Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas

RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Jamie (Guest Post) (11/26/2008) Last year I had a really bad problem with fleas, I recomend frontline. I tried about every flea killer on the market with no success. I was able to get the fleas out by about one month and since then I have been feeding my dog garlic in her food and not using frontline this year. I have not had any fleas. Some vets will sell you a tube at a time which is what I did because the cost of frontline is so much. Some vets don't think garlic works ans who knows maybe it doesn't on all dogs but I had nothing to lose so I tried it. It worked for me so maybe it's worth a try for you, I hope this helps and good luck with you fight. Don't use dish soap on your pet at any time I know some people have but it is very toxic to your pets natural skin balance. I used human shampoo and ended up with a very hefty vet bill because of it Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Amanda (Guest Post) (11/22/2008) It won't do any good treating the pet without treating the house. The fleas will just hatch and reinfest your poor little animal. We tried Advantage, but our house infestation was so bad a week later they were back on the cat. We're going to start putting it on her once a week. Flea bombs do work... for like a few days. And you have to wash EVERYTHING after you use them. That means all your clothes, sheets, etc. And take your dishes and stuff outside first so you don't have to wash all of them. One thing I just discovered is check your source of the fleas. We have an indoor cat and sent her to grandma and grandpas for a few weeks while we dealt with the fleas, but then we discovered that we had 2 mice. Those are how the fleas were getting in! The second mouse just got wacked tonight, so we'll see. We're trying the candle in a shallow dish and moth flakes now. Hopefully they work!! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Guest (Guest Post) (11/02/2008) In response to the person who used pine sol to wash a cat.... It is very toxic to cats. I think that Frontline is the best bet to get fleas off cats and if you have indoor cats and not a large flea problem you can use it for three months and that will be long enough to kill off any that hatch from eggs in the house. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By (Guest Post) (10/30/2008) I really need to get rid of the fleas on my cats and kittens! Can somebody help me? This is the 1st time in 3 years of having my cats that I have had a flea problem. I have 2 adult cats and 3 beautiful kittens. I have already bathed the 3 kittens in flea and tick shampoo and put flea collars on all of them. I can't bathe the 2 adults they are way to huge for me to handle. Now I just need to get them outta my house. WHAT DO I DO? I shampooed all of the carpets in my house would that do anything in my advantage against the fleas? PLEASE e-mail me with ideas at so_unwanted AT hotmail.com! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By sharon (Guest Post) (10/21/2008) First the capstar does work on cats and for people who have CATS OR DOGS i would definitely do whatever it takes to get rid of fleas. They may be annoying and hard to get rid of but they do not just infest your house. they carry tapeworms on them. My cats are all at the vet as we speak not just getting declawed and fixed but they are also getting treated for tape worms and my vet says that they come from fleas and to get rid of the worms, I must get rid of the fleas or it could only happen again. so just thought you guys might want to know that. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post by Mr Phil (1) | (10/18/2008) Contact Borax or boric acid (which is a powder) is a poison to insects, ants, roaches, spiders and any of the other home invading bugs. The only warning would be keep it away from your eyes but other than that dust it all around the house, leave it for a time and then vacuum. If you would like you can leave it for prolong periods such as the basement. It can also be used for mice, just dust it along the walls, in and around cabinets. Any place that mice travel. I don't think it will kill the mice, just that the mice don't like it. I used it around our dog and cats without any problems. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Melissa (Guest Post) (10/14/2008) I have had a flea infestation for about a year more or less and have tried just about everything. It only dawned on me at the end of this summer that I absolutely had to get rid of the fleas in my yard before I could end the infestation in my house. I don't have pets. The fleas have been coming in from outside under my doors and through the crevices of a my window sills. Its been crazy. Here is what I have found that has really helped in the meantime: Cedarcide makes an augmented Cedar application that topically kills fleas and melts their eggs. You can even spray it on your self and your pets. They can be found at cedarcide.com. I just purchased Fleabusters so I am waiting to see if this works. I found mainly good reviews about it on the internet. Neem oil and creme works well to keep them off your skin as well as Burts Bees outdoor herbal pest spray. You must wash any material that has come in contact with fleas in very hot water and especially wash your sheets and your pets twice-that means wash, dry and than wash and dry again to get rid of any residual infestation. I think of any of the bombings, the only one that seemed to really work was a gas one and the guy would only do that in my basement, not upstairs. If you are allergic...and I am big time, I have found that the homeopathic -Zeel BHI Allergy combination remedy was a life saver. It made a huge difference and I am no longer suffering because of it. I would let you know if Flea Busters works but I have to wait for a few weeks to make sure. I can't believe this flea problem is so bad for so may of us. Apparently, they have mutated and are very resistant to modern treatments which are mainly synthetic and not strong enough. Hope this helps. Melissa Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By BEN (Guest Post) (10/13/2008) You can use regular Dial Soap on your animals. We have 4 Pugs that stay outside and we wash them with Dial soap regularly and it works. Also, try giving your dogs Brewer's Yeast. It can be bought at Walmart and it seems to help keep the fleas away. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By J (Guest Post) (10/06/2008) Dont ever use over the counter flea drops on your pet! I almost lost my beloved cat from the Hartz brand! I read another post here describing the same symptoms! He went into convulsions in the middle of the night, I had to rush him to the animal hospital and they said he was poisoned by the product! But thankfully we didnt lose him, the vet treated him as he would a poisoned animal and it saved his life! