HOW TO GET RID OF FLEAS IN YOUR HOME FAST, USING NATURAL INGREDIENTS!

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How to get rid of fleas in your home fast using natural ingredients

You can get rid of fleas fast in your home using natural ingredients and common household ingredients such as:

• Salt;
• Borax;
• Baking soda;
• Diatomaceous earth;
• Apple cider vinegar;
• Essential oils.

In this post I’ll give you the entire step-by-step process to kill fleas in your home environment, fast and effectively. Only natural ingredients. No nasty chemicals!

The following post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll get a small commission if you decide to buy using the links provided. This will add NO EXTRA COST to you but it helps me to keep this blog up and running. Thank you. You can get more info by reading my Disclaimer page.

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IMPORTANT

Always follow the advice of your trusted vet before using any product on your pets.

While essential oils and natural ingredients are generally safe for dogs, some animals might be sensitive to some ingredients, or might develop an allergic reaction. Immediately stop any treatment if you notice any reaction, such as a skin irritation on your dog. Seek immediate help from your local vet if you are concerned about your pet’s health at any stage.

The same advice applies to you and the rest of your family. Although the natural ingredients used in the recipes below are generally safe, always consult with your doctor before using any product. Pay particular attention if you suffer from any condition, allergy or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Seek immediate advice and help from your trusted medical care provider if you are concerned about your health or that of your family.

HOW TO GET RID OF FLEAS

As a pet owner, I know very well the stress that comes with a flea infestation.

In the event of an infestation, there are of course insecticides available in specialised stores. However, the prospect of using those chemicals in my home or on my pets is not appealing to me.

I always prefer to use natural remedies first, to see if I can solve my problems without exposing myself and my family to possible dangers. 

In this post I’ll share with you how to get rid of fleas in your home fast using natural ingredients.

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How to get rid of fleas in your home fast using natural ingredients

Getting rid of a flea infestation on your dog is a time consuming and sometimes overwhelming task.

It takes more than simply treating your animal in order to get rid of the dreaded pests.

Your entire home will need to be cleaned and disinfected as well, if you want to solve the problem and preventing it from happening again.

can fleas attach to humans?

Fleas can have undesired side effects for humans as well.

According to healthline.com: “Fleas generally live on dogs, cats, other warm-blooded animals and birds because their fur and feathers make it easy to hide and reproduce. Fleas are very small, wingless, brown-colored parasites that bite skin and suck blood to survive.

But fleas can also bite you. While they won’t live on your body, you can still experience potential side effects. A flea can jump up to 13 inches, so it’s possible a pet or other animal can transfer them to you.”

CAN FLEAS BITE HUMANS?

Unfortunately, yes. Fleas can bite humans.

Generally speaking, a flea will bite on your feet, ankles and legs. They might bite you several times in a row, causing a hypersensitive reaction in your body.

A flea bite will leave visible marks on your skin. They can last for a few days and usually will disappear on their own. However, some people might be more sensitive to the bites, and they might also develop an infection.

are flea bites dangerous to humans?

A flea bite might result in allergic reactions on your skin. This is caused by your body reacting to the flea’s saliva. This type of allergic reaction is called a “flea allergy dermatitis”.

As a result, you could develop:

• A red and irritated skin;
• A feeling of extreme itchiness;
• Hives;
• An infection.

In more sever cases, fleas can carry diseases such as the typhus, which is a very serious condition that requires immediate medical attention.

Also, let’s not forget that fleas caused the bubonic plague in the past!

WHAT IS THE FLEA LIFE CYCLE?

I found the answer to this question on the CDC website (the American centre for disease control): “Most fleas have four life stages: egg, larva, pupa (in a cocoon), and adult. […] The lifecycle of fleas can be very quick or last many months to years depending on the environmental conditions throughout the life stages.”.

