The Flea Wars: Tried-and-True Weapons Used in the Battle

Fleas are a force to be reckoned with. It's been said that for every flea that you find on your pet, there are at least 100 more roaming about the house. With odds like those, you're faced with a nightmare that even your worst enemy does not deserve! Earlier this summer, I temporarily fostered three kittens. About a week later, I found out they were severely infested with fleas. After giving them a flea bath and applying an over-the-counter spot treatment, they seemed fine. Since there was carpeting in the bedroom and laundry room (where they frequented), I knew these areas had to be treated immediately. Not knowing any better, I used the least expensive flea spray and carpet powder, thinking that would solve my problem. Big mistake! A week later, the fleas returned with a vengeance! Both Mr. Peaches (my new feline friend) and I were being chewed up like a Sunday brunch buffet! From that point forward, it was time to declare war!

Know Thy Enemy: When it comes to pet pests, the #1 thorn in one's side is usually the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis). Despite its name, cat fleas are a nuisance to any warm blooded mammal that crosses its path. While they live, feed and breed on cats & dogs, cat fleas will irritate humans by leaving itchy, blistery bites on their skin, mostly on the ankles and feet. They love warm, humid weather, which means you'll see more of them in the spring and summer months. Adult fleas feed on the blood of its host, while the larvae usually consumes the adult's excrement (called "flea dirt") and dead skin cells. If a flea infestation is left untreated, it can cause serious problems for pets, such as allergic dermatitis, tapeworms, ear mites and anemia.

The flea life cycle is broken into four stages- eggs, larvae, pupae and adult. Flea eggs are very slippery and can easily fall from its host's fur onto the ground. Since female fleas can lay on average 30 eggs a day, eggs can easily be scattered throughout the house. While adults and larvae can be killed with insecticides, flea eggs and pupae are highly pesticide-resistant, making them hard to destroy.

How to Detect Fleas: Run a damp paper towel along your pet's fur coat. If you see dark black flecks that turn red from moisture (the "flea dirt" mentioned in the last passage), it's a sign that they may have fleas.

First Things First: You must immediately treat your animal companion! Many pet owners have had long-term success with monthly spot treatments such Frontline Plus (which is what I use on Mr. Peaches), Advantage and Revolution. There is also a pill called Capstar, which kills fleas living on their host within 12 hours. Since Capstar is a one-day treatment, you may want to use it in conjunction with Frontline or Advantage. These products can be purchased at the vet's office or pet supply websites such as Petco or 1-800-Pet-Meds.

After treatment, you may also want to bathe your pet to cleanse its fur of any remaining eggs, pupae & larvae (check the labels on your treatments prior to washing, as some require you to wait at least 24 hours after application). It's also a good idea to manually remove the fleas with a flea comb. While going through your pet's fur, have a jar of soapy water available to dip the comb in, so that any live fleas you find can drown in the solution. After you're done combing, flush the soapy water down the toilet immediately.

Next Step: Is treating your home, which must be done all at once. Places such as pet bedding, carpets, couches, mattresses, clothing, stuffed toys and linens can become a breeding ground for fleas. For this reason, all of your carpets and upholstery must be vacuumed daily for at least two weeks. The vacuum cleaner is a vital weapon against the flea war, as its suction will remove adult fleas/larvae and prematurely hatch eggs and pupae (which makes them vulnerable to pesticides). Everywhere in the home must be vacuumed, including corners and underneath furniture. After you're finished vacuuming, dispose of your vacuum bag in a trash receptacle outside the home (if you use a bagless vac, dump the contents into a plastic bag, seal it and discard in the same manner).

You will also need to wash all of your fabric items in hot water. If it's impossible to clean them all at once, place the items in large plastic garbage bags to keep the fleas trapped until it's time to go to the laundry. Admittedly, this routine will be really unpleasant, but necessary. I was doing this in the middle of the July with no A/C in the apartment and did not have a decent night's sleep for at least two weeks. Though the nightmare is over, I still shudder thinking about it!

Final Step: Is extermination, which is done in conjunction with the vacuuming and washing. Because this was the first time I've ever had to deal with fleas, I used just about every method of pest control, including conventional, unconventional and just plain unheard of! Below is a list of the most successful weapons in my war against fleas.

Conventional Pest Control Products

Ammunition: Adams Plus Inverted Carpet Spray
411: Adams Plus Inverted Carpet Spray is a pesticide that contains permethrin (an insect repellent), phenothrin (an insecticide used to kill fleas, ticks & lice) and methoprene (an insect growth regulator). This item is sold at most pet supply stores and websites.

Best For: Carpeting, Upholstery, Curtains.

