diatomaceous earth vs nematodes for fleas

Join thousands of pet parents and get vet-approved guidance, product reviews, exclusive deals, and more! Its capacity to overwinter in soil and plant debris makes it challenging to manage, and very sneaky. Most importantly is that you arent poisoning the Earth while killing a few weeds, or harmful insects. I live in Malta (near sicily Diatom is not easy to find. Is there a specific brand youd recommend? Ok, enough chit-chat. Ive made an old bulk size spice bottle to have more control of where and how much I put down! Most people write, but never care about the people that are reading. Our cat is normally an indoor cat but she decided to sneak out and explore one day and brought some fleas back with her, which we didnt expect because she gets frontline treatments regularly. Less than 100% I would not Recomend.. Also, Salt and Baking soda can help. They come out to feed on you or your pet, then go back to their hiding spots. Fleas and other parasites can be harmful to both pets and humans, not to mention a serious nuisance. My 4 yr old has been eaten alive. I did it the first night with the windows open but the breeze made it circulated and i wheezed for a day, but that has gone and I have put a light layer on 3 days running, then vacuuming the next evening and am happy to say I have not been bitten in 2 days. Safer brand. However, this is not an instant cure and will only work for subsequent generations. Hi Claudia! Having a difficult time doing so. Give all your carpets a brush (stiff bristles) and a thorough vacuum. Until recently, they both slept on the bed, but we have been having building work done (the roof is off) and a burst of very hot weather. Sharon, sprinkle some DE on the end of a broom bristles and then pass the broom under your bed as much as you can reach on each side of the ed, that should do it. I am freaking out and would appreciate any advice. Hi, Natasha: On advice of local pet shop, and before reading this article, we spread DE on the carpets and brushed it in well with a broom. Keep the moisture off the rest of the fur since it will deactivate the DE. So after this really long story, lol, I still have a question. Thanks, appreciate your kind words and I am very glad that you have followed my advise. These skeletons are largely non-crystalline (amorphous), although diatomaceous earth can contain varying amountsof crystalline quartz. Let me know if you come right, if not, I will help you further. Landscape Design and Educational Consultation. The label states that its organic and OMRI approved for organic gardening. Hi there, thanks for the advice, I appreciate it . Thank you so much for the support, Sincerely, A Clean Freak. For pet flea treatment, you can use a spot on or check out my best flea treatment for dogs article on this site for a few natural methods. I buy the 25 pound for $35. Would love to know your feedback. And it is also adept at flying. Hi Sharlon! Diatomaceous earth for cats and dogs is only effective at killing insects and parasites when it comes into direct contact with them, so according to what type of parasites you are dealing with, your treatment method may differ. Thank you. Diatomaceous earth may also irritate the eyes, due to its abrasive nature. It actually has helped a lot along with the Frontline. I hate seeing them miserable. Please do, you are doing well though, keep it up! Does all the DE have to be cleaned up? I just spread some (probably rather thickly) all over my carpet. We sleep in my bedroom except my older child said he couldnt sleep well unless in his bed. And w/ furniture, how long should you leave it on? As I said, I don;t have pets so this is new to me. While it is sometimes required, its always good to give a couple tested home remedies first before taking a drive to the nearest shop for flea products, especially when they work as well as diatomaceous earth does! I have a 4 year old and I am 12 weeks pregnant. Make the bed with the newly-washed bedding and you should be OK. Be sure to vacuum the room daily while waiting for all the fleas to be killed. Yes, it can be used on couches but it creates quite a bit of a dust cloud so take it easy hehe. Hi Diane! Its really as easy as that. I am actually rubbing DE into all of my clothing which works for about half a day, then I can feel them crawling in my clothes. (this was all in a 2 week time). Thank you!! Good luck, and sorry for the delayed response. Will DE kill all stages of the flea life span? Hey Lori! Is this a good sign that the process is working? My kitty is finally scratch free and part of the family again she has been missed. Good Luck. Additionally, Pet parents should make sure they are