Borax for fleas?

OK. Planned to wait a, well, until the fleas disappeared! I'm done trying to treat the house....I acutally wondered if I just angered the fleas before their death. I honestly am not 100% sure how exactly the borax works, but hey....my toilets are clean thanks to it!

We use the 20 Mule Team borax and it worked great but..... it took almost a full week before we really noticed all the fleas were gone. Now we do it once a year to just keep it up. One trick that really works is to actually sweep it into the carpet with a broom. My DH sprinkles it and I follow with the broom. I am always barefoot when I do it too, that way I can tell if I got it far enough into the base of the carpet, thats really where those little buggers live so you need to force it into it. If I sweep it good enough I can't feel it when I walk over the carpet, even before vacuuming. You may need to do it one more time just to be sure. It can take alot the first time. We went through 3 boxes an dwe only had to do about 500-600 square feet. Once you get enough on you should only need to use half that amount if not less the following year. Make sure to really cover the areas the animals like to sleep and hang out, that is where most of the eggs like to be. We won't use any chemicals on Karma so we did it the natural way, borax, a few baths in dawn and lots of patience. It took litterally almost a week but it worked and was well worth it.

Like Swampwich said 5 grams is alot. Your cats would never get that much on them to lick off and unless you just leave a pile on the floor they should be fine. As long as you cant feel it with your feet and hands then most likely none will get on them.

To answer your question about how it works, the size of the grain of borax is just big enough to get into the fleas lungs. Because a flea is so small one little grain is highly toxic to them and they sufficate almost immediatly. When the eggs hatch and they take their first breath, the first thing they breath in is the borax, they never stand a chance. Same for adults the second they jump into the carpet to go lay eggs they breath it in and die too.

I just love hearing that about fleas. It's just what they deserve!!

Well.....I am noticing A LOT less fleas!! I think I angered them....& now they die! I'll probably Borax every couple of weeks for awhile to be sure I've killed all those buggers....but one thing I noticed was the carpets smell better, too!

Wonderful stuff!!

I heard borax was harmful for cats.

I read that you can put flea collars in your vacuum, which I have been doing. I also read it can cause fumes, but I havent had any, so I continue to do it. I cut it in half and put it in the upright and the hand held.

I used Frontline and one cat licked it and foamed, which he is suppose to do if he ingests it, and another lost his hair in that spot, so I refuse to use chemicals.

I comb them at least 3 times a day. I did some rug cleaning, and than sprayed Raid flea killer and it seems to be working. I have to do one small area at a time, the cats have to be where I am, so its hard to get them to another area. I have a small apartment as well. I just read about Lentek Koolatron Flea Zapper Electronic Comb, which I am going to look into.

good luck

Well, I could visibly see fleas on Ophelia tonight! I combed her & yes there were quite a few, live & dead.

Are fleas attracted to lighter colored cats? I've combed Ophelia(white), Dorian(Buff), Molly(white w/ black "cow" spots), PJ(buff), & Punky(grey tabby/white feet). Now, of all those guys, PJ, Ophelia, & Molly have the most fleas. Dory has a fair number, but Punky never hardly has any!

I don't know about cats but I know fleas are more attracted to humans with faired skin so I would assume the same is true for animals.

When you comb the cats keep a bowl of water with dawn dish soap next to you and dip the comb into it to remove any fleas. The live ones will drown alost immediatly and th edead ones will just float. Anoutherthing you could try, if possable, is this. I used it when Karma was suffering and it worked. It may be hard for you but its worth a shot.

Here it is....
Take a shallow pan like a cookie sheet with edges and place enough water in it to fill about half way. Add dawn dish soap. Place a light above the pan, about 1 foot above. Turn off all the lights in the room and leave just the light above the pan on. The fleas are attracted to the light and go to jump in. They can't reach the light and fall into the pan and drown.

