Owning a pet might be a great thing, but it also means that your furry friends are susceptible to catching fleas. Fleas depend on your pets’ blood for nourishment, and this further often leads to more health problems for them. These issues can also transfer to you, leading to even bigger health and financial issues.
However, in most cases, you may not need to call an exterminator for a flea problem. This is especially true when the problem is not really severe yet. There are natural ways to deal with this nuisance without having to get extra help from pest control services. This article will outline some of them.
The beauty of this is that the ingredients required to make these natural remedies are readily available and affordable. Here is a list of natural remedies for getting rid of fleas:
Table of Contents
Home remedies for fleas
Diatomaceous earth
This non-toxic, fine powder is an excellent natural remedy when it comes to dealing with fleas. Its dehydrating properties make the fleas to die from lack of moisture. In thin layers, sprinkle it over areas with high flea activity, then leave it to sit for two days. Then, vacuum the house properly and dispose of the dirt.
Flea spray
This herbal remedy can be made from non-toxic products inside your home, and is, therefore, not harmful around children and pets. To go about this, follow the procedure below:
- Mix 4l vinegar. 2l water. 500 ml lemon juice and 250ml of witch hazel, then place the mixture in a large spray bottle.
- Ensure the house is properly cleaned and vacuumed, empty trash bins and wash infested bedding and cushions.
- Spray the mixture in areas of your house, including on furniture, floors, and bedding.
Dish Soap
For this remedy, you need to create a flea trap with dish soap and water. To do this, you should fill a bowl with a mixture of dish soap and warm water, then place it in rooms that are hit most with the flea infestation. This solution is sticky, which traps the fleas with its viscosity. Use a fresh batch daily.
For the best results, carry out this procedure at night, since fleas are nocturnal.
Baking soda
You should know that vacuuming your house is a major step in getting rid of flea. This simple but effective action detaches the fleas from your furniture and carpets. All in all, to increase this effectiveness, baking soda comes in handy.
Sprinkle some baking soda along the surface of your furniture, mats and carpets, then rub it in using a hard brush. Afterward, you should thoroughly vacuum the whole house and empty the dirt outside and far from the house to prevent fleas from finding their way back in.
Lemon spray
Besides being a good antidote for wasp stings, lemon is a great way of dealing with a flea problem. You should, therefore, make a citrus spray and use it on your infested furniture. Follow this procedure:
- Slice a lemon thinly.
- Place the slice in a pint of water and boil it.
- After letting the solution sit overnight, put it in a spray bottle and use it on infested areas in the house, including the bedding of your pets. You only need to dampen, not soak.
Rosemary
Rosemary is good for flea control, depending on how you use it. The method we shall talk about involves making a powder from the herb, and is done in the following steps:
- Into a mortar, place the rosemary, some wormwood, rue, fennel, and peppermint. Crush the contents with a pestle until a powder is formed. Sprinkle the same on furniture, pet bedding, carpets, windowsills, and any other areas suspected of flea activity.
Salt
Another great flea remedy that goes with vacuuming the house is using salt. It kills adult fleas with the help of its dehydrating properties.
Take some finely ground salt and sprinkle it all over mats, carpets, and rugs. Leave the salt for one or two days, vacuum the house thoroughly, then empty the contents of the vacuum cleaner in a trash can away from the house.
Flea-repelling plants
There are specific plants that help with repelling fleas, therefore saving you and your pets a lot of trouble. Some plants contain some specific compounds, oils, and chemicals that fleas cannot stand. You can plant these in your home’s flowerbeds and flowerpots and discourage the fleas from coming inside the house early enough. Some of these plants sharing these repelling properties include lavender. Chrysanthemums, Pennyroyal, and spearmint.
Final Thoughts
If you want to know whether or not your dog has fleas, the first sign you will probably notice is the itching. Your dog will be scratching itself frequently. When you part the fur, you may observe the fleas scampering through it, especially in areas like the ears, inner thighs, groin, and base of the tail. Tiny black crumbs that resemble black pepper may also be stuck to the coat. This is flea waste.
Keep in mind that humans, too, are susceptible to getting fleas. At the end of the day, fleas are simply blood-sucking creatures that feed on warm-blooded mammals, so humans are no exception. Even though our pets are the most affected by fleas, we can also fall victim.
Fleas do not like strong odors such as those of lavender, eucalyptus, clove, citrus, peppermint and citronella. While these scents will not kill the fleas, they will be effective in repelling them because they cannot stand the smell. Consider getting a cedar bed for your dog since the scent irritates fleas.
Also, rubbing alcohol kills fleas when they come into contact with it. This, however, is not recommended as a good way of dealing with a flea problem because alcohol can be toxic to your pets. Their skin is delicate and can easily absorb the alcohol which, if consumed in large enough amounts, could be fatal.
If all these attempts at getting rid of the fleas do not succeed, you might have a serious infestation on your hands. It might be time to call in the big guns. Your exterminator will be in the best position to let you know what you can do to help deal with the problem.
