Apple Cider Vinegar Spray Apple cider vinegar is a slightly acidic pH level that helps prevent fleas from living and reproducing on your pet's coat. Make a solution of six cups of ACV and four cups of water (in a 6:4 ratio).
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.
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. Salt. When it's sprinkled on to the carpet salt will work as a drying agent to kill flea eggs and larvae.
In short: using vinegar solution or white vinegar on your pet's fur or in their drinking water will not kill fleas. There is a chance ACV could repel fleas because they don't like the taste, but it is only a mild detergent and is not the best flea remedy.
White Vinegar Sprays
Start with areas you suspect to be infested with fleas such as your pet's sleeping areas, bedding, upholstery, carpets and rugs. Though this mixture will not kill the fleas directly, it repels them, enough for your home to be rid of these pesky pests.
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.
Apple cider vinegar's slightly acidic pH level creates an inhospitable environment for fleas. Mix six cups of ACV with four cups of water (use a 6:4 ratio), add a pinch of salt, and spray the mixture on your dog's coat and underbelly, making sure to avoid their eyes and any wounds they may have.
Both apple cider vinegar and lemon juice are great home remedies for dog fleas, but they do have a down side, which is the simple fact that you have to reapply them frequently—sometimes multiple times a day—to keep them at their optimal level of effectiveness.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sprinkle salt everywhere or where fleas are active. Once they made contact with the salt, it will make them dry and eventually die. This is where you need your vacuum cleaner as you need to clean the area to remove the dead fleas and salt.
Hot Water. Washing linens and bedding in water that is 140 degrees or hotter will be effective to destroy most flea eggs. Steam cleaning carpets after vacuuming can also help to kill remaining flea eggs.
Strong odors like eucalyptus, lavender, clove, citrus, peppermint and citronella work as effective repellents. Cedar beds for dogs are so popular because of their ability to repel fleas. The scent won't kill fleas but it does effectively repel them.
You might be asking yourself will fleas eventually go away? While some could last 2 – 3 weeks, they could also live for up to 12 months on the host it finds, so it is unlikely they will go away on their own. Fleas can also reproduce very quickly by laying eggs in carpet, bedding, or garden prolonging the infestation.
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.
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.
An oral fast-acting tablet that contains Nitenpyram is the safest way to kill fleas on dogs instantly. You can also bathe your dog in hot soapy water with Dawn to kill adult fleas, but this is not a good long-term solution.
Vinegar. Combine 1 quart of water, 1 cup of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, and 1 cup of baby shampoo or liquid dish soap. Use this mixture to bathe your dog once or twice a month. Vinegar kills fleas and ticks on contact and can prevent future infestations.
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. If your pet doesn't enjoy getting sprayed, dip a brush in the mixture and distribute it into their fur with a grooming session.
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.
The most effective ones contain ingredients such as permethrin, imidacloprid, or dinotefuran that are lethal to the biting adult stage, and an “insect growth regulator” (e.g., methoprene, pyriproxyfen) that halts development of flea eggs and larvae.