Here are some natural ways to combat fleas.
- Start by cleaning everything. Send the pet(s) outside, or confine them to the bathroom, so that any fleas they’re carrying would not jump onto the surface you just cleaned. Throw all of the pet bedding in the washing machine, or use a hot dryer for about 15 or 20 minutes to kill adult larvae and eggs. That includes anything that the pets like to regularly lie or sleep on, which isn’t always intended to serve as pet bedding. Vacuum everywhere, especially areas that don’t get much exposure to sunlight. Before vacuuming the carpets, sprinkle salt, Borax, or baking soda throughout.
- Clean any outdoor areas where your pet might hang out, too. Trim lawns and weeds, and expose any cool, moist dark spots to sunlight, or keep your pet away from those spots.
- Give your pet a bath. Wash the neck first so that the fleas don’t jump up to the head during the bath. You can use a flea shampoo. Be thorough; you’ll probably see several fleas come off and float around in the water.
- Use yeast as a weapon. It is supposed that fleas don’t like the taste of yeast. Buy some brewer’s or nutritional yeast and rub it onto your pet’s skin. You can also sprinkle a small amount onto their wet food and mix it in. Feeding your pet garlic is thought to have the same effect, but it can be irritating or even toxic to your pet, so use yeast instead.
- Make a citrus spray. Slice a lemon thinly, add to a pint of water and heat to the boiling point. Let it sit overnight and in the morning, spray it onto areas where you suspect fleas hang out and rub it over your cat’s fur. Don’t soak but dampen the fur. Do this once a month to combat fleas.
- Make a ‘flea collar’. Take the pet’s collar or neckerchief and put on drops of eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil (DO NOT USE ON CATS! They are EXTREMELY sensitive to eucalyptus and tea tree oils), citronella, lavender, or geranium. This will need to be done weekly.
- If fleas are a problem in a specific area of your yard or home, fill aluminum pie pan with soapy water and set out in the area (i.e. under a bed). The fleas are trapped on top of the water due to the tension of the surface of the water. Change the water daily until there are no more fleas. If you are placing the pie pan outside, empty daily to prevent mosquitoes.
- Monitor your progress by making flea traps. The more fleas you see, the more you need to clean. Alternately, you can put out white bowls of water with a drop of soap in it – the white color attracts fleas and the soap cuts the surface tension on the water and makes them drown.
Try this out and set your home free of fleas
