In this article, we will discuss the best ways to get rid of fleas fast and naturally. Fleas are relatively small than other insect but you can easily see in their adult stage. Adult fleas are usually easy to locate. Fleas feed on blood by living on their hosts and get entered into the home via pets or other mammal hosts. When fleas do not find any host to feed then they may become an inside problem i.e. they start to feed on human blood. Getting help from pest control professionals is the easiest method but can lead to harmful chemicals. You can use several home remedies which use natural ingredients such that there will be no harmful effects.
Top Ways to Get Rid of Fleas:
1.) Botanical Dust Mixed with Borate Acid
Before you try any remedy to kill fleas, it is important to know all about fleas. The adult fleas can about a week without any food (blood) from its host, while their flea larva can live several months. So, you need to treat your house with a safe, natural insecticide such as botanical dust and borate which help attack the larvae as well. Botanical dust is most commonly used as natural insecticides for several decades. On the other hand, the borates are minerals that are used widely as wood detergents, preservatives, and insecticides, which act as stomach poisons to fleas. The best things about these chemicals are that they have low toxicity and are quite safe to use around humans and pets.
Despite, the borate and botanical dust mixture are very safe to use, proper care should be taken not to breathe it in. While using these insecticides you should wear a mask in your home. You need to make sure that there are no pet or small children. You must dust the carpet, the bed, the furniture, the dog or cat’s bed. The best time to use it is when you’re leaving the house for a while, say for one day. Do not forget to vacuum and wash the sheets on both beds, when you come back. You can also simply wash the sheets and just leave the borate mixture on the carpet as a deterrent to prevent future flea reproduction.
2.) Choose a Right Flea Shampoo to Get Rid of Fleas
To treat fleas on your pet you need to be careful while choosing right shampoo for this. Anything with traditional insecticides like pyrethrins, d-limonene, chlorpyrifos, permethrin, or carbaryl may irritate or harm your pet skin and the people around it.
Instead of trying conventional chemical methods you can try natural insecticides or simple flea irritants. The major benefits of using these are that although they have no effect on your pet but will be mighty nasty for fleas. It is suggested to the first check with your vet first and then tries any remedy. Here’s a list of natural insecticides or irritants you could consider:
- Citrus oil
- Cedar oil
- Rosemary oil
- Eucalyptus oil
- Tea tree oil
3.) Citrus Spray to Get Rid of Fleas
Citrus spray acts a natural insecticide to get rid of fleas fast and naturally. You just need to cut a lemon into thin slices. Now, add the slice to a pint of water and then simply bring it to boil on a medium flame. Allow the solution to sit overnight and spray it onto the affected areas in the morning where you suspect fleas. Do not forget to rub the solution over your pet’s fur. Instead of soaking the fur, keep it wet. Repeat the treatment at least once a month to get rid of fleas naturally.
4.) Horse Apples to Control Fleas Infestation
Horse apple also called as belongs to the mulberry family and is generally known as Osage orange. The conventional horse apples act as an insect repellent. Take some horse apple and cut it into equal halves. Then, simply place the pieces all around your house, in rooms, window sills, hallway, and even in the yards. It is suggested to place one fruit in each room. In proper air conditioning environment, this fruit can last for about two. People have a different opinion on the use of horse apple. Some say that ripe horse apple works great and others say the raw one is better. However, you can try this yourself and figure out which works for you. The main advantage of these fruits is that they not only control flea’s infestation but also other annoying insects and rodents including mouse, grass snake etc.
5.) Citronella Essential Oil to Get Rid of Fleas
It has been used as a natural flea repellent from the ages. Citronella oil is pretty safe to use not only for your pets but also for a human. The oil has a vital component that can effectively repel insects such as fleas and ticks, black flies, mosquitoes etc. You can even clean the floors with a mixture of any essential oils including citronella oil as one of the key ingredients. You should first vacuum your entire house properly before applying the remedy. Take the one-gallon warm water and mix all the essential oils (ten drops tea tree oil, ten drop lemongrass oil, five drops geranium oil and twenty drops citronella oil). Wash the floors of the house completely with this solution. Repeat the process after few days to get rid of fleas naturally.
6.) Table Salt to Get Rid of Fleas
Using table salt is the most easiest and affordable method to get rid of fleas on a dog. The property of basic table salt helps dries up the eggs of fleas which ultimately kill all of them naturally. You should look for the affected areas on your pet and for each affected area, you will need a pinch of salt. Dip your fingertips in water and then mildly massage the affected area. Repeat the treatment every day until the infestation is gone.
7.) Rosemary to Get Rid of Fleas
It is one of the most effective home remedies to eliminate fleas fast. Rosemary contains some vital components that are known to repel fleas naturally. You can use this remedy in your home without any worry as it is totally safe to use. Rosemary works great if your house is not badly infested by fleas. There are several ways you can use rosemary depending need and suitability. You can use it as a powder, a rinse, or oil. Or, wash your dog with rosemary water made by boiling rosemary leaves in water. You need to first boil some rosemary leaves in water and then wash your pet with this water. Do not use this remedy to wash your cat as their skin type does not adapt the rosemary and if you forcefully wash your cat then it will irritate her skin.
8.) Boric Acid Remedy to Get Rid of Fleas
The working of boric acid is similar to that of salt as it also acts as a dehydrating agent who causes severe dehydration in fleas and ultimately they die. Simply, sprinkle boric acid wherever you have doubt there may be fleas, their larvae or eggs. Do not purchase a shaker to perform this method as you can make your own by using an empty container with plastic lid. While using a plastic container you should pierce the lid with any pointed needle or a similar tool to make some holes in it. Put several pebbles into the container to avoid caking of boric acid when it is stored away. Then, fill the container with boric acid to its half and then you are ready to go.
Once the shaker has been prepared do not forget to label it in bold with ‘BORIC ACID’ (to avoid any misuse). Before using this remedy you should vacuum the carpets, upholstery etc. and then sprinkles boric acid and remove all the objects like bags, shoes, toys, etc. from the subjected area. Sprinkle the boric acid in thin layers and shake the container well and then apply a little powder on the region like on the carpet. For the carpet pile, take a soft brush and work with the boric acid. For upholstery, you should use hand brush and work down into the gaps. While working on fabrics take proper precaution as it can discolor fabrics easily. Don’t forget to sprinkle boric acid below your furniture. Leave for at least one day. Then, vacuum all the infected surfaces and areas treated with boric acid.
