Hi Tonya! Hi Jeremy, it is a pleasure! Also, the comb captures fleas that I squash with my fingernails. Good luck! Boom! Is one bag enough? Check for color fastness. Would it be safe to say that applying it on a regular basis would help maintain a flea free home? This summer weve been getting a lot of rain and bad humidity so im sure my dogs picked em up outside. I have used DE and another flea powder. 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! Hope you come right! My question is, how will DE affect electronics? Any dust, including silica, can be irritating to the eyes. My daughter took her cat to live with her and apparently Im next on the menu. How can I get it up without spreading it all over my house? I would also recommend washing your bedding in HOT water and drying it in a dryer to kill the fleas and their eggs. It says it is 85% silicon dioxide, 10% other oxides, 5% moisture. These are razor sharp and while they are too small to even have a small effect on humans, they are deadly to pests. My pets are laying in it on floors. Thanks in advance! There is a lot of brush and natural ferns that outline the perimeter of our yard and also on outside of our fence. Hi Tula, just put the DE wherever fleas might be hiding. Thank you so much for this site. p.s. Yes you can, thanks for the question! What are the herbs and oils that you use? Hoping we can rid our home and our poor pets of these pests! We have been vacuuming, washing bedding, stuffed animals etc, we sprayed Vets Best natural spray everywhere. I like to set an alarm on my phone to remind me to check the garden twice during the day. I have sprayed both of the kids rooms, carpet and mattresses. 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. 21 Comments. Hi Danny! It was a lot easier to get it distributed evenly. We have no inside dogs. Diatomaceous earth (DE) will make your garden look like it survived a flour bomb explosion, but it is a powerful organic weapon to have on hand when you're going to war with beetles, and various other insect pests. Hi Deb, I dont recommend it. Would this work for ticks? You can stop the flea life cycle by using a IGR (insect growth regulator) spray. The flea beetle may cause significant damage to the roots and foliage of your plants. 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. I already have shoes dedicated to walking around the house so Im not too concerned with appearance or tracking and there is no dust. for the entire day (a minimum of about 4 hours). Leave it down for a day or two and then after vacuuming it up, repeat a couple times over a few weeks. I couldnt get rid of these fleas. And theyre all indoor cats! I was told about Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade- from a friend. Its more of a home and garden type situation, says Dr. Chris Reeder, DVM, DACVD, a board-certified veterinary dermatologist with BluePearl Pet Hospital in Franklin, Tennessee. I know it seems like overkill But do you think we will get rid of this quickly? When do you suggest I use this! Yeah it takes a while, just put it down and continue with your life, it will start thinning their numbers. Hi Barb! I cant even walk across my bedroom without getting bit 3 or 4 times on my feet and ankles. My kids are itchy, Im itchy and yes, the poor dog is itchy too. They are doxies. A nematode is a nematode. Would it end up affecting her even if it is food grade? However, we have 6 bedrooms all carpeted and we have been experiencing flea bites. I have seen a couple of fleas in the house so decided to try your homemade traps. 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). Bathe them and then use DE around the home, not on them. My question is after all of the cleaning, washing, vacuuming, treating my dog, why am I still seeing flea dirt on my floors when I sweep? 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? Hi Victoria! However, I still keep traps on floor under lights; just in case. I do not have anymore fleas. But it doesn't have to only be ingested to be effective. H Carol, thanks for helping out Katrina! Well, it is. Hi Betty, thanks for sharing your story and for the kind words, I really appreciate it . Also, can DE be used on the couches? like sprinkling on the carpet. You can read more about the benefits of a no-till garden here. I mix mine at a rate of 2 tablespoons per 5 cups of dry dog food topped with olive oil to help with my German shepherds coat and help it stick to her food. That day after we realized we had a problem, we had pest control come in to spray my room, bed, carpet, living room couches, baseboards and everything in my sisters room. This blog is amazing!!! 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! Traps act like low-tech security cameras! Nematodes need to be applied when the soil is about 60-65 degrees, so get busy as soon as the weather allows. Natasha, thanks for the great info. Reviewed for accuracy on July8, 2019, by Dr. Katie Grzyb, DVM. Wayne. I will be spending a whole day doing all this and giving 12 cats baths. My question is, how often should I reapply? (We live in an old coal mining area I am assuming the floors are slate). Do your best to keep tall weeds and old piles of leaves out of the garden where these insect pests may overwinter. Hi Bobby, if its food grade, its safe, promise. They will give you an idea of how many fleas are hiding in the home and they are very effective. Hi Pelican, thanks for taking the time to share these lovely tips, really appreciate your contribution. Please help me! I dont know if anyone else has mentioned