Natural Flea Control

Natural Flea Control

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From the Dollar Stretcher website:

Fleas are dangerous pests. They continue sucking blood even when full, because their larva feed on the blood that they pass with their stool. Fleas carry tapeworms, and a bad infestation can cause serious loss of blood. Puppies and kittens can die from flea caused anemia.

Any insecticide you use will be absorbed through your skin and the animal's skin, and be breathed by you, the kids, and the animal. Our San Diego fleas are resistant to most insecticides. The ones that work are either really strong or act as hormones, with unknown long term effects on people. The borax/repellent approach described here is much safer.

The following has worked for us for the past 10 years, and we have three large outdoor dogs and an outdoor cat.

1) Vacuum the house thoroughly, including floors and furniture. This will get any loose flea eggs, larvae, and adults. Dispose of the vacuum bag in a sealed plastic bag. Otherwise, the fleas you catch will hop out (they go toward light).

2) Make a 50/50 mixture of 20 Mule Team Borax (the boxed laundry product), and diatomaceous earth. The diatomaceous earth is available cheaply wherever swimming pool supplies are sold, including most supermarkets and drug stores. It is also called swimming pool filter earth. Pure borax will also work but will cost a bit more.

3) Make a dust can by punching or drilling a bunch of holes in the base of a container. A used quart yogurt or cottage cheese container, with the top, is perfect. Medium dust all carpets and hidden nooks and crannies of furniture, closets, and wherever else larval fleas might be hiding (they eat dust and detritus). I like to sweep the powder into the carpets with a push broom and not vacuum the rugs for several days so the dust can really sift down.

4) CAUTIONS: Do not breathe this dust or get it on the skin. This isn't a systemic poison like insecticides but it is irritating to the eyes, skin, and lungs. For this reason, be sure the kids and animals are out of the house while you dust. Do not use this dust outside or on houseplants. The borax will harm any plants it contacts. I wrestle with the dogs on the rug after dusting, and don't notice any irritation from that small contact.

5) To keep fleas off of pets or kids when they are outside, thin slice a lemon or lime (peals and all) into two cups of water. Heat the water to boiling and let sit overnight. Sponge the child or pet in the morning with the lemon scented water, and let it dry. It will soothe the skin, smell really nice, and keep the fleas off for about 1/2 a day.

Lemon grass (also called citronella, available from Asian markets) would probably work even better. I use commercial citronella based insect repellents to keep off ticks, mosquitoes, and other biters when hiking. It seems to work as good as DEET, but is safe and smells nice. It only lasts about 2 hours. A weak solution of eucalyptus oil and/or pennyroyal oil also works, but may irritate the skin.

We have found that outside fleas get on the dogs and cats, come into the house on them, jump off and die. We have almost no fleas in the house or yard (we do not spread poisons on our yard), and we take our dogs hiking once or twice a week.

A dust treatment once a year works for us but we treated twice the first year.
David (Dollar Stretcher)


Homemade Flea Repellent

Eucalyptus Leaves

You can get them at any craft store. For some reason the fleas don't like the smell of it. Safe for the kids and the environment.

Sprinkle the Borax

Borax is great for fleas. It is not toxic and you can sprinkle it on your carpet. Let it sit for a few days and then vacuum it up. You can sprinkle it around the fence of your yard too.

Use Skin So Soft from Avon on the animals' coats and it will repel fleas and mosquitoes. It is also good for the kids skin but just make sure you get the original from Avon.

DE - Deatomaceous Earth

An inexpensive way to rid your yard of fleas is to sprinkle DE (diatomaceous Earth) all over the yard. You can buy a large bag for just a few dollars at any swimming pool supply store. It is used normally as part of the filtration system for swimming pools.

Cedar Chips as Repellent

Putting cedar chips along your fence line will keep the fleas from other people's yards out of your yard, as cedar repels fleas.

Herbal Control

Planting tansy (an herb) around the dogs' pens or doghouse will keep the problem in check.

Set A Trap

At night put a dinner plate on the floor (preferably in the room with the worst flea problem) and put a drop of dish soap in some water on the plate. Put a lamp on the floor next to the plate. The fleas are attracted to the light and jump on the plate. Without the dish soap the water surface tension is enough that they can jump off but with the soap they sink and drown. If this is done for several nights eventually all the fleas will be gone unless more are brought in.