purchasing a product that is approved by the EPA and that is coming from a reputable distributor, says Falk. . Hey Lisa. Maybe looking for a second opinion on my case in particular. That I can spread evenly and not get too much. Thanks for all your help, this website is a godsend. Thanks!! Would it be ok to simply distribute the DE around the whole house and leave it on for at least a week before vacuuming to be sure we get both the adult fleas and their eggs? just wondering where should i apply it ? Cant be too careful when it comes to our lungs. Also, can DE be used on the couches? I am open to try DE but just am scared for my sons safety. How badly will it affect the DE efficiency? I lay down DE around the walls and in bedding areas. For a day or so he scratched a little and we saw a few crawling but now he seems fine and is no longer scratching. Have you ever heard of people doing that? They are doxies. Fold each in half and make a stack. I started cleaning the Borax from my hardwood floors and I couldnt believe the amount of fleas and flea dirt I was seeing. It kills fleas more slowly than traditional products. Just found carpet beetle larvae in my home!! Every night id get bitten 10 times no matter which room I slept in, tried throwing my bed away to sleep on the floor and same thing. Natasha, I got your email, thank you and I added you on FB and shared too. Erica, Just a heads upFrontline doesnt seem as effective as before. You answered every question I had. I am concerned because I have two elderly (15 year olds) cats, one is asthmatic, and I frequently babysit my grand-cat who is 4, who has allergies and so, licks himself a great deal. I found it reasonably priced at a feed store. Your best bet is to wash them gently in warm water and dawn soap, kills fleas instantly. Glad its working for you and that I could help! Even opening the door means I get reinfested inside the apartment. Hi Susan, yep they will be, its just a precaution. I have read a bit on this product due to an unfortunate run in with a flea infestation in the house I just rented! Because of its potential risks to pets, talk to your veterinarian before using food-grade diatomaceous earth for flea control in your home. They should be tight enough where you can fit one finger under. Good question, basically DE is only for non-pet related treatments. Thanks for your articles, I read almost all of them on several bugs, different treatments, products, traps and etc. Organic insecticidal sprays, powders, or drenches may be purchased to help combat flea beetles in your garden such as: Chemical pesticides are a last resort option. Was a mission to find this product, but we were able to purchase it at Lowes. Hi Ruth, it is a pleasure, dont forget to share it on Facebook hehe Absolutely, do that and let me know how it goes! Hi Kerry, yeah that should be fine. I bought DE and have used it like suggested here. Hi Cate, DE wont kill the eggs but yes, you can definitely do that , Hi! Let me know how it goes, would be happy to help you sort this out. Let me know if you have any other questions! I live in Texas and just recently bought my first bag of DE. if I only treat 3 of the 5 rooms, then treat the other 2 immediately after finishing the first will the DE still be effective or the fleas just move? Within 24-48 hours of application, 85% of my flea problem was solved!! I have a screened porch I havent allowed my cats to hang out on because of fleas, and Im wondering if its safe to let them out for a while in the winter. Hey Tom! A little goes a long way and rub it in real good to the base coat. Have a good one! Now that is summertime, it seems they have come back, I just applied frontline again on all my dogs and treated the house with DE, unfortunately two of my dogs, the ones who had the worst results last year as to the skin problems, where the first to show signs of allergy again, hopefully it is controlled soon. or will the DE kill the nematodes? Havent seen any in rooms where linoleum & hardwood floors are, so just did the furniture that the cat likes to sit on. I have been dusting my cat so that when he lays down, it might deter fleas. So Im trying the DE approach. Hi Ashley, interesting, thanks for sharing this, will pass it on to those that need this info . Not seeing a big difference as far as the bites we are getting yet unfortunately. Hi Eva! I found DE at the local farmers store but it says it is for killing bugs and spiders (yuk). And, the dog had been on the foot of my bed.) They love it. I dont know how or when they got so bad but, my home was infested. i plan on using the DE treatment left for 24 hours, then vacuum, followed by carpet cleaning every 3-5 days. Hi Natasha, well week 3 