For pet owners, fleas are a year-round issue. As long as they have a warm place to reside, such as the skin of your cat, the bothersome parasites are active all year long.
Special collars, shampoos, dips, sprays, and pills are common flea control measures, but you can also use home remedies to help. Fleas can lay over 2,000 eggs in their lives once they establish a home on your cat.
Additionally, your couch, rugs, and other soft surfaces in your house may harbor fleas. This puts you at risk for a significant infestation if you can’t get rid of the fleas right away.
An itching pet, tiny reddish-brown flecks that resemble pepper on your pet’s bedding or furniture, and even the fleas themselves moving around are indications of a flea infestation.
Many veterinarians advise using natural cures in addition to not instead of more conventional preventatives.
Because the blood-sucking insects can transmit deadly diseases like heartworm, Lyme disease, and tapeworms, flea control and treatment are crucial.
There are a variety of natural therapies that you can use to cure flea bites at home. However, if you think you could be having an allergic reaction or are exhibiting serious symptoms, call your doctor right away.
Here are some of the best home remedies for fleas-
Dish Soap
For this particular home treatment, you need to mix some dish soap with a little water to make a flea trap.
Simply place a basin with a solution of dish soap and Luke-warm water in each of the areas of your home where fleas are most active.
Due to the high viscosity of the dish soap and water mixture, it acts like glue, encasing the fleas. Make sure to use a fresh bath each day while you repeat this technique.
You must carry out this flea home treatment at night for it to be effective. In reality, fleas sometimes inadvertently fall into the solution and get stuck.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is another grocery store item that fleas don’t particularly like. Apple cider vinegar can make fleas jump off your pet’s body so you can better combat the problem even though it is ineffective at killing the insects.
This makes it a great first step in your battle against fleas. Spraying your pet’s coat with a 2:1 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water may help.
You might need to apply vinegar to your pet’s fur a few times to entirely rid your home of fleas because they are a very obstinate lot.
Boric Acid
Boric acid functions similarly to salt in the treatment of fleas and is another straightforward and easy-to-make cure. The fleas use boric acid as a desiccant and a dehydrating agent.
You can use boric acid to get rid of fleas as well as their eggs and larvae. The ingredients that you will need are boric acid and a shaker.
If you can’t locate a shaker in the store, you can make your own. Simply fill a ready-to-use shaker with two-thirds boric acid if you purchase one.
Vacuum your carpets and any other area that needs to be flea-free. Boric acid should be used in thin layers once vacuuming is complete.
Rosemary
This method also works well if your pet has fleas because rosemary has a potent, pungent smell that repels fleas.
It only requires boiling some rosemary in a pan of water and letting it cool overnight for it to work. Pour the liquid into a spray bottle after that and make sure you separate the sprigs so none fall in.
Spray some of the all-natural solutions over your pet’s fur the next time you give it a bath to keep fleas at bay.
Essential Oils
Use caution while using essential oils to treat a flea infestation. The essential oils of tea tree, pennyroyal, pine, and wintergreen are among those that can be poisonous to pets.
But there might be a natural way to get rid of fleas and their larvae by using an essential oil that is safe for pets, such as lavender or peppermint.
Apply a single drop of the oil to your pet’s neck, or use a spray bottle to apply the oil to your pet’s entire coat after diluting it with water.
Fleas are repelled by the fragrance of these oils. This technique can also be applied as a prophylactic strategy.
Baking Soda
The use of baking soda as a natural flea treatment is common. However, more research is required as flea larvae are not harmed by it. Nevertheless, baking soda is safe to use on a pet’s coat.
It works well to eliminate odors and can be applied either as a paste made by combining it with water or by adding it to the pet’s regular shampoo while bathing it.
You could place a small amount of baking soda and water in a dish near a source of light that is out of your pet’s reach to prevent fleas. Fleas will leap into the dish and drown because they are attracted to light.
Lemon Spray
The lemon spray is said to be an effective way to treat wasp stings in addition to being a natural home remedy for fleas. Lemon can be used in a variety of household cleaning and maintenance tasks.
Slice a lemon thinly, add to a pint of water, and bring to a boil to create this all-natural flea spray. Pour the citrus solution into a spray bottle after letting it sit for the night.
Spray the citrus solution over contaminated furniture, pet beds, chairs, and other locations in your house.
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous Earth is created from finely powdered silica, the same material that is used to create sand. Ensure that the diatomaceous earth you buy is food-grade rather than industrial-grade.
Sprinkle it on damaged surfaces and let it sit for a few hours to treat fleas and vacuum up the diatomaceous earth and the fleas, making sure to empty the vacuum and remove the contents or change the bag and dump the old one outside your house.
Be mindful that the dust can irritate both your lungs and those of your pet. To avoid breathing it in, you might want to both leave the area you’re treating until the dust has settled.
Conclusion
If there are an excessive number of fleas in your home, you probably have an infestation. Small, reddish-brown fleas are a bug.
A flea problem is distinct from mange, ear mites, or tick problems even though they all produce comparable symptoms.
Fleas are external parasites that feed mostly on the blood of birds and mammals. These tiny suckers can consume human blood in addition to that of animals.
This increases the annoyance factor of these parasites. Despite not being able to fly, they can jump great distances thanks to their light bodies and powerful legs.
An adult flea can leap up to seven inches high and more than a foot long. While home remedies can assist with the itching brought on by flea bites, it’s crucial to address the root of the issue.
Treatment of the current flea infestation and flea preventative measures are both necessary for effective flea control in your home.
Flea removal on your own might be difficult. You find new flea indicators in your home just when you believe you’ve gotten rid of them.
Consumer flea treatment methods are frequently ineffectual, and it may require multiple treatments to completely eradicate them.