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jp4m2 · 09-21-2009, 07:12 PM

Hi Dame, I don't like using the flea products ( I don't like calling them "medicine") that are put on dogs because of the toxic chemicals in them, so I've been doing my own reading and experimenting with/on fleas for the past few months. Most of the fleas that come into the house are not in the adult stage, maybe 1-5% are in the adult stage. The rest are in the egg, larvae, pupae stage. If you have carpet it gets a little harder to control because they can crawl down into the fibers and hide. Believe it or not the best weapon you have to ridding your house of fleas is the good old vacuum. Sweep... sweep.... sweep......Hear are two studies on vacuuming.....

Sciencedaily .com: Lead study author W. Fred Hink, professor emeritus of entomology at Ohio State and a longtime researcher in nontoxic controls of fleas on dogs, sought to test the effects of vacuuming on all flea life stages and whether any extra disposal steps or additional chemical controls are necessary.
The study involved groups of 100 adult fleas at a time, as well as groups of 50 pupae and 50 larvae, by vacuuming them up from a tightly woven kitchen-type of carpet. Six tests of vacuuming the adult fleas yielded an average of 96 percent of fleas killed; three tests of vacuumed pupae and one test of vacuumed larvae (in their third stage of development) resulted in 100 percent killed.
In comparison, an average of only 5 percent of adult fleas died after being held in paper vacuum bags to test for toxicity, and an average of only 3 percent died when circulated in moving air.
“I did not include eggs in the vacuum study, but I'm sure they would not have survived,” Hink said.

Dutch journal Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata:
The old upright is not only lethal to adult bugs, but it completely wipes out their young. Scientists from Ohio State University had set out to determine what additional measures might be needed to kill a bunch of Hoovered-up fleas: burning, freezing, poisoning, maybe even a little good old fashioned stomping. But it turns out that getting sucked into a vacuum bag does the whole job.
The researchers were so surprised by the results, they repeated the study several times. In each experiment, they sprinkled a kitchen carpet with 100 cat fleas, either adults or juveniles. And they found that the vacuum snuffed out pretty much all of them.

Personally, I tried the sprays with citrus in them but didn't like them, they only seemed to last a couple hours and I'm not sure they even did anything.....

I tried the Dawn and it did work, if you lather it up well and leave it on for 5 min. I wasn't to wild about using dish soap on my pets so I did an experiment with regular pet shampoo and with Pantene....I left the shampoos on for 6 minutes and found dead fleas....It appears it's the time left on and not the soap that is killing them, I'm thinking they must just drown.....I usually use a Neem oil shampoo for mine, like this....

Tropiclean Naturally Green Neem Oil & Citrus Shampoo

I also use Diatomaceous Earth (food grade)....I lightly dust it in their beds and I part their hair and lightly dust their skin. It feels dry and chalky so i try and not get it on the fur. I get it from Perma Guard.....I was curious if it really worked so I put two fleas in a small jar with a couple pinches of D.E. in there. I gently swirled it around and left it set, 12 hours later they where dead. It takes longer to kill than pesticides do but it's safer...........

Buy Diatomaceous Earth to kill fleas, ticks, bed bugs and parasites naturally

I also use cedar oil from Cedercide. I have two little canisters that I always have by my side when I do a flea check. If I see one I do one quick mist and the flea is dead in under five seconds. I love this stuff. It used to be if I saw a flea and tried to grab it the flea would hop away or I would lose it in their fur. Not any more. if I see it, it's dead. I also use this in their beds. It does have a strong cedar smell, but I'm getting used to it.

Best Yet 4 Oz. 2 Pack

This is from my trials and errors so I hope I gave you something to work with....

09-21-2009, 07:12 PM	#2
jp4m2 Love my Boys Donating Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: w/ my boys Posts: 5,056	Hi Dame, I don't like using the flea products ( I don't like calling them "medicine") that are put on dogs because of the toxic chemicals in them, so I've been doing my own reading and experimenting with/on fleas for the past few months. Most of the fleas that come into the house are not in the adult stage, maybe 1-5% are in the adult stage. The rest are in the egg, larvae, pupae stage. If you have carpet it gets a little harder to control because they can crawl down into the fibers and hide. Believe it or not the best weapon you have to ridding your house of fleas is the good old vacuum. Sweep... sweep.... sweep......Hear are two studies on vacuuming..... Sciencedaily .com: Lead study author W. Fred Hink, professor emeritus of entomology at Ohio State and a longtime researcher in nontoxic controls of fleas on dogs, sought to test the effects of vacuuming on all flea life stages and whether any extra disposal steps or additional chemical controls are necessary. The study involved groups of 100 adult fleas at a time, as well as groups of 50 pupae and 50 larvae, by vacuuming them up from a tightly woven kitchen-type of carpet. Six tests of vacuuming the adult fleas yielded an average of 96 percent of fleas killed; three tests of vacuumed pupae and one test of vacuumed larvae (in their third stage of development) resulted in 100 percent killed. In comparison, an average of only 5 percent of adult fleas died after being held in paper vacuum bags to test for toxicity, and an average of only 3 percent died when circulated in moving air. “I did not include eggs in the vacuum study, but I'm sure they would not have survived,” Hink said. Dutch journal Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata: The old upright is not only lethal to adult bugs, but it completely wipes out their young. Scientists from Ohio State University had set out to determine what additional measures might be needed to kill a bunch of Hoovered-up fleas: burning, freezing, poisoning, maybe even a little good old fashioned stomping. But it turns out that getting sucked into a vacuum bag does the whole job. The researchers were so surprised by the results, they repeated the study several times. In each experiment, they sprinkled a kitchen carpet with 100 cat fleas, either adults or juveniles. And they found that the vacuum snuffed out pretty much all of them. Personally, I tried the sprays with citrus in them but didn't like them, they only seemed to last a couple hours and I'm not sure they even did anything..... I tried the Dawn and it did work, if you lather it up well and leave it on for 5 min. I wasn't to wild about using dish soap on my pets so I did an experiment with regular pet shampoo and with Pantene....I left the shampoos on for 6 minutes and found dead fleas....It appears it's the time left on and not the soap that is killing them, I'm thinking they must just drown.....I usually use a Neem oil shampoo for mine, like this.... Tropiclean Naturally Green Neem Oil & Citrus Shampoo I also use Diatomaceous Earth (food grade)....I lightly dust it in their beds and I part their hair and lightly dust their skin. It feels dry and chalky so i try and not get it on the fur. I get it from Perma Guard.....I was curious if it really worked so I put two fleas in a small jar with a couple pinches of D.E. in there. I gently swirled it around and left it set, 12 hours later they where dead. It takes longer to kill than pesticides do but it's safer........... Buy Diatomaceous Earth to kill fleas, ticks, bed bugs and parasites naturally I also use cedar oil from Cedercide. I have two little canisters that I always have by my side when I do a flea check. If I see one I do one quick mist and the flea is dead in under five seconds. I love this stuff. It used to be if I saw a flea and tried to grab it the flea would hop away or I would lose it in their fur. Not any more. if I see it, it's dead. I also use this in their beds. It does have a strong cedar smell, but I'm getting used to it. Best Yet 4 Oz. 2 Pack This is from my trials and errors so I hope I gave you something to work with.... __________________ B.J.mom to : Jake J.J. Jack & Joey, momma misses you..... The joy found in the companionship of a pet is a blessing not given to everyone. The two most powerful words when we’re in struggle: me too..