Natural Flea Control Remedies for Pets

Create a Natural Citrus Repellant against Fleas

Natural flea control doesn’t get more organic than this. All you need for a homemade citrus repellant is to cut a lemon into quarters and then boil in a pan with 3 to 4 cups of water for about 30 minutes. Afterwards, simply strain the concoction and let it cool. Once it is cold enough for application, you can either use a spray bottle to spray it onto your pet’s coat, or use a clean sponge to lightly coat the fur. This method seems very simple but is actually a very effective and gentle way to organically control fleas. Many professional dog groomers use this method exclusively to protect their dogs’ well groomed fur. One thing to note is that while cats hate the scent of citrus, this natural flea remedy is safe for cats as well.

Using Flea Combs to Remove Live Fleas

A flea comb is the most basic tool for flea control. Flea combs are different from other combs in that they have very fine comb teeth (usually 36 teeth per inch) which are very effective in trapping and removing fleas. Fleas combs are cheap as well and you can get a very high quality MiracleCoat Flea Comb on Amazon for cheap. Regardless of what method you choose to remove fleas from your pet, you are going to need a flea comb.

Natural Flea Control Remedies for Carpet and Flooring

Vinegar, Lemon Juice and Witch Hazel Solution to Kill Fleas in Carpets

This method is a very cheap and effective method, but requires a vacuum cleaner with a fresh bag, along with a home/garden sprayer. Garden sprayers are actually quite cheap and easy to use; we recommend the Chapin 20020 SureSpray 2-Gallon Sprayer which can be purchased for only $20 with free shipping. Once you have your home and garden spray, your carpets (and house in general) will be safe from fleas for life.

After acquiring your sprayer, you just need to fill it with this home remedy for fleas:
- 1 Gallon Vinegar (apple cider vinegar preferred)
- 1/2 Gallon Water
- 16oz Lemon Juice
- 8 oz Witch Hazel
*Note* There are a lot of variations on this recipe, but this one contains the most natural ingredients

Once your sprayer is ready for action, vacuum the floors thoroughly and commence spraying a heavy mist (not a stream) onto carpets, bedding, sofas, window sills and floors; pretty much anywhere your pet hangs out. This spray is non-toxic and inexpensive and should be repeated every 12 hours for the first two days, after which you can proceed to spray only once a week during the flea season.

Drowning Fleas with a Flea Trap

This method can be quite effective and satisfying as you will visibly be able to see the removal of fleas in your house. For this method you will need to take a saucer or bowl and fill it with liquid dish soap and then place it on the middle of the carpet infested with fleas at night. Then take a reading lamp or other source of bright light and place it directly above the bowl (as pictured at the beginning of this page). Because fleas are intrinsically attracted to light, they will jump towards the bright light only to fall into the bowl of liquid soap and drown. The downsides of this method is that it is slower (usually taking two weeks or longer for complete riddance) than more aggressive forms of flea control, but at least you don’t have to spray anything on your carpet! The other negative is the fact that you have to keep your pet away from the bowl so that your pet doesn’t try to drink the soap. For this reason you should consider using a commercial flea trap, which are still natural as many do not use poison but rather a glue to trap the fleas. The Victor M230 Ultimate Flea Trap on Amazon is an excellent flea trap that is also pet safe.

While natural and organic flea control is obviously the safest for your home and pets, you should at least be aware of the other more powerful forms of flea control involving chemicals. There is a slight trade off of safety for effectiveness, but the additional risks are often not that much more than natural flea remedies. We recommend you check out our home remedies for fleas page along with our flea removal tools page. Whatever route you choose, know that the Earth thanks you for at least thinking of natural flea control.

