My oldest and biggest dog has gotten the worst of it. Would using dawn be more effective? Thanks again for being awesome and helping us bug infested people reclaim our homes and sanity. I have tried all kinds of stuff. Please also consider sharing my blog with your friends . Like boric acid, it kills fleas by dehydration [10]. Attracts and Kills - Made from diatomaceous earth and selected baits, this powder causes insects to dehydrate and die within 48 hours after contact. Hi All, I am just seeing this site and I love it. Extra light? Fleas sometimes dont bite certain people, might have some thing to do with their skin. Hi Cindy, try amazon, they usually have food grade DE. They hate having it put on them. DE is great, glad you are having success! Anyway, I cant understand why all of a sudden we have a major flea infestation. Once the predicted storms are done and things dry out again, Ill put it around the yard, raking it into the dirt to dilute it a bit. I notice that I have not been bitten and jump upon this buggers so therefore it works! Otherwise your timings and target areas is perfect, let me know how it goes . Hey my name is donna Lockey my question is if I put it in my pets food how much do I use and by giving it to pets in there for what does that do for them. Though imperfect produce is often just as delicious as a potato or tomato with a pristine skin plucked from a plant with unnibbled leaves, do you really want to share those crops with the neighbors? I would put it down for a couple days and dont stress, your cat walking on it a couple times is not going to hurt it. Thanks for your tips, really appreciate yo helping out Sarah! With some careful planning, preventative measures, and an action plan in place, you wont have to worry about the safety of your precious broccoli and eggplants. A few days after our house had been serviced by pest control, we noticed my chihuahua started itching. I have vacumed entire house daily for past 2 weeks. Most importantly is that you arent poisoning the Earth while killing a few weeds, or harmful insects. As long as its food grade DE, it will work. The flea beetle is approximately 1/16-1/4 inch long, depending on the type. I have carpet only in the bedrooms and closet, can I sprinkle DE on my hardwood floors and tile? I have done everything known to man kind, but nothing has worked. Hey Karen! I havnt personally used that brand but provided its food grade, it will kill a ton of insects including roaches. Hi Wendy! I usually recommend just a standard bag based vacuum cleaner with no fancy cyclone technologies, etc. I have an article on this blog about it, find it under the fleas category and tell me what you think. I sprinkle it on the carpet, and just leave it for a week or more. If you like the article, please feel free to leave a comment there as well , I love the article! They are good for nothing! Is it okay to leave for a few weeks and come back later and vacuum? We left the DE for 3 days and vacuumed, except under the beds where the cats hangout. And whats the best way to apply it on the carpets so it dont make so much dust? I typically use DE for actual areas, not really pets. Cheers! Okay to go ahead and use my normal liquid cleaner after vacuuming the hardwood?? . What do you think? I purchased DE from a Home Depot in NJ and asked the sales person if it was food grade. is more then enough. I even give my kitties a flea bath. Less than 100% I would not Recomend.. Also, Salt and Baking soda can help. Hi there, I just purchased the diatomaceous earth and wondered if I should get my dog a bath and flea dip before or after the process on the carpet. They cannot survive in high heat but will die off once they have eaten the pests anyway. Thanks. Try a spot on for your pets and continue the DE on the floors, etc. Can I mix DE with borax when I put it down on the floors and carpet? Diatomaceous earth may also irritate the eyes, due to its abrasive nature. Keep it away from moisture. And it is odorless so they dont freak out from a nasty smell. And to repeat the process once a week for 3-4 week.s Can I leave the DE for one week, which means I vacuum once a week? We inherited a 4 month old kitty when the idiot neighbor moved and left it outside. Then it is food grade and safe. We have blackout curtains in our bedroom also. Good question! Because the particles are so small . Hi Kim, thanks for your suggestions, love them! Im washing blankets, sheets, bedding, and vacuuming the couch very well every couple of days. Help! 