Natural Remedies for Fleas

Fleas are wingless insects of the order Siphonaptera. They usually prefer a moist and humid environment to thrive. These tiny insects can suck blood from any warm blooded vertebrates including, humans, dog and cats. Most of the time, these blood sucking insects are introduced to your house by your pets. Besides causing severe itching, flea bites can sometimes, cause allergic reactions as well. The first step to get rid of fleas is to maintain hygiene within and outside your house. Keeping the inside of your house, and your yard can help to control flea infestation to a great extent. In addition to cleaning, you can also use some natural remedies for fleas. The greatest advantage of these natural home remedies for fleas and ticks is that, they are safe and do not pose any health hazard unlike the chemical pesticides.

Natural Remedies for Fleas in House

The first step for getting rid of fleas is to clean your house thoroughly. So, vacuum your house and its every nook and corner as frequently as possible. But, do not forget to seal the vacuum bag properly, otherwise fleas can re-infest your home. You can also spray some table salt on the carpet and the areas, prone to flea infestation. Leave the salt overnight, before vacuuming the next day. Salt will dehydrate the fleas and destroy them. Now, disinfect your entire house, especially the areas that are more susceptible to flea infestation. Carpets and your pet's bedding can be some of the most favorable place for the fleas to breed. So, wash them regularly and use eucalyptus oil as a rinse. This oil is one of the best natural remedies for getting rid of fleas.

Along with cleaning, certain natural remedies for fleas like, eucalyptus leaves, cedar wood chips and essential oil can also aid you in getting rid of these annoying insects. Eucalyptus leaves and cedar wood chips are natural flea repellents. So, placing these in the areas which are more susceptible for flea infestation, also near the door and along the fence can help to keep this insect away. Eucalyptus leaves and cedar wood chips can act as a barrier to the entry of fleas in your house. Even essential oils like, lavender and citronella can also help to keep fleas at a distance. These oils can be applied on the skin of your pet to help them get rid of fleas.

As pets can be the most important carrier of fleas, so keeping them clean is the best bet to keep fleas away from your house. Pets should be given a regular bath with a good shampoo. While giving your pet a bath, you can add a few drops of eucalyptus, lavender or tea tree oil in the water to get rid of dog fleas and ticks. Similarly, spraying some flea repellent on your pet's body can be helpful to keep the population of this insect under control. An effective natural flea repellent can be made by adding lavender and cedarwood oil to almond oil. Citrus fruit like, lemon can also be used to make flea repellent. Just cut a few pieces of lemon, and then boil these with some water. Keep the lemon pieces soaked in the water for the whole night, and next day, use this solution as a flea repellent on your pet's body. You can also use orange peel in place of lemon to prepare another natural remedy for flea control.

Outdoor Flea Control

All the efforts to drive away fleas from your household will be futile, if your yard is infested by this insect. To evict fleas from your yard, you can spray some diatomaceous earth. The tiny particles of the diatomaceous earth have sharp edges, that can cut the exoskeleton of the fleas. The result is dehydration and eventual, destruction of the fleas. However, diatomaceous earth may be harmful to your pets, though for humans, it is quite safe. Borax can also be sprayed on your yard like diatomaceous earth. Just spray some borax in your yard, and leave for a few days, and then vacuum the area to destroy fleas in your yard. To prevent re infestation of fleas, you can plant pennyroyal, marigold, kennel in your yard.

I hope, these natural remedies for fleas can help to control its population in your house, and its vicinity. However, natural remedies or methods are largely effective for moderate flea infestation. A severe case of flea infestation can require the help of a professional or expert. Many people prefer to use flea trap to control the population of this insect. However, traps are not very effective to destroy fleas. But, the trap can warn you about the presence of this annoying insect in your house, and the severity of the infestation, so that you can take the appropriate measures in time.