is upon my flea battle and after a lull Ive had a few stragglers pop up. However, this is just a suggestion, doing it right away is not harmful so its really up to you. I dont have carpet, but I have dusted the house quite well. Its an important note to be sure. 2 were in my hair, 2 were in my bed (and both bed fleas were spotted yesterday and today). I think it dried out the motor and made grind to a halt. I used a drain strainer to put the DE through my entire house but I still think I may have used to much. Diatomaceous earth powder is the most common form and it usually comes in bags, but is also available in jars and bottles. I had a quick question: I have a house w/ a basement and have noticed fleas in both levels. Thanks for sharing your experiences with borax and DE, its much appreciated. I do not see fleas in the house and no human bites, etc.am I to assume they are attacking him when he goes into the yard? This is ground remains of a freshwater algae called Diatoms. Thorough vacuuming every three days (including all crevices) can really help control House Fleas, too. Do you have a flea comb? This applies to food for livestock and pets. Thanks! Hi Heather! Yes we know they are fleas and not bed bugs. and a decent spot on treatment for your pets and you should be flea free in no time . I sprinkled it all around the patio where she hangs out and when she would be eating Id sprinkle it on her back. 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. Natasha, many times you mentioned dawn dish soap for killing fleas on the animals. Im also using a vinegar/water spray on the pups after their nightly walk. Hi Natasha, lot of really great tips on here. Then I saw your site. Also, you dont need a thick layer (might be why its not working, not sure), but rather a thin layer, almost a dusting of the stuff. I only caught two fleas. I could not believe how infested that poor dog was, he is a 112 pound chocolate lab and seeing that many fleas was impossible. Let me know please! so before you go ahead and purchase anything, I recommend that you read over my dedicated article on using borax for fleas (on this blog). DE comes in the form of a fine powder and is extremely rich in biogenic silica. Hey Leon! But I have seen flea dirt in the sheets just 1 or 2. About 10. I used DE on them tonight only to read one of your points which was not to use them on kittens!! Many thanks! I plan on doing this each day for probably a month seeing as how a flea can lay 40 eggs in a day. I was planning on dusting the rug, carpet and concrete then vacuuming up after 24 hours. She sleeps on a pair of shorts of mine on the dresser, they were covered with this small gravel like dots. It is also much more expensive than buying in bulk on Amazon. My Kitties veterinarian says Frontline has not been effective in recent years so she recommends Advantage now. I get this question a lot, so I decided to add this into the article itself (lots of answers in the comments section if you want to read over them as well). Thanks for all the info Really helps, as does your reassurance. You can just put a spoonful in their foot, thats pretty much it. I read in a comment that it will dry out dogs skin. I know its not recommended to use it on them but could I use it on them at the start of the flea war and if so how often can I to minimize irritation? I dipped the flea combs in DE before using them, then shook them slightly in the bag so that there was a very minimal amount transferred to the cat, and combed them. From all the comments, I believe this is going to work. Thanks for sharing! Thanks! Pet food allergies are very common, especially if their food has any type of corn variation or soy in it. I just bought and applied some DE yesterday Natasha. Is this gonna hurt them? I sure hope you can help me. ), please keep them away from DE as due to their small body mass, it can be dangerous.. This year, were infested. if i apply lightly around the corners of bedrooms and around bed can we sleep in that room ? Under her belly especially and under the arms. Both ideas will work, best of luck! Hope that helps! So is that safe enough to use for fleas in the carpet? My friend suggested I might also find it useful in getting rid of roaches. Hi Betty, thanks for sharing your story and for the kind words, I really appreciate it . 