You can also use apple cider vinegar around the house to get rid of house fleas. Fill up a spray bottle with distilled water and ACV in 1:1 ratio. Spray the mixture around the house, under furniture, on carpets and rugs and especially on pet bedding.
Apple cider vinegar can't kill fleas, but it can help to repel them. Fleas don't like the smell or taste of it, so they're likely to avoid your pet if they have it on their fur. Dilute apple cider vinegar in water and add it to a spray bottle.
Vinegar, in all of its forms, is a well-known killer of fleas. Although this method will require repetition and must be used alongside vacuuming.
Apple Cider Vinegar Spray
Make a solution of six cups of ACV and four cups of water (in a 6:4 ratio). To make it even more effective, add a pinch of salt and thoroughly spray the mixture on your dog's or cat's coat and underbelly while avoiding their eyes or any wounds they may have.
Using a DIY flea spray of apple cider vinegar on a rug or dog bed will not kill fleas of any life stage. That's because the acid in vinegar is not strong enough to penetrate the shell of flea eggs or larvae.
While Apple Cider Vinegar does not kill fleas, it may repel them because fleas dislike its smell and taste. One of the most simple ways to use this natural flea repellent is to make a solution out of equal parts apple cider vinegar and water.
Another way to use vinegar to kill fleas is to wash your pet using DAWN® dishsoap and, while working up the lather, adding a stream of vinegar and alternating it with a stream of plain warm water while massaging the pet. Let the soap and vinegar solution stay on the pet for at least 10 minutes.
Make a homemade flea treatment by mixing six cups apple cider vinegar, four cups water, and a pinch of salt. Spray DIY treatment on the dog's coat — avoid eyes and wounds.
A very effective, natural insect killer is diatomaceous earth, killing fleas within four hours. It is non-toxic to pets and humans, but it's fine dust, and like any particulate matter, it should not be inhaled.
Baking soda does not kill adult fleas and will do nothing to protect your pets. It is excellent at absorbing smells and has been suggested by some online pet sites for use as a flea killer because it “may” dry out flea eggs and larvae. But there is no evidence that using baking soda to kill fleas is effective at all.
Dogs can have distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar (ACV) as long as you use it in moderation. Serve your dog one tablespoon of diluted vinegar in their water bowl or let it soak into their kibble. Keep in mind there is always the possibility your specific dog might have an allergy or intolerance to vinegar.
Using Citrus to Repel Fleas
Just as with apple cider vinegar, fleas are repelled by the sharp, pungent scent and flavor of citrus juices, especially lemon juice. That makes lemon juice one of the great natural home remedies for dog fleas.
Keeping Fleas and Ticks Away
To make your own flea and tick repellent, mix one part vinegar with one part water and spray it on your pet's fur. You can also add a few drops of vinegar to your pet's drinking water to help repel fleas and ticks from the inside out. Morgan recommends one teaspoon per quart of water.
Thoroughly clean areas where fleas frequently breed. This includes washing bedding, rugs, and pet bedding, and thoroughly vacuuming and sweeping floors and carpeted areas and along the edges of walls. Pet treatment. Every pet in the home must be treated.
Even educated fleas do it. Let's do it, let's all play dead! This article was first published in The Skeptical Inquirer. Properly called “tonic immobility,” feigning death when approached by a predator is a fairly common tactic across the animal kingdom.
Fleas have a strong sense of smell, which they use to find accessible food sources. You can take advantage of this trait by using scents they dislike, such as cedarwood, mint, vinegar, clove oil, citrus, DEET, lemongrass oil, and rosemary oil.
Vinegar. This natural powerhouse also can kill fleas! Mix 1/4 cup of distilled vinegar with 3/4 cup water in a spray bottle for a homemade flea spray.
Citronella oil is a natural flea repellent, and making a mixture out of this and other oils will be sure to keep the pests at bay. Add 20 drops of citronella oil, ten drops of tea tree oil, ten drops of lemongrass oil, and five drops of geranium oil to warm water, and use the solution to mop your home.
White vinegar.
If fleas have spread throughout your house, you can make a white vinegar solution with equal parts water and vinegar to spray on carpet, baseboards, furniture and under furniture.
There's little evidence that vinegar repels insects, including fleas. Again, the sources are outdated. A 10th century remedy recommends rubbing a mixture of vinegar, manna, and oil on the body to repel gnats.