Natural Way of Getting Rid of Fleas

You know your pet has fleas when you notice little black dots jumping around in its fur. For many people, the next step is to hop to a can of chemically-infused flea killer. But the toxins in those flea killers can be dangerous to the environment and even pose a health hazard to you, your pet and your family. There are natural ways of getting rid of those little jumping fleas, and some are just as functional as a chemical.

  1. Pet Shampoo

    • Wash the pet with regular pet shampoo. Lather the soap suds as thick as possible and make sure it reaches all areas of the animal like the joints and belly. Give it time for the soap suds to drown the fleas. Run warm water over your pet for a while. This washes out even more fleas, and some more will drown in the puddles. Repeat as many times as needed or at least once a day.

    Eco-Friendly Wash

    • Vacuum the entire area your pet has been in. Remove your bedsheets, linens and even small carpet rugs that could possibly be contaminated. Wash the infested textiles using environmentally friendly laundry detergent. This soap and water will drown the fleas and exterminate eggs at the same time. Washing your pet's surroundings frequently also limits the chances of re-infestation.

    Natural Insect Repellent

    • Spray your pet with a natural insect repellent like lemon juice mixed with water. Cut up one lemon and boil it in a small pot of water. Wait about 10 minutes for it to cool down, then pour the contents into a spray bottle. Spray this citrus mixture right onto your pets hair. Spray close to the skin and in hard-to-reach areas. The spray can also be used to sanitize surrounding areas like curtains and upholstery.

    Grooming

    • Comb out your pet's hair with a special flea comb designed to remove fleas and eggs. This comb has long thin bristles that extracts these tiny pests straight from the hair. Always comb right after washing your pet. Comb slowly and thoroughly and pay extreme attention to long hair. Whatever the comb catches, clean it off with a disposable towel and throw it away immediately.

    Garlic

    • If your pet is a dog, and a vet approves, feed it one slice of a clove of garlic a few times a week. The fleas will be repelled by the scent. Cut it down to one clove a week when it appears the infestation has gone down. Check with a vet before trying this method as garlic can be as toxic to some dogs as it is to cats.