Using Heat to Remove a Tick

The most traditional home remedy to remove ticks is to simply use a lighter and burn the exposed area of the tick, which will often make it remove its clench on the skin. This is an effective method as if the tick is killed (and it most likely will be) it will not leave any remnants of its sucker in the skin. The great thing about this method is that pretty much any zippo or cheap lighter can work, but if you want to be very precise you can use a long nosed lighter, or even heat up a small piece of metal (like say the end of a tweezer) and apply the head that way. Here is youtube video explaining the process:

Use Tea Tree Oil to Remove a Tick

Tea tree oil is a well known and powerful antibacterial astringent; fortunately, tea tree oil is also an amazing and natural tool in removing ticks. Simply apply a generous amount of tea tree oil to a cotton q-tip and then brush it against the tick. Chances are that the tick will jump right off, but most likely not be dead, so be sure to catch and dispose of it afterwards. Using tea tree oil to remove ticks is like a two for one deal: not only will tea tree oil a great home remedy for removing the actual tick, but it is great at cleaning the left-over wound afterwards!

If you are unsure about the difference between fleas and tickets, please check out our fleas and ticks page for a detailed comparison.

*Disclaimer* These home remedies for fleas are based upon circulating knowledge from various pet websites and forums, are purely for academic purposes only. Use at your own risk.

Home Remedies for Removing Fleas from Pets

Using Lavender Shampoo to Get Rid of Fleas

Lavender is a well known insect repellant, which is why it is a common ingredient in many types of commercial mosquito repellant sprays and lotions. You can use this fact to your advantage by using a lavender based shampoo to kill any fleas currently residing in your pet’s fur, or even your own hair! Washing hair regularly with lavender shampoo also works as a great preventative measure for fleas. And best of all, it smells great and no one will even know that the shampoo is specifically for fleas! Cloud Star’s Buddy Wash Original Lavender & Mint 2 in 1 Shampoo + Conditioner is a terrific shampoo for this job, and is highly recommended.

Effective and Cheaper Alternative to Frontline/Advantage for Pets

Frontline and Advantage are the two most popular choice for flea preventing on pets, but both are very costly, especially if you have a number of pets. A cheaper and just as effective alternative would be to apply Bayer Tree and Shrub Insect Control using a Q-tip to the shoulder blades of your pet (all the way down to skin, not just on top of the fur), just as you would with Advantage. Usually about a small amount of around apply a small amount like 10ml (about a teaspoon) is enough for one dog. The Bayer Tree and Shrub Insect Control is safe for use with pets and can be purchased in a large bottle for only $20 at walmart. Do NOT get the Bayer Tree and Shrub: Protect and Feed as it contains fertilizer, which some claim that the fertilizer version is poisonous. The correct Bayer Tree and Shrub’s picture is shown above. If you would like to try this alternative flea treatment out for your pet, we highly recommend that you first do a Google search of Bayer Tree and Shrub for Dogs for more information.

Using Liquid Dish Detergent to Kill Fleas on Pets

Liquid dish detergents in general are very effective in killing off fleas, but we specifically recommend Dawn’s dish detergent for washing pets, as that is what many animal rescue organizations use. Bathing your pet, or even your own hair, with Dawn’s dish detergent can be a safe and effective method for killing off fleas. This approach is most commonly used for dogs, but if you think you can handle washing your cat, just be sure to wash off the soap well afterwards. Do not wash your pet more than once a week or else it may be over drying!

Here are some easy steps for using dish detergent to washing your pet:

Tools Needed:
-Flea Comb
-Dawn Dish Detergent
-Towels
-Buckets (or shower head)
-Small wash rag
-Oatmeal Pet Shampoo or Pet Fur Conditioner (used afterwards)

1) Place your pet in a bath tub of warm water
2) Wet your pet’s fur with clean water
3) Lather the detergent onto your pet’s fur, taking note of the head, neck, ears and face, as that is where many fleas will migrate to when you start the wash
4) Squeeze a SINGLE drop of dish detergent on your finger and very carefully massage it into the pet’s face, avoiding the eyes
5) Continue to massage the fur of your pet for a good 5 minutes, allowing the active ingredients of the soap to kill off any lingering fleas.
6) Comb through the lathered soap with the special flea comb to remove any dead fleas, along with any lingering alive fleas, which should be pushed to the soap water to drown
7) Allow the dirty water to drain while rinsing your pet with the bucket filled with warm water, along with using a wet wash rag to clean any soap from the face.
Finally, dry off your pet with a towel.