Because we only have one cat it was easy, we just locked her in the bedroom with us over night. We caught about 100 fleas that way. They really are not that bright. FFor you it may be harder because of the number of animals you have but if you can pull it off tr it. It works.

lovemyboys, so you know borax is not harmful if used properly which white cat lover is doing. Yes the flea collor works but you will find yourself in an ongoing problem. The vibrations from the vacuum is what causes the eggs to hatch so unless you get them all at once you will still have the problem. You also have to toss the vacuum bag evrytime you vacuum or th efleas will just climb out of it even with a piece of collor in it. Also I would never use a spray like Raid. That is highly toxic, not just to cats but humans and the enviroment. It also leaves a film that can not be removed. I would worry about contact from the kitties and then they lick the film off their fur and feet. Just something to think about.

I prefer the all natural methods that are safe for all involved. I don't use any type of chemical on Karma or myself for that matter. I never even put bug spray on my own body. Its the way I feal, chemicals are no good for my family. Anything that nees a permit to be made and is so stricktly regulated makes me nervous. We have only had one serious battle with fleas, to the point that we could see them jumpng on th ecarpet. After using borax and dawn with in 1 week the problem was over and we have yet to see anouther flea.

This is a great thread about flea control. I'm bookmarking it.

The flea collar I put in the vacuum kills eggs too. I am also using a wet rug cleaner and vacuuming a lot too.

I dont like chemicals either, but I am am finding the Raid does work. I am not finding any fleas on me except for the ones I lose while combing lol

We do use a cup of soapy water to put them in, I use a paper towel and than put soap and water on it and throw the whole thing out.

Yes this is a good thread, and I will try the light thing too. I did it years ago, but still ended up having to bomb when I lived in a house that I could put the cats elsewhere.

I cant stand that none of my cats go out and I have this problem...

I ruled out Raid & such chemicals right away with my Damita. Gosh knows what weird thing she'd have happen as a result of a chemical. It also worked out wonderfully that I did not treat the upstairs as that is where she lives.

My one cat wont walk on the rug and its pretty funny. I am trying to see if I get any, and there are way less on them when I comb them.

I spray and clean and vacuum and use disenfectant wipes and than clear water, my house is clean....

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to say thank you for all the advice about 20 mule borax. I have found my borax at Walmart. I also found it online that K-Mart. I have a cat, a dog, a hamster and a cockatiel. So this is what I found that is the safest thing to use with the whole lot of animals. I'm hoping that it works so I don't have to fog the place.

I have my dog in the kitchen after a bath with flea shampoo and medicated shampoo from the Vet. I also have to put drops on him, but I'm going to wait until I vacuum and wash all his blankets.

I'm going to keep the cat in the bathroom after a bath with the flea shampoo and medicated shampoo. I also have to put the drops on her as well.

I have fleas because my boyfriend's ex-girlfriend had fleas and didn't bother telling us right away. So his 2 kids brought their backpacks, clothes and the like that were at her house into our house.

Well I guess I vented enough. I have so much fun to look forward to.

Thanks,

Ann

white cat lover said:

Originally Posted by Momofmany



If you can get some food grade diatomaceous earth, that is completely edible and works great on fleas.

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I've called every place I can think of & cannot find it locally. I got Borax....and since I'm getting conflicting info....I'm gonna sprinkle it down & keep the cats off it as much as possible which will be hard.

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I used borax to kill roaches that had made themselves at home after we'd been away for awhile. My cats didn't touch it so it wasn't a big deal. However I'd err on the side of caution if your cats even roll near it they might get it on their paws and fur and eat it. That would be devastating! I was adamant with my cats to keep them away from the kitchen area, using baby gates and such. If you can do that, I would keep the cats out of the area you're using the borax until it's vacuumed up.

well, last year i poured a kilogram of borax around my house and the only effect it had on my cat was that he sneezed a few times when he walked trough a cloud of it.

also, my stepdad drank it watered down every day for two months (for reasons I've forgotten) and only saw negative effects when he basically drank it in a 50/50 solution and took too much (lightly poisoning his liver).

its unbelievably safer than flea powder with similar effectiveness.

it takes just over half a cup of borax to damage a human liver with any significance so to make your cat ill it would have to eat about a teaspoon of it.

long story short just don't bathe your cat in it and make sure he/she isn't licking the carpet and you'll be fine