Use baking soda to remove fleas A fail-safe way to get rid of fleas is to sprinkle baking soda down, give it a rub and then vacuum up any residue. You may have to do this a few times before you remove all the fleas. Pay close attention to the areas where pets sleep, too.
Make an equal mixture of salt and baking soda liberally on your carpet or affected area, and leave it overnight to dehydrate the larvae and eggs. Vacuum the carpet thoroughly and then clean your canister or bag carefully so you don't accidentally let the fleas out again.
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.
Create a flea spray by mixing 4 liters of vinegar, 2 liters of water, 500 ml of lemon juice and 250 ml of witch hazel in a large spray bottle. Before applying the product around your home, you should vacuum properly, emptying the contents into an outside bin, and wash any bedding/cushions that could be infested.
While Apple Cider Vinegar does not kill fleas, it may repel them because fleas dislike its smell and taste.
Can You Use Apple Cider Vinegar as a Homemade Flea Spray? 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.
Apple cider vinegar Apple cider vinegar is an effective way to ensure that there are no fleas on your hard surfaces. Wash your floors and wipe your countertops and tables with a solution of apple cider vinegar and water, to get rid of fleas [source: Home Remedy Care].
Mix 1/4 cup of distilled vinegar with 3/4 cup water in a spray bottle for a homemade flea spray. Use the spray on any water safe surfaces you've noticed fleas on. You can also add vinegar to the wash when cleaning color safe pet beds and linens.
Citronella, eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree, and rosemary will all naturally repel fleas. If your dog doesn't mind a spray bottle, dilute a few drops of your chosen essential oil into a 300ml-400ml of water and spray directly onto your dog's coat.
You can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, which is both effective in dealing with pests. Mixing essential oils like cedar or lavender can make the solution powerful. You can damp cloth with a vinegar solution on infested areas and on your pets to ensure that all fleas will be gone for good.
How does baking soda kill fleas? By mixing baking soda and salt into a formula you are making a dehydrating agent. This will dry out the fleas, their eggs, and the larvae. This will kill them off so that they do not reproduce and spread.
Fleas have exoskeletons that allow them to float in water, explains Dr. Reeder. “Dawn (and other soaps like it) creates a kind of surfactant, or surface tension, that will compromise the exoskeleton and make adult fleas sink,” he says. So essentially, the soap drowns the fleas.
Combine equal parts water and vinegar and spray over the fleas. Then, sprinkle salt all over the affected area. This helps keep the area dry, which aids in killing the fleas and larvae. Leave the salt overnight and vacuum the next day.
Capstar (nitenpyram) is a fast-acting flea treatment tablet for use in dogs and cats that starts killing fleas in only 30 minutes. A single dose of Capstar kills 90% of adult fleas within 4 hours for dogs and 6 hours for cats, ridding your pet of these pesky parasites.
The underlying theory here is simple: the powder dehydrates the fleas (and their eggs), leading to them drying out and dying. Similarly, you may want to keep animals and children out of the room when you're using baking soda on your carpets. Give it a go!
In the past, alum was used, both in the powdered form sprinkled over carpets and rugs and by dipping papers in an alum solution and placing them under the rugs (Bishop 1921). Riley and Johannsen (1915) suggested the thorough sweeping of houses at frequent intervals, and keeping the floors as bare as possible.
It is also an insect repellant and kills fleas," says Jose. "This is the major substance in Vicks, aside from Vicks use in upper respiratory infections, that can be used to repel mosquitoes and even fleas."
Thoroughly bathe pets with soap and water, then comb them with a flea comb. Pay careful attention to face and neck regions, and the area in front of the tail. Soap will act as a gentle insecticide to kill adult fleas.
Natural Remedy: Diatomaceous Earth
This talc-like powder is made from silica, the same stuff that makes up sand. You can sprinkle it on carpets, bedding, and furniture. Let it sit for several hours, then vacuum it up. It kills fleas by drying them out.
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.
Dilute apple cider vinegar in water and add it to a spray bottle. If your pet doesn't enjoy getting sprayed, dip a brush in the mixture and distribute it into their fur with a grooming session. Flea eggs can fall off your pet and into their bedding or anywhere else they sleep.
Raid® Flea Killer Plus Carpet & Room Spray kills adult fleas on contact and kills hatching eggs for up to four months on carpet and upholstery. Available in 16 oz.
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.
As far as wooden floors are concerned, fleas won't survive on their surface for a long time, as they have nothing to attach themselves to. But, they will probably be hiding in small nooks and crannies in the floor. They can survive there and breed in the dust and debris which is hidden.