Using Dust to kill fleas

Dust: composition and properties

Dust is an effective insecticide, which is produced in the form of a fine crystalline powder of gray (sometimes yellowish) color. The active ingredients of the drug are fenthion and deltamethrin. The composition often contains auxiliary components, including talc and compounds that attract parasites.

The dust is completely diluted in organic solvents, but upon contact with water it forms an emulsion. It is interesting that the Swiss chemist P. Müller received the Nobel Prize for the discovery and study of the properties of the insecticide.

The principle of operation of the product

This insecticide belongs to the group of cumulative poisons. The product remains on horizontal surfaces for a long time. Small particles of dust stick to the covering tissues of fleas and get inside the parasites. As the insecticide accumulates in the body, it causes paralysis and then death of insects.

Particles of the substance do not adhere well to vertical surfaces.

If you treat the floor with the solution, the effectiveness of the product will remain for 1-2 weeks.

Apartment processing

If parasites are found on pets, then they are also found where the animals spend their time. Therefore, rooms and sleeping places for cats and dogs are additionally treated with an antiparasitic agent, for example, such as Tsifox.

Important! Although products containing tar are safe, due to their strong odor, they should not be used if you are pregnant or have children. For the former, such strong aromas are dangerous due to contractions of the uterus; they can frighten small children.

The need to treat a room should be decided individually

This is only advisable if there is a strong infestation or insects have penetrated into the furniture. In most cases, it is enough to wash the pet’s bed and things with a solution of tar soap. You can add a little product to the water for cleaning floors.

The question of the need to treat a room should be decided individually. This is only advisable if there is a strong infestation or insects have penetrated into the furniture. In most cases, it is enough to wash the pet’s bed and things with a solution of tar soap. You can add a little product to the water for washing floors.

Do not neglect cleaning immediately after the procedure for ridding your cat of fleas.

An indispensable assistant with a natural composition in the fight against parasites will be an alkaline-salt mixture. Mix equal parts table salt and soda. The resulting mixture is sprinkled on the carpets, left for a day and removed with a vacuum cleaner.

Bedding, pillows and other items the cat frequently uses are soaked in an alkaline saline solution, and then washed and dried well.

Regular preventative procedures such as bathing, wearing an anti-flea collar, washing and treating cat items, wet cleaning and airing will help prevent your cat from becoming infected with fleas and will improve your pet’s quality of life.

Instructions for use

Fleas parasitize the body of warm-blooded animals, but do not always live on the skin. More often, bloodsuckers settle near a food source, for example, they hide under parquet flooring, in cracks on the floor, behind baseboards, in rooms with high humidity (in the bathroom, in the kitchen).

Fleas hide under hardwood floors and in cracks on the floor.

Dust powder can be used in different ways:

1. Sometimes the cracks in the floor and the space behind the furniture are filled with a dry product and left for a while. This method is suitable for treating non-residential premises. If there are children or pets in the house, leaving insecticide on the floor is dangerous.
2. The powder can be diluted with water, after which the resulting emulsion can be used to spray furniture and wash floors. For residential buildings this method is more preferable.

Types of flea dust

Different companies produce this insecticide, adding certain auxiliary components to the composition.

"Double"

The drug is available in powder form, packaged in convenient packaging. The main active components are esfenvalerate (concentration is 0.01%) and zeta-cypermethrin (0.02%). The product also contains piperonyl butoxide, which acts as a synergist and increases the effectiveness of the insecticide.

The product “FAS-Double” is intended for the destruction of fleas.

"Baygon"

The product is intended for eliminating fleas and lice at home. Propoxur is used as the active component (concentration - 1%). The composition contains special additives, thanks to which the dust adheres to the integument of insects. The drug can accumulate in the body of warm-blooded animals, so it must be used carefully.

"Tornado"

A universal remedy that can be used to combat any crawling insects. The composition contains cypermethrin, boric acid and talc as a filler. 150 g of insecticide is enough to treat 100 sq.m. The drug is characterized by a low level of toxicity and is safe for pets, therefore it is often used to clean pets’ bedding and beds from fleas.

“Tornado” is a universal remedy for all insects.

"Clean house"

One of the most popular products, which is available not only in powder form, but also in the form of ready-made emulsions and chalk for treating vertical surfaces. The active components of the insecticide are malathion and permethrin. The drug retains its properties even when the room temperature increases or decreases.

Where is tar soap used?

Soap with tar has long been successfully used in cosmetology and medicine. Thanks to its drying effect, it is used to treat dermatitis, skin rashes, and is used to heal small wounds and scratches.

But, later, the tradition of washing your hair with tar soap for head lice led to the emergence of a myth that the product helps get rid of lice.

The soap comes in the form of dark brown bars with a pungent, repulsive odor. Its main components include:

Thus, it is difficult to call tar soap a complete insecticide. It is unable to kill fleas, but rather simply repels them. The unpleasant odor causes insects to jump off your pet's fur. But, the following circumstances should be kept in mind:

Due to its natural composition and the absence of side effects, tar soap is most often used when bathing puppies and pregnant dogs. It does not cause allergies and is therefore completely safe.

