Flea Control Home Remedies

Flea problem is something that almost every pet owner is familiar with. Fleas infest pets like cats and dogs very easily and with them they reach your clean homes. However, it is not just these animals that bring the nasty pests inside your house. They are there in your yard, in your garden and anywhere outside. While you stroll around among your plants, some fleas will hop on to you and come riding, straight into your house. Once they are inside your house they will breed. They multiply at an incredible rate! And then what? There would be fleas all around your house. This calls for effective flea control in house. Although there are chemicals available as flea control products, fleas become resistant to chemicals with every generation. What most have found effective are flea control home remedies that are natural yet effective methods to control fleas in house.

Flea Control In House
As already discussed, fleas can come into your home with your pet or even when you don't own one. They might just take a ride home on your clothing. Hence the problem of fleas in house should be approached in two ways. One is by treating the house. The other is to ensure that your pets don't carry the pests home. Therefore flea control home remedies are discussed under the following subheads.

Flea Control Home Remedies - For Pets
Rid your pets of their fleas and your will be one step further in your flea-free home agenda.

Citrus Repellent
Cut a piece of lemon into quarters and immerse them in boiling water. Let the pieces steep in the water overnight. Spray your pet with this repellent, especially around the head, behind the ears and in the armpits.

Herbal Flea Collar
These are collars that make use of various scents given off by herbs to keep fleas off the pet's fur. Although most people say they are safe, it would be better to consult the vet before putting the collar on your pet.

Essential Oils
In case your dog is a bad case of flea infestation, giving him a bath with essential oils may just do the trick. Prepare this bath by adding a few drops of tea tree or lavender essential oils to the bath. Alternately, you could also make a herbal flea dip using a few rosemary leaves. An essential oil repellent can also be made by adding lavender and cedarwood essential oils to pure almond oil. One word of caution though. Do not use essential oils on cats as they are toxic to the felines for they can't metabolize these oils. Although most pet owners won't complain while using essential oils as flea control home remedies for their cats, prolonged use may give rise to symptoms of toxicity like nausea, vomiting and dizziness. In case of any doubt, consult your vet.

Nutrition
Flea infestation is a sign that your pet has a weak immune system. Provide high quality, natural diet to your pet to keep these pests off your pet's coat. Some even say that including garlic and yeast (baker's or nutritional yeast) in the pet's diet also works in controlling fleas as these substances render the blood of the pet unpalatable to fleas. However, raw garlic should not be given to cats as it is known to be toxic to them. Read more on pest control.

Flea Control Home Remedies - For the House
To keep your house clean and flea-free, here are some tips for you to follow.

Vacuum
Vacuuming is an effective option for controlling fleas in house. Vacuuming the carpet is a good way to get rid of the eggs, larvae and pupa that may be hiding in them. It also causes the pre-adult fleas to come out of their cocoons and that leaves them vulnerable to insecticides, in case you use them. Besides the carpet, vacuum your furniture, cushions, chairs, beds and even the walls. However, one has to be careful about disposing the vacuum bag. After you are done, seal the bag carefully and be sure that the contents are disposed off safely. Read more on how to kill fleas in the carpet.

Set a Flea Trap
You can make a flea trap out of a bowl of soap water. Leave this bowl of water overnight under a lamp in your pet's environment. Fleas are attracted by the heat of the light. They will come to the bowl and drown in it. This is useful in controlling the population of adult fleas. However, if the idea of leaving a bowl of water close to your pet does not appear too appealing, then you could also opt for electric flea traps available in stores. They come with a source of heat that attracts fleas. The fleas then stick to glue pads in the traps and this prevents them from escaping. Know more on how to get rid of fleas.

Diatomaceous Earth
One of the popular natural flea control products, diatomaceous earth can effectively kill fleas. Particles of diatomaceous earth have sharp edges that damage the exoskeleton of fleas. As a result the fleas dehydrate and die. Diatomaceous earth is effective but can be messy as well. These can also cause problems to your current soil and harm the plants growing in your garden or home. However, the fact that it is safe for pets, makes dusting homes with diatomaceous earth a popular choice for many. Know more facts about diatomaceous earth.

Nematodes
It is difficult to ensure that your pet does not get infested with fleas when he goes outside. However, if you want to keep the area around your house (that your pet often goes out to) clean, then you could opt for using nematodes. These are small worms that feed on flea larvae and hence are a natural remedy for flea control.

Irrespective of the flea control home remedies that you try, the key to getting rid of these pests from your home is persistence. Your aim should be to keep your house clean. Repeat the flea control home remedies as these are stubborn pests. They will keep emerging out from some corner of the house the moment you thought that you had won the battle against them.