21 Comments. Yes, definitely give that a try as it will help distribute the DE evenly. If you add Neem powder to the DE before you dust your animal It will take care of the drying of the skin. I have 5 indoor/outdoor cats and one dog. I usually dispense the DE by using an ice cream container that contains small holes (I use a knife to do this), almost like you would use a salt shaker. My backyard nearly looks like it has snowed (I live in Florida and its September!). COPYRIGHT 2023 ASK THE EXPERTS LLC. Thank you for your article! this will be great for your walk in closet) and then either a natural or product based method on my pets. The battery operated one works just as well, promise. My daughter took her cat to live with her and apparently Im next on the menu. I live by myself so I sprinkle the carpet and just leave it on there. New hatches develop into adults and then go looking for food and thats when they get the powder dust on them. Ive heard to put a table spoon of DE in the dogs food to also help. Also been using apple cider vinegar/lemon juice mix in spray bottle for pets and furniture and lastly applied frontline to cat and dog. Stands to reason, if you think of all the other gunk we breathe in, even microscopic parasites that ride the dust in our houses and air we breathe every day. Had back surgery on 7/11 and thats when I began to realize there was a flea issue ( never had one before and dog is on advantage II large breed religiously, every three weeks now. Might be from the garden, check out that possibility. If it doesnt kill the fleas we already have why bother with it? I purchased DE that says its 100% DE however I misread the bag; it said safe for food establishments but its not food grade (sob). My apt though is another issue. Give it a try though and let me know how it goes. And we have a nursing mother cat (kittens a little over a week) can it be used on or near them safely? Im going to try the food grade DE option now after reading your article, but was wonderingonce I sprinkle it on the carpets and furniture, can I still walk around on the carpets and use the furniture like normal? Read more about planting and using trap crops here. Diatomaceous earth is found naturally in sedimentary rock and mined to use in industrial products, swimming pool . She has mostly carpet but used it on Everything! Thank you for being so thorough! They should beware of any product that says that it should be applied directly to the pet.. Thanks again! 02/25/2010 Diatoms are single-celled algae that inhabit streams, lakes, oceans and other waterways. I have lots and lots of fleas jumping about and have been using your tealight traps at night (theyre great!). Would it end up affecting her even if it is food grade? This is the first that I have bother with fleas infestation I have had dogs for years. Thank you! Having researched the deadly effects of Avantix and other poisonous big company products, I found myself reading an FDA Study report from a major topical flea poison maker and was thoroughly disgusted with what I read. Yes, you can just leave the DE there, it is actually more effective that way. Good luck! Hi guys, Ive recently had my small 2 bed flat sprayed with K-Othrine to kill fleas I inherited from an abandoned cat I took in for a week before I found him another home. I purchased some DE food grade and applied it to the carpets and all of the dogs bedding/hang out spots. Hi Matthew, not if you dont have pets/kids/etc. Otherwise, dont stress about. A day later, I wonder if I should let this application sit for a while or if I need to vacuum it up and dust again? Flea infestation. It is a pleasure, I try my best to answer everyone Good luck! Will it work on an upholstered bed or should I get rid of it? Hi Lisa! Or did I just waste my time with that and actually need pure 100% DE? At this point (since you have tried a couple things), I suggest you get professional help from an exterminator. Shd I have done the floors anyway? Im hoping that getting her dusted isnt going to be a big fight. Hey Ashlee. I was so desperate back then because my dogs were infested by fleas, we even had fleas inside the house. You can but its sensitive to moisture so its usually more suitable for indoor use. 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. I found one live flea in each room, does this indicate there are hundreds? Hey Adrienne! Yes you can and you are correct with both your statements. ft., including deck, house perimeter, and crawl-space. However, just keep an eye on it or ask your vet for more details , So is it okay to let my little one (approx 9 week old kitten) run about freely around the house like normal while the DE is out before I vacuum it up? I have a tile bathroom and have washed the bathroom rug 100 times! I completed the task of spreading the DE at 8:30 pm last night, June 5th. I am really picky about stuff even DE being around. They will lay the eggs in places where your lamps are at. I dont usually like to hard sell something, but its only $9 and since you need a holistic approach here (that covers everything), its going to save us both time lol. I am confused as to which one to purchase. As well as myself. 