At this point keep in mind that in the process of cleaning your pet, you have stripped its skin and fur of its natural oil. To re-balance this you can either apply a pet conditioner or rewash your pet in an oatmeal pet shampoo to add moisture back to its skin/fur.

Home Remedies for Removing Fleas from Humans

Using Calamine Lotion to Treat Flea Bites

If you have a heavy infestation of fleas in your house, there is a good chance you also have issues of fleas on humans. Calamine lotion is a very gentle topical for irritated skin and is great for soothing the itchiness of flea bites. While it is not recommend for use on a pet (as the pet may lick it off), it is a great way to treat flea bites on humans. The natural of the calamine lotion even helps reduce the appearance of the bite marks!

Garlic as a Home Remedy for Fleas

Garlic is a controversial topic among the animal world, and there is always a lot of debate between pet owners whether garlic is safe for dogs and cats. Interestingly, a lot of high authority organizations claim that garlic is perfectly fine and a natural and organic form of flea control, but many other organizations believe that garlic is highly toxic to pets. One thing though is for sure; garlic repels fleas, and humans can eat garlic. That being said, if you eat a good amount of raw garlic, the fleas will stay far away from you, along with humans as well.

Home Remedies for Removing Fleas from Household Areas and Carpets

Using Pool Water to Kill Fleas

Assuming you don’t live in some remote part of the world, chances are there are at least a couple of local swimming pools nearby. And fortunately, pool water is an effective measure to destroying flea infestations due to the chlorine. This means you can simply spray pool water directly onto carpets infested with fleas to kill them quick and effectively. However, this is something that should be done fairly regularly like twice a day if you truly want to rid your house of a flea infestation. And if you happen to have fleas on yourself due to your pet, you can simply take a dip in the pool and relieve yourself of any lingering fleas.

Spraying Vinegar, Lemon Juice and Witch Hazel on Carpet

Spraying a mixture of these organic yet powerful astringents will make fleas die very quickly, and fortunately, it is safe enough to spray everywhere; even bedding and clothes! Be sure to check out our page on natural flea control to see an in-depth guide for this solution.

And there you have it; the collection of everyone’s secret home remedies for fleas.

The best treatment for your cat or kitten is spot treatment. It is a liquid chemical that is put between your cats shoulder blades behind its neck. You need to be very careful on the placement because if the cat is able to scratch it, it will likely clean its paws and get the chemical in its mouth, causing it to foam alarmingly.

One of the best treatments for cats, and the top vet recommended product, is Frontline. This over the counter flea control product kills a hundred percent of fleas within forty-eight hours after you put it on the cat. On top of killing the adult fleas, it also kills all other life stages of fleas, breaking the cycle completely and freeing your cat from that terrible parasite.

Frontline contains fipronil, which spreads through the body oils, killing fleas usually within the first twenty-four hours. You can also buy Frontline Plus which contains (s)-methoprene. That chemical is a growth regular which prevents any insects or parasites from maturing and reproducing.

Due to the fact that it is chemicals being used on your animal, you should follow all of the directions to the tee and make sure your cat is the proper age and weight. Never use dog flea treatment on cats, even if you barely use a drop. It contains different chemicals at different strengths and can cause neurological problems.

Frontline is an excellent method of treatment for fleas because it works almost immediately. Right from when you first apply it, you will see your cat begin scratching and twitching because the fleas are beginning to die. This product works for a full thirty days, and can be reapplied each month. Although if your animal remains indoors at all times, it might not even need to be applied that often.

The spot treatment is one of the best methods because it is fast, efficient, reliable, and vet tested. All of those other products, such as shampoos and combs and powders, are not as useful with cats. It is difficult to bath a cat and causes a lot of stress for both the owner and the cat itself when you force the poor guy or gal into the water and have to wash it down. Also, flea baths need to be repeated until all of the fleas are gone, meaning that that terrifying experience for the cat will need to be done several times.

Treatment depends on your cat and the severity of the flea infestation. If you are unsure you can always consult your local vet for expert advice as they are used to dealing with those types of situations.