If, when bathing a dog, a small amount of foam gets into the mouth, nothing bad will happen, poisoning will not occur. But you need to be careful that soap suds do not get into your pet’s eyes or nose, as this will cause an unpleasant burning sensation.

Rules for washing a dog with tar soap

To carry out this procedure you will need:

• fine comb;
• towel;
• a tall jar in which you will collect fleas;
• leash.

Tar soap foams very poorly. Therefore, it is better to prepare a bowl for foaming in advance. Soak the soap in warm water and create a rich lather.

So, when everything is ready, you can start washing the dog. To do this, proceed according to the following scheme:

The procedure must be repeated several times every 3 days.

Many people find it difficult to tolerate the pungent smell of tar soap. Sometimes it can even cause dizziness. Therefore, do not close the bathroom door, this will help prevent discomfort.

How can you replace tar soap?

There are quite a lot of more effective anti-flea products sold in pharmacies. Collars, drops and sprays containing fipronil, imidacloprid, deltamethrin, diflubenzuron and other insecticides will help you quickly get rid of uninvited guests. Don't forget to also disinfect the apartment.

How to use home cleaner

Instructions for use:

1. Before the procedure, you need to move the furniture away from the walls and carry out a thorough dry cleaning with a vacuum cleaner.
2. The prepared dust solution is used for cleaning floors. It is important to carefully treat baseboards and cracks.
3. Hard-to-reach areas of the room can be sprayed with a spray bottle.
4. Upon completion of the procedure, the windows and doors to the room must be closed. It is not recommended to enter the premises for the next 6 hours.
5. Later, it is recommended to wash working surfaces (tables, shelves, window sills) and door handles with a warm soda solution.

Before cleaning your home from fleas, you need to move furniture away from the walls.

Breeding methods

The powder is diluted with warm water - the substance will lose its properties in a hot liquid, and will not dissolve in a cold liquid.

Dosage:

• with a slight degree of infection, take 20 g of the drug per 1 liter of water;
• if the flea population is large, then the dose can be increased to 40 g per 1 liter.

Application of dust soap

Dust soap is used to remove blood-sucking parasites that live on the skin of dogs and cats. The method of application is simple: first you need to wet the animal’s fur, lather the skin and leave the foam for 15-25 minutes. After this, it is recommended to rinse off the remaining product thoroughly.

Dust soap is one of the available, effective insecticides.

Advantages and disadvantages

Tar in the fight against fleas in cats has its pros and cons when used. It is better to familiarize yourself with them before purchasing tar soap. What's impressive is that there are more positive properties.

Advantages:

• affordable price in comparison with other antiparasitic agents;
• environmentally friendly - all ingredients are natural, of natural origin;
• effective - two treatments are usually enough to rid your pet of fleas;
• repeated use does not harm health, so soap is suitable for treatment in case of re-infection;
• does not harm health, despite the pungent odor;
• hypoallergenic - suitable for animals and people with the most sensitive skin.

Of course, there are some harmful properties, and they must be taken into account in order to carry out the processing correctly. The disadvantages of tar products are associated with the peculiarity of the main substance.

Flaws:

• a specific, repulsive odor, unpleasant to people and animals;
• does not lather well, which is why there are certain difficulties when bathing animals;
• does not affect nits, so the procedure will have to be repeated until all the larvae hatch, that is, every few days.

Advice! To simplify and speed up the procedure for getting rid of fleas a little, you can make a soap foam in advance, which is easier to apply to the fur than to wash your pet with a bar.

All shortcomings can be “bypassed” - try to fill the smell with essential oils, pine aromas, increase foaming using soapwort extract or alkali. Remember that effectiveness increases only as a result of systematic use.

Danger to humans

If you follow safety rules, treating your apartment with insecticides will not adversely affect the health of residents or warm-blooded pets. But inhaling dust or accidentally getting it into the digestive tract is dangerous, because... may lead to an allergic reaction.

The active components of the insecticide can accumulate in the human body.

If the concentration of substances constantly increases, this can lead to the development of hepatitis, pathologies of the heart and blood vessels, diseases of the respiratory system, and muscle paralysis.

Features of integrated flea control

Dust powder is one of the most accessible, cheap and easy to use products. But to remove fleas, it is not enough to walk across the floor with a rag soaked in an insecticide solution. In such a situation, an integrated approach is important:

1. Before treatment, thoroughly vacuum the floor, move furniture away, and treat corners and baseboards.
2. It is important to clean all textiles in which fleas could lay eggs. Clothes, bedding, and bedspreads must be washed in hot water using disinfectants.
3. To treat carpets, sofas and other upholstered furniture, it is better to use a steam generator, because... parasites die at high temperatures.
4. Fleas are also sensitive to cold. In winter, you can take carpets and other textiles outside or leave them on the balcony for several hours.

Before treatment, you need to vacuum the floor.