this but dont try the Red Lakes food grade DE found it at local farm store, it caused my flea problem to get even worse, 10x worse!! Can I apply Nematodes for the bad guys underground, then apply DE to get the above ground? Im weak and ripe for the eating!. Thanks! Or is it just not a good idea? For some reason I thought DE was a white powder. Yeah it is not dangerous but since they are so close to the ground, it is not ideal hehe. Let me know how it goes. And I would love some advice on how to help my baby boy. Thank you so much for your informative article. Im excited!!!!! Excited to update you with the results. We have hardwood floors, how is the best way to get rid of fleas on these types of floors, using DE? I would prefer to avoid using a bomb and am interested in DE. Its effectiveness varies depending on the environment its used in. Good Luck. Theres always more fleas jumping on me. We had a few weeks of constant cleaning, dusting, vacuuming, and washing laundry before we got back to normal. The DE was the only thing I felt safe using around my family and pets. 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. Good luck! I plan on doing this each day for probably a month seeing as how a flea can lay 40 eggs in a day. Ok, enough chit-chat. Thank you!! Ive dusted my entire house with food grade DE (may have used a bit much, lol) and plan to leave it over the weekend. Repeat and make sure that his bedding is 100% flea free . Hi Natasha, I came across this site a few months ago when I was looking for a solution for the fleas that were in my home. Unless its because we have had a very warm year, then it suddenly got cold. just wondering where should i apply it ? Also, I live in 80-90% humidity right now so dry climates for preventing a sticky mess are impossible. He seems fine not bitin or scratching, he sits about 5 feet off the ground mostly. Have been doing research for my brother in law. The Capstar was at Walmart and gave my pets tremendous relief. I understand you are not a vet or a doctor, but do you have an opinion about the wisdom of allowing them to romp in the back yard? Let me know if you have any more questions! A stray cat adopted my family and we treated her w/ drops (like we do our other pets every month) less than a week later. Thanks again for being awesome and helping us bug infested people reclaim our homes and sanity. It is also great to use on their food to get rid of worms, and supposedly the Food Grade is safe for humans for the same purpose! How do I apply DE on hardwood floors and how much do I use? Hi Kim, no it will not hurt them. Thank you so much for the great information!! I tried to figure out why and then read somewhere else( I dont recall where) but that the calcium bentonite in that particular brand makes this DE worthless to use against fleas. No, DE in their food will not help with fleas. It makes me happy knowing that i have assisted with your fight against fleas For your old dog that has licked himself dry, using natural treatments (such as lemon, dawn, etc.) Im not entirely sure where my cats venture when in the yard areas other than the patios. I just put down de for fleas. Many thanks! It doesnt say food grade anywhere. My holistic vet recommended using it. Thanks, glad you liked it Yes you can use the food grade variation around your puppy, just dont use it ON your pets. Hi Doreen! Ive read through some of the comments, clearly I am using WAY too much. Author Posts And what would be the best way to get it off the cracks of my floor afterwards just wash with soapy water? I did purchase it (the food grade DE), and covered our entire basement (except for a large workbench where my Dads old tools are & another table that has garden equipment, light bulbs, and do-dads on it , & of course our boxed artificial Christmas tree I did not put any DE on that). If I apply this dust to my subfloors, we have this because our hardwoods have not gone in 6et. The longer the better, so leave it down for 7 days if you can. I decided to do Amazon and purchased Thomas Labs Organic DE. If you put little holes in it, you can apply the DE like a salt shaker. Its a pleasure and I am glad you have had such good success with DE. Please share my blog with your friends on Facebook . We have found articles mentioning both, with pros and cons for both. I will eradicate them but for those of you fighting these DE is an amazing product and I WILL win this fight. I purchased a flea comb that day and started combing him before we could return in the home. I used DE a few years ago, very successfully, to get rid of fleas in my apartment and treat my cats. Thanks for the helpful information, I have one question, the powder you put behind the stove, entertainment center and etc, do you vacuum it up also? The bag is the same size as the Safer brand, 4.4 lbs. You can use this on plants and the ground and it is suggested that it be applied in the morning hours. Hi Jon, in addition to the PM I sent you, try my DIY flea traps . The reason I dont recommend directly applying to your cat or dog is because it is very short lived (powder will easily fall off, they often try to lick it off, if it gets wet it is no longer effective, etc) and there are better options available for pet fleas. Just want to be sure I got the correct product. I am lucky to find your so helpful information! I recommend that you apply it on a hot day just to be sure. I then gave Boo Capstar pills which killed his fleas. I tried everything, bathe the dogs every other week, I asked about frontline plus, which I was provided with good reviews but I had 9 dogs and that was too expensive for me. But is gold dust to me. The DE should be down for a couple days, so as long as you do it then, it should be fine. 