Effective Natural Remedies for Flea Control in Pets

Citrus Peel Infused in White Vinegar

Posted by Louise (South Carolina) on 03/06/2016
★★★★★

I mixed some white vinegar and orange peels in a jar about a month ago. I just started using it on my dogs, and it really works to get rid of the fleas on them! I just pour some in a saucer, take a cotton ball and saturate it, and rub it on their skin, especially down their back, and around their tail, and it kills the fleas that come in contact with the vinegar. I was surprised that the mixture actually killed the fleas, but it did. When I rubbed the cottonball over a flea, it died. I will keep this mixture on hand now all the time.

Borax

Posted by Rosanne (Milton) on 10/05/2015
★★★★★

I learned many years ago that if you sprinkle Borax powder (you can find it in Walmart) on the carpet. Leave for approximately 24 hours then vacuum. This will kill any fleas as well as the eggs. I do this once a month. Very effective.

Borax

Posted by Cathy (Lakeside, Ca) on 02/19/2015
★★★★★

For fleas - You can sprinkle 20 mule team borax on carpet (keep pets away and leave an hour.. Or less) then vacuum. The borax will also kill fleas in vacuum bag.

Dish Soap and Lamp Method

Posted by Supertigertv (San Francisco, California) on 08/03/2014
★★★★★

I was really surprised to have a FLEA TRAP I learned about on this website work GREAT! Those critters die EASILY in just a little bit of soapy water! I set up a flat dish with HOT water and a few drops of dish soap then arranged for a hot desk lamp to stay focused over the soapy water and all other lights in this attic room OUT. In the morning the plate was SO FULL OF DEAD FLEAS I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT! I did it two more nights and then NOTHING. THANK YOU EARTH CLINIC! You just want the room to be quiet and uninhabited while you do this of course so the light also can't be knocked over because the plate really needs to be on the FLOOR.

Garlic

Posted by Terry (Glendale, Az) on 07/24/2013

I have 5 SHIH TZU"S used to have 8. Using all natural remedies and through web pages. My oldes Shih Tzu is 16 1/2 years young.

He has a wart on hisd lower fron leg. I know when I had a wart on my thumb crease I used a garlic and tee tree oil and it fell off about 5 years ago.

In reference to Garlic it can be very poision ist to dogs . I wanted to put it on his wart (older dogs get warts) and if it goes through the blood stream it break down their immune system and makes them enemic and they could die from it.

Also on www.herbdoc.com they also told me the same thing. I use eye bright for his cateracts which amanda from 5leafpharmcy told me to use 15 drops of water to 1 drop of eyebright 2weeks and continue each day with less water till you get at 15 drops.

After about 1 1/2 months from having a complete white eye cornea the black rim outer part is shwoing. I do this for 3 times a day every day. Amada said they have excellent results with it. She study under this Dr. Shultze and does heart, liver, kidney problems for dogs. Her dog greens are excellent. Just some extra natural things I do for the pups.

Be very careful with the garlic.

Terry

Aloe Vera

Posted by Dr Howard (CA) on 02/07/2023

Sodium benzoate used as a food grade preservative in aloe. Kills fleas.

Lavender Oil

Posted by Dee (Fresno, California) on 11/24/2012
★★★★★

My dog started to get really bad fleas and she was constantly scratching. I needed something to hold us over until a few days after her bath so I could give her frontline so I tried mixing about 10 drops of lavender essential oil with water in a spray bottle and spraying it directly on her and brushing it through. She stopped scratching almost completely the second day I used it. I don't think I'll be using the frontline anymore.

Keep Dryer Lint Filter Clean

Posted by Pamela (Huron, South Dakota) on 11/13/2012
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

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.

Dish Soap and Lamp Method

Posted by Carlos (San Francisco, Ca) on 10/20/2012
★★★★★

I went to the pet store the other day and I told the clerk that despite using Advantix or Frontline my dog still have fleas. He told me that fleas have developed a resistence to them.

I have found regular baths with shampoo and a lice or flea comb works well. To get rid of an infestation I suggest a trick a friend of mine told me about.

Get a white shallow bowl like a pyrex. Fill it with soap and water. Place a lamp next to it and turn off all other lights.

The Fleas will jump in, the soap and water will drown them. Works like a charm.

Dish Soap and Lamp Method

Posted by Theresa (Mpls., Mn) on 07/20/2015

My husband tried the lamp/white saucer trap, and it worked like a charm. While my dogs are not infested, a flea from outside will jump on them and catch a ride to inside the house. My husband said he thought he saw a tiny black speck in the bed with him and the dog, so he thought of the lamp trick; I had been collecting small lamps just for this moment :-) He got a small white saucer and placed it under the lamp on the floor with soapy water in it, turned out the lights and shut the door; 4 hours later there was a flea! We then deployed the lamp trap in various locations around the house to see if there were more - nope! Caught all manner of tiny winged things flying loose in the house, but just the 1 flea. I suspect that the flea season is just beginning so I will have the lamp traps working for me from now on, rotating them around the house to catch those fleas who hitch hike their way into my house. Great trap, easy to afford as lamps are just a few dollars from the thrift store, it does not use any poisons and it works like a charm.

