Natural Remedy: Diatomaceous Earth This talc-like powder is made from silica, the same stuff that makes up sand. You can sprinkle it on carpets, bedding, and furniture. Let it sit for several hours, then vacuum it up. It kills fleas by drying them out.
Salt: You can rid your home of fleas without chemicals by using common items from your cupboard. Process salt or sea salt in a food processor until it is as fine as powder. Sprinkle it lightly, but evenly, over carpets, rugs and upholstered furniture. Leave it for 48 hours, and then vacuum thoroughly.
Make a homemade flea treatment by mixing six cups apple cider vinegar, four cups water, and a pinch of salt. Spray DIY treatment on the dog's coat — avoid eyes and wounds.
If you want ways to kill fleas naturally, salt and baking soda can dehydrate the fleas' bodies, killing them within a day or two. The bugs are also sensitive to high heat and soap, making steam cleaners, hot water and detergent, and hot cycles in the laundry extremely effective at killing them.
You can sanitise tile surfaces and floors with bleach to kill flea eggs, as well as wash fabrics at high temperatures in the washing machine and add bleach to the load. Don't forget to use a colour-safe product for non-white textiles.
After tending to the fleas on your pet, it's time to get rid of the infestation in your home. In most cases, it takes three to four months to completely get rid of a flea infestation since it takes fleas this long to go through their life stages, according to the American Kennel Club.
While Apple Cider Vinegar does not kill fleas, it may repel them because fleas dislike its smell and taste. One of the most simple ways to use this natural flea repellent is to make a solution out of equal parts apple cider vinegar and water.
A 2017 study published by the Journal of Arthropod-Borne Diseases found that thyme and myrtle essential oils can repel fleas effectively. Cedarwood oil can also repel fleas from fabric, people, and pets, according to Healthline.
While consumer spray products will kill fleas, a property owner should never rely solely on sprays. A flea aerosol bomb may seem like a good control product for indoor flea problems, but may not reach into sheltered areas where flea larvae and pupae are living.
They are designed as indoor flea treatments by slowly releasing pesticides into the air. Due to their size, strength, and chemical composition, flea bombs are not considered long-term pest control and may not be able to combat true flea infestations, but they can have moderate short-term efficacy.
You should never stay when foggers are about to be applied because your children and pets can inhale the chemicals or fumes that flea bombs release. The emitted chemicals will not only be bad for your skin but your respiratory system as well so exposing your family and pets is never good.
Experts report that roughly 80% is eliminated in one session. Plus, you need to reapply 3 to 4 times with a one-week interval. You can effectively kill adults, larvae, and pupae but not the eggs, especially if they are securely hidden inside deep cracks and crevices.
If flea bombs don't work, then you're going to need a professional flea exterminator who will apply a flea treatment that will kill the adult fleas / pupae / larvae and (AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT) a growth regulator that will stop the hatching eggs developing into adults….. and these treatments will have a residual, ...
In the past, alum was used, both in the powdered form sprinkled over carpets and rugs and by dipping papers in an alum solution and placing them under the rugs (Bishop 1921). Riley and Johannsen (1915) suggested the thorough sweeping of houses at frequent intervals, and keeping the floors as bare as possible.
Common brands of Nitenpyram include Capstar® and Bestguard® which can be purchased through a veterinarian, online, and over the counter. The active ingredient, Nitenpyram, is an insecticide that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes and lasts for up to 48 hours.
For mild or light infestations, washing the bedding thoroughly in hot, soapy water is necessary for killing fleas and destroying their eggs and larvae. You are going to have to wash your pet's bedding like this every week for at least one month, or until you are sure the infestation is over.
Make an equal mixture of salt and baking soda liberally on your carpet or affected area, and leave it overnight to dehydrate the larvae and eggs. Vacuum the carpet thoroughly and then clean your canister or bag carefully so you don't accidentally let the fleas out again.
Let them soak for a few hours then dry them on the highest setting of the dryer to get rid of flea eggs and larvae. Vinegar solution with water can also be stored in spray bottles and sprayed on the animal and its bedding from time to time to kill and get rid of fleas.
Using Citrus to Repel Fleas
Just as with apple cider vinegar, fleas are repelled by the sharp, pungent scent and flavor of citrus juices, especially lemon juice. That makes lemon juice one of the great natural home remedies for dog fleas.
Getting rid of fleas is a difficult process due to the long lifecycle of a flea. Moderate to severe infestations will take months to control and require a four-step process for complete elimination: Sanitation. Thoroughly clean areas where fleas frequently breed.
You might be asking yourself will fleas eventually go away? While some could last 2 – 3 weeks, they could also live for up to 12 months on the host it finds, so it is unlikely they will go away on their own. Fleas can also reproduce very quickly by laying eggs in carpet, bedding, or garden prolonging the infestation.
However, fleas can only live up to one to two weeks without a host on your bedding or mattress. While fleas sometimes bite humans to eat, pets and wild animals are typically the favored hosts for fleas. So, it's important to keep your pet away from your bed if they are suffering from a flea infestation.