Effective Natural Remedies for Flea Control in Pets
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.
Posted by Carol (Big Spring, Tx) on 09/08/2009 ★★★★★
After finding and reading your web site I found the dish soap worked but I hesitate to use it too often. The night light under a pan of soapy water worked for inside the house. The flea comb has been wonderful. He likes the attention and will readily let me comb him.(Male Cat) Now I dip the comb in 7 dust He hated the dust before but he doesn't mind the comb dipped in it. I pick the fleas off the comb and put them into soapy water. They drown. The OVER THE COUNTER flea applications on the back of the neck did not work.
Posted by Dewan (Waxahachie, Tx , Usa) on 11/28/2009
In response to doglover in NC, NATURAL diatomaceous earth does not emit a poisonous vapor. All it contains is ground up diatoms (fossils). It is about 86% silicon, so you don't want to breathe the dust (like any other dust). However it can be very drying, and may cause dry skin. It is included in some dog foods at about 2% by volume. Swimming pool DE is another story, it IS toxic. Do NOT use it anywhere except in the pool filters.
Posted by John (Orlando, Florida) on 03/19/2009 ★★★★★
Flea removal remedy: Our indoor Yorkie got several fleas in her fur and they moved so fast that when we tried to catch and kill them they would scurry or hop away. Finally in desperation I rubbed some coconut oil in her fur and the oil literally reduced the fleas to slow motion where we could easily pick them out and kill them. We found that the oil would cause them to stick to the teeth of a very fine comb making them easier to immobilize and kill. I have only used coconut oil so far but feel reasonably sure that almost any cream would work as well.
Posted by Anne (Jacksonville, Arkansas) on 01/11/2009 ★★★★★
I recommend this effective flea removal technique that has worked for me in the past. Plug a nightlight in near the infested floor area and using a shallow plastic pan or even a cake pan--a large size 9x13 or so fill with water and dishwashing liquid mixed together. The fleas will jump toward that light during the nighttime hours and fall into the soapy water and die. Empty and repeat several days. Continue this treatment until the fleas are gone. If you have a bad infestation you might want to try in several locations throughout your house. Good Luck
Posted by Simon (Panama City, Florida) on 09/13/2008 ★★★★★
Yea: It is true garlic is the trick for fleas. Last lear we treated our three dog repeatedly with the usual brands of flea control but they couldn't keep up. This year a friend recomended the garlic. He said they have used this remedy for years. Its safe and it works. We mix the garlic in with their food and they love it. I think it helps with tics and mosquitos as well.
Posted by Pamela (Granite Falls, Washington) on 08/02/2007 ★★★★★
Yes...to LAVENDER for flea control. I recommend lavender castile liquid soap to bath them in and diluted essential oil lightly applied to their coats between baths. Initially, I started using lavender because I am so sensitive to chemicals. Now, I use it because it works so well.
Posted by Sandra (Pasadena, CA) on 05/08/2007 ★★★★★
Last year we had a really bad outbreak of fleas in our house. My 2 year old kept getting bites all over her body and my husband and I too. I didn't want to use all the toxic powders or even boric acid since she has asthma. I got desperate and bought 10 cans of salt from the store and sprinkled it all over the house (mainly the carpet). Let it sit for 4 days and then vaccumed with a vaccum that has excellent sucction and a HEPA filter. THE FLEAS WERE GONE!!!!!. I guess the salt dehydrates them and kills the eggs as well. IF you live in a humid climate don't leave the salt in the carpet too long as it retains water. Wash all the linens and couch cushions etc....repeat the vaccum every day for 3-4 days to get all the salt out.
