Cant afford an exterminator. I must have zombie fleas because nothing seems to work. P.S: Leave the DE down for 2-3 days and brush it into carpets with a broom , I have tile and wood floorsonly one rug by front door and a rug in each bathroom. Can we do one room at a time or will the fleas move the room that has not been treated? Do I have to order my FOOD GRADE DE from AMAZON or online? Also the few that did jump up on my socks, fell off since they were too weak to stick. And who doesnt like a good head start? I really appreciate it!! I found one flea last night and one today while in bed. Naturally Im extremely paranoid and am doing all I can to kill them. DE does help if your dog has worms. Fleas sometimes dont bite certain people, might have some thing to do with their skin. According to some experts, adult fleas can die as quickly as 4 hours after contact with this natural substance. Hi there, it should be fine. Glad I found this site. is the DE going to do this also? I live in the California High Desert, where we dont normally get flees. Diatomaceous earth may also irritate the eyes, due to its abrasive nature. It is now December and Ive been treating and cleaning and washing EVERYTHING since September. You are great for replying to every single comment on here for so long, keep up the good work! She had 2 baths. (before i did bathe him and apply frontline i found larvae underneath him where he was sleeping and rinsed everything in sink and or threw in washer) Thanks so much your page is very informative! Yeah ideally you should use a shop vac or something with just a regular bag (nothing fancy). DE is really magical, just always got to make sure that its 100% pure otherwise it could cause major issues. 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. Spray it on your hand or directly on your pet and massage it to the skin. Firstly, the application is important, as you only want a fine layer of DE so when it comes to brushing it in, it doesnt go everywhere. But my question is how does D.E. Have a good one! Thank you! I do leave Boo go outside to roam around during the day, and he mainly comes in at night to eat/sleep. An do I just sprinkle it around with my fingers or buy a sifter? I make bug wipes for the dog without the clove. I am a little confused about when to vacuum up the food grade DE. Putting it in your bedding would be VERY drying to your skinand I wouldnt want to be breathing it either Dealing with leftover fleas from dang foxes that moved into my barn. We are going to buy DE today and put it on the carpets, couches beds etc. Thanks. We are giving DE a shot. Within 24-48 hours of application, 85% of my flea problem was solved!! Where is he getting them?? If you like the article, please feel free to leave a comment there as well , I love the article! Do you have a particular recommendation for us? You can get about 5lbs for $14. If breathed in, diatomaceous earth can irritate the nose and nasal passages. I have a indoor cat who has made herself comfortable outside lately, what a bad idea on my part. As well as myself. My vet suggested Diatomaceous Earth food grade. Hi Jen! Do you know how this benefits pets or is this not a good idea? Glad to hear it worked for someone. It arrived this afternoon and my husband has already scattered quite a bit of it around. Secondly, since its not carpets, just leave it down for the full three weeks. The dog has not been here at all since that time. The clay makes the DE brown which gets stuff dirty. As for your yard, you can use DE if its very dry but keep in mind that water will significantly reduce its effectiveness. Just made sure its food grade please. They will ingest it, crawl over it, and it cuts through like microscopic glass particles. We arent seeing any on the floors, only on the cats. I have a small apartment with no doors inside besides the bathroom so it is difficult to put the cats somewhere specific. Thanks. To apply I have used an old fashioned flour sifter! I was thrilled and yes, it did work. He stated he was coming down with a little cold, so I said I cant imagine how you can catch cold when I use so much garlic cooking. Thanks again for your kind words, please share the blog with your friends on social media, it will really help me . etc., etc., etc. However, I am sure that removing them, applying the DE and once it has been removed, bringing them back should not harm them. So what should be used instead? They are good for nothing! p.s. Flea comb picks up nothing except maybe eggs? Amanda: I saw the same bag the other night at my local home improvement store. This is so that DE is always on the floor to kill the fleas. We have found articles mentioning both, with pros and cons for both. Hi Terri, she didnt but DE does work. However, you still need to make sure you only purchase the food grade product and you will also need to check the concentration (ideally it should be as pure as possible, preferably around 99% to ensure its safe for pets and for the family). My only concern is with my parrots, many products that are safe for animals arent so safe for birds due to their fragile respiratory system. How much did she put down lol? Dont forget to feed food grade de to your pets for control of internal parasites theyve picked up especially worms caused by fleas they have invested by licking themselves. Diatomaceous Earth vs Fleas Experiment AK49BWL 21K subscribers Subscribe Like Share 402K views 5 years ago 05/19/2017 Reading online tells me that fleas will die if exposed to Food Grade. I recommend leaving it down for around a week, longer the better honestly (so a few weeks is great). Seen a few fleas but they were already twitching and trying to flea (pun intended). We have 3 dogs and 3 cats, plus we recently began fostering cats through our local humane society. Ive border my parrot for the past week dog who doesnt have fleas has been at my parents for a week, I threw out 75% of my stuff, (I had a lot of clutter) so thats a good thing its good to purge, BUT, they got me. And also the cats love to lay in my wardrobe. Will it