Natural Home Flea Treatments

Fleas invade your home and irritate your pets. The pests will also bite humans leaving you itching along with your dog. If you don't want to use harsh chemicals in your home try a combination of natural flea-control methods.

  1. Considerations

    • The flea life cycle includes an egg stage, larval stage and adult stage. During the adult stage fleas feed solely off blood, breed and lay up to 400 eggs over its lifetime. The eggs are laid in pet bedding and dark, humid crevices. The eggs hatch into larva that feed off feces and debris. Your flea control plan must attack the fleas in each of these stages. If you only get rid of adults the eggs will still hatch.

    Within the Home

    • Part of natural flea control includes regularly vacuuming. Adding borax and salt into your vacuum bag destroys fleas in any life stage. Wash pet bedding weekly during flea season (spring through summer). At night, leave out a commercial flea trap (this traps fleas on sticky paper) or a dish of soapy water under a nightlight near your pet's bed.

    In the Yard

    • If your pet goes outside it will attract fleas present in your yard. Applying nematodes to your garden beds and grass in early spring can reduce the fleas in your yard by 90 percent. The nematodes feast on the larval fleas. You can also keep herbs in your yard that repel fleas such as pennyroyal and eucalyptus.

    On Your Pet

    • Healthy pets attract less fleas so have your pet checked regularly by a vet and feed it the best food you can afford. Treat your pet's fur with a natural flea spray or make your own. Steep eucalyptus, lemon and clove in hot water. Allow this to cool, pour it into a spray bottle and add a little citronella oil.