Unlike other flea killers, Diatomaceous Earth is backed up by published scientific studies, showing the effectiveness of this treatment in different cases.
When fleas get into a home, it’s time to wage war – but the fight isn’t easily won. Fleas are hardy animals that are tough to get rid of, but there are offered tools that may help you declare victory. This consists of diatomaceous earth (DE), a fine flour-like powder made of the microscopic remains of fossilized diatoms, a kind of algae.
Diatom cell walls are made of silica, an element of glass, and fleas and other insects with a tough exoskeleton are vulnerable to the glass-sharp edges of the microscopic diatoms. The silica fragments cut through the waxy exoskeleton surface area, successfully drying the flea and resulting in death to these kinds of insects and their larvae. It’s a non-toxic way to rid your home of fleas, but just if you’re mindful to use it safely and appropriately.
How to Use Diatomaceous Earth Effectively
Food-grade DE is safe for use around human beings and animals, however you wish to make sure that’s the type you buy.
Warning
You may also come throughout DE for use in swimming pool or charcoal filters (pool-grade DE), but it’s not safe to utilize in your house.
When you’ve brought the DE home, follow these steps:
- Don garden or kitchen gloves to keep your hands from touching the DE. Though it’s safe, it’s very drying to your skin.
- Sprinkle the DE on carpets, dog beds, soft furnishings and any other place you believe the fleas have actually attacked. Leave it for 3 days, and then completely vacuum up the powder.
- Repeat each week for 30 days, vacuuming up the powder 3 days after application each time.
Leaving the powder on the carpets for three days and repeating the procedure each week for a month ensures that the adult fleas are destroyed, in addition to the eggs and larvae.
It’s easy to get your hands on diatomaceous earth at a gardening shop or by buying online. But you’ll need to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of using it.
Why You Should Use Diatomaceous Earth for Fleas?
- Diatomaceous earth is safe to utilize on pet bed linen. However, it’s also clever to wash your pets’ beds in hot water once a week.
- DE is safe to utilize around the backyard, however large amounts might be needed to have a favorable effect on flea control. Routine mowing and cutting of plant life also help. For severe flea infestations of backyard and garden, an assessment with a pest exterminator is in order.
- Diatomaceous earth is not poisonous and does not cause any residual or remaining issues.
- Since it is a mechanical killer versus a chemical killer, the fleas will never develop resistance to it.
Side Effects of Diatomaceous Earth
- DE is a very great, silky powder that’s similar to flour or talc. It is untidy and might irritate eyes and throat. Usage caution and wear a face mask when using. Although food-grade DE is OK to ingest, it can be briefly irritating.
- Diatomaceous earth should be dry to work. Wetting it down or trying to mix it with water to spray it and not take in dust negates the helpful action of DE. Since of this, diatomaceous earth is less effective in humid environments.
- While it’s not dangerous to use DE directly to your pet, care is encouraged. Talk to your vet first, and consider using alternative techniques. DE is very drying and you ought to protect your pets’ eyes, nose, mouth when applying. Hair shampoo your pet within 12 hours, ending up the bath with a conditioner.
How Effective Is Diatomaceous Earth for Fleas?
The skeletal organisms that make up diatomaceous earth have sharp edges that pierce pests and other little insects just enough to trigger dehydration and kill them. However, these sharp particles are too tiny to have the exact same effect on animals and people. According to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension website, dry DE works best – a liquid or wettable solution might not get you the best flea treatment results. Kept DE will never ever lose its efficiency as long as you keep it dry. Pests will not develop a resistance to diatomaceous earth like they do to some chemical treatments.
“Diatomaceous earth causes bugs to dry and pass away by taking in the oils and fats from the cuticle of the bug’s exoskeleton. Its sharp edges are abrasive, speeding up the process.”
According to the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC)
How Long Does Diatomaceous Earth Take to Work on Fleas?
Diatomaceous earth takes a while to kill off fleas.
What it does is that its sharp particles puncture the fleas’ waxy exoskeletons and enter their withins. Once in, the powder sucks all the moisture out of the insects’ bodies and dehydrates them to death.
For this to take place, you have to wait for a number of hours for fleas to make direct contact with the powder. That can take a while, however you typically see results about 12 hours after you’ve applied the treatment.
We advise leaving the D.E. on a surface for 1 to 2 days to get rid of as much fleas as you can.
Does Diatomaceous Earth Safe for Dogs and Cats?
Yes, but with caution and simple rules. If you choose to use DE in your dog or cat’s food, make certain to mix it in with wet food rather of just sprinkling it on top. You don’t desire your pet to breathe in the powder and irritate their respiratory system.
Also, double-check to ensure it’s food-grade DE. You don’t want to feed your pet DE that is planned for yard and garden use. While it’s the same fundamental active ingredient, it hasn’t been processed in the same method and might include pollutants that are risky for your pet to consume.
What about Humans? Does It Safe for Us as Well?
Normally, food grade diatomaceous earth is safe around kids and adults. You can even include this powder in diets, supplied that you’ve consulted a doctor first.
Nevertheless, there are some small cautions that you need to remember about this product.
- It dries your skin. This isn’t such a huge deal. But if you have somebody in your family with sensitive skin, it’s best to keep him out of the treatment area.
- Some people can’t tell the difference in between pool grade and food grade. Just keep in mind that the first one is extremely harmful and dangerous. Do not avoid on checking out the labels.
- It’s also not friendly towards our eyes. Considering that it can irritate our skin, it stands to factor that it’s abrasive properties will likewise cause redness to your eyes.
- It can irritate your nose and throat as well. According to the National Pesticide Details Center, diatomaceous earth can cause some degree of irritation to your nose and nasal passages if you’ve inhaled a great deal of it. You can likewise experience shortness of breath and coughing.
So there you have it, everything important you need to understand about DE, including the response to the question “For how long does diatomaceous earth take to eliminate fleas?”
