If you own a pet, your home has more chances of being flea infested. Fleas feed on human and pets’ blood, leaving behind an irritated, itchy, painful, and compromised skin. And no, your indoor cat isn’t safe from catching fleas either!
Within your home, they are found in large numbers in areas where your pet spends lots of time resting or sleeping. The house carpet is another favorite place where these irritating insects love to hide and breed.
There are very few products that can be described as very successful when it comes to killing or repelling fleas. Baking soda is one of those products.
It is even more potent when used together with table salt. This affordable, effective, and environmentally safe treatment is an excellent alternative to using active ingredients and harsh chemicals.
How it Works
Baking Soda works by dehydrating, deodorizing, and then burning flea’s bodies. It also makes them run from where they normally hide.
However, before using baking soda, ensure it’s still active. To verify whether your baking soda is active, simply add a couple of vinegar drops.
The mixture should instantly start bubbling and continue doing so for several minutes. If that doesn’t happen, your baking soda may not effectively kill the fleas.
83% of flea larvae in homes will be found living deep within carpets. So remember to sprinkle baking soda on your carpet and rub it using a broom.
This ensures that the baking soda particles penetrate deep into the carpet where fleas lay and save their eggs. After about 48 hours, vacuum thoroughly.
How Often?
Different from pesticides, using natural pest solutions such as baking soda will require some patience. Just a single flea egg that remains within the carpet fibers will, in the long-run result, in more fleas.
Therefore, ensure that you regularly vacuum the entire house and repeat the process several times if you want to have the problem resolved completely. Make sure that the baking soda/salt mixture is applied multiple times when dealing with a sizeable infestation.
After applying the baking soda, leave it in place for at least 14 hours before cleaning or vacuuming.
Avoid inhabiting or walking through areas being treated because your legs or those of your pet might provide the fleas an escape route.
Is it Safe?
Because 95% of their population lives in the surroundings with just 5% living on animals, fleas are viewed more as an environmental concern.
This is why baking soda is recommended as it is safe, inexpensive yet a very effective method that doesn’t harm your kids or pets.
Additionally, both of these ingredients—baking soda and common salt—are readily available in your house and don’t require going out of your way to get or use them.
Conclusion
Baking soda not only effectively kills fleas but it is gentle on the user and other people in the house. When used alone, baking soda will not repel or kill fleas, but when you mix it with some salt, you get a potent dehydration concoction.
Remember, because these insects have a life cycle of between 18 and 28 days, it is essential to ensure that you implement the control efforts throughout their entire life cycle.