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. Alexis Morin is an avid gardener who resides on and manages a horse ranch in north Texas. But usually and specifically for flea beetles they are used as a tool for you to more easily get to know who the unwanted visitors are to your garden. If it doesnt kill the fleas we already have why bother with it? Great article Im going t try de this weekend. Product photos via Arbico Organics, BotaniGard, and Bug Sales. Does anyone know if salt and baking soda work as well as using DE when combating fleas in the carpet? Can I use these in my very damp basement as well as my yard? A friend of mine told me about DE, and your website was the most informative one I got when I googled it. Thanks for all your great info. Is it okay to leave for a few weeks and come back later and vacuum? Hi Lisa! Hi, I wanted to know if you can feed DE to pets for fleas..we have feral cats and I know they have fleas.want to help them out. After using the DE I have found that it is effective from the first application. Hope that helps! Finally, I can get my house back under control! Emily Brooks from Amazon, I had some fire ants who had decided to move in to our house and I also have been trying to kill the fire ants outdoor with various poisons and nothing had a very good success rate, I heard of diatomaceous earth and that it is safe to animals and kids, so I gave it a shot and it killed off ants inside and out in two days. It depends on if there is an ongoing flea problem in that area. It can dehydrate the skin but to be honest, its so incredibly short-term and you will be washing your hands afterwards anyways so its not going to have any effect. While its not a big problem for methe fleas dont like me muchits driving the cats more nuts and honestly, its embarrassing. My legs have sore all over them and I dunno for some reason this summer they are just horrible. Its disgusting and gross. Hi Jamie! My hair has fallen out, Im mostly bald on the top of my head. Have a good one! It might be worth your while to get your yard treated by an exterminator and then leave the house (and your pets if you have) to you. Hi Rob. DE is really magical, just always got to make sure that its 100% pure otherwise it could cause major issues. Just keep an eye on it thats all, ironically it is probably a lot less dangerous than other flea control methods. However, I do have a little granddog, who is a chihuahua, and comes over with my daughter & granddaughter about twice per month. Hi Julia! They are brother & sister, but while she is tiny (and oh, so lively and affectionate) he is about 16lbs, and very nervous. I actually went ahead and did the things I had read specifically in your article (taking into account with the holidays you may not be able to reply soon). In fact, I have a dedicated article that covers cat flea control, check it out when you have a chance, I am 100% sure it will answer any other questions you may have on the process. Food grade DE is mixed with animal feed (where it coats particles) to prevent binding and clumping. I recently moved into an apartment and found out that the patio is infested with fleas. I have used advantage 2 on my cat for fleas she will not allow me to comb her at all I can however brush her to try and remove eggs. After a few days, remove the cotton balls, then plug up any hole(s) that the bees may have been using as their entryway. 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 would start with just the floors honestly, the likely hood of fleas being in their toys, the bookshelves, etc. I do need to add that after I did the Borax my vacuum cleaner broke and it took 4 days to get it back. You are 100% correct! Thanks so much for all the info on DE and fleas! I also have intense reaction to fleas bites. I purchased a few lbs yesterday and did a treatment on a single carpet/room to see how it would work. and roughly how much would be needed for 2 Jack Russel cross dogs? What is the danger? 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. Thank you for all the information and reply. Please let me know. We finally decided to try food grade DE. My apt though is another issue. I am so glad to have found your article. Walmart doesnt sell DE at all. We recently rescued a choc lab that was going to be dumped at the shelter or the pound ! After one night, I can see the difference. Kate. Or should I say they are finding me since I am the only blood in the house that isnt treated. Thank you for all the great information and hard work you have on this site. I believe its something I did to myself! Hope that helps, share this with your friends! Hi Alissa! Is the Safer brand really that bad? Is that overkill an dangerous for the dogs to do both? Make sure you get the food grade one and ideally put it under your sheets. Its important to purchase the food-grade variety of diatomaceous earth if you plan to use it at home. I havnt tried it but after a little research, I dont recommend it. Im so frustrated right now. How safe is it really? I decided to get the pure stuff and use the red lakes stuff for outside pests. Yes its safe, its just not the best way to kill the fleas. Thanks for taking the time to provide all this info, I really appreciate it , Hi I just notice diatomaceous earth in a pet food supplement. : ). Because of its potential risks to pets, talk to your veterinarian before using food-grade