There are a number of home remedies to get rid of fleas, whether you have a pet who has them or they have seemed to overtake your entire house. Fleas are a parasite that can cause all types of problems, with the most common complaint being that they bite and leave raised itchy dots all over your skin. If you have a pet who has a lot of problems with fleas, they can soon travel from your pet to your entire home – and you.
Many of the traditional treatments for fleas are not the greatest remedies, and can involve anything from having to leave your home to use a flea bomb to medications you may worry about them being safe to use on your pet or around your children. These remedies can also be very expensive, which can amount to hundreds of dollars spent in trying to get rid of the fleas and their eggs. Please remember to not use products that are not intended for the type of pet you have – using a dog product on a cat for example can be fatal for your cat.
Home remedies for fleas require two important things, first getting them off your pet, and then next getting them out of your home. Neither is an easy task, but it can be done.
Step 1: Help Your Pet: If your pet has fleas, it is only going to get worse if you do not treat your pet first. Vegetable oil will help smother the fleas making it so they can’t breathe and slow down enough so you can get them out. Use a flea comb (you can find it at just about any pet store) and carefully brush them out. The next step is to wash your pet using Dawn dish detergent or another type of soap safe for use on your pet. Lather it really in. Then, go over with a comb to remove any of the fleas and their eggs. Then rinse and go over with the comb again. It will likely take several days of this to see any major improvement, but it is safe, and does work.
Step 2: Getting Fleas Out of Your House: Getting rid of fleas in your house is a little more difficult. You are going to need to wash your pet’s bedding, any beds, pillows, etc.that your pet comes into contact with using the hottest water available and a safe laundry soap. You will also need to steam clean all rugs and upholstery. Some will recommend using apple cider vinegar to clean, and if you can test it to make sure it doesn’t cause any discoloration on the fabric, it does work well in getting rid of the fleas, especially on hard surfaces also. Sprinkling salt on carpets and upholstery before and after you vacuum can also help with causing the fleas to crystallize, but this alone doesn’t usually work. Make sure when vacumming you are using a really strong powerful vacuum – most typical models under a few hundred dollars do not get deep down into the fibers of carpet.
Step 3: Relieve the Itch: If you or your pet have multiple flea bites, getting rid of the itch is very important. Humans can try an antihistamine drug such as benadryl. Lotions such as calamine lotion, oatmeal baths, and others may be helpful. Some find that soaking in lemon juice bath waters can also help with relieving the itchiness associated with flea bites.
It can take several weeks to get rid of fleas from your pet and your home. With a little persistence however they can be gotten rid of. Doing these steps daily for two to three weeks will hopefully help you remove the fleas and their eggs.
What home remedies to get rid of fleas do you have? Share them in the comments section below.
