Fleas in our CABIN and I'm 33 weeks pregnant - please help!

[eastkygal]

I am almost 33 weeks pregnant and we are battling a flea problem in our cabin.  We have no indoor animals, but we do have outside cats whom we do treat with Revolution and they have no fleas.  We have checked everyday for days and they are flea free.  Under our cabin is dirt, which I'm thinking is the origin of the fleas we have.  It has been covered with plastic under there, but that doesn't seem to help.  We have vacuumed the floors and couch with a shop vac filled with water, and within a few days the fleas are back.  They aren't completely overwhelming yet and are biting my husband more than me or my girls.  A new baby in the house and fleas - I'm not doing that.  I'm frightened to spray for them with insecticide as even if I leave the house, I will have to be the one to clean up the residue after-wards.  I'm looking at this product - http://www.cedarcidestore.com/best_yet_cats.html.  Does anyone know if it is worth the money?  I do not have access to dichotomous earth, nor can I get access to it in a timely manner.  I've looked into that already.  I need to order something to take care of this once and for all today.  I appreciate any help and thoughts as to why we even have these buggers.  Could they be in our couch?  Do we need to throw it out and get a new one?  Thanks so much!

[micah_mae_]

I don't have much to offer but if it came down to it, I'd just use the chemicals and clean up with gloves and a mask. I just wouldn't want a baby being bit by fleas, kwim? Good luck, we've had lots of infestations but never fleas!
 

[JamieCatheryn]

You can't get food grade DE shipped to you? Like from Amazon.com? It's $11 on there. I've gotten it to kill cockroaches and garden ants before. I'd try that before this pricey fractionated cedar oil.

[sideshowmama]

this looks like a pretty comprehensive way to do it.

http://www.howtogetridofstuff.com/pest-control/how-to-get-rid-of-fleas/

I think you need to ensure the water is actually steam....maybe rent a steamer?

Is it possible your cabin has mice and they are carrying the fleas? Maybe you should let the cats inside for awhile, they can kill the mice and the fleas remaining (post steam and mice) will hop on the cats and the revolution will kill them? good luck.

[eastkygal]

We just used a insecticide and it did not work, so I'm looking into the DE again.  Once you spread it around, do you vacuum it back up.  We have hardwood floors so it would be all over us if we didn't.  How long would it have to be down before we vacuum.  I'm so scared of bombing for them so close to giving birth.  We used a spot sprayer this time.  I really don't want to bring the cats back in right now.  They are doing well outdoors and it's just too much to have them in right now.  Thanks for the advice.

[eastkygal]

I just checked our new Tractor Supply and they have it!!!  So, I'll go and get some DE.  Just need to know now how long to have it down before vacuuming with the shop vac again.  Thanks.

[willfulmama]

I'm a little late to the thread, but we had problems with fleas last year. We bought Cedarcide and honestly, it didn't make a difference. The dog smelled good, but he wasn't too thrilled about having it sprayed on him so frequently. 

Hopefully, the DE works better! 

[mamaecho]

I did salt, salt, salt, salt and more salt. Literally would POUR salt all over the floor, wait a bit, then vaccuum, then keep going and going and going. 

[BeckyBird]

DE....I don't know how long to leave it, but I would assume that longer is better. The fleas need to come in contact with the DE, so it can work its magic. Also, I've gotten food grade DE shipped to my home, but it was years ago and I forgot where. I know it can be done though!

[iowaorganic]

As long as you can leave it.  I would really try NOT to vacuum it up.  It needs to stay there.  It won't hurt any of you- you will just be in white powder :)  We pour a good stream around the house when we are having problems.  I kind of have to laugh though.  We buy 50# bags for $11.  

[eastkygal]

What about sweeping?  We have hardwood floors... no carpets.  If I don't sweep at least every 3 days the floors are pretty filthy.  Is sweeping OK?  We only have the shop vac anyway and only use it to fight fleas here at home.  It's main purpose is for my hubby's work.

[Imakcerka]

I would go with the salt honestly.  Sweep it in the corners and all the edges.  DE never worked for me.  It works outside fine but does nothing to fleas.  Do the salt, leave it for a day or two than vacuum it up.  I would do it weekly.  It dries the fleas out.  The life cycle of a flea is something like 12 weeks.  So keep up with it.  Get the fine powder salt.  It settles into crevices nicely.

[violetflapjack]

I have to say that DE didn't work for our flea problem.  The only thing that worked was flea medicine on the cat, then having the cat inside.  The carpets in our home were totally infested.  I forget the exact numbers, but the eggs can last a very long time (like upwards of 6 months) and the darn things can survive freezing and all kind of stuff.  Anyway, we put a layer of DE on the carpets that was thick enough to be visible, closed the door to the room and didn't go in there for a month (this was in the guest room, we ended up removing the carpet from the other bedroom and the rest of the house is hardwood floors) then when we went in to vacuum it up, DH saw fleas crawling across the DE to get onto his legs and bite him.  So we didn't have great luck with that.  Maybe it has something to do with our climate, we're in the pacific NW and it's really humid....I don't know.

The other thing about DE and pregnancy/newborns is that DE works by cutting up the exoskeletons of the bugs because it has microscopically sharp particles.  It also does the same thing to a respiratory tract and lungs, so it's considered a respiratory hazard.  So I would think about being really careful with sweeping/vacuuming (like a good mask maybe?), and really try to make sure it's all gone by the time baby comes, especially from areas where the baby (and other chlidren) will be. 

I hope this info is actually helpful and not just gloomy.  Best of luck with getting the fleas out!

[wickedmama]

 Bathe your cat with Dawn dish detergent or a natural flea shampoo product (my favorite home remedy for fleas). If your cat is under 12 weeks old, do not use anything but Dawn (original Dawn, it's blue!) to bathe your kitten. If your cat is older than 12 weeks old, use Dawn or a natural herbal flea shampoo. Read the ingredients! If there is a word you don't recognize or can't pronounce, most likely it's not all natural. I recommend herbal shampoo's that contain a combination of any of pine cedar, bergamot, rosemary, lavender, eucalyptus, citronella, juniper or geranium.
2. Wash all bedding in hot water. Make sure to dry bedding using high heat to ensure that all the fleas are dead.

3. Vacuum thoroughly. Make sure to vacuum every little crevice. To make your vacuuming more efficient sprinkle down borax, salt, or Diatomaceous earth (make sure it is food grade). Let it stand for about an hour, and then vacuum it up. You will want to vacuum at least twice a day while combating fleas. This includes vacuuming your furniture!. Wash all hardware floors with a citrus oil or vinegar. I prefer to use a steam mop. After I use the steam mop, I mist the floor with homemade citrus oil or vinegar. The steam mop is hot enough to kill fleas and eggs. The citrus oil repels them, meaning prevents them from coming back. Do this at least once every two days while combating cat fleas.

5. No matter what method you use for treating fleas, natural or not. You will want to invest in a flea comb. I take a container of hot soapy water and a paper towel. I sit down with my cat, take my time and comb through her fur. After each pass of the comb, I dip the flea comb in the container and swish it around. Any fleas on the comb, will fall into the container and drown. Then I wipe the comb with a paper towel to make sure that all the eggs are off the comb. Make sure as soon as you are done take the paper towel and put it in the trash outside. Do not just put it in your kitchen trash.

PS> this is whast the site recomends, me i wash everything with vinigar, curtains,walls,floors, fleas hate teh smell.