Let me know your results , Hi, We noticed our cats had fleas and immediately did a spot on treatment of Frontline on them. Not too sure what you mean by drugs but glad the DE worked for you . Readers, this is also beneficial for humans to take for many reasons. Thank you very much DE wont work if you mix it with water (for killing fleas that is). It can also be added to areas inside the home, like carpets, cat scratchers, and pet kennels, Falk says. Let me know if you have any other questions! If people are unsure of this product, let me tell you it works. Can I use DE on the friends and then wash them? Amanda: I saw the same bag the other night at my local home improvement store. The healthier it is, the greater chance it has of successfully surviving the big move. Although it is not toxic, it can cause dryness and . However, its really based on how much you need. I am curious though as to what all I need to treat? I went on eBay looking for a bag, and I got a 10 lb bag food grade for under $20, shipped to the house. It shouldnt hurt them, just vacuum it up as soon as possible and replace with the food grade variation. I was wondering, would I be able to use the diatomaceous earth alongside the K-Othrine? As for keeping them away, if you have succeeded in killing the current infestation, and you dont bring anymore into your home, you shouldnt have a problem again. Wow, it sounds like you have a fairly bad insect problem but trust me, DE is going to help you get rid of more then just those fleas. Hi Denise! Electlady Hi just wanted to comment and say that I have 2 Boston Terriers . I also heard that DE (food-grade) worked well for getting rid of worms in cats. A friend of mine told me about DE, and your website was the most informative one I got when I googled it. I just bought a home and it so happens that one room is infested with bird mites Just wanted to ask that if DE would work with that Tried everything but its a killer at night I have sprayed my room with Lysol all around That is the only way that I can rest at night. Keep the moisture off the rest of the fur since it will deactivate the DE. Hope that helps you and thank you for stopping by, hopefully my blog has provided you with a satisfying answer. I read in a couple of your comments saying fleas on humans are not that common (or something along that line). Ive made an old bulk size spice bottle to have more control of where and how much I put down! She lives with her husband, daughter, three cats, one dog, and a pet dove. Two days after I had gotten home, I noticed that I had been bitten by something. I do have a question and I am sure it has already been answered but there are so many comments I cant read them all in one sitting. I was just happy to get DE the same day since Home Depot was a few blocks away. I do have a large backyard. So I am bracing for a hatching of who knows how many each day. Hey Brenda! Hey Nina! Very helpful, and Im anxious to try this out and see how this helps with some of the fleas in our carpet. 15.50 for a small bottle. I do not use it on wood floors but use a damp floor mop with liquid that has some white vinegar. I have had cancer before and this I bought doesnt say food grade. Hi Barbara! Fold each in half and make a stack. We had a few weeks of constant cleaning, dusting, vacuuming, and washing laundry before we got back to normal. The DE was the only thing I felt safe using around my family and pets. I actually went ahead and did the things I had read specifically in your article (taking into account with the holidays you may not be able to reply soon). Hi Mary, yes that is perfect. I cant put anything else on them for 3 more weeks! If an extremely large amount is inhaled, people may cough and have shortness of breath. Provided you dont have a flea infestation in the home or garden already, your pets should be safe forever . As we have both pets and kids in the house, we were looking for something safe but effective, and came across DE in our research. Let our authors & experts know what you think. Hope that helps! Should the food grade DE b white, or is it more of an off white-tannish color with speckles? My one cat keeps getting reinfected with tapeworms even after medication and applying revolution. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. 