This is how the CDC website describes the life of a flea:

1. After finding an animal or human host and taking a blood meal, adult fleas will mate and begin laying eggs in the fur and surroundings of the host. Eggs will hatch in one to ten days depending on environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity.
2. After hatching from an egg, fleas enter their larval stage. Larvae are free moving and feed on blood and flea faeces (poop; also called “flea dirt”), in order to continue their development.
3. Within 5-20 days of feeding on flea dirt, the larvae will spin a cocoon, and enter the pupa stage. The cocoon protects pupa from environmental conditions and insecticides/repellents for several days or weeks until adult fleas are ready to emerge.
4. Adult fleas will not emerge from the cocoon until there is a clear presence of a host, such as movement or body heat, which will signal that there is a blood meal readily available.
5. Adult females begin to feed from a host within a few hours of emerging from the cocoon and soon after will mate and begin laying eggs.

Home remedies to kill fleas in the house

Thankfully for us, there are several home remedies that work very well in getting rid of fleas in your home fast.

The great news about these methods is that they are safe to use around your family, as well as your pets.

Before you start, remember that it is not an easy task to get rid of fleas in your home, as they reproduce very fast. Consistence is key in achieving your goal.

Here is all you need to know in order to get rid of fleas in your house.

treat your pets

The very first step you should follow, is to treat your pets. Chances are your dog or cat got infested with fleas and brought them in your home environment.

Therefore, it is vital to treat your animals first, as you would not want to disinfect your home, only to have your pets bring more pests afterwards.

How to kill fleas and ticks on dogs naturally

If you want to learn how to treat your animals naturally to kill fleas and ticks, you can check this blog post. 

CLEAN YOUR HOME: PLAN AHEAD

Cleaning your home for the purpose of getting rid of a flea infestation is a big job. One that requires time and patience. Make sure you plan well for it.

If you can, organise for a family member or a friend to look after your children and other pets you might have (for example fishes, or birds). Don’t start unless you know you have sufficient time to dedicate to the task.

important

Always wear protective gloves when cleaning your home, car, or outdoor areas.

Do not handle any cleaning product or infested item without protecting your hands first!

START PREPPING YOUR HOME

After you have looked after your pets, it’s time to start prepping your home.

The first thing should be to go around every room and start picking up items left on carpets, beds, sofas, floors and so on. You want to have free access to surfaces in order to clean them thoroughly. Make sure to have plenty of plastic bags on hand, in case you need to throw away some items.

If at all possible, move light furniture, so that you can clean behind it.

Lastly, make sure there are no objects under beds (such as storage boxes, for example). 

WASH DOG BEDDINGS

Time to start the heavy work!

Firstly, start by washing your pet’s bedding. Use the hottest and longest cycle available in your washing machine.

Adding a tablespoon of plain distilled vinegar in the rinse cycle (in place of fabric conditioner), will help you to disinfect fabrics.

Using hot, soapy water is necessary in order to kill fleas, eggs and larvae.

Wash dog beddings following this method at least once a week, until you have solved the issue.

WASH YOUR PET’S TOYS

As well as your pet’s bed, you will need to wash all its toys and blankets, as they can host large quantities of eggs and fleas.

The items that can’t be washed will need to be replaced unfortunately.

CLEAN YOUR HOME

At this point, you are ready to start cleaning your home.

Your best friend in this task will be your vacuum cleaner.

When you vacuum floors, you will get rid not only of the adult fleas, but also of eggs, flea larvae, and pupae. It is important to clear all of them in order to prevent a new infestation.

In addition to that, your hoover can also get rid of flea dirt, which young fleas need in order to survive.

Make sure to run your machine on all floors, paying extra attention to the areas where your pets sit and rest more often. Vacuum under beds and cupboards. Use special tools and attachments to cover angles, vents and hard to reach spots.

VACUUMING SOFT FURNITURE

After you have finished cleaning all your floors, move onto soft furniture, such as beds, sofas, pillows. Make sure to vacuum them thoroughly.

