I don’t know about you but I love my dogs.
I love them so much that all that matters is their health and comfort just like us humans, guardians of their lives.
The controversy of recent years in terms of pest protection is not a “conspiracy theory” and the fleas are still there!
We all have been confronted with very impressive side effects that the collars and pipettes available on the market contain substances sometimes very harmful, including by simple contact.
So when spring and summer come, how do you treat dog fleas naturally when they invade the environment?
I share my personal experience with you and reveal here all the means I have been able to use over the years and what has been most effective to date.
Eliminating fleas is a real challenge that requires time and patience
The first step is to thoroughly clean the habitat to remove eggs and larvae
Then the diatomaceous earth deposited in strategic places kills the fleas
You treat the dog or cat in a natural way then you treat the yard and wet places to stop the invasion
Contents
- 1 What repels fleas?
- 2 Get rid of fleas without bombing
- 3 Diatomaceous earth for fleas
- 4 Homemade dog shampoo for fleas and ticks
- 5 The battle against fleas is won but not the war!
- 6 Natural remedies for fleas that do nothing
- 7 Natural way to get rid of fleas for my dogs
- 8 What repels fleas, ticks, mosquitoes?
- 9 How to get rid of fleas in the yard?
- 10 What essential oils are good for fleas and ticks on dogs?
- 11 Frequently Asked Questions
What repels fleas?
Just like you, I have documented myself enormously to finally find the miraculous anti-flea product.
Most articles on the net start by advising to treat the dog or cat by administering a pipette, permethrin for fleas.
When it comes to fleas, veterinarians can go a long way by prescribing tablets containing an insecticide.
Would you dare to swallow an insecticide to repel mosquitoes?…
The first mistake is in this process, it is not the animal that brings the fleas into the habitat, it is the fleas that invade an entire perimeter of the habitat, perhaps housed in dark places for months.
As you have probably read everywhere, the first step is to clean up the environment to get rid of fleas. And this goes first through the vacuum cleaner!
Yes, before any possible treatment of your doggie or kitty, start by making the room clean and suck in every nook and cranny.
Wash the cushions, the cloth toys, and insist on the favorite places of our dear guests.
This is only the first step to somewhat reducing flea invasion and facing a manageable opponent.
Get rid of fleas without bombing
Multiplying at the speed of light in wet places, the flea resists many chemical treatments.
Advising placing flea bombs in an apartment or house to spread a highly chemical insecticide that is supposed to stop an invasion of these blood-sucking insects is illusory.
It will take only one survivor for the problem to continue.
But in the meantime, you will have to leave your house so you don’t breathe a toxic product that will still have deposited in the four corners of each room! It’s up to you…
If like me, you are very unused to this method, then you will be interested in diatomaceous earth.
Diatomaceous earth for fleas
How to use diatomaceous earth for fleas?
This powder actually takes its name from diatomite, a silica sedimentary rock that is both organic and fossil.
Diatomaceous earth is a variety of diatomite and contains fossilized diatom remains from marine microalgae.
Its action is insecticide because it causes internal damage to insects when ingested and external damage to the limbs and shells of pests.
It is inert and non-toxic to humans and animals and can be treated inside and out.
What interests us here with diatomaceous earth is to reduce once again the population of fleas in the habitat.
To achieve this, start by getting a diatomaceous earth food grade – and only food! – also called amorphous silica in an organic store.
Once equipped with your diatomaceous earth powder, spread it along the baseboards in every room of your home or apartment and let it act for 5 days before using the vacuum cleaner.
Diatomaceous earth food grade (#ad)
Homemade dog shampoo for fleas and ticks
Now that you have reduced the number of invaders to your habitat and the diatomaceous earth barrier is in place, you can treat your little companion.
Here too, you are offered many chemical pest shampoos but they should be avoided if health is one of your major concerns.
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Essential oil for fleas
For my part, the most effective was to use an organic neutral shampoo and lemon essential oil (#ad) at the rate of ten drops per 100ml.
However, this trick is only for dogs, as essential oils should be avoided for the cat. So choose the lemon hydrosol for your kitty.
Lemon essential oil is a very effective repellent against fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes, and is also antibacterial and anti-infective.
But it should never be used purely because it is very aggressive to the skin.
The battle against fleas is won but not the war!
Your doggie thanks you for its soothing bath, your house seems sanitized, and the battle is won.
Make no mistake, it’s just a truce!
Remember, it only takes one flea to start again very quickly.
Personally, I have managed to completely eradicate an impressive invasion by spraying a natural pyrethrum-based insecticide (#ad).
We pulverize the whole habitat, we let it act, we rinse. It’s over.