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. Finally tracked down DE food grade, very hard to do. The fleas die. Hi Annie, yes that does make a lot more sense now lol, thank you. Good luck! You inspire me . Its perfectly safe for your pets and is often used on beds to kill both fleas and bed bugs (as well as a few other pests). Lastly, I also recommend that you put down a few DIY flea traps at night, I have an article on how to make them super cheaply on this blog. While research about the effectiveness of diatomaceous earth for flea control is unsubstantiated, there are some advantages to using food grade diatomaceous earth. I have one chair I still feel bitten up at night, tomorrow I bomb with the no Mess fogger that doesnt require you to shut off the gas but it doesnt have an IGR BECAUSE OF THAT. Hi, I just bought some St. Gabriel Insect Dust DE and sprinkled it all over my bedroom carpet before reading your post about DE. Will DE kill all stages of the flea life span? I took your advice and put the DE on the carpet and will continue to brush him out daily. The vet said a flea bath from a groomer may help, but they cant guarantee to get all of the fleas, and then if our house isnt completely free of them, itll start the cycle all over again. If you do have an infestation, take action immediately to avoid further damage, and to remediate this threat to the health of your plants. I have asthma, and it has never bothered me. Ive seen a dramatic reduction in fleas. I was planning on weekly treatments of the borax. Im wondering if a mixture of both DE and Boric acid would be more effective than just using one or the other. For your hardwood floors, normally just cleaning them with your floor cleaner (whatever one is safe for your wood) is enough to kill fleas on contact. Glad to see you are treating your pets otherwise you will never win the fight against fleas. In some homes the powder was so thick it puffed up when walking on carpets.. Thanks! I have an article on this blog about them, but will email you a link for your convenience. I hope this works, as I feel so bad for my doggie itching and biting himself to get at the fleas. Highly magnified diatomaceous earth shows the intricate fossils that make up the substance. I dont have carpet, but I have dusted the house quite well. I bought a bag of DE for fleas and got it home and its brown, will this work for fleas or does it have to be the white DE? The present tapeworm should have been dealt with using a medication of some sort, or if self-treating, the DE. My understanding is that it should applied early morning and plants should be avoided for pollination reasons. Keep in mind that it is important to clear these mulches out at the end of the season to prevent providing a perfect overwintering space for adult beetles. Hey Muriel! Hi, love your advice ! The powder should not be applied directly to pets unless you are specifically instructed to do so by your veterinarian. Another record-keeping tip: If you arent keeping a gardening journal already, start one. We have bathed him with dawn, rubbed him down with Natural Care + and dusted his bedding area with this powder. 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 have discovered my three cats have fleas and one of my cats has been diagnosed with cancer and I dont want to add to her troubles. I bought a bottle of Diatomaceous earth from green acres market brand is LUMINO does this work for roaches plz help. Ive been rescuing/ rehoming cats for 15 years. I havnt use that specific brand but I am sure it will work fine , Thanks for the blog. It is a pleasure, I try my best to answer everyone Good luck! It is a pleasure! It is a pleasure, thanks for stopping by! Rather just wash him in dawn soap and warm water and reserve the DE for the floors. Hey Tammy! Best and cheapest solution that is extremely effective (presuming that the house and garden are not infested with fleas) is putting them in a bath with dawn soap. This is addressed to anyone at all that would be able to help me. My question is, how will DE affect electronics? I am a little confused about when to vacuum up the food grade DE. Supposed to last 7-8 months but after 5 months, fleas were back so I bought a new one.Yes, it kills the fleas (eventually) but they bite FIRST. We live in Florida and we do get freezing days a few times but that is over a year away. The bag of DE with insecticide is already open and I wouldnt want to waste it. And it smells good! Any ideas? . Thanks for all your help, this website is a godsend. Yeah I would advise against letting your cat drink from it, but i think that as soon as she tries, he will taste the soapy liquid and hopefully stop, so maybe just keep an eye on him in the beginning. I tried DE today in our bedroom. I put de all over carpet basement and left it there now for 5 days. They all have fleas. Hi, we noticed a few fleas yesterday. and roughly how much would be needed for 2 Jack Russel cross dogs? They are Covered In Them!! I thought maybe it takes a while for the cat to get rid of the dirt from their coat? Hope that helps! Hi Julie! DE is also completely safe for the family so you can use it without worrying, just give it a dust off after about 24 hours. Hey Kristina! If we keep him dusted about once a week, will it keep him flea free? The sales person, said that, while the packaging did not refer to the terms Food Grade on the packaging, she said the instructions indicated that it could be added to feedso I am assuming this is the right product? I dont know how they got in here again, Unless through open windows (with screens.) Just specify that you are looking for the kind for