table salt and my question is..how long to let it stay on and can my children walk on it? I also need something to treat the yard with. Any help will be great. Thanks

well, since that time my mother's dog was hit (by a car) and died.

she did have the house and surrounding grounds exterminated, but...

... overall, a very unhappy ending.

thanks for all your suggestions.

Hey, Houstonmacbro!!

Sorry about the unhappy ending. But for future referrence, I am also in the greater Houston area and you can get diatomaceous earth at any feed store...if you don't know this already, be sure to get the food grade...the stuff for swimming pools is toxic.

My dog got fleas from some neighbors also. You need to just go buy some drops and pills. Fleas can give your pet wormers that can kill your pet! Drops and pills will not kill him. Go to your vet (your pet can stay at home if you know his/her weight) ask for frontline drops and a capstar pill together it will be about $20. and will last a month. Don't ever buy Hartz or other Wal & K-mart treatments. If you give your pet fleas and tick baths do not give him more than 2 a month. You need to treat your yard also Lowe's and Home Depot have some that will not kill your lawn. If you love your pet then call your Vet.I wish you best of luck.

Just wanted everyone to know. i havebeen living with this HUGE flea problem for about 1 week now.. done everything i could think of to get ride of the spent so much money i thought i was gonna go broke in 2 weeks.. anyway for 2 days now i have been online looking at webside and googleing about getting rid of fleas cheap and non-toxic,, let me tell you.last night we used the soaping water in a dish with white paper under it and a tea candle in our mater bedroom.. worked like a charm... gonna do it again tonight... put salt on he floors in the living room.seems to be working well.. gonna try he baking soda too.... thank for all the tips

I have a 8 month old baby and fleas - HELP. What can I use that will get rid of fleas in the house but won't hurt the baby.

We have a large flea infestation in our house, with hardwood floors, we have just had the house fumigated. Dosen't seem to have done any good again. But, we believe our problem is the dirt under the house which fleas live in. What would be the best way to treat under the house?

I like these comments. I have a flea problem and i is driving me crazy. I am itching and i feel really gross to be in my house. I am going to try these experiments and hope they work out.

Thanks

Has anyone ever tried Bio Spot / Cat On? It has S-Methoprene and Etofenprox in it which I know nothing about.

Adopted cats from local shelter and fought a 2 year battle with fleas, used every chemical on the market in all shapes and forms, endless rounds of Droncit for tapeworms in my cats...I have one word...Fleabusters...it works! They came to my place and administered the borax based powder(not as strong as 20 Mule team borax from the store)inside my duplex(mainly wood floors!) and left a few carpet remnants with the powder in different places that my cats liked to hang out. I simply followed their instructions on how long to leave it down before vacuuming, etc. No More Fleas! I also put down a nematode powder that you activate with water outside the duplex. My vet used to carry the Fleabusters powder for a while, but they now have a website!
You can order it online! My cats & I were satisfied with the results! I found this website while looking for Fleabusters years later...have a rental place that now is infested!!! I will use the powder again!!!