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By J (Guest Post) (10/06/2008) Dont ever use over the counter flea drops on your pet! I almost lost my beloved cat from the Hartz brand! I read another post here describing the same symptoms! He went into convulsions in the middle of the night, I had to rush him to the animal hospital and they said he was poisoned by the product! But thankfully we didnt lose him, the vet treated him as he would a poisoned animal and it saved his life! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By kimberly Collier (Guest Post) (09/26/2008) One thing that my vet has told me and I have found to work is after so long the fleas become immune to certain kinds of flea prevention like frontline. I had to switch back and forth from frontline to advantage and it seems to be working great. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Tina (Guest Post) (09/23/2008) I have bathed my animals a dog and two cats in dawn and then I frontlined them and I have used salt all over my floors. Help Help they will not go away. Its better, but they are still here. Will the mothballs work and if so how do I use them? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Vickie (Guest Post) (09/09/2008) I recently got a cat that is infested with fleas, the actual fleas are not that bad (yet) but I see eggs and larva everywhere. I vacuum all the time, but I'm afraid it will become a problem. I'm going to try the borax and bath my cat and use frontline, but I have a concern that when my son visits his dad they have a dog that might have brought the fleas to our house and I don't want the fleas to just go back and forth between houses?? Any suggestions? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Donna (Guest Post) (09/04/2008) I'm not sure if everyone knows this, I think it's common sense to know not to bathe your dog for a week after the application of Frontline (or other flea control) but I didn't know you're not supposed to bathe them BEFORE application also! I also take a flea collar and cut it up and suck it up in the vaccum cleaner so when I vaccum and get the fleas that way they will DIE in the vaccum for sure! Report Spam or Abuse RE: flea bomb Post By Will (Guest Post) (09/03/2008) Do you really have to wash all you glasses and dishes after bombing your house of fleas? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Don't Use Hartz or Sergeants Flea Drops Post By Dusty4261 (Guest Post) (08/30/2008) Do not use Hartz or Sergeants flea drops on your cats or dogs! I put some on my cat and he went into convulsions and when I took him to the vet they said it would be $600, just to even start treatment! And that he probally wouldn't live anyway. This has happened a lot. The vets knew what was wrong with my cat before i even told them. It's becoming an epidemic. If you love your pet use only vet recommended Frontline or Advantage. I watched my cat convulse and die please don't use it! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Diane (Guest Post) (08/26/2008) The vet has a product called Capstar that will get rid of all the fleas on your dogs [ not sure about cats] for 24 hours. This will relieve their aggrevation quickly while you are getting rid of them in your home. The pills are about $5.00 each but if you have a small dog you have to cut them into 4 pieces so it is very cheap. Also wash the dog in Dawn and comb after the fleas are dead to remove them. I'm not sure what is good for the carpets [still working on that one] but this will help to give some relief to your pets for a short while at least. I think you can give them the Capstar a couple times a week [ask your vet] so maybe all the fleas will eventually jump on your pets from the carpets and die that way. lol Hopes this helps someone. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By (Guest Post) (08/25/2008) I have used pine-sol with very good results! I had kittens more than once that I dunked in a solution of water and pine-sol. The fleas flea (no pun intended) to the face and i just picked off the fleas I could and dropped them in the water. Also, when my children were young we kept a cup filled with water, dish soap and pine-sol. When they found a flea they picked it off (yuck) and and dropped it in the solution. I also have hardwood floors and sprayed the cracks with this solution. We ALWAYS got rid of the fleas in the house this way.....As I said, I'd put the cats out for the spring, summer and fall. I did "bomb" the basement as we did not use it. I never felt it was safe to "bomb" anywhere the kids would be. I now have fleas in carpeting.....HELP....I'm spraying the carpets with the pine-sol solution and put the cats on the porch. I hope I can get rid of them naturally. I did put flea collars on them and used a natural oil on their necks which smells like pennyroyal oil. It's from wal-mart...suppose to be effective. Iwill try the dawn dishwashing soap..thanks! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Kerri Steves (Guest Post) (08/11/2008) Use dawn dish soap and wash the animal thoroughly. Leave it on for a few minutes and rinse. It works great! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Ivy's Mom (Guest Post) (08/03/2008) Just a tip: A lot of the posts talk about vacuuming everyday and sometimes more than once. Flea eggs actually hatch due to vibration so all of the vacuuming is probably helping them to hatch. I had a cat several years agos that had fleas and I was afraid to put flea medicine on her due ot her pregnancy. Bad Idea, after the kittens were born (5 beautiful little fellowa) they became so infested that they became anemic from blood loss and they all dies. Our whole family was heartbroken but we didn't know of anything that was safe on newborn kittens. I have only dogs now and for the first time in five years have a serious flea infestation. I am going to try some of the suggestions found here. We don't have carpet, only hardwood and laminate but believe the dogs got fleas from being walked in grassy common areas in our neighborhood. We can treat our yards but not the park nearby. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Liam (Guest Post) (07/29/2008) Oh yeah and use frontline! