First off, spraying is a must as every precaution should be taken to protect your home. Fleas, the tiny little dark colored parasites that feed off the blood of birds and mammals, are dangerous as they can transmit diseases plus make your pets miserable and itchy. You can eliminate fleas from your home with proper treatment, but it may take time, especially if the infestation is heavy. Americans spend about $9 billion a year controlling fleas – one of the biggest expenses for pet owners. You may want to try homemade flea spray. Many can be quite effective without the use of harsh chemicals. Here are a few suggestions for use indoors and outdoors.
The Best Way to Get Rid of Fleas in your Yard Is to Call a Professional
Green and Grow will assess your lawn for a variety of dangerous pests like fleas and ticks that can damage your turf and harm your family. We provide 3 applications of insecticide to remove the fleas and ticks safely and efficiently.
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Sprinkle Salt
Salt dries out and kills fleas and eggs — finely ground table or sea salt can be used. Do not use it in high humidity because salt will clump with moisture in the air. Sprinkle the salt all over the floors and carpets. Since flea eggs can fall in between carpet fibers, it’s best to brush the salt in for better results. Let it sit for a day, then vacuum it up. Repeat the salt process each night before going to bed for about a week, and all the fleas in your house should be gone!
Lemon Spray
Lemon is a natural repellent for fleas. Lemon is a great way to repel and kill fleas if you have trouble with them in your home. Many natural flea sprays contain a citrus extract called D-limonene, which repels and kills these biting bugs. To make a homemade spray, bring two cups of water and two thinly sliced lemons to a boil. You will leave the rinds intact and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Next you will remove from heat and allow it to sit overnight. Then you will strain the liquid into a spray bottle and add a splash of vinegar. Shake before every spray and apply a fine mist of the flea spray to pet bedding, furniture, and carpets.
Do Nematodes Really Kill Fleas?
What the heck are nematodes and how can they help? Nematodes are microscopic roundworms that can kill fleas by releasing bacteria in them. These microscopic organisms can’t be seen by the naked eye, but they can cause serious damage to insect larvae while leaving mammals completely unaffected and minimizing the use of chemicals around your house. The bacteria multiply in the flea’s body and eventually kill them via blood poisoning. Nematodes are considered very effective because they target adult fleas and flea larvae. They are safe to use around humans and pets. That’s what makes them the ideal solution for killing fleas in your yard.
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth for dogs and cats is often recommended as a natural option for keeping fleas at bay. But what exactly is it? And more importantly, is it safe and effective? The food grade variety, labeled “Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS)” by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for human consumption, contains between 0.5 and two percent crystalline silica. There is some evidence that environmental application of diatomaceous earth to the indoor environment—including carpets, cat scratchers, and bedding—can kill fleas in the environment.
Do Cedar Wood Chips Repel Fleas?
Fleas are repulsed by cedar chips because they hate the smell and will do their very best to avoid it. Go to the garden store and get two large 0.5 cubic ft bags of cedar chips and sprinkle it throughout the areas where your pets roam and sleep. Since cedar is a natural repellent for fleas and ticks. use cedar mulch in the border areas where your pets like to play or rest. This will keep those insects from migrating to those areas.
A List Of Plants That Are Undesirable To Fleas
As you are choosing plants for your garden, think about the following if you have pets and want to control a flea infestation. Many of the plants that repel fleas are fragrant herbs. If you have an herb garden, you may already have plants that are protecting against fleas.
If not, think about adding these plants to your yard:
- Catnip: If you have a cat, this is certainly a plant you want around your house. It will help to keep fleas off your kitty.
- Chamomile: Keep other plants calmer, calm yourself, and calm down flea activity at the same time with Chamomile.
- Citronella grass: Citronella is best known as a mosquito deterrent, but it also repels fleas.
- Chrysanthemums: These beautiful flowers put off a natural chemical called pyrethrum that repels fleas, ticks, and other insects.
- Eucalyptus: This ornamental tree puts off an aroma that doesn’t appeal to fleas, nor does its waxy leaves.
- Fleabane Daisy: As the name suggests, fleas really don’t like this cute flower. The plant is also sometimes called Pennyroyal.
- Fleawort: Fleawort has long been thought to repel fleas even though the plant’s seeds look similar to the insect.
- Lavender: Beautiful, fragrant and flea repelling – what’s not to like about lavender?
- Lemon Grass: Getting rid of mosquitoes is just as important as exterminating fleas, and lemon grass will repel both.
- Marigolds: This is a multifunctional flower if there ever was one. One of its many benefits is being able to repel fleas.
- Mint: The sweet smell of mint attracts humans but is overpowering for fleas. Just about any member of the mint family works to keep them away.
- Rosemary: The herb (not Rosemary Bog or Rosemary Pea) is highly effective at repelling fleas.
- Rue: Early physicians used to tell people to use a mixture of rue and water around their homes to keep fleas away.
- Sage: This plant is the largest member of the mint family and is good for providing coverage over a larger area.
- Sweet Bay: This plant is a member of the laurel family and can grow fairly large for widespread flea control.
- Tansy Ragwort: Tansy has been used for years to repel fleas, lice, and scabies.
- Wormwood: Wormwood is an herb that is believed to be a powerful repellent for fleas.
Insect repelling plants, flowers, or herbs around your patio, entryways, windows, and other areas where your pets tend to lay or wander can help to keep fleas and other pests away from your home and garden.
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