Natural Flea Soap Recipes

Fleas are deterred by strong smells, and essential oils are concentrated scents extracted from herbs and fruits. Adding concentrations of certain scents to a liquid soap or shampoo base will not only repel fleas but give your pet a nice scent as well. Not all flea soaps remove fleas, and it may take several applications to rid your pet of fleas. But after several applications, a pet should be flea-free for quite a while.

  1. Using Dish Soap for a Base

    • Bathing a pet in regular Dawn dish soap has been touted as a home flea remedy for years. While it does work, it can dry your pet's skin, especially if it is sensitive. To lessen the irritation in a homemade Dawn soap concoction, add four to six drops of tea tree oil and four to six drops of lavender essential oil. 2 ounces of water per 2 ounces of dish soap should leave the mixture at an ideal consistency for bathing an animal.

    Oatmeal-Based Soaps

    • A homemade soap made of an oatmeal base is an excellent choice for dogs with exceptionally sensitive skin. Oatmeal shampoo formulated for humans may be used, but plain oatmeal will often work just as well. Combining a mixture of 50 percent oatmeal (or oatmeal shampoo) and 50 percent water makes a fine base for a flea soap to use on animals. Four to six drops of an aromatic essential oil such as lemon grass, peppermint, citronella or cedar wood should be added to the mixture to increase efficiency.

    Bar Soap Recipe

    • Mixing a bar soap to use on animals can be particularly tricky because of the time and equipment involved. Using a double boiler, mix 3.5 ounces of petroleum jelly, 2 ounces of natural beeswax and 10.5 ounces of grated bar soap. Add five to ten drops of aromatic essential oils to the blend. Lavender is both aromatic and soothing and is a common ingredient in many natural flea soap recipes. After double-boiling the mixture until melted, pour the soap into a mold and allow to cool.