How To Get Rid Of Fleas And Effective Fleas Treatment
How do fleas infest your home? Fleas are dark, flat-headed insects, about the size of half a pin head. They usually live on pets like cats and dogs, but sometimes, they may be found on humans too.
Symptoms of flea bites: Fleas are blood suckers and their bites on humans are generally found around the armpits, ankles and waist or in the bend of the knees and elbows. They are characterized by small bumpy, itchy rashes, which sometimes bleed due to severe scratching. This may form a sore, which leads to further bacterial infection.
Tips To Get Rid Of Fleas And Ticks
Fleas enter your home through pets like dogs. So the best way to eradicate fleas would be to rid your pet of its infestation. While you may take recourse to professional exterminators or strong chemicals, this may prove harmful if you have children or other pets like fish and birds at home. In such a situation, it is best to take recourse to home remedies to destroy and banish fleas.
- Inside your home, the favorite haunt of fleas is your pet and its furnishings. Regularly, wash your dog’s beddings. Add essential oil of eucalyptus to the final rinse.
- Fleas jump off from your pet’s body and take refuge in your upholstery. Before vacuuming, sprinkle a fine layer of table salt over it, in order to trap the fleas.
- Fill a spray can with a weak solution of detergent or shampoo. Mist the carpet, floor and the upholstery with it, every few hours. This will help to trap the insects.
- Citrus is an effective flea repellant. Cut a lemon, soak it in water and boil. Cool and strain the water and spray your pet with it, taking care to target the areas behind the ear, in the ‘armpits’ and at the base of their tail.
- Cedarwood and lavender essential oils are also excellent flea repellants. Add it to some almond oil, shake well and apply it over your pet’s skin.
- Make an anti-flea collar by rubbing essential oils of tea tree, citronella or geranium on a dog collar or bandana.
- Fleas are also discouraged by herbs like fennel, wormwood, rue and rosemary. Make a powder after drying them. Dust this regularly on your pet’s back or rub them into the flea collar.
Diet:
- A healthy diet for your pet, with supplements of multi-vitamins, calcium and minerals will discourage flea infestation.
- Garlic discourages fleas, as does brewer’s yeast. Natural apple cider vinegar is also good. Either make pellets of these and feed them to your pet, or include them in their diet along with the food.