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Liam (Guest Post) (07/29/2008) So for the last few months I must have tried nearly everything I can possibly get my hands on to exterminate those fleas, and now I've come to the conclusion that the only way to kill them is to wage war! Seriously I have tried every thing I can. Best advice I can give to people with an infestation is not to use, cheap stuff, like shops own spray and powder, it doesn't work. In fact it could make it worse. Check out some of the ideas on here in currently in the progress in trying out the washing up liquid in water under a light trick, and I've just bathed my cat in lemon and washing up liquid too, all so with that I conditioned her coat... fleas will slide straight off! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By elle jay (Guest Post) (07/26/2008) If your dog is really itchy and has a lot of swelling, my vet first wanted to give my dog a shot but it was to expensive for me so she said a half a teaspoon of baby benadryl should work to get rid of the itchiness and swelling from the tick bites. Report Spam or Abuse RE:Borax Post By 2cents (Guest Post) (07/23/2008) I have been reading all the feedbacks, Borax will not work unless you do it correctly. sprinkle the borax on the carpet especially in corners and under the furniture. then get a course broom and sweep the borax in the carpet thoroughly. The most important part in fact, then let it sit for 48 hours then vacuum, then do it again in 2 weeks the same thing. Borax dried the eggs and pupas up, 90% of the infestations are eggs and pupas and 10% are fleas. so you if you have tons of fleas that means you got 80X more eggs and pupas. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By cher (Guest Post) (07/09/2008) I have used sulfur in my yard now for over 15 years to get rid of those pesky fleas and it works great. It was recommended to me by a vet and it has always worked. You need to go to a feed store and ask to purchase at least a 20 to 50 lb bag of sulfur; remember to ask for the powder form. You then poke some holes in a plastic butter dish and coat your yard with it. Sulfur is non toxic to dogs, cats, all animals and children so it will not harm them. Dogs can even eat the grass and it will not hurt them. I also recommend taking all your animals, including birds outside in cages and setting off a few roach bombs in your house to get rid of the infestation in your house. Remember to turn all pilot lights off before setting off any pesticide bombs in the house. Depending on the square feet of your house, I only use two bombs for a two bedroom house, but leave all of my doors open to allow it to reach all of my rooms. After you have your yard and house clear of fleas then all you need is to wash your animals in flea soap and put on either a front line or some flea protection on your animals and you should not see another infestation for the rest of the summer. Remember that you should only have to treat your entire yard only twice a year with sulfur, and a large 50 pound bag is only 25.00. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Susan Coleman (Guest Post) (07/06/2008) My dog had fleas so bad that he developed an autoimmune deficiency because the fleas sucked almost all of his blood out of his body. We are still having trouble getting rid of the fleas. We put advantage on him and bathe him in flea shampoo once or twice a week and he still has the bugs on him. I don't know what to do. The fleas are killing my dog. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Susan Coleman (Guest Post) (07/06/2008) My dog had fleas so bad that he developed an autoimmune deficiency because the fleas sucked almost all of his blood out of his body. We are still having trouble getting rid of the fleas. We put advantage on him and bathe him in flea shampoo once or twice a week and he still has the bugs on him. I don't know what to do. The fleas are killing my dog. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By sam. (Guest Post) (07/04/2008) Buy a disposable pie pan add water a drop or 2 of dish soap (add soap after the water don't make soap bubbles) and put a night light over the pan (not an LED light) the fleas will be attracted to the light and jump for it leading to them falling in the pan and dieing because of the dish soap its not going to completely get rid of them unless you bomb and what ever other things you try but it will help in smaller rooms such as bedrooms. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By frustrated (Guest Post) (06/17/2008) I have recently moved to Hawaii and am staying with in laws till we get a place of our own. My dog went thru all the hoops it takes to get over here flea free, even had a 2 doses of frontline before coming here (once by me and then the vet had to do it for the health certificate even though I had already put it on the dog). They have one cat and only use Hartz, my poor dog is completely infested with fleas! They said they have one dosage of advantix for the cat but are saving it because it is so expensive. Saving it for what I don't know. We've sprayed the house and yard and I've been on flea alert for my dog, yet nothing is done about the cat because she is quite furry with dark hair you can't see the fleas like you can on my short haired blond pup. We are living with them for a month more but I can't stand the fleas. I can't use anything too strong because I'm pregnant and the dog is pretty small. I'm thinking of sneaking some better flea medication on the cat, but what else can I do? They insist the fleas are from outside, when the majority of them were in the cat's sleeping area, my sister-in-laws bedroom. How do I fix this without stepping on anyone's toes? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By angelina diantonio (Guest Post) (06/13/2008) SALT ! Buy a big container of salt and sprinkle all over the carpets. Let sit for 24 hours or more and then vacuum up. It kills the fleas and the eggs. Try to make sure you get under furniture and behind items. Report Spam or Abuse GET RID OF FLEEEEAS Post By Kelsea (Guest Post) (06/12/2008) Skin So Soft kills fleas on your pets. It isn't harmful for them.. and is great for YOUR skin! The fleas can't breathe in the oil. Be sure to put some SSS in your hands and cover your pets entire face.. if not.. the fleas will just run there.. Not so sure about in the house. =[ Vacuum. Tons. Change all linens. Report Spam or Abuse Get Rid of Fleas Post By tammy s (Guest Post) (06/04/2008) I have not even begin to get the fleas off of my four dogs,so I have a commercial spray washer I will use on my yard fill with dawn soap, and/or borax and spray. I hope this works. I may even add some moth balls onto the yard. I heard from father in law moth balls gets rid of snakes and mosquitoes also. I have 8 .5 acres. I vacuum a lot as well that keeps them down, shoes carry in eggs as well shake your clothes off before coming in, leave the animals outside until infestation is gone. I will be back to see if this works. