Salt for Fleas

With all the anti-flea methods and products available, it’s interesting to note that one of the most efficient ways of dealing with fleas is to sprinkle salt on them. It seems effective and easy enough; but is it too easy? Is it really such a sure-fire solution to the flea problem, or is there a catch to it somewhere? And just how can something as unassuming as salt turn out to be so lethal?

The reason why salt is so deadly to fleas is that because they become dehydrated when they eat it, eventually killing them. To rid a room of fleas with the use of salt, the carpeting should be given a thorough vacuuming and then sprinkled with a substantial amount of salt on it. Left in the carpet for at least a day, it would be enough time for the fleas present to eat them all up. Do not allow pets into the room while the salting process is ongoing, as they may also be compelled to eat the salt. Also, the salt should not be left on the carpet for more than 2 days, so as not to absorb the carpet’s moisture, which would cause it to dry out.

After leaving the salted carpet for a day, it is then vacuumed once more, afterwards taking the vacuum bag, sealing it in an airtight garbage bag, and throwing it outside. This is so the flea eggs sucked in will not be given a chance to hatch, as when they hatch into larvae they can live inside the vacuum cleaner for a whole year. Adult fleas are capable of laying 15 up to 20 eggs for each day, and it only takes anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks for them to hatch. The fact of the matter is, while salt may be effective in killing fleas, it really has no effect on their larvae, as they can survive without nourishment for as long as a year.

It would then only be a matter of weeks or months before the flea larvae spin cocoons and eventually emerge from them as fully-mature fleas. So it is important to seek out the larvae before they mature, or else one will have to deal with another flea infestation months later. In order to prevent this, one would have to look for some other flea control product that does have an effect on larvae. Either that, or keep applying the salt treatment on a regular basis and hope to get rid of the fleas the moment that they emerge.

In lieu of salt, baking soda can also be employed in killing fleas using the same method. Also, aside from the household, one may want to keep their yard safe from fleas as well. If one is wary of using pesticides on their yard, the salt method can be done as well. However, with the presence of moisture and the possibility of the salt being eaten by other animals and insects, the process may not work as well when applied outside the house.