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    Getting rid of household pests...

    And no, I don't mean your younger sibling, thoughtless spouse or curtain climbing loin fruit...

    I know in the past (pre-crash, or PrC) we always have multiple threads running amok on everything from ants to fleas to flies to well...whatever. In the hopes of staving off 26gajillion 5 post threads on the same 8 topics (I keed, I keed...mebee not kidding...perhaps just a leetle exaggeration), I figure if you have a remedy, idea, problem, etc...post it here.


    Which brings me to my current problem.


    HOLY CARP, OUR NEIGHBOR GAVE US FLEAS!

    (I know it came from them, because they complained about our other neighbor dog sitting, and then their dog had fleas last week)

    Poor Tess, she was itchy enough already (and I know she didn't have them before, I checked and checked and checked and checked)...but then, yesterday, I found a flea on poor Sophie, and today one on Tess.

    We already frontline religiously (I hate fleas) and I vacuum almost daily.... I went ahead (the kids are at grandma's b/c of the paper I have to write tonite) and have now sprayed most of the carpeting, as well as their mattresses, and the couch, which are now airing out in their room with the window open. And all of the bedding is in the wash, and is getting dried with lavender oil.


    What else can I do at this point?

    I need Tess (and the house) to be flea free in 2 weeks, to go to the kennel so we can all visit Scott.

    Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
    sigpic

    #2
    Re: Getting rid of household pests...

    Feed the dogs a good bit of brewers yeast in their food ... As much as you can get them to eat ... Fleas hate it ...
    I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a-hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them ... John Bernard Books


    Indian Chief 'Two Eagles' was asked by a white government official; "You have observed the white man for 90 years. You've seen his wars and his technological advances. You've seen his progress, and the damage he's done."

    The Chief nodded in agreement.

    The official continued; "Considering all these events, in your opinion, where did the white man go wrong?"

    The Chief stared at the government official for over a minute and then calmly replied.. "When white man find land, Indians running it, no taxes, no debt, plenty buffalo, plenty beaver, clean water. Women did all the work, Medicine Man free. Indian man spend all day hunting and fishing; all night having sex."

    Then the chief leaned back and smiled; "Only white man dumb enough to think he could improve system like that."



    Comment


      #3
      Re: Getting rid of household pests...

      I think my family had to spray our carpets twice before we finally got rid of the buggers. We used a spray that kills eggs, not just live fleas--I can find out what it's called if you want. Is frontline the goop you put on the back of the animal's neck? Cos that's the only thing that worked for us.

      In other news, HOLY CARP, OUR APARTMENT HAS ANTS!
      Lots of them. They flee inside whenever it rains, and when it's winter in the Bay Area, that leads to weekends like the one before last when I commit ant genocide and eradicate trails with 409 (cleaning fluid) twice a day. We've got traps out kind of constantly. I try to keep up on the dishes, but it only kind of matters. Whether or not there are dishes out, they'll find their way into the pantry and attack anything remotely sweet and not in a plastic bag or bin. Help?

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Getting rid of household pests...

        [quote author=magusjinx link=topic=1037.msg19151#msg19151 date=1291259368]
        Feed the dogs a good bit of brewers yeast in their food ... As much as you can get them to eat ... Fleas hate it ...[/quote]
        Can you feed that stuff to cats too? My kitties are strictly indoors so I don't know how they got fleas. I've been flea free for years. I tried the Frontline stuff, but it didn't work at all. Maybe they have "super fleas"...great. >

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Getting rid of household pests...

          Don't see why it wouldn't work for cats too ... But be careful with either pets ... They can develop some bad infections because of the yeast ... Garlic granules might work for cats ... Does for dogs ... So much for puppy breath ...
          I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a-hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them ... John Bernard Books


          Indian Chief 'Two Eagles' was asked by a white government official; "You have observed the white man for 90 years. You've seen his wars and his technological advances. You've seen his progress, and the damage he's done."

          The Chief nodded in agreement.

          The official continued; "Considering all these events, in your opinion, where did the white man go wrong?"

          The Chief stared at the government official for over a minute and then calmly replied.. "When white man find land, Indians running it, no taxes, no debt, plenty buffalo, plenty beaver, clean water. Women did all the work, Medicine Man free. Indian man spend all day hunting and fishing; all night having sex."

          Then the chief leaned back and smiled; "Only white man dumb enough to think he could improve system like that."



          Comment


            #6
            Re: Getting rid of household pests...

            For ants and other crawly type bugs... Be insanely protective against crumbs for awhile. I know that's difficult with toddlers, hell it's difficult with adults. But eat only at the table and swipe and vaccume immediately after eating. Keep your (indoor) garbage cans right outside the kitchen door, or farther away if you don't mind walking every time you need to through something away. Welcome spiders (cringing at thought, but...). Get a good spray for your house, I think we use Orchid or something like that that works really well. You can spray it inside so that the rain won't wash it away.

            If you eliminate their access to a food source, they are no longer interested. I remember having to throw out every boxed food we had in our cuboards when I was little because whatever bug we had ate through the plastic. The only thing it couldn't get to was canned food or things in the fridge, which was what we lived off for a couple weeks until we hadn't seen the bugs for awhile.