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By outvoiced (Guest Post) (05/31/2008) Garlic will not hurt your pet and is a vermafuge - a wormer. As for fleas, I am about to try lavender oil in combination with lemon dish soap. Bath first. Also lemon balm and verbena are a bug deterrent that keeps biting insects at bay for a short time. Report Spam or Abuse need help Post By michelle (Guest Post) (05/18/2008) I`ve tried every thing and don't know what else to do. I am about to pull out my hair. Does any one have any ideas that work? HELP ME PLEASE being eaten alive by fleas! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Sheila (Guest Post) (05/03/2008) Salt works after you use the salt clean your carpets with hot hot water and a carpet steamer then got back over the carpets with vinegar instead of the shampoo will kill the fleas vinegar is a mild acid. safe for kids and expecting women. Also do the furniture. for your pets dawn soap and in between washing after potty breaks outside wintergreen alcohol. Dilute 10% alcohol 90% water and wipe ypur pets down especially in between toes and under their armpits and hind end. fleas don't like the wintergreen smell. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post by Emalandrinos (1) | (04/18/2008) Profile | Contact We live in the country, my husband found 7 baby squirrels, abandoned, I guess either my dogs or cats ate the mama, so , now I'm taking care of the babies. Anyway, They have fleas. i don't have any animals in the house, but, these little babies need to be indoors, so, I called the number for abandoned squirrels; I told them my dilemma, they said, Now this sounds odd, but, so far it's working.... put in bowl, half listerine or cheapy brand and half water , and mix, get a rag , soak it in the mix, and wash them with the mix. To me it works, try it. If it works for dinky lil' squirrels, it must work for bigger animals. Eleni M. Report Spam or Abuse ANYWAY to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Holly (Guest Post) (04/11/2008) Hey I just noticed all theses little black dots all over my dogs under belly and such. I think that they are the poupus things that fleas turn into. Any ideas on how to get rid of them? Thanks a bunch Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By elaine (Guest Post) (04/08/2008) Buy a Halo vacuum! It kills the fleas and the eggs in the carpet and floors! It is expensive but worth it and SAFE! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Janet (Guest Post) (01/30/2008) My house was recently infested with fleas. I have two young children, an inside cat, and a dog. My daughter was so covered in flea bites the doctor originally thought she had chicken pox. After three months of going absolutely crazy (bombing didn't work) I finally got rid of the little suckers. Here's what I did. I sprinkled borax everywhere! Under couches under couch cushions and every little crack and flea hiding place I could think of. I left the borax for 24 hours vacumed and put more down. I put frontline on both animals and encouraged them to run around so the fleas would jump on them and die from the frontline (previously I had limited them to one room thinking it would keep the fleas away from the kids). Within 3 day all the fleas were gone! All of them. I have not seen a bite on my daughter for 2 months! I still have to treat the yard when it thaws out but at least now my house is a safe place for my children and I've regained my sanity. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By H Alta (Guest Post) (01/18/2008) I NEED HELP. I can't get rid of my fleas! I have to small children and have tried many suggestions left on these posts. I have even gotten rid of my cat and still haven't found myself rid of these fleas. Help Me! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Amy (Guest Post) (12/19/2007) Try diatomaceous earth. It is a fine powder and you can put it on your pet (dogs and cats) in your carpet and it works. Best of all it is 100% organic. Also, you can buy nematodes a beneficial insect that will help elininate them in your yard. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Edie bruce (Guest Post) (11/21/2007) I have tried everything, Sevin powder, Hartz, dawn dish detergent, Sergeants nature guardian, bio-groom flea and tick-14, I treated my back yard with sevin bug killer, fogged my house with Zodiak, I vacuum 2 to 3 times a day (everything couches and all) I comb the animals 2-3 times a day, put frontline plus on the dog and 2 cats, my vacuum never comes in the house anymore not to mention I change the bag every other day. I still find a couple fleas on everybody and 1 or 2 on the couches. I have been obsessed with the flea thing. Please give any suggestions? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Arlene (Guest Post) (11/12/2007) PLEASE DON'T USE HARTZ PRODUCTS ON YOUR PETS... I have 2 indoor cats that are infested with fleas, so I went to Wal-Mart and bought the Hartz kind that you put on the back of the neck and the next day one of my cats was really sick. i have a friend that is a vet asst. and she told me that the Hartz products are very toxic. Cuddles had a chemical burn in her throat from scratching then licking her paws. We gave her milk and a raw egg mixed together and she is okay now, but it almost killed her. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By balligood (Guest Post) (10/23/2007) I have a newborn baby and a cat outside. My house has fleas and I don't know what I can use that won't harm my baby boy. What can I use? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Cassandra (Guest Post) (10/19/2007) My cats, house, yard, and even my husbands car are all infested with fleas. I have read every post on this page. This is what I have come up with... vacuum a lot, Frontline/Advantage (on the animals), mothballs/moth flakes (on carpet,and in the vacuum), Dawn dish detergent then baby powder (on pets). Epsom salt (on the carpet), Seven dust, Borax (in the yard) are the best things to use. Don't use garlic, or Hartz (flea drops), they apparently are really bad for your pets. Guess who will be shopping, and cleaning all day tomorrow. I promise to update you guys. Good luck getting rid of your fleas. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By kay (Guest Post) (09/17/2007) I've always had dogs but never an inside dog. I thank all of you for the great ideas to rid us and our house of fleas. I'm going to try it all. (well maybe a good number of the ideas.) Thanks again! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By haley (Guest Post) (09/15/2007) Put water, lemon juice, and baking soda in a spray bottle. Spray on your carpets furniture curtains and basically any where all over your house. