# Help--FLEAS in the house!



## midwsthomestead (Nov 8, 2005)

Hi Y'all 

As the thread title shouts clearly, I need your input on ridding our home of fleas! The cat became an exclusively outdoor cat recently and I had no idea she left the fleas in the house UG! 
I have googled/researched online and am already vacuuming EVERYWHERE daily sometimes twice, emptying the vacuum debris into a plastic bag and sealing it. I figure it'll take a couple of weeks before we see any difference. I do not want to call an exterminator and deal with those pesticides in the house if I don't have to--according to the two I talked to today, I STILL have to do all of the constant vacuuming and they canNOT guarantee the fleas will be gone after several pricey treatments. So why would I pay for it if it's not necessarily any more effective?
Share with me your experiences/comments/suggestions, please!!

~~


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## affenpinschermom (May 10, 2002)

After battling fleas all winter, trying everything. I finally bit the bullet and bought Frontline. It works. I wish I had done it first. It did take a couple of weeks, but finally we were rid of them. It is expensive, but for fleas it only needs to be reapplied every 2 to 3 months. I won't be without it now.


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

had same problem once. used home foggers bought at store. use one per room and room size area (bathroom & hallway). hit it every two weeks three times in a row. bag up everything you need to like dishes, toothbrushes etc. wash counter tops, stove tops & exhaust fan over stove and anything else like that. set matresses on side & pull sofa cushions & such to reduce hidden protected areas. make sure fogger has permethrin based insecticide.


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## Sue (Jul 22, 2002)

It's been a number of years since I had a problem because I have been using Frontline but when it did happen I had good luck with foggers bought at the vet vs. store bought foggers. It is essential that you shoot the foggers under the bed and other furniture before just setting it in the middle of the room. Bio Halt flea powder that goes in the carpet and upholestry is another good product. Frontline is excellent and works for several months on the pet.

Here is a link for more help:
http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Entomology/entfacts/struct/ef602.htm


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## cricket (Dec 15, 2004)

Get Arm & Hammer baking soda and sprinkle liberally ALL OVER your house. Make sure you get it into the crevices and cracks and into the furniture. Fleas are a thoracic critter and cannot tolerate baking soda or borax. Of course, keep vacuuming too. Also, fleabane (herb) is wonderful as a deterrant. Sage works too but has to be used in a higher capacity.

Also, DE is WONDERFUL if you can find it. I know you can order it onlline but I don't have any links handy.


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## midwsthomestead (Nov 8, 2005)

Thanks for the Frontline comments, however my problem is the HOUSE now, not the critters anymore lol.

Baking soda will kill them? So I douse the house(yeah yeah I made a rhyme LOL) with baking soda then vacuum as usual? Do it several times over several weeks to get the eggs that hatch etc?

Do tell...what is DE?

Thanks for the continued help!!!

~~


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## Wildtim (Mar 13, 2006)

Frontline will leave a residue that will kill the fleas anywhere your pet regularly rests. One tube of it is only about the same price as 2 foggers and the frontline lasts longer.

Didn't know about baking soda. But I do know that Borax will kill fleas in carpet or upholstery, shake on leave set for 15 mins then vacuum up. Also buy a cheap dollar store flea collar and put a couple of inches of it into your vacuum bag when you change it so it will kill the fleas in there and in the trash.


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

Wildtim et al
the cat is no longer in the house so it won't be able to "spread" the frontline.
permethrin is a "natural" insecticide originating in chrysanthemums (sp). if you use the foggers you only have to plan for enough time to let the house fog about 1-2 hours, air out about 2 hours w/ every fan on & window open and to clean the necessary areas about 1 hour max. about 5-6 hours max. no spreading crap you may not get back up. no extra vacuuming. it dang sure kills the fleas & every other crawler you may have & does it for weeks even months. cost is about $1-2 a can for the foggers usually sold in 3 packs.


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## Wildtim (Mar 13, 2006)

Sorry pops2 I just assumed that there were other pets. 

I have used foggers for other insect infestations Ants specifically but then had to clean every vertical and horizontal surface in the house of the residue. You are right they are very effective. That "natural" incecticide will kill all bugs, also birds, fish, dogs under 12 weeks, and kittens as well as people thats why you must leave the house. Because I raise puppies I won't have it around though it is the most common active ingredient in over the counter flea products.

I now recomend Borax because it is effective whenever it comes into contact with a Flea or its egg. Boric acid The active ingredient is also found naturally and is less toxic to humans and pets than permethrin. Its use is no more difficult than using any powder to freshen your house. It can also be left down in bug congregation areas, Under cabinets, fridge, to provide lasting protection. One application was effective for me the last time my pet brought home fleas.


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## Janis Sauncy (Apr 11, 2006)

DE is diatemaceous earth (spelling?) and it is actually fossilized creatures of some sort. I can't remember the exact definition. In the feedstore I used to work at, we carried it in 50# bags and it wasn't too expensive (I want to say around $8.00 a bag but I may be off somewhat). A lot of customers swore by it for putting down in the yard around house for fleas. If your feedstore doesn't carry it, ask them to special order it for you. You'd be surprised at what you can get if you just ask.


