Homemade Cat & Dog Flea Treatments

Unfortunately, one of the drawbacks to having animals is dealing with fleas. Even when kept inside, animals can harbor the blood-sucking parasites. Once you see fleas on your pets, your entire home is probably already teeming with fleas. You can purchase commercial flea treatments, but these can be expensive and often do not work. Luckily, you can easily make homemade flea treatments for little money that are very effective using ingredients you probably already have around the home.

Things You'll Need

  • Dish detergent
  • Flea shampoo
  • Water
  • Towel
  • High-quality pet food
  • Safflower oil
  • Dried seaweed
  • Grated garlic
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Distilled water
  • Sprayer
  • Lavender oil
  • Peppermint oil
  • Baking dish
  • Lamp

Instructions

  1. Bathing

    • 1

      Add 1 tbsp. of dish detergent into a bottle of store-bought flea shampoo. Mix the detergent in by shaking the bottle. The detergent breaks the surface tension created by the water when you are bathing your pet, causing the fleas not to float and, in turn, drown.

    • 2

      Bathe your pet as you normally would. Start at the ears and neck so that the fleas do not escape there to higher, dryer ground when you begin working on the rest of his body.

    • 3

      Ensure you thoroughly wash your pet, focusing on his underarms and tail.

    • 4

      Rinse the shampoo thoroughly and then towel-dry your pet.

    Food

    • 5

      Choose a high-quality pet food. Fleas infest animals with weaker immune systems. The right food will help build and maintain a healthy immune system. Check with your vet or local pet store if you need brand recommendations.

    • 6

      Add safflower oil to your pet's food. Sprinkle 1 tsp. on top of the food every day. If you prefer, you can try powdered seaweed or kelp. For dogs, you can try grated garlic as well; however, never give garlic to your cats since it is dangerous for them to ingest. Fleas dislike the taste of all these products and will be less likely to bite your pet.

    • 7

      Add 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar to the water bowl every day. Fleas dislike the flavor of vinegar as well. Plus, apple cider vinegar can help boost your pet's immune system.

    Hard Surface Cleaning

    • 8

      Mix together 1 cup each rubbing alcohol and distilled water in a spray bottle.

    • 9

      Add 5 to 10 drops each lavender oil and peppermint oil.

    • 10

      Place the lid on the bottle and shake to combine.

    • 11

      Spray the solution on hard surfaces as a cleaning agent.

    Flea Traps

    • 12

      Fill a shallow baking dish with 1 or 2 inches of water.

    • 13

      Add 2 or 3 drops of dish detergent and stir to combine.

    • 14

      Place the baking dish in the middle of a carpeted room.

    • 15

      Place a lamp over the trap and turn it on. Turn all other lights off. The fleas will be attracted to the heat and light of the lamp, jump to get towards the light and land in the water-filled dish. The fleas will then drown in the dish.

    • 16

      Discard the liquid in the morning. Repeat as needed.