Fleas are built for blood sucking. That is their life substance and how they survive and procreate. They have a saliva that they secret so that when it bites down into the flesh of its host it cannot feel it and it can feast without disturbance. Unfortunately some hosts, especially humans, are allergic to this saliva. As a result of that allergy, which can vary in severity from host to host, the fleas leave a small raised bump that can become infuriatingly itchy. These parasites must have a host to survive and unfortunately any warm blooded mammal or even bird can fall prey to its ferocious feeding habits.

Most people, when they think of fleas, are used to dealing with them on their cat or dog because that is the most common issue we have with fleas. In truth, fleas are a nuisance to a wide variety of animals and it is because of that fact that they are prevalent in the spread of viruses and diseases. Just a short list of the animals that are affected: cats, dogs, birds, squirrels, deer, gerbils, hamsters, humans, rats, mice, horses, raccoons, hamsters. Basically anything with warm blood is at risk and the flea will try to feed off of it if it gets the chance.

Unfortunately for us fleas are experts at what they do. They are hard to kill, procreate fast, are extremely mobile, and can survive a long time without the precious blood that they seek. Their prey consists of a large variety of animals and birds and every precaution should be taken when you are bringing a new pet into your house. Also make sure if you rescue a wild animal to keep it outdoors, the fleas that it probably has on it may be carrying a disease and could create serious issues for you and whatever else is living in your house.

There are so many carpets in your house and walking on them is now a death trap. The fleas are everywhere and unfortunately for you; your wallet is not as deep as you would hope it would be. Treating your lovable, pest harboring animal is already going to cost you, and thinking about the cost of a hiring a professional to come take care of the house infestation makes you nauseous. So you need an alternative.

Carpet shampoo for flea control is one of the best methods to treat an infestation in a heavily carpeted house, and one of the cheapest. So you can’t afford expensive foggers and professional exterminators, that does not mean you need to live with this horrible blood sucker. In fact carpet shampoo is a preferred method for those with a tight wallet. It is completely free of those dangerous chemicals that can harm your beloved pets. Its specific target is fleas of all life stages and will not hurt anything else, including your carpet itself. In fact the shampoo can also serve to help you remove all of those unsightly stains left by animals from things such as; urine, feces, vomit, and any other presents that they chose to leave on the floor for you.

Another great thing about the carpet shampoo is that you can use it not just for carpet. Fleas get in any tiny crack, crevice, or space that they can, meaning that if they are in your carpet, you can bet they will be on any other cloth material including bedding, upholstery, clothing, concrete, bricks, and anything else you can find. Flea shampoo can clean all of those, and should be used to do so.

Flea infestations can become out of control in a matter of days. The cheapest methods can be effective but you need to stay vigilant. If you did not completely eradicate all of the fleas the first time, they will come back. Preventative measures need to be taken at all times to keep those critters out of your house. If a first washing did not do a sufficient job, it may be necessary to wash your carpets and floors several times with flea control shampoo to kill fleas of all stages.

Also make sure to consult your vet on the best method for treating your animals. If you fail to fix the source of the issue, then the fleas will never truly leave your home.

Yes, a lot of people have battled that great battle between human and flea, waged war on the peskiest of pests. Unfortunately that war cannot be won unless you have backup. You see, unfortunately for us human hosts, once a mature flea has had a blood meal before it can live for up to a year, a full year, without another meal before it dies! That means you cannot evacuate your house and wait for the infestation to run its course. No, that is completely useless. Chemicals will become your main artillery in this battle.

So off you go to the store, more than likely frustrated to the max because of this issue, and probably rather itchy from all of the bites. Once there you look up and down the aisle at all of the products offered. The flea collars, the flea sprays, the combs, the pills, the bombs, and the foggers, along with an abundance of other products. What do you chose?
Of course you should be sure to treat the source of the issue, your lovable pet that so kindly brought those critters into your house, but just treating them is not enough. You have to make the house safe for them to come back to or else all the fleas will just hop right back onto your animal and yourself. Then you spot your salvation in the disguise of two products; flea bombs and flea foggers. Confused you check out the package to try and find the difference.