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. Hi Candy, sheesh that sounds like you have some seriously strong fleas there lol. Fleas thrive in humidity and heat. Glad that you are getting some relief, also try using some DIY flea traps (article on this blog) at night, it is a great combo. I sprayed and bombed but still get them all over my ankles when I enter. She doesnt like contact unless she initiates it, so giving her a dawn bath to give her immediate relief is out of the question unfortunately.). Also, I asked her about the concentration, and she said that there were no other ingredients listed on the packaging other than 100% DE. How can we keep him from picking up fleas from this place again? I am the one that gets bitten the most, but have to do the work because my husband works many hours. Im ready to give this a try, do I have to leave with my pups (they are 15 and 18 lbs) or can I put the DE down and we stay home???? Then the cats will come back and treat themselves. Thanks! . Hi Deniece! It is a pleasure, I enjoy helping the community! They sleep in your garden all winter, only to emerge and wreak havoc on your potatoes and broccoli (and their relatives! I have not seen any more since that time; about 2 wks. We also have shampoo. I also want to hook up a radio loud, to keep them thinking someone is home, or whatever they say to do, to keep them hatching. I havent vacuumed yet, gonna wait 1 more day. Food grade is ideal but it is completely non-toxic, but that doesnt mean that the other stuff is highly dangerous. The bag of DE with insecticide is already open and I wouldnt want to waste it. This is the height of tick season and when you leave the field with the dogs there are so many it looks like a flea infestation but its ticks. Can you put this on bedspreads/clothes? Like boric acid, it kills fleas by dehydration [10]. Thank you so much for your time. We usually have a window ac unit in our room but it broke. Ive been spraying clean clothes with Sentry that does kill eggs and larvae while throwing out a lot of clothes. At this point Im not sure if only one was brought into the house, or multiple. Hey Crystal! 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? Country fleas are as big as horses lol. Nematodes in the families Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae are particularly noted for their capacity to manage populations, while Steinernema carpocapsae are known to manage flea beetle populations in potatoes. It has been almost 24 hrs. Trying to locate the right one. If you put little holes in it, you can apply the DE like a salt shaker. Some traps are designed to actually combat pest pressure by attracting and catching specific insects, to keep them from eating your plants. but I wouldnt advise you use it directly on your pets. Cooler weather is helping too. Hi Gail, sorry for the late response. Hi Cindy, try amazon, they usually have food grade DE. Hi Lisa! Dont forget to can just hot wash your linen. Pleasure, have a good one and thanks for stopping by to read my blog , This article has definitely been one of the best Ive read in all my research. Sprinkle it on your main crop and around the base of the plants. I had used de last year for flea control and i will never use anything else since this worked wonders and did rid my flea infestation. Ive read through some of the comments, clearly I am using WAY too much. Can I use DE on the friends and then wash them? They cant reach where topical are applied or the collar. Better to clean it up?? Im very hopeful. Another option for dealing with pests in your soil is Diatomaceous Earth. Hi Vickie! Dont understand food grade part of it. I suggest you do the DE again, this time rub it in with a broom and leave it down for a full 24 hours. He wants to be fussed, but will only tolerate it when he is half asleep. And what kind of brush would you use to brush it in? Price : $9.47 ($0.14 / Ounce) Features : Say Goodbye to Bugs - Kills a variety crawling insects including roaches, ants, fleas, silverfish, earwigs, bedbugs, and more. Hi Maria! With DE, less is better. Thank you so much for the info, I just applied the DE to my dogs and cat, and already, they are not scratching or chewing much at all. Hi. Fleas can live on humans but its not their preferred target. Thank you! Recently acquired a new cat who seems to be a flea manufacturer. There is powder everywhere. I have used it to rub on my dog and cats fur and I have put a little in their water I was just wondering fur wise would you know how long it would last on them?

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