I am in desperate need of any advice given to me in getting rid of fleas in apartment and on two cats. Pulling up the carpeting is not an option here and the building I live next door to is abandoned and the yard is atrocious.
Aisha from VA
If the problem is that severe, you should "bomb" your house with a flea product. Keep all your cats confined outside until it is done. Then before bringing the cats inside the house, treat them for fleas. Then put them in the house and treat outside your house. This is a big job to do. But if you don't stop the life cycle of the fleas, you will continue to have a problem.
My girlfriend had a severe problem and used a product called Enforcer, sold at Home Depot for inside and outside her home. I believe they have a variety of insecticide products. She used a flea dip by the brand name of Zodiac on her cats and dog. You should probably spray inside and outside your house in two weeks. I always keep a two inch piece of flea collar in my vacuum cleaner during the summer. This will kill any fleas inside the bag. If financially possible, hire an exterminator. Be very careful with any chemical products concerning your child's health. Good luck to you. (07/28/2005)
By it's.only.me
Living in the south fleas are always a possibility.
I've used salt on my carpets for years. Treat your animal and sprinkle salt all over your house the day before you need to vacuum. I put a piece of a flea collar in my vacuum. I have a bagless vacuum and it works fine.
I always take it outside to empty it out. When we had a bad infestation I did this every other day and it took care of them quick. Good luck.
Debbie (07/29/2005)
By reddlb
If you know where to get some black walnut twigs and leaves and put them around your house that will get rid of them and they won't come back. (07/29/2005)
By
Just had the same problem. Zodiac spray for carpet and upholstery is good, however, vet said not to use Zodiac on pets because there's an ingredient dangerous to cats. Between combing out fleas, using the Zodiac spray on carpets, in and under furniture, beds, etc., and bowls of soapy water that they jump into and drown themselves (that must be where the expression "flea brain" came from) they are now all gone.
By Rev Alex
I had a friend that had a horrible flea problem. I'm talking like you walked in the house and your ankles were instantly black from fleas jumping on you. I got some stuff from Wal-Mart called Bug Stop. It is about $10 for a gallon, but after one application they were pretty much gone. We did spray twice just to be sure. We sprayed everything in the house, carpet, chairs, bed, floors, everything. You might want to check though with the baby. (07/31/2005)
By Tonya
I had a terrible problem with fleas in the house a couple of summers ago. One cat is an indoors only cat and the other is indoor/outdoor. Someone told me about Frontline, one of the spot-on flea products. Went to the vet's office, and left with sticker shock. Looked on eBay and found it for 1/2 the price or less than what the vet was charging. Bid on some, received it in a week or so, and put it on the cats.
I don't like to spray the house with chemicals that I will be exposed to (since I have to live there too), so the gradual effect of the Frontline worked for me. I have also found that the product does not have to be applied to the cats every 30 days as specified in the instructions. The effect lasts several weeks longer than just one month. I usually reapply it to the cats after 60 days or so. Have not had a flea problem since. (08/04/2005)
By P.
Borax works well, but make sure to vacuum it up. It can be poisonous in large amounts and if you have kids that are on the floor a lot or crawling, it's best to keep them out of the room until it is vacuumed. Let it sit there for about an hour or two.
Cats groom themselves all the time so it can get on their feet so keep them out also until it is cleaned up.
Susan from ThriftyFun (08/10/2005)
By ThriftyFun
Sprinkle food grade diatomaceous earth in flea infested areas. On sleeping areas and on your animals. Safe to use. Do an on-line search to learn about it. Good luck. (08/29/2005)
By Karen P.
Borax is great for indoor fleas. We have successfully used it for 20 years in our home. Read other feedback on this site for proper use. Remember to vacuum it up, leave some in bag. It is possible to make cats sick because they will lick their feet. Especially go around your baseboards and under sofas, etc. and put borax there and leave it.
Remember stray and outdoor cats will bring fleas into your yard and it also has to be treated. I have never used borax before outside, but I am going to try it today. I have found a flea here and there on my dog. I would not and do not use chemicals in my house or near my pets and children.
Although tea tree oil can be added to water for bathing dogs, DO NOT use on cats. It is definitely toxic, in any strength. (08/29/2005)
By Lilyrose
I used Sevin Dust. I got a big bag at Walmart. Safe for people and pets. Sprinkled it all over everything and then vacuumed the next day. Then put some down again for a second treatment, vacuumed that afternoon. Fleas gone in 2 days. Also rubbed it into the cat's fur. Didn't use much. (08/31/2005)
By octoberbabye
I feel so sorry for anyone with flea infestation. We went through that a couple of years ago when my mother-in-law brought her dog to "visit". The vet said cats are the worse for bringing fleas in and also for getting rid of the fleas off a cat. At that time, we had a Lab and our cat. Well, everyday, without fail I bathed both dog and cat (they ran and hid when I said "bath").
Anyway, I also used boric acid, putting it everywhere, scrubbed all the floors in our house everyday with vinegar water, and left the boric acid behind dressers, and in places where the pets could not get into it. Also, did not let the animals into the basement at all, as fleas love the damp environment there, and finally, light at end of tunnel. No more fleas. Our cat does not go outside at all, and our beloved Misti has gone over the Rainbow bridge this past summer. (02/01/2006)
By hapiladi
I just had the same problem a few things to help get rid of them. First, get rid of your carpet, I just took a 12 X 16 carpet out and put a new floor in, tiles, not expensive, but the carpet was infested. Another thing to do is baking soda. It is not harmful to cats, and if you put it around the corners of your rooms it does help.
Vinegar, put it on your baseboards, it creates a film and fleas will not stick to it. Another is salt, just put it around the baseboards as well, it is pretty amazing what we learn after being infested with fleas. You have to vacuum everyday, and throw the contents of the vacuum bag in the garbage outside a.s.a.p. Believe me, this works. Best of luck.
The last is Advantage, for the cats, it attracts them and kills them. (09/03/2008)
By Barbara
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