The truth is, there is absolutely no difference between bombs and foggers. Yes bombs sound a bit more intense. Explosions, fire, complete destruction of the flea inhabitants within your precious home. Although upon further inspection you see that flea foggers do the same.
So next time you are at the store or are trying to decide which one to get, bombs or foggers, buy with confidence and exterminate in style!

What Are Flea Bombs?

When you think of the word bomb the first thing that generally pops into peoples mind is an explosion. Don’t worry; flea bombs are not that drastic, unless you’re a flea of course. In fact, they are more like a smoke bomb in the sense that they release their contents until they are completely empty.

How do Flea Bombs Work?

These bombs contain pressurized insecticides and are used for fumigating rooms. You need one for each room of your house, and you also need to make sure you get a high quality flea bomb that works. After you strategically place your bombs in each room, evacuate the house of all living creatures, and make sure to completely cover your fish tank so you don’t get any chemicals in the water and kill them. The flea bomb is going to emit a very strong fog that is very toxic to small insects; it is for this reason that flea bombs are also know as flea foggers. Another good tip is to have all food put away and sealed completely. You definitely do not want to be ingesting those chemicals. On top of that, the pesticides are flammable so you need to make sure that all of your lights are turned off and anything else that could create a spark is completely taken care of. You don’t want to come home to half of your house
engulfed in flames; yes the fleas are dead but that’s not exactly the result you want.

How to Use a Flea Bomb

Once you have them placed in each room you pull the trigger and get out of the house. It takes only a few minutes for the can to completely empty, but well over an hour before all of the chemicals settle. When you’ve waited long enough and you are sure the fogger is completely done, go back to your house and air it out. Open up the windows and let whatever chemicals might still be lingering about ventilate. Especially if you have smaller children or sensitive pets. You want to take every precaution you can when dealing with poisonous chemicals.

Deciding whether to use a Flea Bomb

Flea bombs should be used as a last resort. They are powerful chemicals that can be potentially hazardous to handle. On top of that, they only kill the fleas in the house so if your pets or the other persons that are living in the house still have fleas on them then the infestation will begin again. You need to consult with your vet on the best method to treat your animals and house before taking any drastic measures.

If you are ready to proceed or would like more information on flea bombs, we suggest you take a look at the Zodiac FleaTrol Fogger 3pk for a high quality and safe flea bomb that works.

Fleas on humans is one of the key signs of a serious flea infestation; it occurs when the fleas get desperate enough and start attacking and feeding on the human inhabitants. They will only do so when there is not enough of the original animal host. This is why it is important to prevent any infestations of fleas in your house and pet in the first place. You should first try some natural flea control methods, and if that doesn’t seem to work, you can try more powerful commercial flea removal products, like a flea bomb.

Effects of Flea Bites on Humans

Humans will often get bitten on their feet, lower back, and arms, and depending on the sensitivity of the person the effects could range from mild to severe. FAD, or flea allergy dermatitis, is an inflammation around the area of the bites and can cause the bearer a lot of irritation. On top of that fleas can also cause anemia from draining its host of too much blood. If you are suffering from constant fatigue and drowsiness and have had extensive flea bites you should consult your doctor about the possibility of anemia and seek treatment.

What Flea Bites on Humans Look Like

Generally the area around the flea bite will get red and irritated while there will be a small raised bump with a single pinprick in the center. Unfortunately it is difficult not to scratch the bitten area which is why antihistamines should be taken and anti-itch lotions applied. Secondary skin infections can easily arise if the person bitten continues to scratch and break open the bite. Provided the person does not scratch then the bite should go away within a day.

Serious risks of Fleas Bites on Humans

Unfortunately, because fleas are vectors for a plethora of diseases they pose an even bigger threat to humans than skin irritation. Fleas are nasty creatures that carry bacteria, viruses, and rickettsial diseases. Murine typhus, Yersinia pestis, rickettsia typhi, rickettsia felis, bartonella henselae, tapeworms, and myxomatosis are just some of the diseases that they can spread to humans. These diseases are horrible and potentially fatal to humans which is why flea infestations should always be avoided at all costs and treated immediately.

