The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Don's Flea Remedies
Posted by Don (Southwest, Michigan, USA) on 10/01/2008
★★★★★
Before vacuuming, pour a half-cup of moth crystals onto an area of flea infestation and then leave the crystals in the vacuum bag until it is full. It will kill fleas and any insect vacuumed.
I buy a bag of the lavender moth tablets at any discount store. They have two tablets in individual packets. I put a packet in my vaccum everytime I change bags to kill any critters I vacuum up. The lavender oil smells good too.
You can make a terrific flea repellant if you steep a quartered whole lemon in a pint of boiling water overnight then spray lightly on dogs back, hind quaters and on belly between front legs. You could probably also make it with two tablespoons lemon concentrate and one quarter tsp. citric acid to a pint of water.
Salt
Posted by Katie (Westland , MI) on 09/09/2008
★★★★★
Salt worked for us too. After using frontline, carpet powders, carpet sprays, baths etc. I put salt on the carpets and used some of those lighted flea traps. That worked the best.
Dish Soap
Posted by Sue (Hazel Green, WI) on 09/01/2008
★★★★★
I just bathed my 2 8 week old kittens with the vinegar and dish soap recipe. We picked some fleas off. It seemed to work for now. Hopefully no more for quite a while. Thanks for having this posted on this sight. I had been looking for a safe remedy for little kittens. They are comfortable under a blanket with a heating pad.
Dish Soap, Garlic and Lemon
Posted by Sherry (Wilmington, DE) on 08/04/2008
★★★★★
I had used Frontline on my two dogs in the past and they would both run and hide as soon as they saw that tube come out. Both of them had lowered red blood cell counts and the vet said that he didn't know why. After having read somewhere else that the prescription flea treatments were causing lowered red cell counts, I discontinued it. when the fleas started up again, I read some of the remedies on this website and decided to try the Dawn detergent first to get rid of them. GONE!! Worked like a charm. Since then, I've put a little garlic in their food and have been applying lemon juice to their coats (they don't run from the lemon juice!). I have had not flea one and their red blood cell counts are back up where they should be. I wonder how many more years have been added to my dog's lives by using natural methods? Thank you so much!
Dish Soap, Garlic and Lemon
Posted by Connie (New Liberty, Iowa) on 09/12/2008
i too used to be a frontline user. until this year. not only did the fleas still run all over my poor old girl but she got a major flea allergy on her pink skin from front line not working. i called them and they tried to tell me i was not doing something right lol . i have worked with dogs for years. used to work at an animal shelter. i live on a farm i think i know. i tried lemon joy last night and dawn before and both killed the fleas. now if i can find something to keep them from jumping on her and ideas out there. have a great day =]
Essential Oils
Posted by Nancy (Long Beach, CA) on 07/08/2008
★☆☆☆☆WARNING!
I was referred to your site by someone in the discussion of flea treatment, specifically cats.
The information you provide re: garlic and lavendar, rosemary, etc., is in direct contradiction with my knowledge and what was posted on other websites. My understanding is garlic and essential oils such as lavendar and rosemary are toxic to cats. I've included an excerpt from one site for your info.
"http://eartheasy.com/article_natural_flea_control.htm
Cats should not be given any essential oils, period.
The use of essential oils with cats is a potentially volatile combination. Cats do not efficiently metabolize essential oils and their use can lead to symptoms of toxicity. In addition to essential oils, cats have known metabolic sensitivities to certain herbal preparations and allopathic
medications. Because the cat's body does not efficiently excrete essential oils, they can build up to toxic levels. Symptoms of toxicity include vomiting, dizziness, clumsiness, lack of appetite, lack of energy and shock. In addition, cats have very thin, delicate skin. Essential oils are absorbed rapidly into their skin and enter the bloodstream, overwhelming their systems. Cats dislike strong odors and generally keep away from strong scents -- even highly diluted essential oils.
Many people find that they can use essential oils on their cats with no obvious adverse effects. Although one or more applications of an essential oil product or blend may not cause immediate harm, the effects of essential oils can be cumulative and manifest themselves at a later date in the form of toxicity for which owners and vets often can find no attributable cause. (source: www.aromaleigh.com)"
What's your response?
Thanks,
Nancy
Salt
Posted by Kim (Gadsden, AL) on 07/04/2008
★★★★★
The best all natural way to rid fleas in the home is salt! It works like magic! Just use your blender to grind regular table salt into a powder. Then sprinkle the powder onto carpet, beds, etc.... use a broom to "sweep" it down deep into the fibers. I let it settle in over night on my carpets before vacuuming it up. The powdered salt dries up the fleas and the eggs. You'll notice a huge difference the first time you try it. Also, if you are giving your dog a heart worm medication make sure to use Sentinel. Sentinel acts as birth control on fleas. They can lay the eggs but the eggs are dead so that helps clear up the flea infestations in your home.
