Hey there! Interesting question.
Short Answer:
No, baking soda won’t kill fleas on bathroom surfaces, or anywhere else. To control fleas in a bathroom: launder and dry any mats/rugs, and then vacuum around any cracks or crevices on the floor. Restrict pet access to the bathroom to prevent more fleas in the room.
Long Answer:
I searched through my sources, and online, for information related to baking soda and flea control. I only found two credible sources.
1) The first is Biorational Approaches to Flea (Siphonaptera:Pulicidae) Suppression: Present and Future. Here’s the section mentioning baking soda (sodium bicarbonate):
Although larval rearing media treated with 2%-5% sodium bicarbonate was not toxic to flea larvae, media containing 2%-5% calcium carbonate killed 85%-88% of larvae (Rust & Reierson, unpublished data).
2) The second source is an EPA page on biopesticides, but it doesn’t mention fleas. This page states:
For example, canola oil and baking soda have pesticidal applications and are considered biopesticides.
However, this EPA page mentions that many biopesticides are microbial pesticides, used to kill bacteria, fungi, and other micro-organisms. This appears to be the case with baking soda. A google scholar search for baking soda pesticide comes up with results related to killing fungi and protecting plants from mold.
Other sources mentioning using baking soda for flea control are uncited websites and self-help books. The information is unfounded. I think they may be untruthfully appealing to people looking for natural pest control solutions.
Luckily, killing fleas in bathrooms shouldn’t be too difficult or require chemicals. Adult fleas live exclusively on animals. Developing fleas (eggs, larvae, and pupae) live in the environment. Over 80% of larvae will found at the base of carpeting, often in bedrooms and living rooms. The immature stages will be concentrated in areas where pets rest, because this is where eggs fall.
Bathroom floors and surfaces aren’t good places for flea development. Few fleas will be able to survive on tile or linoleum floors. If they do, they’ll be found in cracks and crevices in the flooring or baseboards. They may also develop on bathroom rugs.
To survive, flea larvae need food available in the form on feces from adult fleas (flea dirt). This feces falls from pets along with eggs when the animal grooms itself. Bathrooms aren’t a primary location for this to occur, but it’s possible.
To kill fleas in bathrooms, launder any bathroom rugs in a washing machine and then dry in the dryer. Then, use a vacuum cleaner to thoroughly remove any debris from the bathroom floor. Be sure to use the nozzle attachment to reach any cracks in the flooring, as crevices are the most likely place to find fleas. Unless a dog or cat jumps on the counter or sink, it’s unlikely that immature fleas will be anywhere but the floor.
After completing these steps, close the bathroom door, even when it’s not in use. This will restrict pets from accessing the bathroom, so additional eggs won’t be dropped there. The bathroom will remain flea-free while you deal with the infestation.
Hope this helps!
Adam
