DE! HELP!

I have a lot of experience with DE. It will kill any creepy crawlies you want to use it on. You can even use the food grade directly on the kitties if you wish, but it may make them sneeze a bit (I turn my solid black cat Shiva white with the stuff!). Keep in mind that if you use it on your kitties, it will only kill the fleas that are already on them and not repel new fleas so it is not the best solution for indoor / outdoor kitties.

As far as putting DE down on carpets, sprinkle it on the carpets then work it in a bit with a brush or carpet rake. Be careful using it around fans and air conditioners unless you want to have to clean it off of every surface in your home. Also, it is not a good idea to leave it in the carpeting for the same reason (I know this from experience). Leave it down for about 45 minutes then vacuum thoroughly – make sure to clean your vacuum’s filter often as DE can clog the filter quickly. You may have to reapply the DE about once a week depending upon the severity of the flea infestation. I would also sprinkle the stuff in your cats beds and leave it there(assuming the sleep in their own beds and not yours), underneath throw rugs – again leave it there (assuming the rugs stay in place), on the kitty’s toys, underneath couch cushions, and outside where you find fleas. The stuff is completely safe for the kitties to consume, and may actually be good for them as DE is commonly used as a dietary supplement.

You may want to experiment with different ways of using it – where to leave it permanently or just long enough to kill the pests. DE is very safe but be careful not to breathe the dust in as it can irritate lungs, and don’t get it in your eyes, or nose as it can be very irritating.

Use it liberally! Sprinkle it into carpet, under baseboards, on upholstery… under the sofa, on your mattress (after stripping the bed, and before making it up with fresh bedding). I would not skimp on the amount that you use in the carpeting; you may want to leave it down for at least 5-10 days, brushed into the carpet, before you vacuum.

Apply it directly to the pets; mine seem to like it if I dip my hands, wearing cotton knit gloves, into the DE and then massage them all over. You may need to reapply every week for at least two weeks.

Be sure to treat the dog, too! Treat all the rooms in the house. Your infestation is severe in the living room, so treat carpet and upholstered furniture especially aggressively. Use lots, put it everywhere, leave it for a few days. It’s messy, it’ll look like you bombed your living room with flour – but it works and it’s non toxic. If you’re bathing the kitties every other day, then be sure to treat them with DE as soon as they’re dry.

(DE will not work anywhere that is wet, or where it gets damp.)

Jumping on this thread to say thanks to OWLWATCHER for the detailed instructions. In day 4 of the DE treatment and it is working, but it is messy. I just want to vacuum it all away. Anyway, food grade DE is sold at Home Depot. A 4# bag is $8.99 where I live. Hopefully all on this thread have beaten the little buggers, one way or another.

Roberto-

I saw some flea powder at Wal-Mart for the carpets. Almost picked some up. If our flea population comes back I’m going to buy some.

From what info I found DE is safe to put directly on the cats, not sure about the Borax or Fleabusters RX powder. However with the limited sucess we had with the DE I would not waste the time. Sentry flea shampoo works well though.