Borates are minerals that are used widely as wood preservatives, detergents, and insecticides, acting as stomach poisons to fleas. An adult flea will live on average 2 to 3 months and as long as 100 days without blood from its host. Newly hatched larvae, on the other hand, must feed within 3 days or they’ll starve. So it’s easiest by far to attack the larvae first.
Use the insecticide in well-ventilated areas and wear gloves. Repeated exposure to insecticides can be harmful to pet and human health. Because of the long flea life cycle, 2 or 3 insecticide treatments, spaced 3 weeks apart, are often needed to completely rid your home of a flea infestation.
If you have inquisitive pets who might try to open and eat the contents of the flea trap, set the in a place they cannot access. Or, place the flea traps in rooms that you can keep your pets out of.
People often go for high-powered, super-suction vacuums, but the average vacuum should do the trick perfectly. [4] X Research source Always discard the vacuum bag after you vacuum. This will help discourage re-infestation.
The water and dish detergent mixture is like a toxic swimming pool for fleas. When they jump into the mixture, they die. If you don’t have a shallow bowl, an old Frisbee does the job quite well.
A slice of a different citrus fruit—e. g. , orange, lime, or grapefruit—should work as well.
Make sure your pet isn’t allergic to cedar. Many dogs can be allergic to cedar. If your dog has an allergic reaction to the cedar—e. g. , sneezing or swollen eyes—stop using the cedar chips.
Use very fine-grained salt for this. The finer the better; you want it to be small enough to attach to the flea. When you’re done vacuuming, discard the old vacuum bag and replace it with a new one.
You can put diatomaceous earth on your pets, as long as you keep it out of their eyes and ears. Sprinkle on your pet down the backbone and rub into the skin all over.
The most economical method is to buy a concentrate and mix according to the directions that come with the product. You can purchase IGRs at a local hardware store. IGRs are not poisonous to mammals. This makes IGRs a good option around a house that has kids or small animals such as hamsters, reptiles, or fish.
There may be a host of other fleas in various stages of their life cycle waiting to hop onto your pet, so be sure to use this method with other preventative measures, such as vacuuming, borate mixes, and cedar chips.
Take a shower immediately after washing your pet because some flea shampoos can cause irritation when left on human skin for prolonged periods of time.
You can use flea products in conjunction with a fine-toothed flea comb. Use a flea comb to pull off individual fleas from the pet’s fur.
Your veterinarian will sell oral tablets that you can give your pet. These tablets attack the flea’s nervous system via the bloodstream and tissue of your dog or cat. While they kill all the fleas feeding on your pet, they do not prevent fleas. The use of an IGR will not allow propagation of succeeding generations and will prevent, in large measure, fleas adapting to the treatments.
Some cats may become hyperactive, vocalize more, or show panting when given flea tablets. If this happens, try cutting the recommended dose, but you may have to discontinue use of tablets with sensitive cats.
Don’t try this with cats, as their pH is much more sensitive than dogs'.
