Home-based remedies for fleas
Being a pet owner comes with a few responsibilities, especially if your dog or cat begins to have fleas. Flea infestation can be a constant worrisome issue to deal with. Fleas are parasites that suck on the blood of the host (dog or cat). As a result, the infestation can be a problem in one’s home, causing bite marks, which could eventually lead to sore wounds, allergies, and diseases.
If one notices the infestation of fleas in their house or on their property, they must learn how to get rid of them. Luckily, there are a bunch of home-based remedies that can help you deal with fleas.
Some of the remedies to help get rid of fleas:
This home-based remedy is great as it creates a trap for fleas with dish soap and water. All you would need to do is fill a bowl or dish with a mixture of dish soap and warm water. Then, place this mixture in the room with the most flea infestation. This mixture acts as a glue and traps the fleas as it has high viscosity. Repeat this method a few times with a fresh solution every night. It is best to use this home remedy at night as fleas are nocturnal and are most active at nighttime. This remedy works more effectively if one keeps a candle near the mixture, as insects get attracted to light.
If you continue to struggle with the infestation of fleas, you should also consider vacuuming your house regularly. This is a great way to help you get rid of fleas from furniture, carpets, and your pet’s bedding. You can boost this process by sprinkling baking soda around the affected areas before you vacuum the place. One should sprinkle baking soda on furniture and carpets as well. This then needs to be rubbed into the fabric with a hard brush. Once that is done the entire home needs to be vacuumed well. Make sure the contents of the vacuum are emptied in a trash can that is located outside one’s home.
Additionally, you can even consider substituting salt with baking soda to help get rid of fleas. Salt acts as a dehydrating agent, which kills fleas effectively. In order for the salt to reach every nook and cranny, grind the salt into a fine powder and sprinkle it all over the affected room, especially the carpets. The salt then needs to be left undisturbed for a couple of days after which it can be vacuumed. The contents of the vacuum then need to be emptied in a trash can outside one’s home.
Lemon is another effective home-based remedy to trap fleas. For this home-based remedy, one needs to make a mixture of lemon juice and spray it on the furniture that has been infested. To prepare this flea spray all you would need to do is boil a pint of water with a thin slice of lemon in it. This citrus solution then needs to be kept overnight before use. You can then use it around the house in areas that are affected and on furniture like chairs, sofas, your pet’s bedding, etc.