Fleas! Natural Way to Get Rid of 'Em for Baby?

[beansavi]

Help!

I have three kids, one of which is 8 months old.

Well, thanks to DH not combing and washing poor doggie, we have fleas jumping on us in the house!

I'm scared to bomb, because baby is crawling and I fear long-term repercussions down the line if he is exposed to the stuff if we can't wash all the bomb spray stuff off the floor, rug, etc....

Any natural remedies?

UG!

[beansavi]

I am going to bomb tomorrow. I really need advice since I am breastfeeding, baby is crawling on the floor, etc. I guess I will also call the pediatrician.

Ha ha. I just noticed my avatar.... ha ha-not!

[DreamsInDigital]

Fleas and Baby! Natural Way to Get Rid of 'Em?

Your title sounds like you want to get rid of both the fleas and the baby.

No advice, I'm just loopy with sleep deprivation and laughing like Beavis and Butthead at everything.

[beansavi]

Originally Posted by DreamsInDigital

Fleas and Baby! Natural Way to Get Rid of 'Em?

Your title sounds like you want to get rid of both the fleas and the baby.

No advice, I'm just loopy with sleep deprivation and laughing like Beavis and Butthead at everything.

[AppleOrangePear]

you can use essential oils to mix in the shampoo such as tea tree, catnip, lavender, wormword,elder, yarrow, eucalyptus and ESPECIALLY NEEM Oil! Also you can put garlic oil on him, diatamacious powder ( from garden section) however be careful not to get dust in dogs eyes or nose. Feed dog lots of garlic and brewers yeast. If you have rugs inside the house you can place borax or boric acid down and leave on as long as possible ( if baby can stay away from area) then vacuum. However after vaccuuming make sure to throw away the bag outside.

You can make a flea color by putting a few drops of tea tree on a bandana and placing around dogs neck.


Hope some of this works so you dont have to bomb. Make sure to look at your dogs overall health if this is a recent occurance.

I would also recommend using garlic, neem and diatomacious earth sprinkled in your yard in shady areas Fleas tend to llive in shaded areas so you shouldnt have to be to concerned with areas that recieve lots of sunlight. Also they like very dry and LONG grass


Michele

[beansavi]

Originally Posted by ArlyShellandKai

Make sure to look at your dogs overall health if this is a recent occurance.




Michele

An excellent point I never thought about! Thank you!

[Oh the Irony]

vacuum. vacuum. vacuum. change bag. change bag. change bag. clean all bedding. clean all bedding. clean all bedding. use nightlights w/bowls of soapy water and more nightlights with bowls of soapy water. vacuum. wash bedding. if wood floors, wash with wet towels. change towels frequently so that you don't spread flea eggs around. use borax where you can. then vacuum again.

[phroggies]

Originally Posted by Oh the Irony

vacuum. vacuum. vacuum. change bag. change bag. change bag. clean all bedding. clean all bedding. clean all bedding. use nightlights w/bowls of soapy water and more nightlights with bowls of soapy water. vacuum. wash bedding. if wood floors, wash with wet towels. change towels frequently so that you don't spread flea eggs around. use borax where you can. then vacuum again.

:

I've had flea infestations thanks to my cat, and this is what has worked for me. Also, even wood floors should be vacuumed--most wood floors have some cracks that can hide flea eggs.

[boricuaqueen327]

diatomaceous earth can be sprinkled in the carpet to help. it is harmless to us but kills the fleas. here is a good link for you linky

[MonP'titBoudain]

I second the vacuum, vacuum, vacuum like every day! Also if you put mothballs INSIDE your vacuum bag/container htat helps to kill the fleas & eggs when you vauum them up (not sure that's really *natural* but its better than bombing cause nobody is going to be eating the mothballs!). And if you have an old house with cracks in the wood floor then be sure to take your crevice tool and vacuum up the cracks (a pain but it really helps). And wipe down your hard floor with eo mixed into the water/borax mix.

good luck! what a pain!

[beansavi]

Thank you everyone! I will use that link, too!

Hugs (flea-free ones)
Bean

[melamama]

we're also dealing with the flea thing--our outdoor cat keeps bringing them in---so this is our third go around this season.
I find that I need to reapply the essential oils (I'm using lemongrass and eucalyptus) every day, maybe more often.

Could someone explain the nightlight/soapy water contraption thingy. We've got all wood floors, and I know despite washing/vacuuming/washing/vacuuming I won't get them all.

*thanks for the link, I've been meaning to buy some d.e. and I can't get myself and my brood to the garden store.

[beansavi]

Originally Posted by melamama

we're also dealing with the flea thing--our outdoor cat keeps bringing them in---so this is our third go around this season.
I find that I need to reapply the essential oils (I'm using lemongrass and eucalyptus) every day, maybe more often.

Could someone explain the nightlight/soapy water contraption thingy. We've got all wood floors, and I know despite washing/vacuuming/washing/vacuuming I won't get them all.

*thanks for the link, I've been meaning to buy some d.e. and I can't get myself and my brood to the garden store.

The fleas will jump into the bowl if a light in shining on it and all others are off. I've been told they jump after light and vibration.

Also, vaccuuming is great and must be done literally every day for 2 weeks or more-since vacuuming vibration actually spurs the eggs to hatch! But that is okay becaue then you vac them up and the force can kill most of them. Just change bag or rinse cup with hot water.

I am adjusting to the fact that it will be two or more weeks for them to be gone.

Ug. Getting there...

[melamama]

thanks for the light info.

I ordered the d.e. right after I saw this thread and I think it is GREAT.
I've been vacuuming all the time, washing everything all the time and covered the animals in the d.e. at every outside opportunity, and I feel like the fleas are gone (now just for the rest of the eggs to hatch), but no one is itching at all--so I feel like that's something.

[Pandora114]

Citronella citronella you should get you some citronella

Grow some in pots!

I swear one time we had a yard *full* of citronella...and not a single flea was to be found on our dogs...not even on the clumber spaniel!!!!! (and spaniels are Horrid for fleas)

So find some citronella seeds and liberally spread them over your lawn to grow for next spring...in the mean time, follow the suggestions of the PP's

[beansavi]

Mela and Pandora:

Great! and Thanks!

[kibba]

borax laundry powder is great, it dried them up and kills them ( they can live up to a year off an animal, I guess they hybranate??)

you sprinkle it ALL over..let it sit for a while(half an hour-hour) then vacuum it up. Its cheap too! I would also wash ANYTHING washable.

[beansavi]

Originally Posted by kibba

borax laundry powder is great, it dried them up and kills them ( they can live up to a year off an animal, I guess they hybranate??)

you sprinkle it ALL over..let it sit for a while(half an hour-hour) then vacuum it up. Its cheap too! I would also wash ANYTHING washable.

Thanks! Even with a crawling baby in the house?

[elijahsmama1]

Originally Posted by beansavi

Thanks! Even with a crawling baby in the house?

Yeah That...I've been wondering the same thing...Any advice as to the Borax being safe for babies????

[Meiri]

Could someone explain the nightlight/soapy water contraption thingy.

The warmth of the nightlight attracts them the same way the warmth of mammals attracts them. They jump for it, then land in the dish of water. The tiny bit of soap in the water breaks the surface tension, otherwise the fleas would be able to skate along without breaking that "skin" of surface tension, so that they drown. Dad swears by this method.