Things You'll Need
Pyrethrum flea spray
Horticultural of food-grade diatomaceous earth
Carbon dioxide trap
Fleas and ticks are not only a bothersome problem, but a dangerous one, too. If you find that your yard or home have been infested with fleas and ticks, it is important to act quickly. Yours and your pet's safety may be at stake.
Step 1
Treat your pet with a topical flea and tick medicine that your veterinarian recommends.
Video of the Day
Step 2
Treat the interior of your home with any brand of flea and tick spray that contains the active ingredient pyrethrum, which is nontoxic and derived from chrysanthemums. Thoroughly vacuum the floor. Then immediately remove the vacuum bag, place it in a plastic bag, tie the plastic bag shut and throw it away outside.
Step 3
Manicure your lawn. Fleas love dark, moist areas under piled leaves and in overgrown grass. Keep your lawn free of debris, get rid of weeds, and keep the grass short. This will leave fleas with few places to live and breed, as they cannot tolerate direct sunlight. Also, make sure that your yard is properly sealed so that stray or wild animals cannot enter and bring fleas.
Step 4
Treat your yard for fleas. The best, nontoxic flea killer out there is diatomaceous earth (DE). DE is a natural material made of the crushed fossils of aquatic organisms. The sharp edges slice through the bodies of flea adults, larvae and eggs, causing their death. Sprinkle DE on your yard every two months.
Step 5
Treat your yard for ticks. The most effective way to kill ticks in your yard is to use a carbon-dioxide trap. Ticks find their prey by the carbon dioxide that they emit. This trap allows you to trap and kill them without coating your yard with noxious chemicals. As an added bonus, carbon-dioxide traps attract and kill mosquitoes too.
Warning
Do not use the pool-filtering grade DE that can often be found in your local hardware store.
Video of the Day