Home remedies for fleas you have to try

I have tried everything, but no matter what I do to get rid of the fleas in my house, sometimes I still find some. You don’t have to suffer like I have though with some homemade remedies for fleas that will stop these pests from bothering you or your pet.

The 10 Best Home Remedies for Fleas

How do I get rid of those nasty pests everywhere? (Otherwise known as fleas?) We can’t say how many times we’ve thought that exact same thing. It’s not an easy process, but at least you don’t need to resort to harsh chemical remedies all the time. There are homemade ways to get rid of fleas that will neither break the bank nor break your back. If you’ve looked online already, you’re probably feeling a little overwhelmed with all the options available. That’s why we’ve composed a list of the 10 best natural remedies for fleas that will help you clean out your home and clean up your pet.

I Can Trap Fleas?

We’ve all heard of ant traps or animal traps, but what about flea traps? Sure, you can kill fleas by washing your pet with dishwashing soap, but you can kill them in your whole house by catching them with it!
– At night, get a bowl or a plate in each of your rooms.
– Fill them with warm water.
– Add maybe a capful of dishwashing liquid.
– Put a tea candle in it or nearby if using a bowl and light them up.

The fleas will jump to their death in the dishwashing liquid. All you need to do is empty it out in the morning. Yes, it is as surprisingly easy as it sounds. Make sure you are mindful of the fire, especially if you’re going to bed.

Just a Little Vinegar

It may sound a little picky, but fleas don’t like to snack on your dog if their pH isn’t balanced. So what natural remedies on dogs can you use to mess up this balance without harming your pet? Apple cider vinegar can do the trick with ease!

– Feed your dog half a teaspoon per 25 pounds.
– Test their urine to make sure you haven’t harmed their pH- it should be between 6.2 and 6.5

You can also use a spray involving apple cider vinegar with these simple ingredients:
– 4oz of hot water.
– 6oz of apple cider vinegar.
– 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt.
– Mix it all in a spray bottle and you’re good to go!

Video: Home Remedies for Fleas? Do you have any? FAN FRIDAY #104

Spray your dog weekly and be careful of the eyes or any scratches. There are a few more homemade ways to get rid of fleas too, involving:
– A gallon of vinegar.
– A 1/2 gallon of water.
– 16oz of lemon juice.
– 8oz of witch hazel.

Spray them every week for a few weeks and you should see results!

Related: Read about spotting Flea Dirt in this article

Easy Oils!

The use of essential oils is actually said to be one of the most effective natural pet remedies for getting rid of fleas. A lot of people swear by it. Citronella oil is one of the best and safest at home remedies that will repel not only fleas, but other insects too using:
– 20 drops of citronella.
– 10 drops of tea tree oil.
– 10 of lemongrass.
– 5 of geranium.
– 1 gallon of warm water.

Mix it all together, and after vacuuming of course, mop all the flooring in your house. After a few days, once a week mopping should be fine.

Lavender, lemon, palmarosa, cedar, eucalyptus, clary sage, and peppermint can be used too. Rose geranium oil is ok for dogs with a few drops on their collar, but never use it on cats. Most of these oils won’t work well for cats since they spend so much time grooming.
Finally, you can also use cedar-based oil that you dilute with water. Put a capful in a spray bottle and mist your dogs with it. This oil works a little better for cats, and you can also sponge your dog with a mixture, but as always, be careful not to use too much.

Diatomaceous Earth (What is it?)

Admittedly, we hadn’t heard of this one before we did a little research. Diatomaceous earth is a non-toxic powder used commonly to destroy flea eggs before they become problematic adults. Diatomaceous earth can’t really be used on things you can’t vacuum though. Just like in the natural spray recipes we discuss later, you’ll need to wash everything impossible to vacuum in very hot water.
When you use it, just spread it in your yard or in your home before vacuuming after two days. Be careful not to buy DE that’s for pools though- that’s toxic!

Don’t be a fruitcake! Use a Little Citrus.

