Having lost an entire litter of kittens due to fleas, I had to find a cheap way to rid my house of them. Just after my cat had a litter of 2 kittens, they too had fleas. A friend came to my rescue. She said to sprinkle borax over all carpeted area. Though I was skeptical, I was willing to try anything. I purchased the borax from fishing supplies. They use it to cure salmon eggs for fishing lures. And, it is very inexpensive, cost just $6.00 for a 5 lb. bag. That was enough for a large living room and 2 bedrooms with some left over.
You do have to wear a mask as you do this, since the dust is bad. Sprinkle it over all carpet areas pretty heavily. Don't miss areas under furniture. Then sweep or drag your feet over the powder until you work it into the carpet (This causes the dust). If animals cannot get under furniture you don't need to work it in. That is all you need to do. Within the month my house was not only free of flees, but it lasted for years.
Animals might still bring in fleas when they go outside, but when it jumps onto the carpet it still kills the fleas and their eggs. I was flea free since 2000. This year I did have to redo it. And no fleas again. I just couldn't afford the higher prices sprays or professional treatments.
Source: A friend who's brother is into homeopathics
By Bev from Longview, WA
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Borax is one of the least dangerous if used properly, it takes a large amount to cause problems. You just need to use it carefully.
When I put borax on my floors & swept it in, I covered the floors with sheets & newspapers overnight to keep my animals from walking on it(they'll lick it off their paws). I vacuumed it the next day to get rid of excess residue. Also, fleas will get in the furniture & under it. I put it under to sofa cushions,under the furniture & pulled back the edges of the carpet to put it underneath against the baseboards(helps keep things from coming into the house). Remember, vacuum up the residue,don't leave it there.
I've written on here before about how effective borax was for me (I used the boraxo from the laundry dept). My daughter & I both had a flea infestation at the same time. Mine was gone almost immediately using borax. She used an exterminator & it took several treatments spraying the entire inside,outside & underneath the house-don't remember how many times it was re-treated. Took months & tons of chemicals for her to get rid of the fleas!
An easy way to sprinkle it around is to put it in an empty pringles-type can with holes punched in the lid. Hold the can close to the floor & lightly sprinkle so it doesn't go all over in the air. Also, you want to be careful sweeping it into the carpet, do it very gently so you don't stir the powder up. And wipe of residue that may land on things in the room.
I've read couple of posts re Borax and you have to put a warning on anything to do with it especially around pets and children - personally, I would not risk it on my pets at any level and find an alternative option:
Borax is natural, but that does not mean it is automatically safer for you or for 'the environment' than man-made chemicals. Although plants need boron, too much of it will kill them, so borax can be used as an herbicide. Borax may also be used to kill roaches, ants, and fleas. In fact, it is also toxic to people. Signs of chronic toxic exposure include red and peeling skin, seizures, and kidney failure. The estimated lethal dose (ingested) for adults is 15-20 grams; less than 5 grams can kill a child or pet. For this reason, borax should not be used around food. More commonly, borax is associated with skin, eye, or respiratory irritation. It is also important to point out that exposure to borax may impair fertility or cause damage to an unborn child.
While living in an apartment we noticed cockroaches shortly after we moved in. More precisely, when we had new neighbours move in. We sprinkled Borax all around the edges of the floor behind furniture where our pets wouldn't be and the edges on top of cupboards.
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