How to Kill Fleas With Lime Pellets

Preparing the Soil

• Remove debris, leaves and anything else that covers the moist lawn, using a shovel or rake. Raking also lightly tills the soil, bringing fleas and their eggs to the surface. If necessary, mow the lawn to ensure that the product reaches the fleas and their eggs. Don’t bother sprinkling the lime on areas that are exposed to full sun or don’t have moisture issues. This soil isn’t moist enough to harbor fleas and doesn’t require treatment.

Before You Spread

• Slip on a pair of rubber gloves, safety goggles, a long-sleeved shirt and a dust mask before handling the lime pellets. Use pellets that are labeled either “hydrated” or “agricultural,” and avoid any products intended for construction. Construction-grade lime won’t absorb enough moisture from the soil and won't be effective.

Spreading the Lime

• Sprinkle a heavy layer of the pellet lime onto the ground. The lime pulls the moisture from the soil, which causes the fleas and their eggs to dry out and perish. Sprinkle the lime pellets on the moist soil every three to four months or as needed. The lime might require reapplication after heavy precipitation or whenever the moisture content of the soil rises again.

Caution

• Avoid using hydrated lime pellets on lawns with flowers that require acid-rich soil. Those plants include magnolia, azaleas and ferns. The lime alters the soil’s pH, making it unsuitable for the plants to thrive. Also wear a long-sleeved shirt, hat, dust mask, work gloves and safety goggles while you're applying the lime to prevent skin or eye irritation.