Does Putting Lime on a Lawn Kill Fleas?

Every time you take your dog or cat outside, you risk your pet coming back inside with fleas. The fleas feed off the pet's blood, and even one flea can lead to an infestation. The fleas settle into your pet's bedding and other areas of your house. Before the fleas become a larger problem, kill the pests in your yard. Lime on your lawn will kill the fleas, but for maximum results, combine the lime with another method.

Hydrated lime is effective at killing fleas because it dehydrates the fleas, which leads to their eventual death. The product is typically used to kill and repel pests on farms and other large tracts of land. It kills not only fleas, but it also kills and repels beetles, squash bugs and aphids. The lime works by killing both the fleas and the eggs laid by the insects, helping to prevent the recurrence of flea outbreaks.

Use only hydrated lime, which is available from lawn and garden stores. Mow your grass as you normally would and apply a thin layer of lime to the grass. Spread the lime out with a rake or garden tool, reaching all areas of the lawn. If you have any fallen leaves or tree limbs, remove those first. The fleas can hide inside these piles, making it nearly impossible to kill all of the pests.

Before using hydrated lime on all areas of your yard, test a small area. While it's effective at killing fleas, it can also damage the grass, flowers and other plant life in the surrounding area. If you're concerned about the lime killing your grass, hire a professional to perform a soil test. The test measures the acidity of the soil. If your soil is highly acidic, the lime can make the acid even worse and kill the plant life.

Use hydrated lime in combination with bug bombs or foggers, especially if you have problems with fleas inside your house. The foggers contain concentrated levels of chemicals that reach the hidden areas, nooks and crannies of your house, killing the fleas and the eggs. Depending on the severity of your infestation, you may need to throw away your pet's bedding. Consider using a flea collar or flea spray on your pet regularly and having your pet dipped for fleas at least once a year.