Pros: Immediately kills any adult fleas. Does not leave a lasting odor.

Cons: Requires frequent spraying to completely destroy flea life cycle. Can be expensive to purchase.

How It Was Used: After my daily vacuuming regimen, I applied Adams' carpet spray onto the carpets, couches and curtains.

Verdict: This spray has an immediate knock-down and kill effect on fleas, so it definitely works. However, if you are planning to use this product as part of your daily extermination regimen, it can burn a hole in your wallet. One 16 oz. can (which treats about 2,000 sq. ft) costs about $20-25.

Ammunition: Adams Plus Fogger
411: Adams Plus Fogger is a fumigator that kills fleas, ticks and other insects throughout the home, including those hiding in cracks and crevices. This product claims to kill for as long as seven months.

Best For: The entire house.

Pros: Immediately kills every pest in the house. Does not leave a lasting odor.

Cons: Like most insecticide bombs, Adams Plus Fogger is pretty inconvenient, as you'll have to cover utensils, turn off electronics/pilot lights and remove your pet from the home for several hours. Doesn't live up to guaranteed long-term results.

How It Was Used: First, I steam cleaned the carpets and upholstery to suck up any adult fleas and prematurely hatch eggs & pupae. The following morning, I sent the Mr. Peaches away to a temporary destination, set off three foggers (one in each major room) and left the house for least two hours.

Verdict: The foggers are somewhat effective as I was sweeping up every kind of dead bug in the apartment (even ones I wasn't even aware of) and didn't see any fleas in the house for at least three days. Sure enough though, they returned. If I ever had issues with fleas again, using a fogger would be my last resort, as it's very inconveniencing.

Ammunition: Ultracide
411: Ultracide is an exterminator-grade spray formulated specifically for flea control. It contains pyrethrin (a natural pesticide extracted from chrysanthemums), permethrin and pyriproxyen (an insect growth regulator). Ultracide can be found at exterminator supply manufacturer (such as Do My Own Pest Control) and is not sold in retail stores.

Best For: Cracks, crevices, carpets, upholstery.

Pros: Immediately kills adult fleas.

Cons: Will take several applications to completely destroy flea life cycle. Toxic to humans, animal companions and fish.

How It Was Used: An exterminator treated my carpeting with Ultracide.

Verdict: I didn't see any fleas after treatment & had a few flea free days. Unfortuantely, I started seeing fleas almost a week later. When it comes to chemical solutions, Ultracide definitely works on getting rid of adult fleas. However, it will take more than one application for it to do the job.

Ammunition: CB-80 Extra
411: CB-80 Extra is an exterminator grade insect spray containing 10x the amount of pyrethrins as Ultracide and can be used for killing several types of insects. Like Ultracide, CB-80 Extra is purchased through an exterminator supply manufacturer and not sold in retail stores.

Best For: Cracks, crevices.

Pros: Immediately kills fleas and other insects residing in the home.

Cons: Extremely toxic to humans and animal companions. A mask must be worn while spraying.

How It Was Used: I found a can of CB-80 in the apartment and decided to try it. After vacuuming the carpets & upholstery, I sprayed them with CB-80. This method was repeated daily until the can was empty. CB-80 has an extremely noxious odor, and I was coughing profusely as I sprayed it onto the carpets. The place had to be aired out for at least an hour before I (or the cat) could return to the site.Verdict: The amount of fleas were drastically reduced. However I don't recommend it due to its strong odor. Natural Pest Control Methods

Though the chemical pesticides did an excellent job in reducing the amount of pests throughout the apartment, I was still dealing with very persistent fleas residing in the carpeted rooms. Since it was becoming impractical to keep sending the cat away while the apartment was being sprayed and bombed, I sought out natural methods to finish the problem.

Ammunition: Peppermint Castile Soap/Essential Oils
411: I read in an old natural remedy book that liquid peppermint castile soap and certain essential oils (such as peppermint, lemongrass & eucalyptus) can be used to repel fleas. The most popular manufacturer of liquid peppermint castile soap is Dr. Bronner's, but don't be afraid to shop around for less expensive brands (such as Trader Joe's or Dr. Woods). Liquid castile soap and essential oils are usually found at your nearest health food store. If there's not one in your area, you can order peppermint castile soap at Target (do a search for "peppermint castile soap" on the site) and the essential oils at Aura Cacia.

Best For: Castile soap is multi-purpose and can be used for practically everything, including dishwashing, mopping floors, bathing your pet (even yourself). Drops of essential oil can mixed with the soap for maximum results.

