Outdoor pets can bring fleas indoors.
If you have pets that spend time both indoors and outdoors, you likely will have to face a flea infestation at some point. Fleas can be difficult to get rid of and can bite you and your family members. Topical pet flea treatment can be toxic to humans and pets and cause flea resistance. Getting rid of fleas naturally is safe for you and the environment.
Eliminating Fleas Around the House
If fleas have infested your home you will need to first eliminate them at the source. Fleas thrive in your yard; outdoor pets bring them into the house. Small worms called nematodes can be purchased from some gardening stores and spread throughout your yard. Nematodes are natural predators to fleas, and adding enough of them to your yard can eliminate up to 90 percent within 24 hours. Nematodes do not kill foliage but will also prey on grubs. When all fleas within the vicinity are eaten, nematodes will die out.
Eliminating Fleas inside the House
If your pet has brought fleas into your house, natural ingredients can help you eliminate them without using chemicals that could be toxic. Vacuum the floors, especially carpet. Vacuum the places your pet lays and wash any pet beds. You can treat your carpet with carpet treatments made of fine boric acid powder, which is so fine it does not get vacuumed up. Boric acid kills fleas but the carpet treatment is safe for animals. Once a year, treat floors, kennels and bedding with Nylar, a non-toxic chemical that disables fleas from growing to the adult stage. Set a dish of soapy water under a warm night light near your pet at night. Adult fleas attracted to the warmth of the light will drown in soapy water.
Eliminating Fleas from Your Pet
If fleas are thriving on your pet, even if you kill them around and in your home, it is a matter of time before they will return. You can remove fleas from your pet by combing her with a fine-tooth comb daily. Dunk the comb in soapy water when you catch a flea and it will drown. Bathe your pet with regular shampoo or dish soap. You do not need flea shampoo, which can be toxic, to rid your pet of fleas. Fleas will drown in any soapy water. Do not bathe your pet too often or his skin could dry out. Adding citronella, eucalyptus, lavender or pennyroyal to the bath can help your pet repel fleas, but be careful because a cat's skin can be sensitive. Feed low doses of garlic and baker's yeast to dogs to make them unappealing to fleas. Feed yeast to cats, but garlic can be toxic to cats.
Severe Flea Infestation
If the infestation has gotten bad you will need to "bomb" your house with commercial pesticide. Remember that fleas can cause disease and a flea infestation can be a major concern to both your pet and your health. If have been bitten by fleas, wash the area with warm, soapy water and do not scratch. If you must use a pesticide, look for one that has pyrethrin, which is natural, or resmethrin, which is a safer synthetic pesticide. These are the least toxic pesticides you can use. Follow the instructions of the pesticide precisely to avoid contamination of your home.
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