How to remove fleas from cats and dogs using traditional methods?

If you are categorically against flea remedies offered at a veterinary pharmacy, do not trust them, or have bad experience using them, do not be upset. There are many safe remedies that people have long used to treat animals for fleas.

There is a significant difference in the use of folk remedies and drugs from a veterinary clinic - folk remedies must be used systematically and constantly treat the animal’s hair

Folk remedies require constant use, otherwise the fleas will return again

You should also remember that many flea products can be toxic to pets, cause an allergic reaction and are much more dangerous than synthetic drugs.

Sagebrush

One of the main folk remedies is wormwood. Most insects, including fleas, are afraid of its smell. To treat an animal, you need to brew 20 g of dry wormwood and thoroughly wipe the animal's fur.

Wormwood for fleas

After such washing, fleas will jump off the animal, therefore, it is better to refrain from such manipulations in the apartment.

This product is absolutely safe for the animals themselves and even their small children. That is, you can absolutely safely lubricate kittens and puppies with the solution.

Garlic

You can also remove fleas from dogs using garlic. To do this, crush a few cloves of garlic, pour two glasses of water over them and let it brew for a day. The next day, wipe the animal’s withers with the tincture. Never lubricate the entire body of a dog or cat.

Treat your animal with garlic tincture very carefully.

Essential oil shampoo

Also, the shampoo you prepare from the essential oils of lavender, eucalyptus and tea tree will not only have a healing effect, but will also leave a pleasant smell on your animal.

To prepare shampoo, mix a few drops of one or more of the above oils and wash your pet thoroughly.

Many essential oils are effective against fleas

Pine sawdust

In order to save an animal from a flea infestation, you can take a walk into a pine forest and collect pine sawdust. If this is not available in your area, you can purchase the collection at a pharmacy.

The smell of pine sawdust is extremely unpleasant for fleas

Make a pillow for the animal from sawdust - the smell of pine, pleasant to humans, is extremely unpleasant for fleas.

Salt

An effective way to treat an animal for fleas is a “salt” bath. Pour a pack of salt into a bucket of hot water. After it has dissolved, cool the water slightly and bathe your dog or cat in this brine for five minutes. After this, rinse the animal thoroughly with fresh water.

But it is important to consider how long the pet has had fleas. After all, if it’s been a long time, then the animal could scratch its skin hard and the salt will bring it a lot of unpleasant sensations and a burning sensation

It is not worthwhile to completely immerse the animal in brine; it is better to wet certain areas

Thus, it is possible to treat an animal for fleas not only with the help of clinical drugs, but also with the help of folk remedies. And if you follow these recommendations correctly, the effect will be no worse.

Dust selection criteria

When choosing insecticides, you need to pay attention to the following characteristics:

• composition - if the powder contains substances that attract parasites, then the effect of its use will be more pronounced;
• release form - aerosols are much more dangerous than soap and products for preparing emulsions;
• hazard class – level IV products are considered relatively harmless; if the packaging indicates class III or II, it is better to refuse the purchase;
• cost of the product - more expensive insecticides are not always more effective.

What precautions should you take?

Dust should be used carefully, following the safety instructions:

1. For processing, you need special clothing that fits tightly to the body, as well as a mask, gloves and safety glasses.
2. During the procedure, the windows must be opened - the room must be ventilated.
3. Do not smoke, drink, or eat food while in contact with the solution.
4. If you have pets, it is better to move them to another place for a few days.
5. After treatment, clothes should be removed and washed at high temperature, and take a shower in case the product gets on your skin and hair.

Tar soap as an insecticide

Generally speaking, calling tar soap an insecticide is only a stretch. The main component of this soap - birch tar (contained in an amount of about 10% by weight) - is not able to quickly and effectively kill insects, including fleas, even if it comes into direct contact with their bodies.

At the same time, the pronounced repellent effect of tar soap on most insects is known.

Birch tar itself has long been used as a repellent in gardening, and in ancient times, people living in the taiga used tar to protect against mosquitoes and midges.

The photo below shows birch tar:

Indeed, both tar and tar soap prepared using it have a very strong specific odor. Many people find it unpleasant, although this is more likely a consequence of the high concentration of tar in the soap (about 10%). But it is the smell that helps repel insects, including fleas, and not any other properties of tar.

It turns out that if tar soap helps against lice, it means that it is still capable of killing insects - which means it will also help against fleas?

The point here is that tar soap practically does not help against lice. Traditionally, it was used to treat various skin diseases, including those on the head - tar really promotes the speedy healing of scratches, wounds, and various abrasions, and it also relieves itching from insect bites. And it is not surprising that tar soap was used to wash the hair for lice - when lice bite, the head itches in the same way as with many other dermatological diseases.

In reality, there are no reasons that fleas can be poisoned by tar soap. In the literature there is no mention of the insecticidal activity of either tar or soap made from it - only studies have been carried out that have confirmed the presence of pronounced antiseptic effectiveness in tar (that is, it is capable of destroying bacteria).