What would you use to kill ringworm spores in a carpeted cat tree? I cannot bring myself to throw it away. It was used for only a couple of weeks before I removed it (realizing they had ringworm). So far, I have vacuumed it multiple times, used Lysol, carpet cleaner, and Rescue (accelerated hydrogen peroxide) on it. I have also taken it outside to let it sit in the sun for a few days. What else can I do to ensure that the ringworm spores are dead? I will give it back to them once I know they are clear, but I don't want anything on it to reinfect them.
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Killing ringworm in carpet - need advice
- Thread starter amyl
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I caught ringworm myself (awful, awful--it was everywhere, in places light doesn't see!!) and had to treat my furniture in the house. It was from a kitten I adopted years ago. My vet had me spray my furniture with foot spray, the antifungal kind, either Lotrimin or Tinactin--I think I used Tinactin. I had to let it sit on there overnight, then could vacuum off the excess powder from the spray. It worked. You might try that, but let it sit on it for a long time to kill the fungus before you vacuum it.
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- #3
Oh - I didn't even think about using foot spray! Do you think the Rescue (accelerated hydrogen peroxide) that is meant to kill ringworm on surfaces would do the same thing? I've thought about getting this, too http://shop.qbased.com/non-toxic-environmental-disinfectant-spray-32oz-p/pc00097.htm
I don't know about the other product. I'd be leery about using very strong chemicals on something that they may chew on or bite, and that is a hospital grade disinfectant--so many are toxic. I'd call the vet and ask for a recommendation.
I do know that with my furniture I had to keep them off of it until the spray dried and I vacuumed it well, it left the powdery residue, but that powder working in may be what killed it off. But it did seem to work. And my vet said it would be safe, because my biggest concern was poisoning them while trying to eradicate it. At the time I had both a dog and a cat, and my dog was a licker of all surfaces!!
I do know that with my furniture I had to keep them off of it until the spray dried and I vacuumed it well, it left the powdery residue, but that powder working in may be what killed it off. But it did seem to work. And my vet said it would be safe, because my biggest concern was poisoning them while trying to eradicate it. At the time I had both a dog and a cat, and my dog was a licker of all surfaces!!
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- #5
The Rescue (accelerated hydrogen peroxide) that I have been using is what the vet's office uses to kill ringworm, so hopefully that is going to do the trick. This has been such a pain in the butt that I want to make sure I'm doing everything possible to keep it from recurring! I just don't want to throw away the cat tree. It was very expensive!
I completely understand. I'd call them and ask if it works on porous surfaces if it doesn't say on the container. So many of them won't.
I wouldn't throw it away if I could definitely salvage it.
The product you put the link to--in the instructions, it says it kills fungus on non-porous surfaces--I would bet it does not work on porous surfaces.
I wouldn't throw it away if I could definitely salvage it.
The product you put the link to--in the instructions, it says it kills fungus on non-porous surfaces--I would bet it does not work on porous surfaces.
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- #7
I don't think any product will work 100% on porous surfaces, unfortunately. The goal is to reduce the number of spores as much as possible to prevent reinfection. The spores are everywhere in the environment. I just want to reduce them as much as possible.
There is a soaking solution you can buy that works on porous surfaces, but since this can't be submerged, I don't think it's feasible. It's a nasty bit of chemistry too.
Try the foot spray! It definitely work for me. I even had to use it in my car, because I would wear shorts and was afraid it rubbed on the car seats.
I know this much--I never EVER want to go through that again. Itchy, itchy!
Try the foot spray! It definitely work for me. I even had to use it in my car, because I would wear shorts and was afraid it rubbed on the car seats.
I know this much--I never EVER want to go through that again. Itchy, itchy!
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- #9
I will give it a try! I'm also going to use bleach on the cat tree. I know a 1:10 ratio disinfects on non-porous surfaces, so it would have to at least kill something on the carpeting. Ringworm spores are everywhere. I'm not going to get rid of all of them. The goal is to reduce them to the point where they don't cause reinfection. And no - I don't want to go through this again!! Thankfully, we didn't get much (two spots on me, one on my son, and about 5 on my daughter) and they were all caught REALLY early. I used Naftin on all of us (the best stuff!) and they cleared up within a week. I continued to use the medicine for one more week and nothing more has shown up on us. I just have to get these kitties cleared so that they can come out of isolation in the bathroom!! Plus, the constant cleaning is making me CRAZY.