Garlic
Posted by Kathy (Cypress, TX) on 06/13/2008
★★★★★
To keep fleas off my 70 lb. dog, I juice fresh raw garlic and add 1/8 teaspoon of it to a raw egg yolk. He eats it joyfully. NO MORE FLEAS. Fleas hate the smell of garlic. I may carefully increase the amount of garlic juice some in the future because he is 70 lbs. He eats his food joyfully. He also loves greens such as Alfalfa powder, Wheatgrass powder, Barley powder, etc. Dogs need greens too!
EC: Read much more about Garlic for Dogs here, including the reported controversy.
Borax
Posted by Lisa (Home) on 06/08/2017
★★★★★
W---M--t sells Borax in boxes. Near laundry washing supplies. It works! After hundreds spent on vet bills and latest greatest treatments, Borax did it $3. For fleas, ticks, external mites...mange, etc. Keep away from dogs eyes and don't let them ingest any EVER!
Neem Seed Oil
Posted by Nannah (Baltimore, Md) on 10/18/2011
??? now we just got the drops to place on the shoulder blades of our cats and I was thinking of doing this neem seed oil.... Help me to understand please... I should not use while using the drops but should after the 1 month of the drop so that it will be the most effective?
Beneficial Nematodes
Posted by Brian (Ft. Worth, Texas) on 01/17/2008
★★★★★
I have gotten rid of almost all fleas in my yard by applying beneficial nematodes - found at organic garden centers. This helps keep my JRT from getting infested and then bringing them inside with her. ACV is great to keep fleas and other undesirables off of her, and I love the other natural rememdies on this site. I think if anyone loves their animals, they will not use harsh, dangerous, or otherwise bad chemical solutions for problems!
Side Effects From Frontline
Posted by Cait (Waycross, Georgia) on 12/31/2008
I would not ever use this AGAIN! I know its supposed to be the best preventative remedy for fleas on pets, but the side effects are just not worth it. After moving into this duplex and it being infested with fleas, I bought Frontline for my 2 indoor cats. I put it on them, and within a few days started noticing little spatters of blood on my tile. One of my cats had a severe allergic reaction and his poor neck broke out in bloody sores! I ended up spending $200 at the vet to get his poor skin back to normal. a month later, he is still scabbing up and has to get frequent (and expensive) steroid injections from the vet. I felt like the worse mommy ever, and my poor boy was in so much pain!
Side Effects From Frontline
Posted by Dianna (Austin, Tx) on 01/01/2009
i had forgotten to say that when i first got my little chihuahua that the breeder had used frontline on him and that he had a big red sore that didn't go away for months on the back of his neck and between his shoulder-blades where they had put it. all his hair had fallen out in that location and he scratched constantly. he didn't have ANY fleas - but you could tell that the front-line was not good for him in any way. try the pine tar soap! when the frontline wore off and his hair grew back and the irritation went away he got bad fleas and the pine tar soap worked a miracle! no more fleas and no poison necessary!
Side Effects From Frontline
Posted by Glenessary9 (Salt Lake City, Utah) on 10/24/2009
Pine tar will eventionally give your pet kidney failure. It's better to wash the animal in ___ [dish soap] , and then use regular table salt or salt water on carpets, furniture and, floors. to keep the fleas out of the house.
Side Effects From Frontline
Posted by Carrie Elsass (Conway, AR) on 12/27/2007
About 9 months ago my husband accidentally gave our 2 cats and the dogs flea/tick medicine that you put on the back of the neck. One began seizing and we rushed her in for treatment. My question is: She now has scabs all over her back & neck. Any ideas on what to do? I am just sure it's related to the toxins. She has always been 100% healthy. And for the future, I just don't know what to do to control the ticks & fleas- I will try the natural remedies on this site, but the natural things we've tried in the past have been very inadequate.
