Many dog owners are deciding they want to get rid of fleas naturally instead of using harmful chemicals on their dogs. Here are some reasonings and natural solutions to getting rid of fleas on your dog and around your home.
Common Medications to Get Rid of Fleas on Dogs
There are many effective flea and tick products on the market. Chances are your veterinarian is recommending one of them. But, while they may be effective at eliminating fleas, they are also harmful to your dog’s health.
Treatments for Fleas on Dogs
- Flea Medications applied directly to your dog’s body, such as Advantage and Frontline are applied
- Oral dog flea treatments include Bravecto and Nexgard. These flea meds are given in pill form. They work by destroying the flea’s nervous system.
Think about this; If these flea treatments are capable of interfering with an insect’s nervous system, what could it be doing to your dog? These chemical treatments have been proven to cause serious damage to dogs.
I used them on my own dogs, on my vet’s advice but each month, I was more and more hesitant to do so. That’s when I decided to do some research on products to get rid of fleas naturally.
Home Remedies to Get Rid of Fleas on Your Dog
- Bathe your dog with a good natural shampoo to which you’ve added lemon juice. Leave the suds on the dog for about five minutes before rinsing thoroughly.
- After washing your dog, apply a rinse of one part apple cider vinegar to three parts water. Leave this on your dog and dry him well.
- Spray your towel-dried dog’s coat with the same mixture of vinegar and water.
- Use a flea comb to check for and remove any lingering fleas. Make sure to select a flea comb with small enough teeth to pick up the adult fleas as well as the eggs.
- Dawn dish detergent is a sworn-by favorite of many pet owners for helping with flea control. Simply wash your dog with the detergent instead of dog shampoo.
Natural Flea and Tick Treatments You Can Buy
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Agatha’s Organic Flea and Tick Prevention Treatment for Dogs is a safe and natural remedy for fleas and ticks. This product is a tasty, flea fighting powder you sprinkle on your dog’s food daily. It contains natural ingredients that repel fleas and makes your dog unappealing to pests. It has many great reviews on Amazon from people who are pleased with how it has helped control fleas and ticks on their dogs.
Vet’s Best Flea and Tick Home Spray for Dogs and Home is a spray made of plant-based ingredients that kill fleas, ticks, and flea eggs. Also, helps to repel mosquitoes. As the name states, it can be used on your dog as well as in your home to help eradicate flea infestations. Make sure to spray on dog bedding, kennels & crates, pillows, blankets, upholstery, carpets, etc. There are many positive reviews on Amazon that say it is amazing to watch this natural flea spray kill the fleas.
How to Get Rid of Fleas Naturally in Your Home
How to Get Rid of Fleas in Carpet
- Make a mixture of equal parts baking soda and table salt. Sprinkle liberally onto carpets and leave for several hours before vacuuming. This mixture works by drying out the fleas and their eggs.
- Thoroughly vacuum carpeting. I use a vacuum with great suction power in order to remove fleas from the carpeting as well as the flea eggs. My personal favorite is the Shark Rocket Deluxe Pro. This corded, bagless vacuum is lightweight but packs a powerful suction. After vacuuming, be sure to empty canister into a trash bag, seal and dispose of it immediately. Wipe canister with a paper towel dipped in a 3:1 ratio of apple cider vinegar and water.
- Spray the carpet with a natural flea treatment, such as Vets Best Flea and Tick Spray. This natural flea treatment for the home contains natural oils to get rid of fleas. It also works gently on your pet as well.
How to Get Rid of Fleas With Vinegar
- Vacuum hard surface floors such as tile, hardwood floors, and laminate. Be sure to pay attention to the seams and grooves in the floor. Also, using a vacuum crevice tool, get into the area where the baseboards meet the floor. Fleas love dark private areas.
- Damp mop hard surface floors with a solution of water and apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. A 3:1 ratio works well.
- Wipe baseboards with the same vinegar/lemon solution.
Naturally Kill Fleas on Soft Surfaces in Your Home
- Vacuum sofas and chairs thoroughly, making sure to get into the crevices on the seats.
- Remove any washable pillow covers.
- Wash pillow covers, linens, rugs, curtains and blankets in as hot water as recommended by the manufacturer. Dry thoroughly.
- Also, wash your dog’s kennel bedding, doggie beds and stuffed toys in as hot water as possible.
- Spray dried kennel bedding and doggy beds with Vets Best Flea and Tick Spray.
Get Rid of Fleas in Your Yard Naturally
- Mow Your Lawn regularly and keep it short.
- Trim any bushes and weeds. This helps to eliminate hiding places for fleas and ticks as well as mosquitoes. The more sunlight you can get into the area the better.
- Remove dead leaves. Fleas prefer dark, damp places, so clear all leaves and plant debris away.
- Beneficial Nematodes. Nematodes are a great natural way to help get rid of fleas in your yard. They are microscopic worms the feed on flea eggs and larvae. Added bonus: They also help get rid of mosquitoes, grubs, and termites, while being safe for humans and pets.
- Diatomaceous Earth is a powder made up of fossilized simple cell organisims. It can be sprinkled across the lawn or mixed with water and sprayed on the grass. Be sure to get the food grade.
- Plant flea repelling herbs. Herbs such as lemongrass, mint, and sage have natural oils that repel fleas.
- Spray indoors and out, in the yard and living room with Vet’s Best Flea and Tick Home Spray. Use on dog bedding, kennels & crates, pillows, blankets, upholstery, carpets, etc. It’s gentle on surfaces but effective on fleas.
Fleas and ticks can become a real problem for both you and your dog. In addition to the misery they cause with itching in your dog, they also can be hazardous to health. Infections caused by biting and scratching and diseases such as Lyme can be deadly to your dog. Fleas and ticks are persistent but with persistence on your part with non-toxic flea products can help you to get rid of fleas naturally and help your dog live a healthier and happier life.
For more tips on getting rid of fleas naturally, check out this article in Whole Dog Journal.