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By anne (Guest Post) (08/28/2007) My oriental rug dealer said that the salt in pet urine is a rug's worst enemy, since it absorbs moisture and causes the rug to rot. So, if you have expensive rugs, you might want to check into it further before adding salt. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Miller (Guest Post) (08/26/2007) I'm considering buying a condo, but I just went for one final walk-through and realized the place is RIDDEN with fleas. Within 5 minutes I had 10-15 crawling on my socks and shoes. The deal is that the seller is willing to bomb the place, but is not willing to entirely replace the carpets. Any thoughts on the chances that a 'bombing' will truly get rid of the problem? I have a cat and do not want to move him to a place that will likely result in flea troubles. But I really kinda like the condo and don't want to pass it by if the fleas might not be as much of an issue as I'm making them :) Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Bo (Guest Post) (08/19/2007) I'm afraid that there are neither fast nor cheap ways to get rid of the fleas once the whole house is infested. We are still having an infestation, but the quantity of fleas has diminished. This is what we did, and what we must continue doing for several months: vacuum, then spray with vet approved sprays; get rid of the vacuum bags as soon as they are used; treat the pet(s) with Advantage once every 3 weeks; restrict the pet's movement through the house to some rooms only. In addition, we threw away the carpet and all upholested furniture; we treated the beds with spray, vacuumed, then treated with live steam, then treated with spray again, and then put the pillows, matts etc. in hypo-allergenic or plastic bags (available in Wal-mart, K-mart etc.). We washed all of our clothing & linen in a laundremat, and kept them in tightly closed plastic boxes. We are all (humans, that is) putting natural insect repellant spray on our legs and arms. We are not free of the infestation yet. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By traci (Guest Post) (08/15/2007) One year I had a bad infestation with fleas. I used every type of bomb I could find, even bombing the basement (somebody told me that alot of people forget to do their crawl space and basements, so fleas will just hang out down there til it's safe). I used Dawn on the cats, bought "Borax" washed everything and let it sit for about two weeks. Nothing worked. I had tile, wood floors and carpeting. They were everywhere. I was in tears thinking I had to pay 100's of dollars to have a professional come through. Then I found a spray, made by ORTHO called Home Defense Max at Feed -n-Seed. It is a large jug for $19.95. I went through the whole house spraying every crack and surface I could find. The problem ended that day. This summer I found a couple of fleas, hurried up and sprayed the house down. Haven't had a problem at all. People need to remember, animals do not create fleas, they are just a carrier. If your animal has them, then the fleas were already on your property. I know people that do not even have animals that have had flea problems in their homes. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Apache (Guest Post) (08/14/2007) I used the dawn that was suggested in some of the post. I works great for my tiny kittens! The flees just seem to die and fall off. Thank you! <3 Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Caz (Guest Post) (08/06/2007) i heard lemon washing up liquid works, i have bathed my kitten in it and it does kill the fleas, i also diluted some in a spray bottle and squirt all my carpets, also put a little in your washing machine with pet blankets etc... it seems to be doing the job well! :) Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By S (Guest Post) (07/24/2007) We're also in the midst of this flea problem. It all began around the beginning of this month. Our brand new inside only kitten started getting fleas. Sorry to say we immediately returned him back to my cousin who has his mama (he's better off with his mom) and her house never had flea problems - no carpets! 3 weeks agao we bombed the house once with Raid then the next day with Bengal. I remember years ago, 8 to be exact where Bengal worked at my mom's house. My little sisters were all getting bites so bad they were even sent to the nurse's office because it looked like chicken pox. I remember we bombed with Bengal and never had a problem again. Anyway, the foggers didn't work at ALL this time! I read somewhere a new law passed that made them remove a key ingredient.. so now it is useless. We came home and they will still jumping about. Anyway, the following weekend I DUMPED 4 boxes of Borax onto all our carpets. Our whole house is carpeted except for the kitchen.. sucks I know. That was 2 wks ago.. it seems to be improving somewhat. Hubby's been vacuuming everday as I follow immediately behind to re-sprinkle carpets. Thank goodness we've been spraying ourselves with OFF spray so there hasn't been many bites.. but they are disgusting. We also put out the water traps, they haven't been much help.. caught about 10 max so far. I've read some interesting things on the internet though. At one exterminator page, he recommends wearing white socks and walk throughout the house. the white appears as heat to awaken the pupas since they are indestructable at that stage. The vacuuming is extremely helpful in wakening them as well. All the other hard to reach places like our bed and bookcases, I try to spray perytherins in there. I think at this point its about us waiting for the pupas to hatch. Remember not to ever leave any room intentionally vacant as the pupas can stay dormant for up to a yr waiting for a host. Will let you know if the borax works. I guess patience is key as it has been 2 wks and they were almost gone this week but I suppose a new batch has hatched yesterday bc they are jumping about again, but not as much as before. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Carla (Guest Post) (07/24/2007) I have fleas in my house and they are about to send me to the nut house I think I'm in a loosing battle with them. I've used flea bombs (Raid, Hot shot) I've vaccumed every day (2 x's a day) for the last 2 weeks and it has helped a little bit just kinda keeps them at bay for the time being then the next day it is like I hadn't done anything. My aunt Jeanine (she is so smart) gave me the link to this web site and suggested to me that I use Salt or even Borax to get rid of the fleas so I went to Walmart last nite and spent $5 on 12 of the 26oz containers of salt and sprinkled it into my carperts - today I'm going back to Walmart to get some borax and sprinkle that into the carpert as well and hopefully by this time next week I'll see a difference (NO FLEAS IS MY GOAL) I'll give everyone an update after I try the salt & borax to let you know how it worked! C. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Darla (Guest Post) (07/18/2007) Does spraying them with vinegar and water kill the fleas? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By (Guest Post) (07/17/2007) cedarcide.com Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Mandy (Guest Post) (06/09/2007) I have 2 boys that had kittens a year or so ago. The kittens never came in the house, but my kids brought the fleas in on their socks and clothing. In a matter of 2 days, our home was INFESTED with fleas. I even had to take my children to the doctor to get med. for flea bites all over them. It was HORRIBLE! During this time, I spent a lot of money researching how to get rid of them and buying products to spray on the flooring. Nothing worked. FINALLY, heres what I did that got rid of them: PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN. I purchased the powdered seven dust at Wal-Mart and sprinkled it on my carpet and flooring and left for a whole day.Be careful because the seven dust says to only use OUTDOORS. I left my children at their grandparents and came back and vacuumed several times (while wearing a mask) and them I shampooed my carpet a couple of times. You must shampoo. Vacuuming alone does not get all the seven dust out of the carpet. IT WORKED! NO MORE FLEAS! I also sprinkled the powdered(liquid is not affective) seven dust around my house, in the garage, and all around the yard. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Janis (Guest Post) (06/05/2007) Hello~ I was looking for a way to get rid of the little critters outside and I noticed tons of posts for inside, a few years ago we rented a house out in the country that had been empty for a while and all 1500 sq ft was infested out the ya ya! Oh man, we used to scrape off our legs before getting in bed! We did the "bomb" thing, killed the scorpions,but the fleas were like " give us more!', heard about mothballs, and tried it........yahoo no more fleas! Takes a bit consicering the level of infestation but it works. Put about 5 mothballs into your vacume bag and vacume, wait a bit and do it again going in a different pattern every time. Pitch the bag and start over the next day, vacume as many times in a day as you can with a rest in between, not for you....lol for the fleas to start moving again. Do the furniture , under cushions and the furniture itself, they can hide like Bin Laden. Soon you will be flea free! You can do this with a bagless, just let the dust container set for a few minutes before dumping it, the mothballs kill the little suckers and you have to give the fumes a chance to work! After you have gotten rid of them use the mothballs forever to keep them in check! I have bare floors in the house I am in now and I vaucume with the mothballs about 3 times a week and so far so good, now if I can just keep them off the 4 legged members of the family I will be golden ! Hope this helps! Report Spam or Abuse RE:SAFE Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Lisa (Guest Post) (05/31/2007) Original Dawn Dish washing liquid is a safe way to rid your animals of fleas. Apply about the size of a half dollar on your pet and rub, rub, rub...If you have fleas in your carpet it maybe used in the container that you put your cleaning solution in DON'T" add to much DAWN you'll have bubbles every where :) Works great and great for your pet. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By guest (Guest Post) (05/28/2007) I used Garlic pills (found in the vitamin section) for my pets. 1 garlic pill a day and fleas stayed off. Did this for some time and no problems. Never heard that garlic was bad for dogs. Maybe in its natural state? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Jessica. (Guest Post) (05/26/2007) What is safe for pregnant ladies to use to get rid of FLEAS!!!!!!! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By J (Guest Post) (04/27/2007) When I was younger I read somewhere that if you put a tin pan filled with dish soap and about halfway full of water underneath a night light, it will help. I actually tried it out soon after I read about it, and to my surprise a lot of the fleas jumped in there, try it out, it might just work! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Leanna (Guest Post) (04/04/2007) We had a pretty bad infestation a couple of years ago here in Houston (SUPER humid and hot--i.e. perfect conditions for fleas to flourish), and we found out about a product called Revolution. You have to get it from a vet, and depending on the size of your pet, it can be pricey (roughly $70 for 6 month supply). But IT WORKS! It will kill the fleas on your dog AND in their environment AND protect them from heartworm and other pesky pests. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By cally (Guest Post) (04/02/2007) hi, my mate has fleas, and i stopped over her house at the weekend, as she said she ridded the house of them. anyway, come home, and a few hours later, my mum has flea bites on her ankles, and i have them all over me!! i think they may have come home in my clothing :S we dont even have any pets!! anyone know of some non - pricey methods to get rid of them?! ive put all my clothes outside in bags so the house cant anymore infected, but i dont want it to become a major problem ... MY MUM WOULD KILL ME!! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Aaron New Zealand (Guest Post) (03/31/2007) Pyretherin, all natural sprays are great for getting rid of insects. No I don't sell the stuff or work for any company that does Hi I am from New Zealand We sprayed the house and carpets with natural plant extract called Pyretherin, which is the active ingredient in most good quality residual pest sprays. Unfortunatley here in New Zealand they seem to have stopped making it on it's own for commercial release as a spray mix, It is now available mixed with chemicals our most popular one is known as Ripcord. It is around twenty something dollars for a small bottle, which makes up several litres, then use with a garden sprayer on fine mist on windows, skirting boards, around edges of ceilings, and parimetre of rooms flooring. I believe it can be used on the carpet as well, we used it to get rid of white tail spiders by spraying on my bedroom cieling as well. It initially looks like it's staining the wallpaper but once dried it's fine. Ripcord is poisionsous when first sprayed, though once dry from leaving the house open for several hours, all