Dish Soap and Lamp Method
Posted by G (Buffalo, NY) on 11/09/2007
★★★★★
Please Post. After having my house INVADED with fleas...I used the flea bombs, shampooed my rugs, threw any thing I could in the dryer (rugs, bedding, clothes that the kids had left on the floor, etc.) on high heat. The dogs and cats were dosed with the flea medicine that is put on their necks that I bought on line (also available at the vets, but you don't have to take your animal in to have them checked first and only takes about 2 days to receive in the mail..costs the same)..I could tell that the fleas literally fell off on my cat! I sprayed the rugs with a spray (more than once, but supposed to last for 6 mos.) that I bought at the pet store. I also went to the dollar store and bought nightlights to fit into any socket I could get to in all the rooms infested. Under the nightlights, I placed WHITE bowls of water with just a few drops of dish soap (mix it around, doesn't matter what kind/color). The soap covers the fleas and makes them sink to the bottom of the bowl. The light colored bowl allows more light to be absorbed, attracting the fleas. Even after everything I had done previously, I was still finding fleas in the bowls (a couple every day or so.) for a few weeks. But, I believe that keeping my pets on the 3 monthly dosage of the flea medication is what finally ridded our house (but, remember, my house was infested) because it kills the fleas on bite, no time to lay eggs. If I found a flea on me, or one of my animals, I would just get a small glass of water, add a few drops of dish soap, place my fingers under the water and release the flea...it sinks...it can't breath, and dies. (works for ticks also.)
This "light colored bowl of soapy water" also works great when placed next to candles outside to attract mosquitoes!!
Dish Soap
Posted by Laura (Umatilla, FL) on 11/07/2007
★★★★★
For your pet, Fill your kitchen sink with 1/4 body temperature water. Add ___ dish soap, white vinegar and baby oil together to form a bubble bath. Have a baby shampoo ready for their head.
Ease your small dog, or kitten/cat in the bath (use rubber gloves so you don't get scratched) Immerse the body and not the head!
Pump some baby shampoo on to your hand and rub on their neck and between the ears across their head. The fleas are Dead!
For your HOME: Use ___ dish soap in a glass pie plate with water 1/2 inch deep at several sunny places in front of a door and/or window. The fleas jump in and die. Change the water every day and in less that 1-2 wks ALL fleas are gone. A guy for a pest control company wouldnt charge me because of my little kids and the risk of inhalation of his chemical. I stuck to his intruction and WOW I was flea free! Its cheap too! The ___ dish soap and a hose water sprayer kills bugs off my bushes in Florida (I love dawn dish soap!)
Dish Soap and Lamp Method
Posted by Brenda (Princeton, Kentucky) on 10/13/2007
★★★★★
Dawn Dish Soap in water helped my son to get rid of some fleas in his home. I came across your website to see if I could find something to help his flea problem. I told him about the use of a low bowl with water and dawn dish soap placed in the corner of a room with a desk lamp turned on at night. He tried it except he used a nightlite. The next morning, a lot of fleas were floating in the water. He is having better success with this method than any other he has tried. Thank you very much for your website.
Crab Apple Flower Essence
Posted by Paul (Oakland , CA) on 08/13/2008
Hey thanks...i'm trying the crab apple essence....two drops in the water....how much in the food...?...one...two drops?... once a day?...have you heard of any ill effects? I also ordered "Flea Free"...which is at least not a super deadly chemical like Frontline etc....Paul
Crab Apple Flower Essence
Posted by Sarah (Los Angeles, Ca) on 09/19/2011
Hi... Is this also safe for dogs? I have a 4 lb. Chihuahua and am loathe to use chemicals on her. She got sick when I gave her brewers yeast. Thanks!!
Essential Oils
Posted by Dudley (La, Ca) on 12/05/2010
★☆☆☆☆WARNING!
PLEASE NOTE::::
Everything I have read says that tea tree oil and lavendar oil among others are very toxic cats... Please be careful and speak to a vet before putting any essential oil on them!!!
Dish Soap
Posted by Candice (Victorville, CA) on 11/21/2006
★★★★★
We rescued two kittens, just to find out that they were infested with fleas. Since they were so young they could not use the traditional flea baths/powers/creams. This is when I searched (earthclinic) and seen the remedy. I decided to combine a couple of them.
USED:
*Dish soap (Ajax, but any will do).
*Rice Vinegar (this is just what I had)
*Baby shampoo
*tweezers
*Heating pad (optional)
First-what I did was filled up the sink half way with lukewarm (make sure not too hot, because what is comfortable to us is hot to them) I then added the VINEGAR (any vinegar will work!) I put a very good helping.
Second-I dipped the kittens in the vinegar solution (minus their heads) then I began to massage the DISH SOAP on. YOU WILL SEE THE FLEAS RUNNING! They will be running towards the head. This is when you lather the kitten with the BABY SHAMPOO ... try your hardest not to get any in the eyes.
