Does Baby Powder Kill Fleas

When it comes to flea treatment measures, homeowners get to try lots of things. You can’t really blame them. Fighting fleas in our homes can become a full-time job and a lot of people are wont to try out a lot of remedies until they stumble on one that really works. We are no strangers when it comes to DIY methods for controlling fleas. With huge sums of money spent on commercial products that may end up not working, and if they do, come with their attendant adverse aftereffects, resorting to home-made remedies seems the best line of action. Using baby powder to kill fleas is one of such DIY methods. But does baby powder kill fleas? Does it help our cause in this persistent fight against fleas?

Baby powder enjoys long-standing use amongst pet owners to treat fleas on their pets. This approach is usually adopted by covering our pets with baby powder, hoping it will smother the fleas. Most times, this strategy is recommended when fleas attack our puppies or kittens who are too young to be treated with regular chemical medications. So, to be on the safe side, baby powder is adopted. A lot of pet owners have reported success with this method.

Talcum Powder

Talcum powder is made from the mineral talc and is the major ingredient in baby powder. Talcum is effective at absorbing moisture and maybe the reason why fleas get dehydrated and are easily killed when they come in contact with baby powder.

So does baby powder kill fleas? It does quite alright, but this method is often advised against by experts due to talcum powder poisoning. This occurs when the powder is inhaled or swallowed by our pets. There are many problems that can occur in this situation. This includes difficulty breathing, coughing, irritation of the eyes, lethargic fever, twitching, skin blisters, vomiting, convulsion and lung failure.

Using Natural Powders

So, instead of putting your pets in danger by using baby powder, it is recommended that you use natural powders such as Diatomaceous earth and Neem powder. Diatomaceous earth is a non-toxic powder that is made from the fossils of marine organisms. It acts by piecing through the exoskeletons of fleas, dehydrating them and causing them to die off. Food-grade diatomaceous earth can also be ingested to get rid of worms such as whip worms, roundworms and hookworms in pets such as dogs. Another natural repellent powder that is safe for our pets is the Neem Powder. It does not only kill fleas but common insects as well.

If you must use baby powder as flea treatment, then apply it on your carpets or you can create a flea trap with them. Fleas are well-known ‘jumpers’. Simply keep a bowl filled with baby powder in strategic places in the house. Fleas will jump into these bowls and be trapped, thereby killing them effectively. A light source can be placed beside these bowls to attract the fleas.

Once again, be careful that your pets do not go near these bowls of baby powder to prevent them from ingesting the powder. The result can be fatal.

Finally, does baby powder kill fleas? Yes, it does work when done the right way. But this method is usually not recommended due to the dangers of ingestion by our pets. So, do well to adopt a safer control measure.