diatomaceous earth vs nematodes for fleas

I have a flea infestation and want these buggers gone! A miracle cure. Ideas on how to make this work without it being icky? Since DE is commonly used in your carpets, it can be a bit difficult to clean up. Also I notice his skin is starting to very get dry and actually flaking off in areas, can I add olive oil to his diet without disrupting the effectiveness of the DE? Even then, they can be bothers. Fleas thrive in humidity and heat. The fleas seem to be thriving in it. Hi! Thanks! Hey Laura! Hi Terrie, not sure if Helen will reply so here goes. Repeat if needed. He has never had fleas. Food grade DE is great for your pets, even when ingested. There is a lot of brush and natural ferns that outline the perimeter of our yard and also on outside of our fence. Hi Natasha, I used borax all over my wood floors and carpet 2 days ago, vacuumed it up after 12 hours. Not seeing a big difference as far as the bites we are getting yet unfortunately. Even though she was only in our home for a day prior to starting her Revolution, we are looking for something to treat our apartment, as we dont want anymore popping up. Or that the bag has been opened for the whole year, although it has been stored in a room temperature place, away from direct sun, etc. Sign up and make sure you are always on top of the most important info for you and your pets. If applied correctly it is very effective. The store is very far away from where I live. Leave it down for a day or two and then after vacuuming it up, repeat a couple times over a few weeks. How about my 2 year old son? Your primary goal is to make sure its as pure as possible, the color doesnt really make a difference. If breathed in, diatomaceous earth can irritate the nose and nasal passages. 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. Another question is, how long can they go without feeding on blood before they die?.. Thanks, appreciate your kind words and I am very glad that you have followed my advise. Hi Sharlon! Let me know if you have any questions! Much appreciated, have a fantastic weekend, please share this with your friends! I live in a 2.5 bed apt. Awesome, thank for sharing that with the community . I seen 2 of them, so far. Then again in the morning Boo goes outside with other cats around, some are feral. Alternatively, you could always water down the area and mop it up, since it didnt sound like it was on stuff like carpets, etc. Its rather overwhelming. I treated the dog and now the fleas are eating me alive in my bed every night. BUT, I could find nothing on how long it was going to take to kill these little boogers once they made contact with it. Your comment will also help the community, so I appreciate it. Have a question. so i just wanted to tell u that i found 100 % grade DE.on amazon.com for low coast ,also have many different size selection .sorry for being nosie but hope info helps.they will deliver it to your door to. I would choose DE . the fleas are biting again, so I put it thickly on carpets and wood floors. No offense to them, but if it has a toxic label, its very unlikely that its safe for your pets and kids. Could you please go over the instructions for using it again? Is this something I can do? Check out my flea trap article, you can do those at the same time for maximum flea destruction . Hey Ashlee. Let me know your results , Hi, We noticed our cats had fleas and immediately did a spot on treatment of Frontline on them. I put down a heavy dusting of DE and will vacuum up in the morning as well as bomb the place in a few days, but is there even a point when as soon as I leave the house they get back in? How long does it stay on pets? Diatomaceous Earth can also be fed to dogs for the purpose of eliminating intestinal parasites. First, thank you for the article. I recommend that you keep using DE, its a fantastic product, especially in homes where there are lots of those cracks, etc. I have memory foam bed and a leather sofa. It kills by piercing the body parts of the passers by, or by ingestion, which punctures the internal organs of the pests. That is why a wet diatomaceous earth powder will absorb nothing. You can purchase diatomaceous earth in a variety of forms (remember we mentioned it has a large variety of applications) and one such use is for cleaning pools. Thank u so much for info, I really appreciate your info please answer. Basically you will need to dust a fine layer around your home. I put frontline on him and gave him a capguard tablet. But I was looking for a little more information about the use of it being applied directly on the dog. This morning the fleas were jumping up on both my daughter and my legs at regular intervals, all over the house. I hate seeing them miserable. However, if you do it infrequently, feel free to do it. I found one live flea in each room, does this indicate there are hundreds? I drink a teaspoon every morning and every night. The problem, he says, is that homeowners will often misapply or over-apply it. I have bites all over me and no end in sight. I know if I rub it on them they will lick it. At this point (since you have tried a couple things), I suggest you get professional help from an exterminator. I am just curious as to why it is important to wear gloves and a face mask when handling Diatomaceous powder, and if it is dangerous to your health in any way if it does come in contact with your skin or lungs? Photo courtesy of Auburn University Food Systems Institute. I dont want to hire an exterminator, because Im wondering how much that is going to help if the fleas are all over my cats? For years I have searched for a remedy for chiggers and have recently hit upon the prospect of using DE. I have seen a couple of fleas in the house so decided to try your homemade traps. No, DE in their food will not help with fleas. Did Misty reply, Im interested in how it went. The irritation is making him even more anxious. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. In other words, if you have a decent model, it will be fine . We have fleas in a vacation home so we cannot vacuum for one month straight. Also will it harm bees? Should I have them flea dipped at the groomer and then treat the house while they are away?? We live in Florida and this is the first time wrve encountered a flea issue. Also can you recommend a way of spreading it lightly without using a duster? Can I mop it up after sweeping? I have a question I cannot seem to find the answer to-no matter how many sites and blogs I visit. The grass and plants are dry. I have a cocker spaniel who always finds the fleas. Just want to be sure I got the correct product. It will not be effective when wet, but when it dries out, it should have some efficacy.. What about you? No it wont help the fleas on your pet, need to get a spot on or something like that. Diatomaceous earth may also irritate the eyes, due to its abrasive nature. THANK YOU! Hope that helps! I just want to make sure it is in fact the same as the DE you use. We have 2 rooms that are carpeted and the rest are hard floors. Diatomaceous earth can irritate the nose and nasal passages if breathed in, says Glen Ramsey, board-certified entomologist and technical services manager with Atlanta-based Orkin. I found one flea last night and one today while in bed. Hi Karen! Its capacity to overwinter in soil and plant debris makes it challenging to manage, and very sneaky. Or no??? They will lay the eggs in places where your lamps are at. It doesnt feel humid in here, but I live in Austin, Texas, so its always kind of humid! Ill turn off the a/c while I dust with DE, should I cover the computers with plastic or something? Hi George, sure thing. and I swear the fleas have multiplied. I recommend using a decent vacuum cleaner but dont use anything fancy, a bag based vacuum is best as the power can get stuck in more modern systems. Natasha,can the DE be used on cloth furniture (sofa etc?). Does using DE seem like an appropriate way to handle this situation? So you have helped me greatly! Hey Shannon! Hi Kim, no it will not hurt them. But it doesn't have to only be ingested to be effective. I plan on using it indoors and outdoors. We have an exterminator coming next week to spray the house and both our dog and cat will be getting groomed and flea baths. I just spread some (probably rather thickly) all over my carpet. I live in Mexico on the border with San Diego so I went up there to get it and started treating the house and continued with frontline for another 3 months. I recently purchased a 25 lb bag of DE I applied it to both of my dogs and both cats all of my pets are inside not outside animals. 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. I have inspected my dog and I can only find one flea so far. I have a great article on the best flea treatment for dogs, check it out for more details. If you don't have any carpets, it can also be used on hardwood floors as a very effective way to kill off any flea infestations that may have found its way into your life. It sounds like some vacuum up immediately. Neil is the problem in your house or outside? Thanks for your kind words! I had a friend who got bedbugs from somebody giving them furniture, after months of chemicals from the store and 3 rounds of professional exterminators which they spent almost 2 thousand dollars, even getting new beds and still no help, they heard of diatomaceous earth and bought a 50 pound bag. What I bought is only 78% DE, 22% Other. My backyard nearly looks like it has snowed (I live in Florida and its September!). Is there anything else we can do? OH NO my husband just spread Pool grade DE all over in the cats out side pen. Have a good one! I focus on my grass and use Front Line on the animals now. Hope that helps you and thank you for stopping by, hopefully my blog has provided you with a satisfying answer. I bought de from a pet food store. The whole family, as well as the dog, takes about 2 teaspoons in water each day, as animals can draw little critters to humans. Thanks for your kind words That sounds like a fail safe plan, I love it! I wouldnt dump it on them, but 1/4 tsp or so per cat one time, plus whatever they do to themselves (which isnt too muchits not like its sitting in piles anywhere) seems to have helped a lot. Nematodes- Every living creature seems to have natural predators. The next day, tiny fleas are biting the heck out of my feet/ankles. I think its an environmental thing,if so, How can I repel them and kill the ones in here off for good? Thanks so much! It is a true storie. We encourage you to rely on chemical pesticides as a last resort, for the protection of our health and that of the environment. I still have to do my room beyond what was done in the doorway but that may be tomorrow. Will this still work & if sohow do I use it?? Your article says that the DE can be sprinkled on the lawn but it becomes less effective once moist. I suggest applying when when you see fleas, unless you find the application and cleanup entertaining . Provided you take this precaution, DE is fantastic for getting rid of fleas . Given the circumstances with the pets skin, I dont feel comfortable recommending any product, your best bet will be to take it to the vet. So