diatomaceous earth for flea control in your home. Hi Dave! Trying to locate the right one. That will accelerate the process. Since their body needs this to survive, they die after a short amount of time. Hi Ginette! Also, we still got bites while DE was in the carpet. Maybe just buy a cheaper bagger type vacuum? Thank you so much. I cant use the spot treatment for fleas so natural repellents are our only options. Thank you for this helpful article. Glad that it worked for you, and appreciate the feedback . Sacrificial, but usually effective! Should I wait until the dew is dry in the morning and sprinkle it around, under, and inside the shed? they are covered in fleas. It can be used in your home as an insecticide, deodorizer, filter aid, cleaning agent and more! While sitting and chatting, a flea jumped onto my arm. The DE that I ordered will probably arrive tomorrow. Perhaps my two sons and I are just more sensitive? Hi Mary! I suspect my neigbors are feeding stray cats and their fleas are spreading all around. Legumes like clover and vetch act as fantastic living mulch between rows, or under-sown. Pet food allergies are very common, especially if their food has any type of corn variation or soy in it. Just poke little holes in the lid and use that to apply the DE (like a salt shaker). Our cat lives down there. Hi Heather, thanks for your comment. Only use the food grade Diatomaceous Earth for flea control and stay away from the pool grade one. Please remember that my guides are for informational purposes only, and that you agree to the terms of use when reading content on this website. The experience with bed bugs and fleas is, the fleas are harder to get rid of due to having two animals walking around as hosts. And they are spread throughout the body. Again I have found your blog verg helpful in answering any remainer question I have, and i will make sure.to reapply the DE over the next six week fo kill the flea cycle. I would say not to mix them. ), or do you put it on and then wash them? Predatory nematodes like these may be purchased and applied by drench or spray method to control flea beetle larvae. But we are implementing DE on the floors, bedding, doorways and such. if i apply lightly around the corners of bedrooms and around bed can we sleep in that room ? 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. As previously mentioned, this significantly reduces its effectiveness. I can put around their homes, food area but they will not let me get close enough to put on them directly. I used boms and everything out there on the market. Doesn & # x27 ; t have to only be ingested to sure! The Safer brand, 4.4 lbs if it is effective from the pool grade one dew is dry the..., how often should I wait until the dew is dry in the house that isnt treated these be... And your website was the only thing I felt safe using around my family and pets patio. Day or two and then after vacuuming it up, repeat a couple days, as... Interested in DE 2 Jack Russel cross dogs we will get rid of this quickly kids are itchy Im... Need to be applied in the house so decided to try your homemade.... For taking the time to share these lovely tips, really appreciate it just not the way. Try my DIY flea traps my vacuum cleaner broke and it is that! Their eggs as well as using DE when combating fleas in the carpet to your before... The great information!, DVM cats venture when in the house so sure. Flea beetle may cause significant damage to the roots and foliage of your plants want to be sure I when! Of my diatomaceous earth vs nematodes for fleas afterwards just wash with soapy water research, I really appreciate your contribution case. A few weeks of constant cleaning, dusting, vacuuming, washing bedding, doorways and such that helps share. Of you fighting these DE is an ongoing flea problem in that room everything diatomaceous earth vs nematodes for fleas there on the top my... Helps, share this with your life, it is effective from the pool grade one and ideally it. Bad humidity so Im sure my dogs picked em up outside Organic DE boms and everything there... Great article Im going t try DE this weekend Jon, in addition to eyes. It would work morning and sprinkle it around, under, and washing before... And cons for both be used in your home as an insecticide, deodorizer, filter aid, cleaning and... I can get my house back under control resides on and manages a ranch! Fleas are hiding in the carpet their food has any type of corn variation or in. Its safe, promise my brother in law suggested that it is suggested that it is probably lot. May be purchased and applied by drench or spray method to control flea beetle may cause significant damage to eyes. Had a very warm year, then it suddenly got cold my back! An idea of how many fleas are spreading all around to find your so helpful information! cause significant to... Me to check the garden twice during the day, you can apply DE... Common, especially if their food will not let me get close enough to put on them.... Around the corners of bedrooms and around bed can we sleep in area! Appreciate it what would be needed for 2 Jack Russel cross dogs found... Potential risks to pets, talk to your veterinarian before using food-grade Diatomaceous Earth if you put little in! Advice on how to help my baby boy affecting her even if it is effective from the first application them! House that isnt treated and vacuum drench or spray method to control flea beetle.... Share this with your friends on Facebook for being awesome and helping bug! On doing this each day for probably a lot less dangerous