Do you have an extra lemon just sitting around your home? Citrus from a lemon or orange can actually be used as a repellent for fleas. Just lightly rub a little juice onto your pet’s fur, but not too much. Always be aware that the oil in these fruits can actually be toxic to your pet if too much is ingested, and can cause skin irritation if you rub on too much.

Salt and boric acid can be used in a similar way thanks to the way they dehydrate the flea’s bodies:
– Get some salt of your own (how much depends on the amount of area you need to cover).
– Grind it up into a powder.
– Then just put it in some kind of shaker and sprinkle it over your carpets.

Leave it there for up to two full days before you vacuum to find your home flea free.

Flea Spray Recipes

Remember how we said that citrus was a good way to repel fleas? Well that’s why it’s one of the main ingredients often used in flea repellent.

All you need for this simple mist is:
– A sliced lemon.
– 2 sprigs of rosemary.
– 1 of sage.
– 1 quart of water- that’s it!

Just mix everything together with the boiling water and let it steep covered overnight. Strain it and refrigerate it in the morning and you’ll have a natural pet remedy that lasts up to two weeks.

Video: Flea Control : Home Remedy to Get Rid of Fleas

That’s not the only available herbal flea spray to you though. With a spray that’s safe for both pets and kids, grab your ingredients:
– A gallon of vinegar.
– 1/2 gallon of water.
– 500ml of lemon juice.
– 250ml of witch hazel.
– Some kind of sprayer.

Mix it all together and use this tick and flea remedy to spray your home after vacuuming. Make sure to vacuum properly though, and put everything into your washer on the hottest setting to kill any existing fleas.

If you want to get rid of fleas, spray your home for 2-7 days. If you want to keep the fleas away, repeat every 3-4 days and once a week in flea season.

Wash the Pet

This is probably the most obvious natural remedy for fleas, but hey, it actually works! Fleas don’t often hold onto your pet, so washing them will cause them to slide off and drown. Just remember to wash them thoroughly, and to brush them afterwards too!

Clean your Home like Never Before

We know this is another obvious one, but we so often miss the important places that fleas can hide when we clean up. When we say clean, we mean everywhere. Throw furniture covers in the wash, disinfect floors, vacuum all over, and dump out the canister when you’re done since those pesky bugs might still be alive in there. Steam cleaning the carpets can help too, along with once a week vacuuming.

Introduce a Natural Predator

If you want to keep fleas out of your house, the best way is to keep them out of your yard! Ever heard of nematodes? Well, these are actually the natural predator of fleas. They’re basically small worms that eat flea larva and are easy to buy at stores, but that aren’t the harmful type like heartworms. Fire ants and ladybugs can work too, although nematodes might be a little easier to control.

Mid-March and April is the best time for this treatment. It’s simple too! Add water to the package and spray them in your yard. Use them quickly though since they are actually living. They can’t kill your fleas if they’re not alive to eat them!

Related: Top 5 Best Flea and Tick Treatments

Garlic (It repels more than Vampires)

Just like citrus, fleas don’t like garlic either. You may want to focus this homemade spray on your yard though when you send your pet outside. It might be a little strange to have your home smelling like garlic after all. All you need are:
– 8 heads of chopped garlic,
– A gallon of hot water.

Put all the garlic in a large soup pan and pour your water in. Then just cover it and let it steep for 12 hours before you strain it and spray it. Make sure you spray lightly though!

Garlic can also be fed to your dog too. Be mindful that it can hurt your dog if you give them excessive amounts. Just give them 1/4 of a clove for every 10 pounds and 1/8 if they weigh even less than that. Don’t give them any more than two cloves a day, to be safe.

Video: 9 Home Remedies For Killing Fleas

Why should you use harsh chemicals and pay a whole bunch when you have natural remedies for fleas right at your fingertips? It might seem impossible to prevent fleas, and even more impossible to keep them away, but rest assured that these 10 tips can keep both your pet and your home flea free! With some cleaning and spray, you won’t need to worry about fleas or their eggs lying around any longer.

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