can I go without cleaning those beds every couple of days if I just keep dust on them? Please help. Looking forward to hearing your experiences! Please help me! I have DEd my back yard yesterday and today (its a rather large fenced in area) And Ive applied it rather heavily (I realized after reading your comments). Should it be safe to release my cats to walk on it? Will it be okay for my toddler to walk around on the dust while we are trying to kill the flees in our house, Hi Connie, yes provided it is food grade . Hope that helps! People who have constant itcher/scratchers that switch to a Lamb and Rice,corn and soy free food usually have happy pets within a couple weeks. We have a book shelf with books and some of the kids toys.. how do we know if the fleas have gotten into the books? ? Hi Mandy! Thanks. If you dont have any carpets, it can also be used on hardwood floors as a very effective way to kill off any. It cannot be used as a preventative measure unfortunately. Im going to order it asap as the poor gals are miserable. Thanks for any help you can offer! Diatomaceous earth is extremely effective for killing fleas that are hiding in carpets, either in your home or even outside where your pets might enjoy taking a rest. I have published a book, worked with many pest control companies, and helped thousands with various infestations on a one-to-one basis. It is a pleasure, I try my best to answer everyone Good luck! Hi Beverly, that will be fine! We had tried everything besides this and I hated using the harsh chemicals to no avail. You can definitely add stuff like that (it would probably help) but its not absolutely necessary. Ive been sprinkling my cats and dog with it. Hi Dan. They should be tight enough where you can fit one finger under. I have purchased DE Food Grade and ready to give it a try. Good luck! But way worth it to stay healthy. The Safer brand of DE does NOT say food grade on the package (at least I couldnt find it). There is no carpet just hard wood flooring and tile. This is my first time to your site and you are a life saver, I have been getting eaten up So, for me, my house and my 3 dogs I am heading next to Amazon.com to order a large bag of food grade DE and a container of Cedarcide for starts, I have been putting my battle plan together today and also on how to stop all this intense itching from all the bites LOL Ill keep you updated on my progress and thank you again and your community for this awesome site youve all created together! I have a question. How long will it take for the nematodes to kill the ants. I washed floors with apple cider vinegar deleted ,flea traps with dawn dish soap and water.vacumed floors ,even salt ,and borax, in areas where they hide.we have 3 cats.2 female 1 male .we keep 2 upstairs the male on main floor.we also have tried the boiled lemons.and put in spray bottle .so now I have just purchased a bag of diatomaceous earth food grade and going to try it soon ,by the way the best place to find it is a hydroponic store.the guy said to wear a mask when you use it .i will keep you updated on my results. It makes a quick bug wipe and moisturizers your skin too. Just be forewarned that there is one major drawback: diatomaceous earth only works when dry, so you have to reapply it whenever it rains. Also, our animals (one cat, one dog) sleep on our beds at night. We have a very small kitten that we found and bless his tiny heart he is covered in fleas. Can I use it around my 2.5 month old puppy. 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. If you cannot find at local stores ( I did not know about Tractor stores), you can order it from Amazon. Ugh HELP!!! Drink lots of water. I think the precautions with dogs are similar to those in cats, but since dogsdon'tgroom themselves asoftenas cats, there may not be as high ariskof adversegastrointestinaleffects, says Dr. Jeffrey. After vacuuming and laying down another layer, were pretty much 99% flea free!! Its a pleasure, glad that you have found it beneficial! You can leave the DE down as long as you like to be honest, as long as there is no moisture or humidity which can reduce its effectiveness. Very informative and good article Natasha! Hello! Hi Jerry! Do you know why? Yes, although I havent used it for that purpose myself but I have also read that its fairly effective for removing all sorts of internal parasites. So if you could help me with this I would so appreciate it. A couple times I must have been standing in an old deer bed because Id come home after leaving the woods and would find fleas all over my clothes. Just wanted to throw my 2 in here. Our home is over 85 years old Victorian style, remodeled kitchen with over 85 years old wood flooring on the first and second levels. Or would I need to wait the 3 weeks, hoover, then apply the DE? You can apply it, leave it for a couple days and after vacuuming it up, repeat (if you still find fleas). Ive only seen dead fleas to be honest but hate not knowing if Ive got them all or not ha. The bedbugs were just killed the fleas are hopping on the cats and wandering around with them. Yes it can, and I suggest that you combine the DE treatment with nightly DIY flea traps, they work fantastically together. May I leave the powder down for the recommended 3 weeks or is there a benefit to vacuuming and reapplying the D-Earth? I am now struggling to vacuum it up, my filter gets blocked in a couple of minutes and I cant see around my house as the DE flies into the air. You can repeat application every couple days (the stuff is very cheap) and vacuum it up each time after waiting a couple hours. I have 5 indoor/outdoor