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## tiffnzacsmom (Jan 26, 2006)

salt will dry up the eggs too though not sure if it will work on the live ones.


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## glidergurl03 (Feb 28, 2005)

Also, there's a carpet powder you can buy at walmart that works well. It's in the pet section, rather cheap, but probably not as cheap as baking powder...I'll have to try that next time we have a break out. We live in sandy loom soil, and so if any of you have done research on the lil' buggers, you know that they live and breed outside in sandy soil. UGH. Anyway, good luck!


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## Chickieeeee (Mar 26, 2006)

I have three words for you: hard wood floors! I had this problem. We came home from vacation after leaving the cats indoors for three weeks. We tried the foggers and everything. Finally we had to rip out all the carpets and put in hardwood floors. Let me tell you, it was worth every penny! I love the floors, and I do that little dry mop thing once a day and I can't believe how much is on the floors!


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## mommymushbrain (Jan 10, 2005)

Not recommended for high traffic areas ~ but I've used 7 dust in our back storage room when we had a mama cat stray give birth and left us a bunch of fleas back there. I sprinkled it down on the carpet and left it overnight, then vacuumed the next morning.

No fleas.


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## Songbird (Apr 2, 2006)

The easiest, most cost effective way to rid your house of fleas is to put Frontline on your cat and bring him back into the house. All of the fleas will gravitate to the cat and die. A vet told me this. It truly is easier then bombing your house with chemicals that may be toxic to you in the long run. You would need your cat to stay in the house for awhile to also get the hatching eggs, maybe up to 3 months. If you do this and your cat is to become a fulltime outdoor cat again, it would be kind to keep putting Frontline on him to keep the fleas off. It's not fun for the cat to have fleas either. They carry alot of diseases, not to mention tapeworm as well.


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## midwsthomestead (Nov 8, 2005)

Thanks for all your inpu, I do appreciate it! 

Hardwood floors would be WAY ******, I don't doubt it. Not an option at the moment, however.

I hav simply been vacuuming twice a day, morning and evening and I'm certain we're seeing a difference whoohoo! I don't think we're too badly 'infested' but only time will tell. I'm going to continue the vacuuming assault and do the baking soda thing Friday evening when I can leave it on for awhile(I babysit during the day).

The cat is staying outside, she became an outside cat before I knew about the flea problem. She's happy out there and we're happy with her out there LOL!

I know only time will tell, but we seem to be having success without resorting to chemicals--I SO hope so.

Thanks again for all your input!!

~~


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## Songbird (Apr 2, 2006)

The kind thing to do for your cat that is obviously infested with fleas is to treat her regularly with Frontline to keep the fleas off of her too. Even though she is no longer a indoor cat doesn't mean she should be made to suffer the rest of her life outside with a flea infestation.  Fleas carry alot of diseases that can make her sick, not to mention give her tapeworm.


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## titansrunfarm (Aug 14, 2005)

Would it be possible to sprinkle Sevin dust on the carpets and then vacuum it up after a day or two? Make sure you ventilate the area well also. I use it in my dog run and don't have flea problems there.


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## moopups (May 12, 2002)

The flea problem has been discussed at least 20 times here in the time I have been here since 1999, again; place a water filled container beneath a night light, the wider the better, add a bit of soap to break the surface tension. The fleas must leave the animal to gain moisture, will jump to the light, fall down to drown.

Secondly, get a bottle of boric acid, remove the lid liner, punch tiny holes in the lid, reinstall the lid. Turn this on its side, spray the powder any place that moisture can be accumulated. Under sinks, around pets water dishes, near anyplace that water could be obtained.

Do not use poision in your house unless you want poision to be there for years to come.


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## harvestgirl (Apr 29, 2005)

haven't read the other replies, but get the good flea stuff for your cat & use borax sprinkled on the carpet, let sit for a while then vacuum up.


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## ColumbiaSC. (Nov 25, 2005)

place a water filled container beneath a night light, the wider the better, add a bit of soap to break the surface tension. The fleas must leave the animal to gain moisture, will jump to the light, fall down to drown.

I agree that that TOTALY WORKS!!!


Also get Frontline in a spray bottle from the vet, it goes WAY farther than the tubes and works as well. We used the tubes and it cost $30. a month for three cats ( untill we got the spray) The spray takes about a pump per pound and we could do 3 -4 cats and a small outside terrier dog for 3 months. It is about $40. for a large bottle online plus shipping, or from the vet with no shipping. 

But the light/pie dish with water thing does work as a cheap trap! Try that also but get the Frontline spray, it will pay for itself over foggers and labor.
Columbia,SC.


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## midwsthomestead (Nov 8, 2005)

Yep, Moopups, I figured folks here would know what to do. I'm fairly new n hadn't seen any flea threads--I did a search n figured the good ones poofed in the last crash.

No chemicals is my goal, I'm determined!

Thanks for all your help, I've treated the critters with some natural recipes I found online(we'll see how they work) and I've got that light trap goin and I'm doing the vacuum daily thing...we'll see!

~~


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