Asked on Jan 01, 2014

Need to purge upholstery of fleas...have spray but..toxic

Marsha J
by Marsha J
ANyone have "natural" remedy for flea eggs on cloth? I can't bear the spray that I bought....looks awfully toxic
  10 answers
  • Carole Carole on Jan 02, 2014
    My thoughts are if it wasn't toxic it probably would not work on killing the fleas and any eggs or larvae. I would use the stuff and stay away for the required length of time till the fumes or whatever die down. Also, keep any pets away too, especially birds as these are very sensitive to fumes of any kind. Hence why they used canaries down the mines to indicate the presence of any toxic gases. Good luck! If you find a natural way that actually works - please do post here!
  • VACUUMING! that is how you rid yourself of flea eggs! Not sprays or chemicals. Good old fashioned vacuuming. Flea eggs have a cycle of 3 days I believe so you have to vacuum every day and toss the bag or put it outside to freezer. You can also use Mule team Borax mixed with baking soda to sprinkle and leave on any carpets and upholstered pieces for a couple hours to dry out the eggs and larvae and then vacuum. SPRAYS ONLY WORK ON LIVE FLEAS. AND THEN get a flea preventative or you will be forever battling them. I have found after 2 years that Advantage multi that I have been buying for 3 months from the local PAL (Prevent a Litter) for around $45 for 4 animals works GREAT! I do not buy from any pet store only vets~I have used Frontline and found it does not work that well with my Australian Shephard or the cats but Advantage worked after the first day. I called the manufacturers after I purchased from the big box stores and they told me that they do not sell directly to them so the product may or may not be original! So call your local SPCA or other low cost animal vet and ask them if they carry Advantage. Good luck.
  • 275273 275273 on Jan 02, 2014
    You can use salt as an alternative to using Borax which is safer for your pets. Another thing you can do to help is run a dehumidifier in the room. If you keep the humidity below 50oC the eggs will not hatch.
  • RayRay RayRay on Jan 03, 2014
    My vet recommended using 20 mule Borax. It can be found in the laundry detergent area. Spread it out by hand and leave it for a few days and then vacuum. repeat as needed.
  • Cynthia H Cynthia H on Jan 03, 2014
    Our cat got out one day and brought home little friends. We tried everything, but, what finally worked was having the cats groomed and flea dipped while we vacuumed daily. I bagged things I couldn't wash (yarn, pillows and anything that couldn't be washed in hot water and dried in a hot dryer). I kept the bags sealed for a month instead of the two weeks recommended, and then opened them outside. Numerous fleas had died in those bags, I assume after hatching. The cats became "flea killing machines" as the groomer put it, as the fleas that were surviving would try to re-infest the cats and then die, breaking the cycle. The house looked very bare while all decorative items were kept sealed on the back porch (it's enclosed), which made it easier to vacuum everything repeatedly. I vacuumed the upholstery every day, and bought a powder that causes the flea eggs to dry out for sprinkling on upholstery and carpet (I would let it sit overnight and vacuum in the morning before showering for the day). I still think the most effective thing we did was the professional treatment of the cats - it broke the cycle. I would wish fleas on my worst enemy. It happened over five years ago, and the treatment had no ill effects for the cats. My other saving grace was the Dyson vacuum I purchased when my old one died from exhaustion. I could empty the Dyson outside (no bag) and wipe it down before bringing it in. I also bought a spare air filter for it, so that when it got clogged from the powder, I could switch them out, wash the dirty one and air dry it. I don't remember the name of the powder, but, it was in the pet supply aisle. Good luck!
  • Moxie Moxie on Jan 03, 2014
    I got you....BORAX..up Mule Team Borax - it dehydrates the eggs and cleans to boot. You can also put out a shallow dish of water with a few drops of dawn soap on the floor with a desk lamp pointing down above the water if you can put it out and not be disturbed by animals or anything at night when lights are off. The fleas are attracted to the light, drop in the water and drown...vacuuming is always good to. Remember, fleas reproduce on a two week cycle so whatever you do do it every week for 3 weeks to be sure you get them all...buggers can live on just one hair...Hate them. (PS I found that this really works after vet sprays, dips, Bombs and an exterminator that refunded my money cause they couldn't get them long ago..borax worked) I put it around the room perimeter first, then infill (cause they can jump), leave overnight, vacuum up the next day.
  • It is important to note that fleas lay up to 50 eggs every day and the life cycle of those damn things are from 2 weeks to 2 years! There are dog fleas and there are cat fleas. Shoot there are even human fleas. You have to vacuum every day and wipe down surfaces where your animals may jump too. Flea preventative is a must for your pets because it makes the adult fleas who bite the animal sterile and eventually kill the fleas. Sprays only kill the adult fleas and by that time they have already laid eggs all over your furniture and any other area your pet frequents. It is expensive to take pets to the groomers to have them dip so any preventative measures you take will help. As I, and many others have suggested, the Mule Team Borax found in the laundry aisle of the grocery store is a great product to have on hand for laundry and for fleas. LOL It can be mixed with baking soda to help with odors and stretch the power of the borax. Get a Parmesan shaker from the dollar tree and use it to sprinkle on your carpet. I have 2 cats and 2 dogs and live where winters are not cold long enough to kill most bugs so I try not to forget the flea preventative! I have found and I am queen of frugal, that flea preventatives are cheaper at the vet or local SPCA or animal shelter/vet. I have to stress that vacuuming everything and not storing the vacuum with that bag in the house will be useless because the fleas will escape and the eggs will hatch if the borax does not coat the eggs. You have to dispose of the bag or take it outside to freeze. Freezing will kill fleas. I have had to battle this issue and I vacuum at least every other day but when we adopted our Australian Shepherd~ we had no idea that she was a magnet for them! and so we did not bother to check her before we brought her home. Ugh...it took a month to get rid of the fleas and having fleas is one of the worst nightmares for me. good luck!
  • Sue Sue on Feb 03, 2014
    As the others said, Borax worked for me. And vacuuming everyday. One time it took 2 months until I finally got rid of them for good. I used Borax on the furniture and the carpets too.
  • Jay Taylor Jay Taylor on Apr 15, 2014
    Vacuuming is one of the best ways to treat your home.Before you first set out on your cleaning mission, clean up the room that you will vacuum and make sure the area is vacuum-accessible. Vacuum your house every few days to continue to get rid of fleas.
  • Lavende Lavende on Apr 16, 2014
    It gets dusty but works miracles...food grade Diatomaceous Earth (not the swimming pool DE). Dust it lightly wherever you have fleas and it will dry them out and stop them completely. Its just ground up fossils so entirely non-toxic. After a few days, vacuum it up and reapply as necessary. It works great on carpet too.