Pros: Peppermint soap is much safer for humans and animals than conventional pesticides. Essential oils smell wonderful and can leave a pleasing scent in your home. Both products are useful for maintaining a flea-free home.

Cons: Does not kill fleas, but repels them. Essential oils and castile soap can be costly.

How It Was Used: I mopped the floors daily for about a week with a mixture of 3 capfuls of peppermint castile soap, 10 drops peppermint essential oil and a gallon extremely hot water. A concoction of 1 tsp. castile soap, 5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil and 15 oz. water was put in a spray bottle and used on hard surfaces, in cracks, corners, crevices and other places. After the first week, the mopping & spraying was decreased to every other day. Now, I spray and mop once a week for maintenance. I also bathed Mr. Peaches in peppermint castile soap. Ever the typical cat, he put up quite a fight in the bathtub. Despite the drama, his fur was so soft, shiny (and flea-free) afterward.

Verdict: Though my home smelled like a bottle of ice blue mouthwash, I did not see any live fleas in the apartment. I am convinced there is something to this natural remedy.

Tip: Refrigerate your bottle of castile soap after opening to preserve its freshness.

Ammunition: 20 Mule Team Borax
411: While doing a Google search on flea remedies for carpets, I came across a few webpages which mentioned that Borax can be used as a flea pesticide. Despite my skepticism, I tried out the Borax method since it was cheap & easy to come by.

Best For: Carpeting (except berber).

Pros: Kills fleas on many types of carpeting. Inexpensive (less than $3 for a 4 lb. box) & easy to find in most retail stores.

Cons: Berber carpets may require several applications. Not safe for self-grooming animals (such as cats).

How It Was Used: After vacuuming the carpeted areas, I sprinkled the Borax onto them using a colander. The powder was worked into the fibers using a broom and left on the carpeting for at least 3 days before it was vacuumed. This method was repeated two days later.

Verdict: The Borax worked wonders for the carpet in the laundry room. I haven't seen a flea there ever since. Didn't have much luck with the bedroom, as the carpeting was much thicker and made of a tight berber fiber. All in all, Borax wasn't a total washout (no pun intended).

Ammunition: Diatomaceous Earth
411: On the same Google search, the word "diatomaceous earth" also came up as a natural flea pesticide. Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a powder made of fossil shells. Similar to Borax, DE has a dehydrating effect on fleas. There are two grades of DE available- food grade, which is sold in gardening nurseries and pool grade, which is used for swimming pool filters. You will needfood grade DE for pest control (pool grade DE is highly toxic to humans and animals and doesn't work as a pesticide).

Best for: Carpets and wood floors, cracks and corners.

Pros: Kills fleas and any other insect that may reside in your house for a long period of time.

Cons: Is extremely dusty, hard to vacuum and may not be ideal for dark colored carpeting. It is highly recommended that you wear protective clothing head-to-toe (including protective goggles and a face mask) and cover your furniture with a plastic paint tarp while applying and vacuuming the DE.

How It Was Used: Similar to Borax. I vacuumed the bedroom carpet, sprinkled the DE using a colander and worked it into the fibers with a broom. Diatomaceous earth is highly dense in texture, so as I sweeping it into the carpet, it formed into a large cloud of dust that went into my eyes, nostrils, hair, skin and furniture. The DE was left on the carpet for 48 hours before I vacuumed.

Verdict: Though this was the messiest method of all, I believe we have a winner! I haven't seen a flea on my bedroom carpet ever since!

More Tips:
- When you adopt a pet, immediately have it checked for fleas, ticks and other parasites before taking it home.

- Invest in allergen encasing covers for your mattress, box-spring and pillows. The encasing prevents fleas (and even bedbugs) from infesting your bed. This move will save you the trouble of buying a brand new mattress set should fleas invade your home.

- Wear a pair of white socks while walking around the house. Not only the socks will protect your feet and ankles from flea bites, but will also monitor the amount of fleas hopping around the home. Don't forget to wash the socks immediately in hot water once you're done wearing them.

- Apply 1% cortisone cream on flea bites for relief.

- While washing your clothes, be sure to clean out and spray any empty drawers, linen closets and other storage space.

- Mark your calendar with a reminder on the date you're due to re-apply your pet's monthly spot treatment.

Final Verdict: Both natural and conventional methods are very useful in the war against fleas. However, the most effective weapon of all is persistence. As I mentioned earlier, it's vital to treat your pet and the entire house all at once. The daily vacuuming is a MUST if you have carpets and upholstery. If these steps are not taken, anything else you do will be a band-aid to a gushing wound. The battle you face is grueling & tireless, but the serenity that lies ahead for you and your pet is well worth the effort. Good luck!