Hello again. I need to seriously update previous post. The 15 yr old did pass away from old age. We spent most of his life in Ft Lauderdale and have since moved to a semi rural area with lots of woods. Got a new pup and continued with the garlic tabs. However he was itching and seemed a little "off" I brushed him daily and didn't think he could possibly have fleas but took him to the vet and yes indeed under his thick coat was fleas. So my garlic pills were useless in this environment. Vet put him on Simparica and poor dog gets agitated and SEVERE diarrhea. After 2 doses I am NOT giving this poison to him anymore. Am going back to the vet because at 20 dollars a pill and 4 left I want a refund. I don't know what my next step will be but I will find a non toxic remedy. I guess if you live in a city and not the country garlic tabs will work but out here it's a battle. Maybe garlic doesn't work all the time but these poisons will shorten their lives. Maybe you might not notice it right away but ask yourself if you would drink a poison cocktail once a month. Check out petbucket.com/what are the side effects of Simpirica. Best wishes all
So sorry you are going through this. Please read all the borax and diatomaceous posts on Earth Clinic in the pet flea section (where your post is located). Sounds like you need to treat your backyard FIRST and those two remedies are mentioned for treating flea infestations both indoors and outdoors. You'll have to reapply after it rains, but one of them should help. If you use diatomaceous earth, please note that it must be food grade.
Also, consider a raw food (or freeze dried raw) diet to strengthen your pup's immune system. That might help too. Quality food can make a huge difference in flea control I've discovered over the years.
Good luck. Hope you get this issue solved very quickly.
Posted by Hisjewel (America, New York) on 09/12/2016 ★★★★★
We have cats for pets.
I found that salts works like a charm. The finer the better. I use Diamond fine salt just for this purpose to sprinkle on the carpeted steps. Salt dehydrates them, big ones little ones, and the fleas yet to be born. And if a water bug passes by his fate is the same as the fleas.
I put it on my mom's carpeted steps before the hot weather comes in. I might leave it on a few days. Then I sweep it up.
Posted by Monica (St. Augustine, Fl) on 10/14/2015 ★★★★★
I tried the amethyst crystal and it does work! I want to point out I too had the same issue with the stone not working after a period of time. It didn't seem logical for something to just stop working so I experimented and found out what worked for my kitty.
My cat has a horrible time with the fleas in FL. They are unlike any other place I have lived. Frontline doesn't work & just makes my cat sick. The crystal was worth a shot and would cause no harm. Within a week I saw a difference and there were no more new bites. This lasted for about 2 mo. and then the fleas started again. In case anyone is thinking its due to a change of seasons, no that's not the case. There is no down time in FL when it comes to fleas.
I don't believe the stone just stops working but perhaps our pets chemistry changes. Either way I decided to add another stone I had at the house to the bowl. It is blue calcite and once again it worked. It is a complement to amethyst with its metaphysical properties. I was so happy to see it work again, but about 1 1/2 mo. later I was back to square one. It stopped working.
Ok, so this time I bought another amethyst. Yes, now there are 3 crystals in the bowl! I know it's crazy but its working and my kitty is not scratching.
I am going to do as another writer suggested & recharge the stones by moonlight over night. I was doing it by sunlight and I guess that may be wrong in this case.
Anyway, to anyone who says nay, experiment a bit before you give up.
For the borax to work on carpet you need to sprinkle everywhere & leave it for at least 3 days. Otherwise it won't do anything. After 3 days or more, vacuum. Then sprinkle it again. The recipe for a spray borax is "Teds Mange Cure". Just search it here on E.C. It 100% works for fleas as well as mange. My dogs get rinsed after every single bath with Ted's recipe. They've never had mange. I've always used it for fleas. Hope this helps. Nikki
Posted by Pamela (Huron, South Dakota) on 11/13/2012 ★★★★★
We discovered, after fighting fleas from June until November, that our DRYER WAS HALF THE PROBLEM! We were dragging back in loads of folded, clean laundry full of clean, fresh, healthy fleas every time we washed bedding, towels, clothing, robes, blankets, pillows, you name it. CHECK YOUR LINT TRAP TO SEE IF THEY'RE ALIVE. Ours were.
Posted by Sheila (Wichita, Ks) on 08/07/2012 ★★★★★
Started brushing my dogs and cats with baking soda about 2 years ago. I originally did this as a dry bath. It definitely helped with the smell. But I have also noticed that I have not seen any fleas in this time. Usually I have to treat every year. I brush them once a week. It's worth a try right?