decrease effectiveness? You need to DUST all carpets and leave it sit for about half an hour, then vacuum all areas where the vacuum can reach. Help????? Last night I sprinkled with a flour sifter between my box spring and mattress and between the mattress and fitted sheet and slept in same bed. I am not saying that you wont be bitten from time to time (check out my article on flea bites) but they wont take up permanent residence in your hair for example. They are for outdoor use, usually you can order them online from a variety of retailers. Thanks for sharing your story, I am here for you if you still cant get rid of them after that, you are not alone! I got a spray for inside, but Im about to sacrifice a Rubbermaid container & go shake some DE in the yard. We live on a farm having 3 dogs, 7 cats, and a pig named Petunia along with 47 goats. Though tilling may help with immediate management, its long-term benefits may not be as effective as other cultural management methods especially if you subscribe to no-till methods and believe in promoting a healthy microbial ecosystemand applying helpful soil microbes. I found it reasonably priced at a feed store. Heya! Yes you can, thanks for the question! Or will the fleas just move to the linoleum? Yeah so the fleas wont die unless they come into contact with it. Thanks for sharing! I wore a dust mask as I spread the DE around and noticed that my sinuses were very dry afterwards. We have one large dog and the fleas have gotten extremely bad to the point he has missing patches of fur, and they are on his face and biting the insides of his ears. And now we have a kitten in the house with fleas too so I worry about what you mentioned in your article (inhalation, lower body mass, & being in closer contact with the powder) Just want everyone to be safe and flea free. Unlike the Nematodes, this is most effective when left dry for a bit.. Great article! Reviewed for accuracy on July8, 2019, by Dr. Katie Grzyb, DVM. DE isnt really for direct application on your pets. 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. I noted where she napped and sprinkled the DE there also. If you do have an infestation, take action immediately to avoid further damage, and to remediate this threat to the health of your plants. I sprinkle on poop residue after picking up fresh poop in the yard. Or would I need to wait the 3 weeks, hoover, then apply the DE? My other younger son has a few bites but nothing compared to myself and the other sons. Thanks for your kind words! He used to spend most of his time in the kitchen or family room. Hi Ella, thanks for your helpful comment! Hi CJ, thanks for helping Bonnie, much appreciated . How long does it stay on pets? Thanks. I used the flea bath soap, Dawn dish soap, flea powders while my cats are locked out of rooms, flea sprays, small amounts of essential oils, you name it. As I did more research, I noticed it wasnt actually a spider bite, but BED BUGS instead. Im thinking of using DE now as we dont have carpets, only floorboards/baseboards with huge gaps in between them and holes everywhere and using Indorex isnt really the best option for hard floors. The little nasties were jumping off like they were on fire! Hey Mary! Hi Sue, yes that should be fine. Hi! is going to be your best option. Hi Stephanie, thanks for the feedback. Thank you! Hi Mary, yes that is perfect. I used boms and everything out there on the market. It doesnt, its not really a repellent. Dr. Cathy Barnette is a small animal veterinarian with 13 years of clinical experience. I did not want to use chemicals on my cat or myself. Hi Bobby, if its food grade, its safe, promise. Shot-holing is a collection of small pits and holes that the insect chews out of the hosts leaves. Now, I have the job of cleaning it all up. . Hi Christine, it will be fine, please post your results . in the article it says that it shouldnt be around kittens, puppiesbout how old should the puppies be before they can be around it. How do I use DE on hard surface floors? Can I use it outside in my yard and on my patio? Food grade DE is an ingredient in some nutritional supplements, touted for heart health, digestive issues, bone health, lowered cholesterol, and other health concerns. I was wondering, would I be able to use the diatomaceous earth alongside the K-Othrine? This is a valuable cultural control. I just sprinkled a ton of it all down my log very rugged hallway, and i let the kiddos run and play all day and track it all over the house. I also want to hook up a radio loud, to keep them thinking someone is home, or whatever they say to do, to keep them hatching. My vet has me using the DE alone. are very very slim. Even then, they can be bothers. Hi o was just wondering can I use it on my couch and recliner because that is where my dog sleeps some of the time and I am trying to get rid of the fleas in my house. Where would I put the food grade D earth? Maybe I should do some articles on mites, its actually a common issue. Hi Shirley, I would leave it down for a couple days and then after cleaning it up, use a couple flea traps (article on this blog) to see if there are any fleas left. Cheers! Some experts are adamant that only flea insecticides will work and ridicule those that think otherwise while others advocate a completely natural approach. I ordered some Advantage and Indorex from Amazon as soon as I could and applied the Advantage onto him and sprayed the upstairs rooms with Indorex. You can also use it on your lawns. That is a good question hehe, I am actually not sure. Hi Amy! Food grade is ideal but it is completely non-toxic, but that doesnt mean that the other stuff is highly dangerous. Adam, it is important to wear gloves and a mask because if the material enters your lungs it can be damaging. I sprinkle it on the carpet, and just leave it for a week or more. Please do, you are doing well though, keep it up! Honestly, I have never used DE internally so I cannot comment. Hi Sharlon! I know it might be challenging but if you have to go the natural route, try washing your cat in