If humans are bitten by fleas and begin to show signs of weakness, vomiting, excessive tiredness, diarrhea, or any other signs of illness they should see their doctor immediately since the chances they could have a pathogen transmitted to them from the fleas is high.

Removing Fleas from Humans

As mentioned before, really the best way to deal with fleas on humans is to prevent it in the first place, which of course, is easier said than done. Flea infestations can be incredibly difficult to take care of especially since the repopulate so fast. Besure to check out our page on how the various approaches to removal fleas in the house.

Using Garlic to Repel Fleas

While garlic is a controversial topic when it comes to flea control for pets, garlic is perfectly safe for humans to eat, meaning that you should suck it up and just eat it; no excuses! But in all seriousness, garlic is most effective as a repellant when eaten raw, and in fairly large quantities. Garlic is a common home remedy for fleas and can be easier to consume if coupled with large slabs of peanut butter. The peanut butter will coat your throat and neutralize the strong taste of raw garlic, making it an almost painless process.

Using Chlorine to Remove Fleas on your Body

Taking a dip in a chlorine treated pool (pretty much all public pools) can do wonders in eradicating any fleas currently residing among your hair or body. It won’t solve the root cause of the fleas, but it will relieve yourself of any more flea bites for a while.

Spraying Lemon Juice to Repel Fleas

Plain and simple lemons are among the most sought after tools by professional groomers for their pets, and for a good reason too; lemon oil works fantastically at repelling fleas. While a boiled lemon solution is typically used to protect a coat of fur from fleas, it is also perfectly to spray your own skin and hair with the concoction. Just be careful not to dry out our skin and avoid your face! For detailed instructions on how to create an effective lemon-based repellant, check out our organic flea control page.

Due to the dangerous risk factors associated with flea infestations it is in the person’s best interest to take care of it as soon as they notice a problem. If the infestation is allowed to get out of control then all living creatures will be in danger of being feasted on by those malicious parasites. Just be sure to watch out for any signs of fleas on humans.

Treating flea bites depends on who or what was bitten. While some of the remedies may be similar, humans and animals are able to take different medicines to effectively relieve them of the irritation from the flea bite.

For humans who were bitten, there are two options; natural remedies, or medicine. Both of these treatment methods can be combined or, depending on the severity of the bite and preferences of the person bitten, one method can be chosen over the other.

For natural remedies, there are quite a few methods. Apple cider vinegar and water can be combined in a one to two ratio, and put in a spray bottle. That spray can be used to saturate flea bites, but not on open sores as the vinegar will burn. Another suggestion is to make a paste with some baking powder and a bit of water. That mixture will effectively relieve the pain of the bite and will help take away some of the itching from the bite. Soaking in an oatmeal bath and using ice packs on the bites are also some other natural methods used to relieve swelling and itchiness.

As for medicinal remedies to this common problem there are several creams and over the counter medicines that can help. Oral antihistamines will aid with reducing the urge to itch the bites as well as hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion that is applied to the affected area. You should always wash the bites and open sores with antiseptic lotion or soap to prevent any infection, and make sure to use cool water because the hot water may help stimulate further itching.

Treatment for animals is slightly different and if the case is severe your local veterinarian should be consulted so that there is no further harm done to your animal from excessive scratching. A vet may give your animal a steroid cream or steroid injection that will administer an anti-histamine and will give your animal more rapid itch relief.
If the bites are minor and the situation does not warrant a visit to the vet, there are a few simple things to do to make your pet more comfortable after its been bitten. Bathing them in cool water will feel great for your animal. The cool water will help reduce minor swelling and relieve the itch, make sure not to use ice cold water or hot water as that will likely be very uncomfortable and have adverse effects.

If your animal does not do well with baths, or if they are a cat and hate water, then a wet wash cloth will probably be better. Apply it to the area you notice the animal scratching at the most, getting it damp enough to provide relief. If you notice any open sores or scratches, clean them out gently to prevent any future infections. Always make sure to consult your vet if you feel the situation is too extensive or if your animal is showing a more severe reaction to the flea bites.