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
Posted by Ellie (Stga Sps, Ny) on 11/13/2012 ★★★★★
I have to agree with Angie, Waverly, Oh. She recommended using cedar shavings instead of straw in a dog house. I bought catlitter cedar shavings and also used it to insulate my rosebush with it for winter. Surprisingly the following year for the first time my rosebush didn't have a bug anywhere on it or holes in the leaves as it previously had year after year. It is sold as catlitter and may be great to retard fleas and other critters too. Ellie
Please provide evidence for your claims, garlic is widely used by dog owners with no negative outcomes, the warning against garlic only seems to benefit profit hungry vets.
The result of all this is that our dogs and cats are sicker than ever. Ask any vet who's been practicing for more than ten years: They've never seen such an increase in the rate of liver disease, nervous system disorders, cancers and diabetes. Ever wonder why?
Posted by Bonnie (Torrance, Ca) on 12/02/2010 ★★★★★
I had a nasty flea infestation, and the ONLY thing that worked was borax powder. This stuff is amazing! You can buy it at a hardward or gardening store, and it is pretty inexpensive. I take the powder, and sprinkle a lot of it into all the carpets... I find that using a stiff broom to brush it in really helps to get it deep into the carpets. Then wait a few days and vaccuum! The cool part is that borax powder is less harmful than table salt... A win/win if you ask me!
Posted by Mark (Exeter, United Kingdom) on 11/11/2015 12 posts ★★★★★
FOR: Linda Baytown, Tx..... Borax = sodium tetra-borate decahydrate
CAS-No. 1303-96-4
The most commonly occurring Borax compounds are:
Borax/ sodium tetra-borate Decahydrate =
(Decahydrate means "10 water molecules")
Borax/ sodium tetra-borate Pentahydrate =
(Pentahydrate means "5 water molecules")
Borax/ sodium tetra-borate Anhydrous =
(Anhydrous means “without water”)
All 3 of the above are exactly the same product except for the number of water molecules .
========================
Boric Acid = Orthoboric Acid
CAS-No. 10043-35-3
Boric Acid can also be sprinkled directly onto a carpet or near the infestation of ants, fleas, termites, silverfish or cockroaches as the Boric Acid is abrasive to an insect's exoskeleton.
Boric Acid is an effective insecticide, by acting as a stomach poison in insects (ants, fleas, termites, silverfish & cockroaches).
To prepare poison add 1 teaspoon of Boric Acid and 10-12 teaspoons of sugar to 50ml water. Mix into a syrup and leave syrup near infestation.
To apply the powder, crush any powder that might have clumped up and using a sieve / sprinkle the powder onto carpets, fabrics and upholstery
(If you use a sieve, please do not use it in the kitchen after, as Boric Acid can be harmful when ingested).
Leave the powder down for 1-2 days, this will kill all eggs and larvae, then hover all the powder up making sure none is left.
Posted by Blackcat (Istanbul, Turkey) on 05/11/2010 ★☆☆☆☆
I had put an amethyst stone in my cat's drinking bowl as soon as I came across the posts on amethysts for fleas. I waited almost a week, but did not see a difference, then I started adding apple vinegar to his bowl with the stone still there. Do you think that I should have waited more and that the amethyst still works with vinegar? By the way, it's been weeks since I had started the vinegar but there are still fleas:-( Thank you...
Posted by Fireball92 (Carbondale, Il, USA) on 11/08/2009 ★★★★★
You really ought to try cedar oil... Especially- there is a company that uses a special blend that is deadly to ALL exoskeleton type insects (and their eggs and larvae). I had a terrible 2-year infestation. Tried every home-grown remedy and commercial remedy on my dogs and in my home... Spent $100'S of dollars but the darn things were indestructible! After another day on the net, I decided to try a cedar oil based product (so safe I apply it to the SKIN of my 2 yr-old granddaughter as a repellant for fleas and mosquitos) One treatment of my home and dog the hopping, biting critters were magically gone. The stuff is fabulous I think when comes to fleas and bedbugs - IT IS INFALLIBLE! - Dr. John
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