This insecticide works by contact, just spray it two or three times and the invasion is stopped.
Natural remedies for fleas that do nothing
As you browse the net, you will surely have noticed many recipes from Grandma supposed to kill fleas.
I tested for you:
– Does apple cider vinegar kill fleas (or alcohol vinegar): diluted in water and sprayed on the coat, it has not changed anything!
– Geraniol oil for fleas: also used in many natural pest control collars, it is totally ineffective in fighting fleas. It has a very minimal repulsive action.
– Peppermint oil for fleas: I have never used it in flea mixtures because it has a hypertensive and anesthetic action
– Does lavender repels fleas? Well, essential oil is a very good repellent for the dog!
– Neem oil fleas: it also did not help to repel the enemy and the dog really did not appreciate its smell!
Natural way to get rid of fleas for my dogs
Since this massive invasion of fleas, I have decided to use grapefruit seed extract and I am very satisfied.
I put 6 days a week, two drops of this natural extract (for about 6kg of weight) in their bowl.
The grapefruit seed extract is one of the best natural antibiotics but its peculiarity is that it does not weaken the immune system, on the contrary, it stimulates it.
Thus, it helps to fight all infections including intestinal, all allergies, all eczema and restores energy in record time.
I let you discover this product, the GSE properties, and virtues
Grapefruit seed extract (#ad)
What repels fleas, ticks, mosquitoes?
A grapefruit seed extract has radically changed the way I approach the problem of dog parasites as far as I am concerned.
My dogs are happy to find it in their bowl six days a week (I stop one day a week so that the body does not get used to it).
They are happy, they no longer scratch, including the youngest who suffered from eczema!
Then during the walks, they are also happy to find it simply diluted in water (about ten drops for 50ml) and sprayed on the coat with a good emphasis on the legs, belly, and back.
They even noticed that although mosquitoes still swirl around them, they can’t bite them!
Note that grapefruit extract can also be used for cats.
It has the same virtues as for dogs and can also help fight infections such as coryza or gingivitis, intestinal problems, skin diseases and acts as a dewormer.
How to get rid of fleas in the yard?
And as the war on fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes really never stops, consider treating yards for fleas by spraying once a week a mixture of black soap and water (one black soap cap per liter of water).
Make sure the black soap (#ad) is pure and biodegradable.
Well known to gardeners, black soap is a natural repellent that has an insecticide effect on small insects such as aphids, scales, whiteflies, mites, and fleas of domestic animals, as well as on eggs and larvae.
And if you want to keep mosquitoes away, both for you and your dog, regularly spray a water-cedarwood oil (#ad) mixture (a cap for 2 liters of water), the most effective repellent ever tested!
What essential oils are good for fleas and ticks on dogs?
I also add a blend of vegetable oil and essential oils that proves very effective as a repellent on dog’s hair ↓
Essential oils for fleas on dogs:
- 10ml vegetable oil of your choice
- 5 drops of Tea Tree essential oil
- 5 drops of lavender essential oil
- 3 drops of Cinnamon essential oil
Plus, it smells very good and Kiki is so happy!
How about you? How do you fight dog or cat parasites?
Feel free to share your experiences in the comment
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do fleas live?
A larva can survive up to 2 months without food, which is why it is so difficult to break an infestation.
The adult flea, on the other hand, lives for 6 to 12 months.
Fleas are sensitive to heat and die when exposed for a long period to temperatures above 102,2°F / 39°C
Do fleas live on humans?
Human beings are also potential victims of these ectoplasms.
However, flea bites, although very irritating, are benign for them.
The insect’s speed and leaps allow it to escape resistance from its host.
Where do fleas hide in the house?
Fleas prefer dark and humid places.
To get rid of larvae and fleas, it is necessary to treat carpets, curtains, beds, sofa, cushions, under parquet planks, or under baseboards.
Every space is susceptible to infestation.
What scent repels fleas?
Essential oils can have a flea repellant effect.
You can try lavender, clove, tea tree, peppermint, eucalyptus radiata.
You can also synergize two or three of these essential oils diluted in vegetable oil as natural pest protection for your dog.
Note that essential oils should not be used in cats.
Why are fleas in my yard?
Most of the time the fleas found in the garden have been brought in by hedgehogs, mice, cats, dogs…
They like dark places, shady areas, tall grass, and lawns.
Are there fleas in winter?
Even though fleas do thrive when the temperature rises above 68°F / 20°C, nymphs in their cocoons can stay there for 30 weeks at 51,8°F / 11°C.
On the other hand, it does not survive the cold whatever the stage of its development, egg, larva, nymph, adult.
This does not prevent winter invasions as they appreciate the hot and humid hiding places in your home.
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