Borax

Posted by Hkington (Cocoa, Fl) on 05/29/2012
★★★★★

Using the 20 mule team borax from the laundry section works well for carpet, but you must work it into the carpet with a broom and let it sit for at least 2 weeks without vacuuming. This is done to kill the eggs, if you vacuumed after a couple of hours and do not reapply it will NOT stop the cycle. The key is to let it sit for 2 weeks then reapply every time you have vacuumed during flea season..This was told to me by my vet years ago, and it works great!!!!!!

Borax

Posted by Kendra ( Pleasant Hill) on 04/14/2017

Do your pets have to stay out till you vaccum up the borax?

Borax

Posted by Kendra (Pleasant Hill, Mo.) on 04/19/2017

Does your pet have to stay out until you vaccum?

Salt

Posted by Theresa (Mpls., Mn) on 11/17/2017

Hey Eley,

You might try a lamp flea trap - no fuss and no mess.

Garlic

Posted by Theresa (Mpls., Mn) on 04/14/2014

Facts: The primary toxic ingredient in garlic and onions is n-propyl disulfide, an oxidant. [Other toxins are S-methylcysteine sulfoxide, methyl disulfide, and allyl disulfide]. Compared to humans, dogs and cats are more sensitive to “oxidative damage” on their red blood cells. Dogs have more “areas” on their red blood cells that oxidizing agents such as n-propyl disulfide can attach to. This attachment is recognized by the body as a foreign invader, and in the attempt to remove this invader, the body also destroys the red blood cell. This is called “hemolysis” – the breaking down of the red blood cells. Garlic is more toxic than onions – with raw garlic, toxic ingestion is around 1 gram per pound, and with onions it is 1 gram per 5 pounds. To put this into perspective, if you feed 50 cloves of garlic to your pet in one sitting you will induce hemolytic anemia in your pet.

Garlic

Posted by Theresa (Mpls., Mn) on 04/14/2014

Hey Mark! Check it out: Https://www.sojos.com/learn/articles/pet-mythbusters-5-pet-food-myths Http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1677&aid=2414 I have used powdered garlic in home made food for my dogs with no ill effects. While garlic may be toxic to dogs in large quantities, the health benefits of garlic in small quantities is widely proven. Http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.com/2012/06/garlic-for-dogs-health-benefits.html

Garlic

Posted by Om (Hope, Bc Canada) on 11/10/2015

Mark (Exeter, United Kingdom)---

Just to thank you, Mark, for your post. You said it and yet, people still believe and trust the veterinarian association. Health is a business and disease is desired for profit.

Let us hope these days be shortened.

Namaste, Om

Garlic

Posted by Samantha (Nc) on 10/27/2016

Many to most of the health issue in our pets today are due to over vaccinating. Check for information on Dr. Ronald Schultz. He the leading expert on animal immunology world wide. Is currently in Wisconsin. His and others studies have proven that annual vaccinations are not just unnecessary, but very harmful. One DHPP (dogs) or FVRCP (cats) at or after 16 weeks of age immunizes them probably for life. Challenge studies have proven immunity for at least 9 years and titer studies 15 years. Most of the other optional vaccinations like bordetella, leptospirosa and such are not needed and also quite harmful.

Dish Soap

Posted by Sudsy88888 (Seattle, Wa Usa) on 08/30/2011
★★★★★

use a pie plate filled with water and add a few drops of dish soap to discover fleas in the house. I agree with the borax natural treatment to rid the house. Both my cat and dog get a garlic oil supplement vitamin down their throat once a week and absolutely no fleas on their mugs. Hallelujah!!!!

Lavender Oil

Posted by Teri In T Town (Tacoma, Wa, Usa) on 08/05/2011
★★★★★

My last dog never had fleas and we never used a thing on him, so I was really baffled when my current dog had a significant problem. I had my last dog, a chocolate lab, when we lived in a house that had slopes in the back yard covered with Lavender and Rosemary. Everyday he rolled around in the herbs, and seemed to enjoy the heck out of it, and would sun himself laying in the middle of them. I always thought it was because they were soft and made for a nice cushion. But, I think he was giving himself a flea treatment and I really loved the way he smelled when he came back inside.

After we moved, we got another lab who plays a lot with dogs in the neighborhood, and we were faced with a very significant problem!! I use a very dilute amount of lavender oil on her, combined with the orange peel treatment, premium raw dog food diet, and lots of vacuuming. You do have to keep up the routine to keep the fleas from coming back, but we have not been bothered with them since.

