I had found a solution years ago, and I told it to her. Purchase a large “squeeze bottle” type plastic bottle of Boric Acid. It's in a fine powder, and if you point the snout down and squeeze the sides, it comes out in a puff of fine powder.

To start, vacuum the carpet(s) where your pets sleep, or, ideally the entire carpet in a house where all the floors are carpeted. After a thorough vacuuming, go around squeezing the boric acid in a cloud all over the carpet. You'll have to brush some of the excess into the carpet with your shoes, or a broom.

It will take a week or so, but after that, even with outdoors cats and dogs, you will find very few, or no fleas. Boric Acid is virtually harmless, to children, and your pets, but deadly to most insects.

Another thing that I discovered more recently, is a product sold at many health food stores. It's a product made with mixing common yeast and garlic powder. Mix a half teaspoon into their food every day. Surprisingly, my cats love it mixed into canned tuna. I thought the garlic odor would be a problem.

This helps keep fleas at a distance outside. If you “sniff” closely, you might be able to barely smell the garlic on the skin of your pets. It's also healthy as the yeast has B vitamins, and the garlic is a natural healthy food for man and beast.

Next, let's look at cockroaches. They're the “survivors” for millions of years, and will probably survive after all humans have gone the way of the dinosaurs. Every housewife hates them, and most houses have a few hidden away. (If you live in the South - I live in South Florida - you may be infested at times).

The Boric Acid in the carpets, particularly around the edges and baseboards will keep them mostly out of the house. But, there are a few places where it pays to keep them out as well. Get a few beer bottle caps, and put a small amount of Boric Acid into the bottom these caps.

Place the caps of Boric Acid into the corners of your cupboards. If you have paper in the bottom of your kitchen drawers (or cabinet shelves), take up the Paper, and do a small Boric Acid spray, then replace the paper.

Don't forget to spray the Boric Acid under the refrigerator, and the stove.

That night, the entire program was taken up with callers, some telling us how well this worked for them, or asking more questions. Several people called the next time the program was on to thank me and some of my listeners for the above advice.

Much later, I learned how to stop ants, including fire ants. Simply empty one or more “blue” packages of NutraSweet (Aspartame) onto the nest. The next day, the ant hills are gone. To prevent them from entering your home, sprinkle a few grains in the baseboards or any possible entry holes into your home. Aspartame seems to be a deadly poison to most insects, but particularly to ants.

If it's that deadly to ants, what might it do to some susceptible humans? There are a lot of allergic persons who have had problems with it. Most are unaware that this is a problem. It often causes headaches in fact.

I hope that the above helps you to better health for you and your pets.