Some years ago, I hosted a talk show on health on a Palm Beach radio station. Someone called in, and wanted to know what to do about fleas, as she was violently allergic to the various poisons that people put on the back of the neck of their dogs. (Most dogs and cats dislike them as well.)
Years previously I had found a solution, so I gave it to her. Buy Boric Acid in a large “squeeze bottle”. It’s in a fine white poweder, and if you squeeze the plastic bottle, it comes out in a fine spray.
Begin by vacuuming the carpets particularly where a pet may lie or sleep. After a thorough vacuuming, go around squeezing the boric acid in a cloud all over the carpet. You’ll have to brush some of the excess into the carpet with your shoes, or a broom.
It will take a week or so, but after that, even with outdoor cats and dogs, you will find very few, or no fleas. Boric Acid is virtually harmless, to children, and your pets, but deadly to most insects.
Another thing that I discovered more recently, is a product sold at many health food stores. It’s a product made with mixing common yeast and garlic powder. Mix a half teaspoon or so into their food every day. Surprisingly, my cats love it mixed into canned tuna. I thought the garlic odor would be a problem, but it’s not.
This helps keep fleas at a distance outside. You might be able to barely smell the garlic on the skin of your pets if you smell closely. It’s also healthy as the yeast has B vitamins, and the garlic is a natural healthy food for man and beast.
Let’s look at cockroaches next. They’re the “survivors” for millions of years, and will probably survive after all humans have gone the way of the dinosaurs. No housewife likes them, and even most clean houses may have a few in hiding. In South Florida, we have flying cockroaches almost as big as mice, and lots of smaller ones also along with many other insects. Except for ants. Boric Acid works very well.
Boric Acid in the carpets, particularly around the edges and baseboards, keeps your pets pretty free. But, there are a few places where it pays to keep them out as well. Get a few beer bottle caps, and put a small amount of Boric Acid into these caps.
Put the Boric Acid caps into the corner of cupboards. If you have paper in the bottom of your kitchen drawers (or cabinet shelves), take up the
Paper, spray a small amount and replace paper. Don’t forget to spray the Boric Acid under the refrigerator, and the stove.
That night, the entire program was taken up with callers, some telling us how well this worked for them, or asking more questions. Several people called the next time the program was on to thank me and some of my listeners for the above advice.
Much later, I learned how to stop ants, including fire ants. Simply empty one or more “blue” packages of NutraSweet (Aspartame) onto the nest. The ant hills are gone by the next day usually. To prevent them from entering your home, sprinkle a few grains in the baseboards or any possible entry holes into your home. Aspartame seems to be a deadly poison to most insects, but particularly to ants.
If it’s that deadly to ants, what might it do to some susceptible humans? Many persons are allergic to it. Not everybody is even aware of this problem. Aspartame often causes headaches and other allergy symptoms. I never use Nutrisweet!
I hope that the above helps you to better health for you and your pets.