cats and one dog. Whats the minimum amount of time to leave it down for and is it generally safe for my cat to walk around on straight after application? I work 10am to 7pm and so I cant vacuum very often? We still have fleas! Hope that helps . I dont want to support this inhumane disgusting practice of animal testing and hopefully you dont either. Thanks so much. Hope that helps, thanks for your kind words . However, do note that living mulches will compete with the main crop for water and nutrients. Veterinarians generally advise against the use of diatomaceous earth for fleas on cats and dogs. I researched DE years ago using different web sites to gather information and was pleased to see an article on this subject featured here along with the diligent attention/details you brought to this topic. HELP! That will be fine, hope it works out for you! Do you recommend using DE on the yard (cement, fake grass, patio stones)? Could this be that i found the fleas early enough? Thank you! Please advise because I cant afford a hefty vet bill. Apologies for the delay in my response, just catching up on commments atm. I live in Malta (near sicily Diatom is not easy to find. I recommend placing it for about a day and vacuuming it up afterwards. Turn off all fans and the DE actually falls straight down to cover whatever area you want sprinkled. See our TOS for more details. Erica, Just a heads upFrontline doesnt seem as effective as before. Any suggestions? Thanks for your kind words! Hi Natasha, I shared your website address with Next Door Neighborhood Online Community Network because I found that DE also kills Oak Mites which we have all been suffering from here in the Midwest. I just thought you would like to have some more information to pass on. Hi Maria! I dont want them hitchhiking on me and investing the entire house. But yes, I have heard the same things. Yes, it can be used on couches but it creates quite a bit of a dust cloud so take it easy hehe. My husband and I took in a 5 1/2 week old kitten last Saturday and immediately took her for her first vet appointment. Just make sure that it is food grade, that is your only concern. Remember to rub it it with a broom afterwards Good luck! We have tried borax, chemical sprays, dawn dish soap .. you name it we have tried it. I have used diatomaceous earth as an effective method of insect control for years (decades) I have a technique that I use for the application of it that I want to share. Hope that helps, please share this article with your friends . There is some evidence that environmental application of diatomaceous earth to the indoor environmentincluding carpets and cat scratcherscan kill fleas in the environment, says Dr. Elizabeth Falk, a board-certified veterinary dermatologist at Cornell University Veterinary Specialists in Stamford, Connecticut. Hi Rhonda! I usually use DE for killing fleas on carpets/etc. Hey Sharon! Thank you for your time! I dont know what to do. This is a very good and very factual article on DE. Using a living mulch interplanted between rows of your main crop (the insects target) confuses flea beetles, thus limiting their ability to identify their target. Hi, i found your post recently when we started getting invested with fleas. Let me know if you have any other questions! Hey Shawn! Hi Karen! Question 2, How long should I do the Salt/Soda combo, 3-4 weeks? It has been a really hot and humid summer and I have no air conditioner so I am sure that does not help. Our cat got a good flea bath and we got some flea meds from the vet for her. I was told by one person I could sprinkle on my dogs food? Quick, easy, inexpensive and non-toxic. Just for future reference, you dont need to get the stuff everywhere, controlled application is possible when you place the DE in a plastic container with holes in the lid and apply it as you would use a salt shaker. Hi Vickie! Hey Suzie! I understand on my mattress and furniture I use a vacuum.cleaner. Awesome, please share this article with your friends . I have used a spot treatment for both of the cats I rescued from the shelter, but found theyre still scratching and Im seeing fleas. Using DE heavily while the pets have been away. Hi Natasha, I have two baby pigmy goats, 30 chicks (number to be reduced as soon as I determine which are roosters) that share an enclosed area. The fun with the especially evil cat fleas! However, since we dont know its exact compound makeup, I recommend going online and just getting it delivered to your door, thats what I do Just make sure that you get the pure stuff that doesnt contain insecticides. ago. Combine all these and I am positive you will win the battle. My oldest and biggest dog has gotten the worst of it. I have used the DE in my house and I have all wood flooring. How should I use the DE and do I need to treat the beds? If you are going to use both, make sure you bath him first and then apply the spot on only afterwards. However, after further investigation of its chemical makeup, this soft, often crumbly deposit was actually diatomaceous earth in its natural form. A nematode is a nematode. Shopping around, I have discovered DE food grade can have different colors, from medium gray to white. I see under your cautions it states I dont recommend rubbing it on your pets skin on a daily basis (I have heard of people doing this) as it can cause dry skin, itchiness and dehydration. This is ground remains of a freshwater algae called Diatoms. All of our floors are tile except for a few area rugs. I used DE a few years ago, very successfully, to get rid of fleas in my apartment and treat my cats. Im feeling overwhelmed by this as Ive never had a flea problem this bad ever! Although it does work, it can dry their skin. What about red lakes brand of diatomaceous earth? Hope that helps! Even opening the door means I get reinfested inside the apartment. 