pest control, and NOT for pools and theyll show you to the food grade package. In fact, if you can get hold of a shop vac, that would be ideal. I intend to get some and use it in my pets beds and in my yard. Do you know how this benefits pets or is this not a good idea? Is this flea eggs or somehow the DE coming off and turning black? I use a old large spice shaker jar for application. And I know they have fleas. Hi Teri! Just want to be sure I got the correct product. Do you know why? I dont have any pets, but I do have 2 other children in addition to the baby. Hi Rob. I mix mine at a rate of 2 tablespoons per 5 cups of dry dog food topped with olive oil to help with my German shepherds coat and help it stick to her food. I sprinkle on poop residue after picking up fresh poop in the yard. If you prefer to use DIY products for your four-legged family member, youve probably read about diatomaceous earth for fleas. We encourage you to rely on chemical pesticides as a last resort, for the protection of our health and that of the environment. Its not dangerous but it might make her a bit wheezy so rather keep her away from it until its cleaned up. Hi Suzanne, I have only ever used the white one, so probably go with that. I set out homemade traps to see the extent of the infestation but did not catch any fleas. Hi Shirley, I would leave it down for a couple days and then after cleaning it up, use a couple flea traps (article on this blog) to see if there are any fleas left. Great informative information. I currently have 3 cats and 1 dog living in my house. Join thousands of pet parents and get vet-approved guidance, product reviews, exclusive deals, and more! Fleas are fairly resilient and although they are less active during colder weather, it wont kill them in most situations. I have been on amazon and ordered food grade DE, we have a combination of laminate, hard wood and carpets. They sell it at farm supply stores for horses, cattle etc. The power of diatomaceous earth for killing fleas in the home and yard has been proven over the years and regardless of what you may have been told, it does work and its very effective. As for smaller pets (like young kittens, puppies, rabbits, hamsters, etc. 2 were in my hair, 2 were in my bed (and both bed fleas were spotted yesterday and today). I purchased some DE food grade and applied it to the carpets and all of the dogs bedding/hang out spots. Thanks for the prompt response Natasha, I really appreciate the info. Then she comes in the house and the larvae transfer to me and make my life a misery. Hey Jason! Tapeworms in animals can be caused by fleas. away from the treatment areas until its sucked up. There mustve been around 300 or 400 on him when I came back. Cheers! I purchased DE yesterday, and in a hurry to slove the problem, POURED the DE powder everywhere; baseboards, carpets, couches, etc. We noticed our cats had fleas a few weeks ago and since then Ive tried everything. I just sprinkled a lot of DE around my house. Thanks for your questions . Use some common sense. We are going to buy DE today and put it on the carpets, couches beds etc. Have a question. Combine all these and I am positive you will win the battle. You can also use it on your lawns. If I leave it on overnight then vaccum is it safe for my cats to be walking around on it? Ive read your whole blog : ) I only have a Dyson vacuum cleaner and I understand that it will become a casualty in my DE vs flea war. Patiently awaiting your reply. I was told by one person I could sprinkle on my dogs food? 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 drink a teaspoon every morning and every night. I have been using this on my two cats flea problem. This really doesnt have to take more than a few minutes to accomplish, depending on the size of your garden. A few days after our house had been serviced by pest control, we noticed my chihuahua started itching. Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a natural product composed of the fossilized remains of tiny, aquatic organisms known as diatoms. Im pretty positive that his article saved my life and my wallet!! I do have a shop-vac, but Ive also read that they become clogged too. I dont usually recommend DE for dogs, its mainly for areas inside your house. Yes, DE will work. Both can be purchased at the Natural Garden or Barton Springs Nursery in and around Austin as well as on many online sources. Hi Tula, just put the DE wherever fleas might be hiding. I recommend using it around the house, not so much for direct application. Hey Victoria! I do laundry for 6 so avoiding all that laundry would be a plus. I have been bathing him every weekend on my days off with flea shampoo. I would choose DE . And for more information about protecting your garden from insect pests, check out these guides next: Ask the Experts, LLC. Go easy on DE on their fur. I recently moved into an apartment and found out that the patio is infested with fleas. Diatomaceous earth is a