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bill morgan · 05-09-2012, 11:45 PM

I have yet another flea infestation in one of my flats and they are difficult to kill because they keep reappearing.Flea killer is not cheap when you buy it in chemical form and it is not usually that effective.

I have just tried Borax.It looks like salt and i have covered my flat in it.I was sweeping it up today and i could see loads of dead fleas in it so it does work and you can buy it very cheap.

I have hard wooden floors and I am going to sweep borax between the gaps in the floor boards in case there are flea eggs down there.

So far so good!!

Michael Freer · 06-09-2012, 07:40 AM

Maybe it depends on what type of fleas they are dog, cat, human or shearwater?

The article on the BBC web site here has maps of what they might be and then you can be certain whether the product you buy will kill them...

Vanessa Warwick · 06-09-2012, 07:57 AM

Hi Bill,

As Borax is a poison, I would be careful of liberally spraying it around. Your incoming tenant may have pets or a baby who could eat it by mistake.

Fleas are a real problem and I would recommend seeking professional advice.

I will ask a couple of specialist cleaners on Twitter if they can help.

John Flower · 06-09-2012, 08:29 AM

I had the fun of sitting through a presentation on bedbugs a few months ago at the local Landlords Association meeting.

I was told heat was the main cure for this problem although I'm not sure the same will apply for fleas.

Perhaps at the next meeting there will be a 45 minute presentation on fleas and I'll be able to update you!

michael Brown · 06-09-2012, 09:42 AM

We have a bloke who dust the full house with a powder approv cost is £65. Works great obviosly this is a guide. Not sure of the chemical though.

bill morgan · 06-09-2012, 11:42 PM

Hi V,

I hired a professional from the yellow pages and he failed to kill the fleas.You cannot normally kill them in one go because the eggs hatch out later and then you have to attack again.If you push Borax between the wooden floors, it should stop the eggs from hatching.

I'm not sure if Borax is a poison.There seems to be conflicting opinions if you google it.

I will clean it up thoroughly tomorrow.

Gerry Pridham · 10-09-2012, 01:26 AM

(06-09-2012 11:42 PM)Bill_Morgan Wrote: Hi V,

I hired a professional from the yellow pages and he failed to kill the fleas.You cannot normally kill them in one go because the eggs hatch out later and then you have to attack again.If you push Borax between the wooden floors, it should stop the eggs from hatching.

I'm not sure if Borax is a poison.There seems to be conflicting opinions if you google it.

I will clean it up thoroughly tomorrow.

Bill,
I have provided a link to the MSDS on Borax (material safety data sheet). Somebody would have to ingest over 4 grams for it to be of medical concern, and even then, not toxic. I would not be too concerned about a few grams being shoved down the cracks.

Inhalation: If symptoms such as nose or throat irritation are
observed, remove person to fresh air.
Eye contact: Use eye wash fountain or fresh water to cleanse
eye. If irritation persists for more than 30 minutes, seek medical
attention.
Skin contact: No treatment necessary because non-irritating.
Ingestion: Swallowing small quantities (one teaspoon) will
cause no harm to healthy adults. If larger amounts are swallowed,
give two glasses of water to drink and seek medical attention.
Note to physicians: Observation only is required for adult
ingestion in the range of 4-8 grams of Borax. For ingestion of
larger amounts, maintain adequate kidney function and force
fluids. Gastric lavage is recommended for symptomatic patients
only. Hemodialysis should be reserved for massive acute
ingestion or patients with renal failure. Boron analyses of urine
or blood are only useful for documenting exposure and should
not be used to evaluate severity of poisoning or to guide
treatment
1
. Refer to Section 11 for details.
http://www.anvilfire.com/21centbs/materi...-borax.pdf

John Corey · 10-09-2012, 04:03 PM

When you use a fogger, the fleas that die are the live ones. I forget the cycle but something like 2 weeks later the eggs will hatch. You need two treatments to kill all the fleas (the live ones now and the eggs after they hatch later).

I am not saying a fogger is the only way to go. Just that the cycle has to be broken and 1 treatment which does not address the next batch from the eggs will always fail.

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