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. Hi Barb! We thought they were getting better.. at first we were not getting bit and now I am getting bit all over (although no one else is.. so weird) I have seen little baby ones crawling on my dog but only a few here and there.. Cedarcide is the product that I came across and it works. Hello! Luckily my cat is on advange and has been before we moved into our new house. While I cannot be 100% certain, the fact that it can be added to the feed, tells me that it should be safe. If your pet is older they may need to be bathed to help get the DE out. I do have a large backyard. Hi Misty! First the update, the carpets and furniture have been steamed cleaned, exterminator has been out to spray inside, I vacuumed like crazy then applied my first round of DE to the carpet and left for 2.5 days (killed the vacuum during DE removal, RIP Hoover). Its been about 4 weeks now and were getting new bites about once a week. Hi Natasha, As a big proponent of the benefits of food grade DE, I was very pleased to find this website. Hi Janet! ago. & it seems to be starting to help.. I understand Nematodes a while to be effective and are more of a long term solution so wondering what we can use in the yard thats safe for them to get faster results? Maybe just buy a cheaper bagger type vacuum? Make sure its *NOT* Visine GET THE RED OUT stuff. just wondering where should i apply it ? Sorry, these ticks have me all flustered. Hi Melody, DE is not for direct application to your pets, just use it for everything except them. To be honest, if you can afford the exterminator and they can confirm their treatment will not affect your family, go for it. the majority of those do not have a filter -so they will not get clogged. I will do our carpets tomorrow. Good luck! Vacuuming twice (sometimes three) times a day for weeks now and always empty it outside and in a bag. And I am finding that the labels I am reading says 100% pure freshwater DE is that what I want? It kills by piercing the body parts of the passers by, or by ingestion, which punctures the internal organs of the pests. Just rub it in and leave for about a day before vacuuming it up, that way it wont go to waste. Why not use the Frontline all the time? Dont feed your dogs DE, its not going to help in any way. Breathing it in small amounts and having it on our hands is not all that problematic. I dont think just using DE on the dogs will work at this point since there are so many on them. Hi there! Ill wait and then try the D/E. Is there anything to worry about? Thats why the fleas have been avoiding me! Have you any advice? Hi Margie, I recommend that you give beneficial nematodes a try for your yard, it will stop your pets from catching fleas from outside and they are completely safe (and affordable). Author Posts Alexis once managed a sizable CSA operation in Valley Center, Kansas, and her specialization is in growing high quality organic vegetables. Just wipe the counters and check the books, I dont think using DE on them will help. 3 pounds for just under $16 and free 2-day shipping. Hi Jon, in addition to the PM I sent you, try my DIY flea traps . I was about to apply the DE I bought at a small hardware store but was hesitant because it says its toxic on the back label. . Hey! Gotta figure out what to do for the animals though. I was so pleased to read your article. Ive kept our cats out of all of the bedrooms for two weeks while trying to win this battle but was wondering if I should let them in to help stir up any eggs/larvae and adult fleas that are hiding? Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a natural product composed of the fossilized remains of tiny, aquatic organisms known as diatoms. Hi Alice! However, now that the powder is no longer there, they are back again. Should I or should I not treat my dog with the powder? Another benefit of diatomaceous earth is that it has been found to help with joint pain as well as healing wounds. I found dead fleas on the carpet and on the hardwood floors. At this point Im not sure if only one was brought into the house, or multiple. 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. If Alexis is not in a pasture learning the names of all the growing green things, you can find her in her garden growing fruit, veggies, and flowers. Cheap? These eggs will hatch in approximately 10 days, hatching out into small whitish larvae measuring between 1/8 and 1/4 inch long, with dark heads and tiny legs behind. I have a 3-month flea problem, first had pest control company spray all floors with toxic chemicals guaranteed to work for 7 months, did not even work for less than 5 weeks. However, before i read your info here, i put DE onto the cats and worked it into their coats hoping to kill off the ones that Advantage hasnt. Do you think that keeping the rabbit off the carpeting being treated will make it safe for him? Hope that helps! This stuff is messy and we are covered in the stuff. Hi Natasha, Thank you for the very informative advice on how to treat flea infestations. I am a little confused about when to vacuum up the food grade DE. Fleas can live on humans but its not their preferred target. I usually use DE for killing fleas on carpets/etc. You can also try using a flea bomb, I have an article that outlines the exact steps and I encourage you to check it out. I always advised against using water but doing that and then letting it dry, such a good idea. Hu, some very useful comments on here! I live in a rural area next to a creek so there is lots of brush and wooded area. 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