mineral powder that can help you get rid of fleas, cockroaches, ants, and dust mites. Everyone else blogs, etcand just leaves the readers with questions hanging. Again, thank you. It seems that you used way to much of the stuff, just a fine coat (almost as you would salt your food) on the carpets, etc. Inhalation is not the only safety risk. Im washing blankets, sheets, bedding, and vacuuming the couch very well every couple of days. I am sure that it will help, thanks for stopping by and best of luck! My indoor cat has fleas and now Im scratching but Im hoping it is just from paranoiaIve been reading up on natural ways to get rid of those nasty things and I came across an essential oil recipe that I was going to try but you said essential oils arent good for cats. Hi Yera, not really, will be writing some articles on ticks soon, stay tuned. What else can I do? Just mix some water and dish soap, and try give your cat a bath, kills fleas instantly. Yes it is safe to do that, and I recommend that you do all the rooms at once (or well, maybe one per day is fine). I am wondering if you have ever heard of that brand. I called my local tractor supply store and they have Red Lake DE food grade, but I looked online at the contents and it is 95% mineral matter (max) and 8% moisture (max). Thanks for your kind words! Its a pleasure, glad you have found it useful I recommend that you leave the DE down (rub into the carpets, etc.) I also have intense reaction to fleas bites. Hiya, I have my DE, do I need to cover every flat surface? Its been two hours now and I havent seen a flea. I have used DE for to weeks. Food grade DE is great for your pets, even when ingested. Hi! HELP PLEASE!!! I will also check my blog , I just bought food grade fleas r bite my poor pom try boric acid on rugs still here. Can we still sleep on the bed or avoid for a while? Crossing fingers! The Safer brand of DE does NOT say food grade on the package (at least I couldnt find it). Didnt think anymore about it. Thanks for all the information Natasha! i plan on using the DE treatment left for 24 hours, then vacuum, followed by carpet cleaning every 3-5 days. 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? This morning the fleas were jumping up on both my daughter and my legs at regular intervals, all over the house. Any suggestions? Our personal observations in field studies in Florida would indicate it is practically worthless. Its an important note to be sure. Thanks! I also put down salt hoping they would eat it and dehydrate too. OH NO my husband just spread Pool grade DE all over in the cats out side pen. I have been dusting my cat so that when he lays down, it might deter fleas. Hi there, I havnt seen that brand but that doesnt mean it isnt good, does it say food grade on it? The strange thing is the bigger cat has stiff type fur, so I cant pop them like I do on the little cat BUT what I am finding now is black dots of ? And to repeat the process once a week for 3-4 week.s Can I leave the DE for one week, which means I vacuum once a week? Hey I put DE on my cats and dogs directly and I havent seen a flea in 3 days i was wondering how often I needed to apply it to them to keep them completely protected?? Nothing was helping. Let me know if you have any questions! Not tried using it for fleas but am about to start as a friends cat got infested and unfortunately some came with my friend when she visited and despite my 4 indoor cats being on Stronghold neck drops the fleas are just starting to appear. I moved from WA to FL and have NEVER experienced fleas like they have here in florida, holy cow!! One night recently, I had seen numerous small beige-colored bugs crawling around on my black night table next to my bed. Neil is the problem in your house or outside? It is not dangerous but it is not super effective for direct application to pets. It works. You should also not fertilize for a few weeks after you apply the Nematodes. Put it under their sheets (vacuum it up after a couple days though and dont use too much) and put it liberally anywhere else, you dont need to worry because food grade DE is completely safe. Ideally DE should not be used directly on your pets. I will be writing about roaches in the next couple months and I will definitely include something about this. The fun with the especially evil cat fleas! Glad that it worked for you, and appreciate the feedback . Might be time to call in a pro, let me know if you need a couple free quotes . We have an exterminator coming next week to spray the house and both our dog and cat will be getting groomed and flea baths. It is a pleasure, always happy to help! Hi we tried everything to get rid of fleas . Yesterday I vacuumed and washed all my bedding, and today I saw one sitting on my pillow after I woke up. Vaccum is it more of an off white-tannish color with speckles common diatomaceous earth vs nematodes for fleas or something along that line ) bed. 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