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. hi i found small infestation of bed bugs in my bedroom , i did deep cleaning , i sprayed bed bug killer spray couple of time ! Within 24-48 hours of application, 85% of my flea problem was solved!! Theres always more fleas jumping on me. While both have their pros and cons, this article is going to investigate a substance called diatomaceous earth (sometimes called DE) that has over a decade of successful results for killing fleas in homes around the world. This has had the cats seek out alternative sleeping sites. This guide has brought a new life for me and my pets!!! Id appreciate any advice you can offer! Put on your scout cap, and get to work identifying and tackling these pests, utilizing the cultural, biological, and (only if absolutely necessary!) Yes, you can just leave the DE there, it is actually more effective that way. I love food grade diatomaceous earth! 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.. Should I or should I not treat my dog with the powder? Just got done blowing up my house with this stuff (100% food grade from organic store) already notice huge difference. AWESOME! Beejorn from Home Depot. I have DE but is says insect control. 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. I use Theraneem soap on the dogs and found a product called flea flicker /tick kicker spray. Hope that helps! Great information! Like I dont want to hurt my cats or chihuahua and while this is probably selfish of me but even more so I dont want to hurt myself. And what about myself?? You can use an plastic container with a lid. 3) DE kills any critter with an exoskeleton (insects/bugs/spiders), snails and slugs. Based on my research, I have found that diatomaceous earth is a very commonly used with grain storage as it keeps pests away. Great Pet Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Lets start with a very common question that many people ask on a regular basis; what is it and is it safe to use? Now, Im interested in using Borax. I recommend it is used for the home and sleeping areas. And I would love some advice on how to help my baby boy. When this flea-war is over then I will just put new filters in. In fact, although they do bite and can make you very itchy, fleas have to find an animal host eventually otherwise they will die. I just want to get that out the way first. Im going to take your advice and give her daily baths with Dawn (miracle soap, I swear) but my other senior dog has a skin infection so Im not sure what to do there. They are all Diatomed! I also wanted to ask.the DE my husband got is food grade mixed with bentonite clay (Red Lakes brand).is that sufficient? What can I use to sprinkle it with so I dont put to much or make a mess Our fleas are getting out of control and this product was recommended by a worker at our local tractor supply I absolutely hate fleas and its driving me crazy trying to get rid of them! Hi Lynn, it works the same way and you can follow the same steps as described in this article. Hi Mary, yes that is perfect. Any advice for the red lakes powder would be much appreciated. Just be careful you dont get too much powder puffing into the air when you apply it to the targeted area. Hi Elizabeth! Hi Jennifer, thanks for your comment. Could I put some DE in bag with bedspread, shake it around, let it set for day or two, then wash in warm water and warm dryer. The 50-lb bag I ordered was enough to fill almost five 31-lb Fresh Step cat litter containers. DE is safe to use on all animals from the very large to the very small, I have even heard of people using it on their snakes and reptiles for mites. Based on previous experience, I think it is OK to massage into the coat initially (avoiding the face), then toweling off the excess. Another option for dealing with pests in your soil is Diatomaceous Earth. Help! She doesnt get bites, but I am covered with them every summer and suffer greatly. Keep new fleas from getting on them when they go back outsde, since I havent heard the word Repellant used? I recommend that you just keep an eye on the situation and vacuum everything really well. I sprinkled and brushed into all bedrooms carpets and box springs. They are inside outside cats, so if I get ride of the fleas, do I still have to keep on applying it on a regular basis, even after they are gone, or can I stop using it when they are gone, and start up again if they come back? Use a spot on treatment like Frontline on your pets and let me know how the DE application goes. For your pets I recommend a decent spot of treatment or just simply give them a bath using dawn dish soap each day for a couple days. And the NPIC warns, If an extremely large amount is inhaled, people may cough and have shortness of breath. I didnt think so. After I sprinkle the DE, can I continue to walk on and live in the rooms having been treated? Tapeworms in animals can be caused by fleas. Hey Anita! Diatomaceous earth is found naturally in sedimentary rock and mined to use in industrial products, swimming pool . We noticed our cats had fleas a few weeks ago and since then Ive tried everything. The spores attach to the surface of the beetle, germinate, then infiltrate inside of the larvae and liquify its insides as a source of food for the fungus.

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diatomaceous earth vs nematodes for fleas