            As for fleas... well they feed off of flesh so you can't eliminate their food source exactly. I have read about a powder product called Fleabuster. However, the first step seems to be to get them off your pet. And even before that, make sure the source of fleas has been eliminated. For instance, if they are now in your yard and multiplying, it does no good to get them off your dog as the dog will pick them up the next time they go outside. I think I heard about vinegar being good against fleas as well, but I don't remember where or how reliable it is. Vinegar seems to be an almost-all-purpose product actually...
            We are what we are. Nothing more, nothing less. There is good and evil among every kind of people. It's the evil among us who rule now. -Anne Bishop, Daughter of the Blood

            I wondered if he could ever understand that it was a blessing, not a sin, to be graced with more than one love.
            It could be complicated; of course it could be complicated. And it opened one up to the possibility of more pain and loss.
            Still, it was a blessing I would never relinquish. Love, genuine love, was always a cause for joy.
            -Jacqueline Carey, Naamah's Curse

            Service to your fellows is the root of peace.

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Getting rid of household pests...

              The fastest way to get rid of mice is to either get a ferret, or borrow one, or even go to a pet store where there is one and ask to rub a washcloth over it. Put that in the place in your home where the mice are most often heard or seen. They will pack their bags and leave the state! LOL It doesn't work for bugs though. Ants don't like to cross a line of cayenne pepper, but that gets difficult to keep up. The best defense, as someone above mentioned, is to be super-vigilant about crumbs/cleanliness.
              sigpic
              Can you hear me, Major Tom? I think I love you.

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Getting rid of household pests...

                Garlic is always good for flea problems. It is also great for us to keep mosquitoes away in the Summer. Apparently, they don't like garlic any more than vampires (hey, they kinda are vampires).
                Sleep, my friend, and you will see
                That dream is my reality

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Getting rid of household pests...

                  If you live in an apartment/duplex or some other communal setting, you probably should get your landlord involved and call in a professional. Eradicating fleas in your home will not last if they are migrating through your neighbor's wall.

                  If you live in a house with a raised foundation, or one with any kind of crawlspace, the entire underneath needs to be treated, probably twice a week for 2 or 3 weeks.

                  The problem with fleas are the eggs, which are produced in abundance, and hatch quickly. Use a product that is specifically designed to kill eggs.

                  In cold weather, the populations will mass near sources of warmth, especially dry areas.

                  If you are treating dirt under your house, hose the area with water first, then after an hour of drying (in cold weather) nuke 'em with the heavy duty chemicals.

                  Good luck!

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Getting rid of household pests...

                    Skeeters are indeed vampires! Listerine, applied lightly to the skin, repels them pretty well.
                    Fleas are very hard to eradicate and yes of course if you share walls with someone else the whole place has to be treated. I once lived someplace very close to the beach and we had sand fleas. They jump very high off the floor and are quite startling if you don't expect them! Pyrethrin-based products are very effective and don't make your whole house toxic.
                    sigpic
                    Can you hear me, Major Tom? I think I love you.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Getting rid of household pests...

                      Marigolds and chrysanthemums ...
                      I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a-hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them ... John Bernard Books


                      Indian Chief 'Two Eagles' was asked by a white government official; "You have observed the white man for 90 years. You've seen his wars and his technological advances. You've seen his progress, and the damage he's done."

                      The Chief nodded in agreement.

                      The official continued; "Considering all these events, in your opinion, where did the white man go wrong?"

                      The Chief stared at the government official for over a minute and then calmly replied.. "When white man find land, Indians running it, no taxes, no debt, plenty buffalo, plenty beaver, clean water. Women did all the work, Medicine Man free. Indian man spend all day hunting and fishing; all night having sex."

                      Then the chief leaned back and smiled; "Only white man dumb enough to think he could improve system like that."



                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Getting rid of household pests...

                        [quote author=magusjinx link=topic=1037.msg24972#msg24972 date=1293411815]
                        Marigolds and chrysanthemums ...
                        [/quote]

                        Exactamundo. Much better than toxic chemicals.
                        sigpic
                        Can you hear me, Major Tom? I think I love you.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: Getting rid of household pests...

                          For fleas, get a pie tin of soapy water and a desk lamp, place the lamp over the water so that it heats up. The fleas will be attracted to the heat, and then sink in the soapy water killing them.


                          For ants, a pin tin of sugar that has boric acid mixed in ants pick up the tainted sugar, bring back, whole mound dies. Just make sure you keep this away from pets.


                          With mice, making sure the house is sealed up is your first line of defense. After that, guess what, somebody did make a better mousetrap http://www.amazon.com/Victor-M260-Mu...462&sr=8-1 This thing ROCKS.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: Getting rid of household pests...

                            I simply can't restrain myself....I once easily got rid of the biggest household pest ever. I simply threw the bum out!
                            ;D
                            sigpic
                            Can you hear me, Major Tom? I think I love you.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: Getting rid of household pests...

                              [quote author=LadyGarnetRose link=topic=1037.msg25036#msg25036 date=1293434500]
                              With mice, making sure the house is sealed up is your first line of defense. After that, guess what, somebody did make a better mousetrap http://www.amazon.com/Victor-M260-Mu...462&sr=8-1 This thing ROCKS.
                              [/quote]

                              Wow...This would be great for getting rid of barn mice. It seems a little overkill for one house though. We usually kill max of five mice and then they're gone.
                              We are what we are. Nothing more, nothing less. There is good and evil among every kind of people. It's the evil among us who rule now. -Anne Bishop, Daughter of the Blood

                              I wondered if he could ever understand that it was a blessing, not a sin, to be graced with more than one love.
                              It could be complicated; of course it could be complicated. And it opened one up to the possibility of more pain and loss.
                              Still, it was a blessing I would never relinquish. Love, genuine love, was always a cause for joy.
                              -Jacqueline Carey, Naamah's Curse

                              Service to your fellows is the root of peace.

                              Comment

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