As you might expect, TikTok is full of clever home and yard hacks that do not always work. If you want to get rid of fleas naturally on your yard with hydrogen peroxide, this TikTok hack probably will not work.
The video says that spraying hydrogen peroxide on your yard will stop fleas, ticks, gnats, and mosquitoes from coming back and their eggs from hatching.
It sounds great that you could get rid of four of the worst pests we deal with using a cleaner that you probably already have in your kitchen or laundry room. But these claims are not really backed up by science.
In the meantime, the EPA says that hydrogen peroxide can only be used in fields to kill microbes on crops. It is used to get rid of germs and fungi that cause disease, but not bugs.
There are not any insecticides made from hydrogen peroxide, but there is some proof that it can kill insects and their eggs. The ways it worked, though, are not really something you could do at home.
Of course, regular hydrogen peroxide probably will not hurt your yard, and it probably will not get rid of fleas and other bugs either.
Hydrogen peroxide works, but not the way TikTok claims
Different types and amounts of hydrogen peroxide have been tested to see if they can kill insects. Most of these tests have been done on mosquitoes, fungus gnats, fruit flies, and other common bugs. In general, those tests did show that hydrogen peroxide could kill insect eggs, larvae, and sometimes even adults.
What is the catch? The only ways most of them got those effects were by using immersion or fumigation. One study in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology found that hydrogen peroxide gas could kill mosquitoes and other pests, but only at very high levels and after being exposed to it for several hours.
Fumigating your lawn is expensive, could be dangerous, and should only be done by a trained expert. It is not really the quick and easy flea-killing hack that TikTok says it is.
Another study from the Research Journal of Parasitology found that hydrogen peroxide killed roundworm eggs very well. But in this case, the eggs were in the solution for 24 hours, which is again not something that is easy to do at home.
Some sources say that spraying insects with diluted hydrogen peroxide can kill them right away, but spraying will not get to the eggs hidden below the soil’s surface. In the best case, you will have to deal with another wave of pests when those eggs hatch.
Also read:-Grow The Adorable Cape Sundew With Your Houseplants For Natural Pest Control
Alternative flea control options that work
You might not get rid of fleas and other pests in your yard by spraying it with hydrogen peroxide, but there are other things you can do. To begin, if you have a severe flea problem, you may need to use an exterminator just once to get rid of them.
You should make sure that the insecticide you choose says on the package that it kills fleas before you use it on your yard. Then, pay attention to the places fleas like to hide, like porches, crawl spaces, and shady, safe areas under trees and bushes.
Finally, make sure you follow the advice on the package, which should include any follow-up treatments that are suggested to kill any eggs that have already hatched.
After that, you can work on ways to keep them from coming back into your yard. The CDC says that the best way to do that is to mow often and not water too much. The grass will be less wet and get more sun, which are both things fleas do not like.
If birds or other wild animals are bringing fleas into your yard, a simple fence will keep the animals that carry the fleas away. If you can not build a fence, try making your yard less appealing to animals by putting lids on your trash cans and taking away any pet food bowls that are outside.