fleas (NicoleS)

Maybe there are different forms, but Google images shows me many pictures of what I bought.. looks like this (the one on the right is exactly what we got)

and this

Which is an evil, evil powder. 

ETA -- it's in pool filters for filtration, or something of the sorts.  Apparently they take it and bake it and do some other things to make it more crystalline -- and that's why you only want food grade. 

ETA x2 -- I found a couple sources that say the texture is similar to talc powder, for which I do have to agree

Looks like gymnastics chalk (which is similar to, if not the same thing as talc powder in a block form).  If it's anything like our gym chalk, yuck!  I can't imagine that in powder form all over my house.  Give me the chemical spray, thanks.  Even the powder chemical I used seemed heavy, it didn't get into the air and vacuumed right up (but it wasn't grainy).

How did you broadcast it in the house?  All I've ever done is put it in a small shaker and put it on the dog's coats.  Because I have asthma I'm super careful not to put myself into a situation where I have to breathe *anything* chemical or otherwise.  Sorry -- I'm no help -- I can't even imagine how you put it down.

Josh put it down for me, he used a dust pan to sprinkle lines of it around, and for the first two rooms, tried to "brush it in" if you will, since clearly the fleas live down below.  That was a ridiculous endeavor and after a room or two, entirely gave up and just used the dustpan to put it down (we thought a cup or something would just give us piles and not spread it out too well).  Same with some sort of shaker contraption.  That worked well, but vacuuming it up was still miserable.  And we have a dyson which I have to say, I am impressed with how little of this stuff it blew back out.  My dyson may never be the same, but as long as all the fine powder doesn't kill it I think it did an admirable job.

Like Courtney says, I don't feel I will ever get rid of it.  We could replace the carpet in a few years and I bet this stuff is still around.  Technically it's not toxic so it laying in the carpet doesn't bother me in the least, but I can constantly still smell it. (damn sinus surgery AND pregnany means my nose picks up anything and everything!)  And even the least toxic stuff around, such as flour, still shouldn't be continually inhaled.  I have a couple more rooms of window coverings still to wash though, and some baseboards still need wiping down, so maybe over the weekend I can finally get it to the point where I can breathe OK in the house.

If you have asthma, you are certainly wise never to put this down! And thankfully we have the furnace running so it pulls a lot out of the air since I use high-quality filters, but I still think some of it got into the ducts so it will probably be blowing around for a bit from that, too.

I haven't seen a flea in 3 days though

NicoleS

And even the least toxic stuff around, such as flour, still shouldn't be continually inhaled.

Yes, commercial baker's commonly get a condition known as baker's lung or flour lung from the constant exposure to the fine particles of flour. 

Glad to hear you've not seen any of the pesky fleas for three days. 

JackieG

Glad to hear you've not seen any of the pesky fleas for three days.

DH and I decided, if this didn't work, we're just going to start ritual blood letting and leave a saucer of blood out for them... sort of like you do for stray cats?

JackieG

Glad to hear you've not seen any of the pesky fleas for three days.

DH and I decided, if this didn't work, we're just going to start ritual blood letting and leave a saucer of blood out for them... sort of like you do for stray cats?

If it "stays" in the carpets it will just keep working -- like I said - it's a dessicant.  It doesn't 'spoil'.

no, that would be wonderful actually... but instead it seems to stick to your socks, your knees if you kneel to play with the dog, etc. And *eventually* I would have to vacuum my house, so at some point it would see the vacuum (even if I don't wanna!)