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Quick Home Remedies for Fleas

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Fleas Like Homes

They have many great hiding places and often they are cooled by air conditioners. Plus, they have pets to use as hosts. Once these creatures get into your home, it is hard to get rid of them.

The adult fleas do not stay around for too long, but it is their eggs and larvae that can keep fleas in your home for a very long time. Getting rid of adults helps take care of the eggs and larvae.

To learn what good home remedies help you fight flea infestation, just continue reading our article. It has the information you need to know about so you can put up a great defense against fleas.

What Household Item Kills Fleas?

Bowl of solid coconut oil on a dark piece  of wood

You are in luck as there are many different household items that will kill or repel fleas. These items range from cooking ingredients to fruit to plants. Here is a little list of those household items that can help you fight off fleas:

1. Apple Cider Vinegar- This product is great as fleas do not like the odor or the taste of vinegar. You can spread it over your dog’s body, avoiding the face and genitals to help get rid of those creatures.

2. Baking Soda & Salt- Mix these two household items together and sprinkle them everywhere you think fleas are hiding. These two products are also safe to sprinkle on your dog’s body as long as there are no open cuts, etc.

The baking soda & salt will dehydrate the fleas and kill them. But it does take a few hours for it to work.

Yellow labrador in a bubble bath, being rinsed with a shower sprayer

3. Bathe Your Dog- Warm water is good at getting fleas to jump off your pet. They can’t swim so they will not make it to shore. As you bathe, use a nice anti-flea shampoo to fill off any fleas that may come on your pet after their bath.

4. Wash Everything- Use your washing machine and hot water to clean your dog’s bed, your bedding, curtains, and rugs. This appliance will kill fleas quickly and dispose of them for you.

5. Apply Coconut Oil- This natural product, used in its pure and not refined state goes a long way in killing and repelling fleas. That is because pure coconut oil contains lauric acid a known flea-killing ingredient.

There are other home remedies that may work. However, they have not been supported by any scientific studies that show they do kill or repel fleas. Use them at your own risk.

Will Vinegar Get Rid of Fleas?

Store shelf display of apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar may get rid of adult fleas it won’t kill them. The odor and taste of this home product are what repels those adult fleas and may keep them away from your pet.

However, the acid in apple cider vinegar is not strong enough to kill adult fleas, their eggs, or the larvae that hatch from those eggs. That means that while you can get rid of some fleas, it is temporary relief and not a full-time solution.

What you can use instead of this product would be those essential oils that are safe to use on dogs. There are a few you can’t use so be careful when adding essential oils to your defense against fleas.

Or you can try a little citrus juice mixed with water. But be careful as citrus juice is not always healthy for your pet. Not only that, but lemon juice may also bleach black fur.

Will a Bath Get Rid of Fleas?

Close up of the nose of a schnauzer looking over the side of the tub while getting a bath

Yes, you can use a bath with warm water to get rid of fleas off your dog. This is an effective home remedy for getting rid of fleas from puppies as well. It is safe for pets as fleas cannot swim. They will drown in the water.

Make sure to use a good anti-flea shampoo to keep the fleas from returning after the bath. Or put on a good flea collar or flea powder to kill any fleas that dare to return.

Some Final Words

Happy dog with tongue out sittin in yellow wildflowers outdoors

You do not have to buy expensive commercial flea products to get rid of fleas from your home. Just look around the house for these home remedies and use them well. They are effective and safe for your pets.

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