How to Get Rid of Fleas With Lime
The constant battle against annoying and disease-carrying fleas has led to the creation of several techniques for killing the blood-sucking pests that live on domestic animals. One method is designed to kill fleas in your lawn before they have a chance to latch on to pets and catch a ride inside your house.
Instead of using a commercial pesticide, you can use a natural substance — lime — to eliminate fleas and their larvae from the grass. Breaking the life cycle of the fleas will prevent infestations from reoccurring.
Things You Will Need
- Garbage bag
- Agricultural lime
- Lawnmower
Tip
Continue to pick debris out of your yard to prevent the fleas from hiding. If you do not have agricultural lime, sprinkle boric acid evenly over the grass. Send a soil sample to your local county extension office so that it can help you determine how much lime to add. If you add too much lime to your yard, it can affect the soil pH level, which may cause disturbances with the growth of grass, trees and plants that prefer a more alkaline or neutral pH level.
Warning
Avoid walking in the yard until the lime settles into the soil. The white powder may stick to your shoes and your pet's paws. Avoid applying more than 35 lbs. of lime for every 1,000 square feet of lawn, because it will cause lime layers to form in the grass.
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Remove debris from your lawn. Rake away leaves and sticks and remove tall weeds. Fleas live in cool areas in the lawn and cannot survive in areas that receive direct sunlight. Place the debris in a garbage bag.
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Sprinkle agricultural lime over the yard evenly. The lime breaks the life cycle of the fleas because it dehydrates the fleas and larvae. Read the lime package to determine how much lime to add for each 1,000 square feet of your lawn. Pour the agricultural lime into a fertilizer spreader. Set the spreader to the dosage recommended by the lime package.
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Walk slowly while pushing the fertilizer spreader. Cover the lawn evenly with the agricultural lime.
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Water the lawn with one inch of water per week. Water the lawn regularly until you no longer see the white powder on the soil.
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Apply the agricultural lime again if you still have issues with fleas in your lawn. Always follow the recommended application on the lime package.
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Cut the grass to keep it short and eliminate hiding and breeding places for fleas.
The Drip Cap
- The constant battle against annoying and disease-carrying fleas has led to the creation of several techniques for killing the blood-sucking pests that live on domestic animals.
- One method is designed to kill fleas in your lawn before they have a chance to latch on to pets and catch a ride inside your house.
- Rake away leaves and sticks and remove tall weeds.
- Place the debris in a garbage bag.
- Water the lawn regularly until you no longer see the white powder on the soil.
References
Writer Bio
Angela LaFollette holds a Bachelor of Arts in advertising with a minor in political science from Marshall University. LaFollette found her passion for writing during an internship as a reporter for "The West Virginia Standard" in 2007. She has more than six years of writing experience and specializes in topics in garden and pets.
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