insects not only die but due to being a residual spray it keeps killing insects for between 6 to 12 months, though it is advertiesed now as only lasting 3-6 months. so maybe the recipe has changed. Few months ago we used it after not needing any for over 18 months, Unfortunatley we didn't spray the carpet properly. since our neighbours cat followed them over and hid behind our couch we now have fleas. and am currently bitten from head to toe this happend about seven years ago as well, until we discovered pyretherin, Seven years ago when it happend the first time I even went to my doctor because I didn't know what was causing all the red lumps all over me and the itching, as no one else in the house was getting bitten. It was only when I discovered one jumping on my leg that I realised it was definatley fleas. We sprayed, it stopped for 18 months. I am just thinking about mixing up some more ripcord now, as I currently look like I have mumps. Not a good look! Warning read instructions carefully about using. I had to dress up like a swat commando while using it as it is dangerous to get on skin or breath in. I looked like I was auditioning for resident evil 3 return of the fleas. Better still If you can get hold of it, try pure Pyretherin. It might still be available as a mix in your country, I think that is how it is spelt, It is often used by Farmers over here, as it works really well for general insect control. It does seem to keep working for ages if mixed and sprayed properly. I don't think you are suppose to vacuum it up straight away if you are trying to kill fleas though, I was watching a TV program advertisement and in between the ab swing, principle secret and being told by Lisa Gibbons I need Anthony Robbins to get the edge, (yes we have that bollochs here now too.) I was told I needed something to control my pets fleas even though I don't have a pet. They said something along the lines of blah, blah blah and about having to repeat the process with their products after 7 days something to do with breading cycles of the flea, shouldn't been a sign I was going to get the darn things back. I would think this would probably apply to many of the other remedies mentioned on this site, woudln't it? Keeping them on the carpet for as long as possible provided they are not poisionous to pets. And that you vacuum first as after all we don't want four years dust clinging to our sox or feet before hopping into be do we, no. I believe Pure Pyretherin made from a plant is not poisonous once dry, though cover fish bowls/tanks when using any residual spray and remove pets from the house while spraying. Make sure you read instructions thoughroughly. As I said the last twice we used Ripcord or Pyretherin it worked extremely well in our case both times lasting the whole summer and past 18 onths Remember most flying insects are attracted to light so leaving doors or windows open with lights on at night will draw in moths night insects and fleas if you lhave grass land on your property. So If you use a residual spray on windows, and not your carpet, then make sure to keep curtains open so insects will be attracted to the windows and hopefully pick up the residue off of them, just like the flies and wasp have in our house. We have dead flies and insects on our window cells daily, they just come in linger for a little and drop, they dont even get a chance to say goodbye. In my room where the curtians are pulled more often, they tend to wait overnight till I open the the curtians then you can almost hear them say "Oh my god, I have seen the light" they go towards it and die. The insects must come in contact with the spray for it to work. Pure essential oil, peppermint oil supposadly repels fleas. Peppermint oil is extremely potent if pure. it is so strong it can cause cold burns to skin if applied neat, so should only ever be used on the skin diluted in one percent dilution ratio. Using it in a glass spray bottle mixed with half pure alcohol, or half voldka and half purified water with some eucaliptus oil as weel (another oil reputed to repel insects) shaking thoughly before used could be used on carpets bedding etc. This is how aroma thearpy sprays are often made. Look up this site or others like it to see if they have recipes like this and also the quantities usually about 10-15 dropps of eucaliptus and around 20 of peppermint do not use this on yourself though only on items. What you will end up with at very least is a very pepperminty room smell either that or make your house very flammable. So just don't light any matches for about oh um say a year. :-) Remember animals are more sensitive to smells then us so if you are making one of those natural flea collars dipped in essential oils just be aware of this one drop of peppermint oil on them is more than enough normally. Hope all my ranting on and on and on helps probably not but if you dont at least try pyretherin you'll kick yourself, and then probably fall over and get bitten by fleas. Nothing ventured nothing gained! If the editor got through all that She/He deserves a coffee break!!! Editor's Note: Good idea, I'd love a cup of coffee! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Sandra (Guest Post) (01/13/2007) I found that Dawn Dishsoap works well with new kittens. I have a kitten and she is Flea FREE Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post by Persnickety Paula (392) | (12/08/2006) Profile | Contact On the website www.aspca.org there is a list of things that are poisonous to pets and garlic is on the list. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By (Guest Post) (12/08/2006) AHHH! ****IMPORTANT******* I read in a post down further that someone was feeding their dog garlic cloves to rid fleas. DO NOT DO THIS! Garlic is MORE TOXIC THAN CHOCLATE TO DOGS. Whoever said that shouldn't have been so irresponsible and should have done their homework!!!!!!! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By John Smith (Guest Post) (11/17/2006) Look at www.bugging-out.com EPA LAbel - Green product - Great for fleas and other crawling insects. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post by Ms April (44) | (10/25/2006) Profile | Contact I read about mixing baking soda and table salt on paper plates and putting them under your furniature to kill fleas. I told a lady at church and she tried it. She said it works great. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By S.Perry (Guest Post) (10/24/2006) I have been trying everything to get rid of fleas I put advantage on them and have been vacuuming like crazy. I am now trying the borax wish me luck biting us like crazy. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By jody (Guest Post) (10/22/2006) I had fleas pretty bad a couple years ago. A friend from work let me borrow some Advantage for my (indoor)cat.I put it on the nape of her neck, and within a couple of days, all fleas were gone. It's kinda pricey but worth it if you're tired of getting bites all over. Report Spam or Abuse i read something that might help you and its cheap Post By Kim (Guest Post) (10/16/2006) Take a box of 20 mule team borax where you should be able to find in the laundry isle at the store or ask for it to get it poke some holes in the box and sprinkle it onto the carpet take a broom and brush it down into the carpet and leave it sit a little then vaccum but put vaccum outside then cause they can get out of the vaccum change vaccum bags often and vaccuum a lot in the house. as for outside bathe him a lot and use flea products on him after the bath like powders and stuffi hope this helped. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Charlie (Guest Post) (10/15/2006) I have a 3 and a half month kitten and she is INFESTED with fleas. They're all over the house and in the carpet. We've tried using a flea collar but that didn't help. Now we realy don't know what to do! We've also gone through her with a nit comb. But now its so bad that they're getting into the carpet and into the beds. Please help us!! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Catharine (Guest Post) (10/01/2006) I have two older cats and a 8 week old kitten they are all infested with fleas I have never had this problem and I don't know how it happend. I don't know how to treat the little one all products say don't use on kittens under 12 weeks old. Please help I am desperate I feel so bad? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Kari (Guest Post) (09/20/2006) To rid your yard of fleas and flea eggs, buy some Tide with bleach laundry soap (powder) and sprinkle it lightly around your yard. Then, spray thoroughly with water. It will sterilize the eggs, and kill off the adults. I do it at my house once every spring, and even my outdoor cat doesn't get fleas. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Anita (Guest Post) (09/17/2006) I have tried vacuuming and powders sprays salt borax and the darn critters are living on my tile! Even shampooed the carpets this weekend with bleach water mix! Help any other ideas please. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Anita (Guest Post) (09/17/2006) I have tried vacuuming and powders sprays salt borax and the darn critters are living on my tile! Even shampooed the carpets this weekend with bleach water mix! Help any other ideas please. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By they suck every thing out of you (Guest Post) (09/12/2006) borax like you heard. a lemon steaped in hot water over night use more than 1 and spray or wipe on your self pets ect. put a desk lamp on the floor use a large white dinner plate put dish soap with water in and place under bulb the white and the heat attract fleas and soaps breaks up the surface tension so the fleas sink and drown this will give you an idea how many or if they are still around. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Victoria (Guest Post) (08/20/2006) MOTH FLAKES, MOTH FLAKES, MOTH FLAKES!!!!!!!! My house was SO infested with fleas years ago, the rugs, the couches, the beds, EVERYTHING. I went to Walgreens Drug Store and bought boxes of moth flakes, like mothballs but only in flake form. I put the flakes all over the rugs, couches and beds. You have to leave it down for a few hours and then vacuum it up but the fleas are GONE. MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE YOUR WINDOWS OPEN!!!!! The smell is HORRIBLE , but it gets rid of the fleas and the smell goes away. You don't have to empty the vacuum bags right way either cause the moth flakes kill the fleas inside the bag. GL all. Report Spam or Abuse FLEAS Post By JEAN (Guest Post) (08/19/2006) I HAD A LOT OF FLEAS DUE TO BRINGING IN KITTENS. I HAVE THREE INDOOR CATS WHICH IN TURN GOT THE FLEAS. THEY ARE EATING ME UP TO. I TRIED THE 20-MULE TEAM BORAX ON THE FLOORS AND CARPET IN MY BEDROOM. I TREAT THE CATS WITH ADVANTAGE AND YES IT WORKS, I AM NOT GETTING BIT AND THE CATS AR NOT SCRATCHING. I DO NOTICE SOME FLEAS LYING AROUND MOVING AS IF THEY ARE DYING. I KEEP VACUMING AND THROWING OUT EACH BAG. I AM STILL TRYING IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING"" Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Jeane (Guest Post) (08/08/2006) This has been a very frustrating summer at our house. I have tried several things to get rid of these pesky fleas, nothing is working!!! I even paid $50 for Frontline and it's not worth 2 cents. I have sprayed the house, yard and still we are infested. I'm willing to try the Borax on my carpet, I pray it will kill the fleas. I'm just worried it might hurt my cats, since they are constantly grooming themselves. Any suggestions? Thanks!! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post by NellieMary (49) | (07/02/2006) Profile | Contact Fleas lay eggs in your pet's coat and the eggs drop off as it moves about the house. In a few days the eggs hatch to larvel stage and live in rugs, bedding and furniture cushions. At this stage they can be easily vacuumed away. Be particularly careful of dust. because it is one of larvae's favorite habitats. After you vacumn, sprinkle diatomaceous earth in all the affected ares to destroy any remaining larvae. It can be purchased in organic gardening supply stores or on-line. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Courtney (Guest Post) (07/02/2006) hi I am a teenage girl and I have 4 cats. They all have fleas and so does our home. I have flea bites all over my body and so does my mom. We dont know what to do anymore. We have tried fogging our house and all the sprays and nothing seems to get rid of these UNWANTED guests! PLEASE!!! We need suggestions...I dont want to have to get rid of my cats! I love them with all of my heart. I hate these fleas and they make me cry every me cry every night. We dont know what else to do. Thank you for you time. Editor's Note: To help the house, get some 20 Mule Team Borax and sprinkle it around on the carpets. Let it sit a while, then vacuum it up. Put the cats out of the way for a while so they don't get into the borax. You can also mix it half and half with table salt. This will help keep the new flea eggs from hatching. For the cats, if you can, wash them in Dawn Dishwashing liquid. Let it sit for a few minutes and the fleas will wash off. Keep working on the fleas by vacuuming frequently. Hope this helps. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Economical Way to Get Rid of Fleas Post By Sherry Rath (Guest Post) (06/20/2006)