DISPOSE OF THE VACUUM BAG APPROPRIATELY

If your vacuum comes with a disposable bag, make sure to remove it as soon as you are finished (or as soon as the bag fills up completely), and dispose of it quickly. Best seal it, and put it in the garbage bin immediately, as to avoid contact with any home surface.

how to get rid of fleas on bedding

Just like washing your pet’s bed is important, you can’t avoid having to change all your bed sheets.

Indeed, you will need to wash all of your beddings, in hot soapy water. It is best to use the hottest and longest cycle available in your washing machine.

This will ensure you will kill all fleas, eggs, and larvae.

Add plain, distilled vinegar during the rinsing cycle, in place of regular fabric conditioner.

Make sure to wash throws and pillows as well, as fleas can hide in those too.

As an additional step, thoroughly vacuum all rugs and mats (the ones in other rooms as well), if you are unable to wash them.

How to Get Rid of Fleas on Furniture and Upholstery

Vacuuming alone is very effective in getting rid of fleas, eggs, larvae and pupae.

However, it is advisable to treat furniture and upholstery with an additional step, just to make sure your cleaning efforts are efficient.

Steam cleaning for example, is a very effective way to naturally disinfect surfaces.

Alternatively, make up an all natural room spray, and apply on pillows, sofas, beds, curtains, etc.

IMPORTANT

Before applying or spraying any product on your furniture or upholstery, check the labels and cleaning instructions.

Do not spray or treat any expensive item, as you might possibly damage it. Leave costly items to the professionals!

Always test on a small, inconspicuous area first.

How to make an all natural room spray to kill fleas

Making a room spray is very easy. 

All you need is:

• a 200ml spray bottle (glass or safe plastic);
• water;
• 30 drops of essential oils in total.

First, add the essential oils to your clean spray bottle. Top with water. After replacing the spray top, shake well and use immediately. Discard after use.

You can easily half this recipe if you prefer. In that case, use a 100ml bottle, and only add 15 drops of oils in total.

WHAT ESSENTIAL OILS KILL FLEAS?

There are several essential oils that can kill fleas.

Here’s a list for you. 

This list is not exhaustive. 

Feel free to mix and match as you prefer, but pay attention not to add more than the recommended amount of drops to your mix.

• citronella essential oil, 
• clove essential oil,
• terrashield (Doterra Outdoor blend), 
• lavender essential oil, 
• peppermint essential oil, 
• rosemary essential oil, 
• lemongrass essential oil,
• lemon essential oil,
• tea tree oil essential oil.

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how to get rid of fleas on carpets, mats and rugs

As mentioned above, vacuuming alone is very effective, when done thoroughly and daily till the infestation is cleared.

Vacuum carpets daily to ensure all fleas are gone.

In addition to that, you could try and sprinkle them with either salt, baking soda, borax, or diatomaceous earth before vacuuming. See instructions towards the end of the post. Make sure to follow directions, for safety reasons.

CLEAN YOUR CAR AND YOUR GARDEN (OR ANY OUTDOOR AREA YOU HAVE)

After you have finally cleaned your house, you might be longing for a well deserved rest….. unfortunately your job is not over yet!

You will need to clean your car and your outdoor areas, if you have any.

It might be helpful to hire someone to help out, if that is in your budget. Alternatively, you might ask a friend or family member to lend a hand.

clean your car

In relation to your car, if you can afford to have it professionally cleaned that is preferable of course. If that’s not an option, your trusty vacuum will be your best option. Vacuum the inside of your car with great care, including all carpets, seats, storage spaces, and the boot. Place a blanket where your pet normally sits, and make sure to wash it after every use.

DIY CAR AIR FRESHENER

You can make a DIY car air freshener by simply grabbing a piece of cotton wool or wood chip or a rug, and place just 2 drops of your favourite essential oil on it (see what oils work best in my list above). Rest this homemade car freshener on a little plate and leave it in the car till your next trip. The smell of the oils will repel the fleas.

