Buying Boric Acid from the vet, ouch, I bet that was fun. Everybody should buy a can, but from a 99 cent store for a big one, the stuff is dirt cheap. Also not to be confused with Borax, which is more a laundry and plant type stuff.
I don't like bug bombs, and would only use one in our house for some extreme issue.
Fleas live on the ground, so a direct local treatment is the best option. I would also skip the poison and just use boric acid and growth hormone.
Boric acid is a GREAT preventitive measure, lightly dust with it in all the nooks, crannies, and backs of cabinets and most bug problems don't get started.
On my way to petsmart. Their online site lists Zodiac and Adams foggers. One has IGR, don't know about the other one. 13 bucks for a three pack. My mom's house is pretty big. I assume if we do this in a kitchen, all pots, pans, glasses, ocntainers will have to be completely covered or taken out.
I was thinking of spraying the carpets, drapes and furniture first with IGR/adulticide combo sprays. If that doesn't work, nuke em!!!
In article , snipped-for-privacy@scoobydoo.net says... :) On my way to petsmart. Their online site lists Zodiac and Adams :) foggers. One has IGR, don't know about the other one. 13 bucks for a :) three pack. :) You would probably be better off using the carpet spray rather than a fogger..though with the foggers you will kill other hiding insects/spiders in the home.
Yah, if you have pets, all their bedding and other places they hang out. We also had to do the vehicles cause they often ride with us. So don't forget there, too. Often though it's the yard or grass. Around our dog houses we plant Hyssop, it's a natural flea repellent. (I've heard Horseradish is too,if you make it liquid and spray it on carpet, but have never tried it and have no reference for that remedy.) Around the outside of the house hyssop and Marigold. No problem with flea's since the first year we moved in, but that was enough. I think some years are worse than others. It's those dang Asian ladybugs (Harmonia's)that gets to me. 2_biz (nothing against flea bomb's at all!)
Yah, I'm not to sure who you are replying to about "Buying Boric Acid from the Vet." But your re: is to me, maybe my newsreader missed a post somewhere? We used boric when we lived in the city, and before we had the baby. Bottom line follow the directions as it can be harmful to kids, plants and pets. Boric acid is good against bugs, no doubt. Ortho makes a good product, mop up the floors and vacumm the carpets with-in 24 hrs afet using boric diluted. Not to sound smart Alecky, but who would confuse Boric with Borax. We all know Borax is the Zane Grey 20 mule team Boraxo stuff, right (-: Boric attacks the bugs central nervous system after they crawl through it, thus spreading it behind cab's and in cracks and crevises, mostly roach hang-outs.
Yah, I hated it when the fleas became an extreme issue, but they did, and the bombs controlled it to where alternatives (Boric,lauryl,clove, etc.) then worked wonders.
My Shepherd is more the flea expert, but I'd venture to say you are mostly correct about where they live. I won't be throwing his flea collar away anytime soon though. And I'd guard him the plants and kids from any direct treatment of any living space.
Boric acid has it's advantages and it's cheap. Not a cure all, but worth the investment. To get completly rid of them...declare war and never surrender. Good post Mike and good advice but should come with a caution also. (imo)
I have had fleas in a home a few times and I would recommend a professional exterminator. That worked for me both times. Since you don't have a pet this should be pretty easy. We had a cat so I would send the cat to the vet for a flea shampoo while the house was being treated by the exterminator.
They worked for me too. Stopped them dead in their tracks. But if you have a pet you should get rid of the fleas on them the same day. If I am moving into a new home that had a pet, I routinely bomb the place before I move in to start off with a clean slate. I absolutely hate fleas and ticks.
Yes, you'll have to protect dishes, etc from the fog. It may be less labor intensive to use some masking tape around the cabinets. Personally I never went that far....just made sure all the cabinet doors and drawers were shut and nothing was out in the open. I haven't turn into a mutant yet, although some of my friends would dispute that. But technically you should protect dishes and pots.
If you feel more comfortable spraying the curtains, go ahead. Personally I think the foggers will take care of it. If you do use the spray, I would read the label to make sure it won't discolor or damage fabric. And these foggers have residual effect. I never needed to re-fog a number of weeks after the first time.
And if you have a pilot light you are supposed to extinguish it...I think. (In response to the person who said your house could blow up.)
Just make sure you read and follow the directions on the can.
you'd be supprised... although both are reasonable treatment for pests and both are pretty safe for humans. (boric acid is used as an eye wash iirc)
You can make a pretty good termite treatment form boric acid, borax, and propylene glycol (pet-safe antifreeze).
commercially it sells for 80-90/gallon.... you can make it for about $20. Google Search for bora-care and tim-bor if you are interested.
So should cutting off the electricity to the house via the circuit breaker get rid of the pilot light ? THe directions on the Zodiac fogger states to make sure elctrical appliances which cycle on and off such as thermostats and refrigerators be shut off. Sam e with a pilot light. I think the pilot light comes on automatically when the heater is turned on. Not sure.
I tried the carpet powder, and it didn't work. Unless i didn't use enough per carpet. I think it made the problem worse!!!!! I only lightly sprinkled, and used one sweep of a broom to work it in.i USED THREE CANS FOR 4 ROOMS and a hallway and a staircase. Maybe those one gallon jugs of Zed flea sprays they sell at Home Depot would disperse the IGR and adulticide better.Powder dispersion is not so easy. One can of powder per room or rug?
Anyway, my mom is deathly afraid of the house blowing up if I use the foggger, but that seems to be the best option for DIY. Ican't beiive they made a product so freaking dangerous.
No. A pilot light is a small gas flame that is always on and serves as the ignition source for the larger gas flame in aplliances like gas furnaces, water heaters, ovens, etc.
If the house has no gas, the house has no pilot lights.
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