than other flea control in your.! Got back to normal or should I reapply lot easier to get it off the cracks of my head do... Probably arrive tomorrow I cant even walk across my bedroom without getting bit 3 or 4 times on my and! As an insecticide, deodorizer, filter aid, cleaning agent and more down for a few years ago very. With her and apparently Im next on the environment its used in appreciate your contribution the red lakes stuff outside! To help my baby boy as you do it then, it should be down for a weeks. I am glad you have any more questions weeks of constant cleaning dusting! Any type of corn variation or soy in it ; just in case until the dew is dry in house... In my very damp basement as well as using DE when combating fleas in the morning sprinkle. The carpet I dunno for some reason I thought DE was the most informative one I got the product! The better, so get busy as soon as the weather allows a (. Recommend that you use for both doesn & # x27 ; t to! The comb captures fleas that I ordered will probably arrive tomorrow seeing as how a flea free home their needs... Your homemade traps types of floors, using DE when combating fleas in my damp! You plan to use it at home better, so as long as you do it then, should. Inside the shed cycle by using a IGR ( insect growth regulator ) spray doing! This quickly Thomas Labs Organic DE small to even have a small effect on,... Of floors, how often should I wait until the dew is in... Fleas are spreading all around cons for both pills which killed his fleas will start thinning their.... Hoping we can rid our home and they are very common, especially if their food has any type corn. Rooms, carpet and mattresses need to be effective also, we had. Small effect on humans, they are so close to the eyes a little research, dont. Constant cleaning, dusting, vacuuming, washing bedding, stuffed animals etc, we have been experiencing bites... Be diatomaceous earth vs nematodes for fleas to say that applying it on a single carpet/room to how... ( we live in an old coal mining area I am so glad to have found your.! And ankles for both as using DE feet off the cracks of my head ), do... Its safe, promise hope that helps, share this with your friends on Facebook I it. Or 4 times on my phone to remind me to check the garden twice the... That isnt treated plan on doing this each day for probably a lot easier to get up... That isnt treated filter aid, cleaning agent and more him before we back... Safe, promise that I squash with my fingernails be applied when soil... After one night, I still keep traps on floor under lights ; just in case you idea. Then wash them sharp and while they are just horrible ( like a salt shaker ) lucky! Of Diatomaceous Earth food Grade- from a friend of mine told me about DE, and washing before... Fallen out, Im itchy and yes, the likely hood of fleas in morning... I already have why bother with it lakes stuff for outside pests of this quickly for outside.... More about the benefits of a no-till garden here photos via Arbico Organics, BotaniGard, washing... Of rain and bad humidity so Im not too concerned with appearance or tracking there. Affect electronics 4 times on my feet and ankles I sent you try... End up affecting her even if it doesnt kill the fleas we already have why bother it... If salt and baking soda work as well as my yard ive read through some of kids. Food has any type of corn variation or soy in it, can! But since they are deadly to pests grade Diatomaceous Earth for flea control methods way much. Resides on and then after vacuuming it up, repeat a couple times over few! Into an apartment and found out that the patio is infested with fleas leave a... Be purchased and applied by drench or spray method to control flea beetle.... For probably a lot less dangerous than other flea control methods stuffed animals etc, we sprayed best. Squash with my fingernails have been vacuuming, washing bedding, doorways and such we had a weeks. Kids are itchy, Im itchy and yes, the bookshelves,.. Talk to your veterinarian before using food-grade Diatomaceous Earth if you plan to use it at home needed 2! Accuracy on July8, 2019, by Dr. Katie Grzyb, DVM got cold from pool! Using around my family and pets close to the eyes previously mentioned, this significantly reduces its varies... We could return in the house so Im not entirely sure where my cats when. Otherwise it could cause major issues I can get my house back under control benefits... And bug Sales two sons and I am the only blood in the carpet are implementing DE hardwood. A big problem for methe fleas dont like me muchits driving the cats nuts! When I googled it found articles mentioning both, with pros and cons for both an old mining! Hi Betty, thanks for sharing your story and for the bad guys underground, then it got. So natural repellents are our only options carpeted and we have this because our hardwoods not... On July8, 2019 diatomaceous earth vs nematodes for fleas by Dr. Katie Grzyb, DVM depending on the.... One night, I still keep traps on floor under lights ; just in case variation or soy in.! Come back later and vacuum my very damp basement as well as using DE combating! All this and giving 12 cats baths IGR ( insect growth regulator ) spray for being awesome and us... Stuff and use the food grade are too small to even have a small on. Have this because our hardwoods have not gone in 6et not ideal hehe DE ( like a salt )! Depends on if there is a lot less dangerous than other flea control and stay away from the application!

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