If using a piece of cotton wool or a rug, you can squeeze it in the air vent of the car. This way, next time you use the car, the aroma of the oils will be diffused as you drive.

clean your outdoor areas

The size and type of your outdoor areas will play an important role in deciding how to clean and treat them.

If you only own a small balcony, then washing it with hot, soapy water might be enough. You could add a couple of drops of essential oils to the water, to enhance the cleaning properties of the mix.

With the help of a cloth, make sure to clean all surfaces, not only floorings. You will need to treat the outside of flower pots, feeding bowls, railings, outdoor chairs and tables, etc.

If you own a large garden

If you own a large garden, the task might be beyond your abilities and time. In those cases, a professional company would be best.

However, before committing to spending a large sum of money, I would test the garden first.

I really like the method suggested on Terminix.com: “A good way to test your outdoor flea problem is to put on a pair of long, white socks that go up to your knee. Walk around your yard slowly, especially under decks, around vegetation and anywhere your pets like to hang out. Just like indoors, fleas will avoid outdoor areas with heavy foot traffic or direct sunlight. As you walk the yard, the fleas will jump onto your socks where they will be easily identified thanks to the black-on-white contrast. You should do this a few times during the week at different times of day.”.

How long does it take to get rid of fleas in house?

Unfortunately getting rid of fleas in your home is not an overnight job. It might take anything from a couple of weeks to a month.

It is very important that you vacuum your home daily for the entire time that it takes you to finally clear the infestation.

If you own a steam cleaner, using it to clean floors and surfaces might be very helpful too.

However, vacuuming alone should be enough, as long as you do it daily and thoroughly.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF FLEAS ARE GONE FROM THE HOME?

Sadly, there is no way to know for sure when the fleas are finally gone from your home.

If you vacuum daily and wash beddings frequently, you should be in a good position anyway, after about a week.

You should look out for evident signs around your home (like fleas on carpets, or flea dirt on floors, for example), and on your pets. 

Signs of a new infestation on your animal are:

• frequent scratching;
• hair loss;
• redness of skin;
• general sense of unease;
• loss of appetite;
• traces of flea dirt on your pet’s coat.

IMPORTANT

If, despite your best attempts at cleaning and disinfecting your home environment, you can’t get rid of fleas after a few weeks, or if you suspect you have a more serious infestation, immediately call for a pest control service in your local area.

Do no wait, as fleas can cause serious health problems to you, your family and your pets.

HOW TO PREVENT FUTURE FLEA INFESTATIONS?

As all pet owners know, there is not one method that will give you total peace of mind. A new infestation can happen again, unfortunately. 

Pets can pick up fleas when out and about, at day care or in a dog kennel.

The first step to avoid future infestations in the home, is to prevent your pet from getting fleas.

You can do so by using a flea comb often, or by following the methods as described in this blog post.

Try to keep your house as clean as possible, and use some common natural remedies to keep pests away.

You could follow the simple DIY recipes I share in this blog post: THE BEST ESSENTIAL OILS BUG REPELLENT RECIPES!

THE BEST ESSENTIAL OILS BUG REPELLENT RECIPES

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HOW TO GET RID OF FLEAS IN YOUR HOME NATURALLY

Here’s a list of a few household products and home remedy you can try to get rid of fleas naturally.

SALT

Did you know that you can use common table salt to get rid of fleas?

To use this method, you will only need a shaker bottle (like those little ones used for spices) and fill it with table salt. Carefully sprinkle your carpets and rugs with the salt, and let it sit for at least 12 hours before vacuuming it. After vacuuming the areas, dispose of the vacuum bag immediately.

It is very important that you use this method only and exclusively if you can guarantee no one in your household (people and animals) will get in contact with the salt. Excessive amounts and exposure to salt can be harmful to animals.

BORAX

I personally have mixed feelings about borax, and I have never used it in my house.

However, if this is an ingredient you are comfortable in using, you can utilise it to kill fleas as well.