warm water and dawn dish soap, kills fleas instantly. I had used de last year for flea control and i will never use anything else since this worked wonders and did rid my flea infestation. My answer is that it should be enough to finely cover the surface and if you are unsure, a little more is better. Is it safe to apply directly on my dog? The flea beetle inflicts both above and below-ground injuries to its target. Hi Denise! Just remember to use it when the grass is completely dry as moisture will significantly reduce its effectiveness. there are so many articles about the health benefits to humans. And I have yet to find out how pure it is. Hey Adrienne! Hi Jessica, I have not tried it with birds in the house. Thanks for your help. Also on label Diatomaceoous Earth with Calcium Bentonite- Analysis: Ash(Mineral Matter) Maximum 95%,Moisture 8% Is the correct product to use, or does it need to be labeled only Food Grade? I just treated the whole main floor of the house and plan to do the upstairs. I couldnt get rid of these fleas. If you decide to apply DE to your yard, please do it on a non-windy day, keep dusting to ground level, and consider temporarily covering flowering plants. Id appreciate any advice you can offer! my rosacea that I have battled for the last couple years has virtually disappeared. Its peppermint oil and clove extract. They love a warm lamp, even on the bottom of the lamp. Hi George! So I buy this DE and sprinkle it on my cat and my bed every week for a month? Patiently awaiting your reply. Is there anything else we can do? Our vet told us it could take months to get rid of the fleas. Its a pleasure, I am glad to help the community with these frustrating bugs hehe. Hi Natasha, I am a senior lady who lives alone, and has NO pets. All I can say is thank you thank you thank you. Apologies if this has been mentioned already, but I have a question regarding treatment of plank flooring. My kids are itchy, Im itchy and yes, the poor dog is itchy too. Is DE effective against bees? Although the DE should be fine around your dogs (the food grade is completely safe), you can keep them out for this time period. But we are implementing DE on the floors, bedding, doorways and such. RE the flea traps, try making the DIY ones on my site (not sure if you followed that article, but you dont need to buy any from the shop). Is method dangerous for a vacuum equiped with a HEPA filterwill it kill the vacuum? Hi Bob! Make sure its *NOT* Visine GET THE RED OUT stuff. I heard that salt can kill fleas also. Hi Jake, from my experience, no. At first I wasnt sure what it was, but after the normal reaction of hitting it with my hand and it leaping to another part of my arm, I knew that it was a flea! I also recommend rubbing it in with a broom (to reach down into the fibers). Let me know how it goes. While it does kill fleas, there are some important things to be aware of before using it. I saw a comment above about garlic being toxic to dogs. They are doxies. Hi Cindy, try amazon, they usually have food grade DE. Hey Michael! I havent sprinkled it onto my area rug but I did around the bed and wall door crevices. I never was able to recover from my back surgery and Im at my wits end. Hi. Two cats get little welts after being bitten. The flea beetle may cause significant damage to the roots and foliage of your plants. I used de from lowes on my carpet in the living room, I just did some research on their website and it says its not food grade. It does not say food grade on the package, but is listed as organic. Apologies for the lengthy post but this has been a nightmare. Im washing blankets, sheets, bedding, and vacuuming the couch very well every couple of days. After digging around even further, it seems that it can even also be consumed in small quantities to deal with various ailments! in the floors as it can usually get in there and kill more then just fleas. I needed a quick reminder on the application process and your site was perfect. I will keep updating!! What am I doing wrong. Thank u so much for info, I really appreciate your info please answer. Hi Jean, super glad to hear that it worked for you, and thanks for taking the time to share your experience . ), or do you put it on and then wash them? I have finally gotten rid of the fleas in all infected parts of the house with bombs and then had my carpets professionally cleaned to make sure all residue was eliminated. 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. Thank you! Hoping we can rid our home and our poor pets of these pests! I can put around their homes, food area but they will not let me get close enough to put on them directly. Have a good one! Dont feed your dogs DE, its not going to help in any way. Mine too! Just in case the above-ground damage wasnt scary enough, Ill continue. Ive been giving it to her for a couple weeks in her food, and I had seen no signs of worms anymore. I know that you (or your pets) are not going to eat it but it basically guarantees that its non-toxic in every way. Hi Tula, just put the DE wherever fleas might be hiding. Intercropping companion plants helps deter flea beetles from the host plant. Anothet woman told us about it. The grass and plants are dry. She holds a BA in English literature with a minor in horticultural sciences from Clemson University, and she loves to read, write, and garden. Does not say anything about FOOD GRADE. And upstairs we have wood floors so I sprinkled it here and there only to fibd out I was seeing fleas still and were all still being bit. or is the carpet cleaning even necessary? You can definitely add stuff like that (it would probably help) but its not absolutely necessary. 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. We have two little dogs, and my question is how long do I have to leave the bedroom close in order for the dogs not to approach the area and should when I vacuum the entire bedroom after the treatment. The California High Desert, where we dont normally get flees is important to wear gloves a! 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