Dish Soap and Lamp Method

Posted by Jennifer (Gainesville, Fl) on 04/19/2011
★★★★★

I've read that you can use the desk lamp and dish wtih soap but I modified this to be more successful at least in my case. I have found that CLEAR containers work much better than opaque. Fleas seem to be attracted to white so under each clear container I have placed either a white paper towel or a white piece of printer paper. The best light source has actually proven to be an LED battery powered lantern (dorcy) and I have placed a small bowl in the clear container with the lantern sitting in it. Then put water in the clear container with a few drops of dish soap. The separate bowl for the lantern keeps it from getting wet but attracts the fleas quite well. I have also had luck with the clear dish and soap with white paper under when I have just used a glow bracelet or stick. Pink or red sticks don't seem to work but those that are white or green attract them like crazy. Using the above methods I have caught around 200 fleas in the last 3 days since I started setting these traps--I set two with lanterns and 3 with glow sticks/bracelets. I am hesitant to use an actual lamp or anythign with a cord since my cats tend to knock things over which could prove quite dangerous. The battery powered LED lanters work better than the glow sticks but the glow sticks are nice in that you can just toss them in the water and they work without risk of damage.

Essential Oils

Posted by Jo (Bath, Maine) on 10/27/2010
★☆☆☆☆

WARNING!

I noticed an article mentions using Geranium, Citronella and Eucalyptus to bath the cat for fleas. I just hope that everyone reading realizes that these are very toxic and poisonous to cats. While I will always go the natural route to aide in matters of health with my cats, you have to become educated as to what plants and essential oils, etc are toxic to our little cat children. There are very good natural cat shampoos that use safe ingredients. And people are getting good results with Diatomaceous Earth. The food grade kind not the Pool chemical kind. This kills the fleas and their larvae without threatening the environment you or your pet live in. I hope that everyone researches carefully what natural means and that not everything that is organic or natural is good for your pet children.

Borate Powder

Posted by Theresa (Mpls., Mn) on 12/31/2014

Hey Linda!

Borate powder could be boric acid powder, could be powdered borax..

You can get the boric acid from your pharmacy, and the borax from the laundry aisle.

Colloidal Silver

Posted by Rick (Woburn, Ma) on 08/23/2010
★★★★★

I started adding a small amount of home made colloidal silver to my cats drinking water for the recommended health benefits about 6 months ago(maybe a tablespoon per pint). I noticed that he hasn't come home with any fleas or ticks this summer which was a big problem last year.

Brewer's Yeast

Posted by Robyn (Hampton, Tn) on 05/16/2010
0 out of 5 stars

I bought a bottle of brewers yeast at walmart for flea control as I read somewhere it might help.

It made my german shepherd so sick and he got an ear infection right away. I had to take him to the vets to get meds. The vet would not give me oral antibiotics, but gave me ear drops. I wish I had bought fish antibiotics and looked up the dosage from revival animal health or drs foster and smith for him. He ended up biting me really badly because he didnt want the drops put in his ear and I ignored the threat display to get them in his ear and he attacked me...not that it was his fault..he is a wolf hybrid german shepherd and he has a large set of teeth.

Never use brewers yeast for flea control it doesnt work and it causes illness.

ON the contrary, I have a big steel pot I use for all my animals water and every time I fill it up I put a cap ful of apple cider vinegar in it, the best kind is the kind at the health food store but I just use the kind at the dollar store, and it starts working in about two weeks. They dont even notice it is there and it cuts the yeast out of their bodies and the fleas dont really like the taste of it and I also mop with it and I love it for all it does!

Brewer's Yeast

Posted by Blankie (Fajardo, PR USA) on 12/13/2010
★★★★★

For years I have used Brewer's Yeast until now and that is because it has been difficult to find it here in Puerto Rico. I used to buy it at Walmarts and Walgreens Pharmarcy but it has been discontinued. I have always used it for my dog and her hair is shiny, she is quite healthy. She is always outside and she loves to sleep on sand (major factor for fleas and ticks) and she has no fleas nor ticks. I have used it on all the dogs I have had. The ones that died were of all ages (15 yrs) but never due to anything they ate or that I gave them.

Cedarwood Oil

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

Brewer's Yeast

Posted by Westwind (Orlando, Fl) on 05/03/2010
★★★★★

Brewer's Yeast works! I started using it early last spring, throughout the summer and into early winter. I never saw a flea on my Bassett Hound. I had my doubts living in a humid, hot climate where fleas thrive, but I never saw even 1 flea. I put about a teaspoon on her food at night (she's a small bassett, about 40 lbs). She loves the taste! Brewer's Yeast is natural and filled with other nutritional stuff your dog needs. Give it a try!