Third-Now dip the kitten back into the solution (making sure not to get the head wet) and use a cup or your hands to make sure that you are saturating the fur entirely.
Fourth-This is where it gets tricky. Using a pair of tweezers, tweeze off all of the fleas that you can. THIS IS TIME CONSUMING! But it is worth it! When done tweezing, redip and then rinse off with lukewarm (not too warm) water, and towel dry.
This is when the heating pad will come in handy. What I did was set it on LOW, and put a towel/small blanket over it and then set the kitten down on top if it (first checking to make sure that it wasn't too hot) this is when I went flea hunting once again. This was about an hour process, with two kittens. Once I was finished, I towel dried them very well, and the kittens went right to sleep. I haven't had any reinfestations and I only did this the one time. I have 10 (all rescued) cats and it would be very hard for me if they became reinfested, but so far so good! THANKS!
Essential Oils
Posted by Maryanne (Savannah, Georgia) on 08/23/2006
★★★★★
ESSENTIAL OILS, LAVENDER AND EUCALYPTUS, A FEW DROPS OF EITHER ON BEDDING OR THE BATH WATER GIVE GREAT RESULTS. IT CURES FLEAS AS WELL AS BITES OR CUTS AND SCRAPS. THE LAVENDER IS A HEALING AGENT. NOT TO BE GIVEN ORALLY BUT IT WORKS ON MANY PROBLEMS. I DO DOG RESCUE IN MY CITY AND I ALWAYS HAVE MANY IN MY HOUSE. THIS REMEDY IS VERY HELPFUL FOR ME AS I LIVE ON A FIXED INCOME AND ENOUGH TO GO AROUND IS ALWAYS AN ISSUE. IT TAKES VERY LITTLE OF THE OIL (I ESPECILLY LIKE THE LAVENDER BECAUSE IT SMEELS GOOD AND SEEMS TO BE CALMING AS WELL. THANKS FOR YOUR SITE, IT IS VERY HELPFUL TO ME. GOD BLESS
Essential Oils
Posted by Jessica (Ky, US) on 11/03/2014
SOME essential oils can be toxic to CATS, but not all, and most are fine for use with dogs.
Essential Oils
Posted by Donna (Oregon) on 11/08/2016
Where can I buy this wondercide. I have four Chihuahuas all under 20 pounds that are in need of defleaing. I'm on fixed income so need help getting rid of the fleas. Thanks Donna
Dish Soap
Posted by Mary (Birmingham, AL) on 01/26/2009
Do natural dish soaps work as well, or is it something specific to Dawn dish soap? I use seventh generation dish soap and my kitty has fleas. thanks!
Tea Tree Oil
Posted by Mira (Los Angeles) on 07/26/2018
★☆☆☆☆
Flea season exploded two months ago and I found that tea tree oil did NOT help in the least, so I would like to amend this rating to either 1 or 0 (that would take more experimentation). Possibly back when I posted this initial review, colder weather was setting in and I mistook the seasonal decline in flea populations as a sign of tea tree oil's effectiveness for flea control.
I was treating my cat (10 months old) daily with a drop's worth (placed on my finger and then applied) of tea tree on the back of her head and another at the base of her tail, along with food grade diatomaceous earth rubbed in all over. It really didn't seem to show much improvement. She had bald spots where the fleas were eating her and for awhile, the only remedy was bathing her 2x a week, where I would remove dozens of fleas at a time.
Luckily, I did find what worked to my amazement! Homemade lemon spray. Throw a few lemons (skins seeds and all) into a blender with some water and strain into a bottle. Apply the spray to your hands and rub into your animal's fur all over, from her furry cheeks to tail. She licks it off and is perfectly healthy. Occasionally, I'll find one lethargic flea that is easy to pick off, but it works exceptionally well. Also, spray the lemon everywhere you want, outside and in the corners of the room. As always with any new protocol, start off with small quantities on your pet to make sure there are no adverse reactions.
I am working on this Lemon Spray recipe (possibly adding other beneficial flea repelling ingredients) and will re-post when I am satisfied with the results.
EC: Rating changed in your first post to a 1 star, thank you for the update!
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Mstee (Lakeland Fl) on 06/18/2017
★★★★☆
I have a French Bulldog and I fight yeast infection and hair loss every year. I decided to take him off flea chemicals but having a tough time finding a cure for it. I have been bathing him with baking soda then tree oil shampoo and finally a organic apple cider vinegar rinse. So far it has been been working. I also give him a teaspoon of Diatomaceous Earth every evening in his food. Anyone have any better cures?