Indeed, Borax acts as a desiccant. It can kill fleas at any stage of their life cycle by absorbing the moisture from their body.

To use, simply follow the directions as given for salt.

Additionally, you must wear protective equipment to cover your hands, eyes and mouth.

BAKING SODA

Just like borax, baking soda kills fleas by dehydrating them.

As this is an ingredient I always use safely in my kitchen, I would feel more comfortable in using it in my home to kill fleas.

Once more, to use simply follow the directions as given for salt.

If you prefer, you could make a mix of equal parts of baking soda and salt, instead of using the soda bread alone.

DIATOMACEOUS EARTH

Did you know that Diatomaceous earth can be safely and effectively used to kill bed bugs as well? Read this post to learn how to use it to get rid of a bed bug infestation fast!

Another desiccant agent that will kill fleas by depriving them of their moisture.

If using this ingredient, use it following the directions for salt.

You will need to buy only food grade diatomaceous earth, to avoid possible dangers to your health, and that of your pets.

Additionally, you must wear protective equipment to cover your hands, eyes and mouth.

If you want to know more about diatomaceous earth and its many uses, you can read this post here, where i explain what this natural ingredient is, and how you can safely and effectively use it to kill fleas in your home.

DISH SOAP

If you are asking yourself if you can use dish soap to kill fleas, well, some people claim you can. I personally have never tried it, but I found this fun idea on www.summitenvironmentalsolutions.com, about making a FLEA TRAP.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

Apple cider vinegar  (ACV) can be used to help in killing fleas.

Dilute 2 tablespoons in a bucket of warm water to wash your floors with the help of a mop.

No need to rinse. Just let it air dry before walking on the floors.

DISTILLED VINEGAR

I use distilled vinegar in my home all the time.

I use it to clean windows, mirrors, glass, and to disinfect all kitchen surfaces.

Distilled vinegar can be used to clean nearly all surfaces, in order to get rid of fleas.

Always test on a small, inconspicuous area first, as vinegar can damage some surfaces.

ESSENTIAL OILS

Essential oils are always my go-to items when it comes to cleaning my home.

There are so many different ways that they can be used to prevent pests infestations, and to get rid of them.

Using the list of essential oils I provided earlier, you could make a room spray, or an essential oil sachet.

Essential oils sachet

For this recipe, you will need a little fabric sachet, preferably made of cotton or any natural fibre.

You can buy a ready made one, or sew your own.

Firstly, simply fill the sachet with your favourite filler (choose one from any of the following, or come up with your own):

• arts & crafts toy stuffing;
• cotton wool;
• wood chips;
• rice, mixed with dried lavender flowers;
• salt, mixed with dried flowers; 
• wool;
• fabric scraps;
• dried potpourri;
• etc.

Then, add a couple of drops of your favourite essential oil or blend.

Using a ribbon, tie the sachet at the top, as to prevent the fillers from spilling out.

To use, place the sachet in cupboards, drawers, on a plate in any room, under your pet’s bed, etc.

Make sure to add a couple of drops of essential oils every few weeks, as the aroma will fade in time.

how to get rid of fleas in your home fast using natural ingredients: conclusions

Getting rid of a flea infestation in your home requires hard work. It can certainly be a long and overwhelming process.

I hope the info contained in this post are useful to you.

Please feel free to leave a comment below, and let all the readers know if any of the methods described here helped you. Also add any other remedy you have used successfully in the past to get rid of fleas in your home fast, using natural ingredients. We’d love to hear from you!

IMPORTANT: when using Essential Oils, make sure to use only CPTG Certified, Pure, Tested Grade ones, like Doterra Essential Oils. The content of this blog post and any information provided here has not been evaluated by any government entity or medical practitioner. It is NOT intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, illness or condition. It is NOT intended to be a substitute for medical counselling. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or suffering from any medical condition or illness or injury, you SHOULD consult a qualified healthcare professional before using any product.

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