15 folk remedies to fight fleas

How to get rid of it using folk remedies

Blood-sucking parasites can enter a home in several ways. Dogs and cats are the most likely source of fleas in a private home. In addition, ectoparasites are able to enter an apartment on outdoor shoes or clothing. This means that a person can bring flea eggs, thereby provoking the appearance of parasitic insects in his home. Flea infestation in an apartment can also be caused by neighbors who have animals that have not been treated for parasites.

In apartment buildings, the source of ectoparasites is basements and attics. Especially if the basements of apartment buildings are damp and there are rats, the appearance of fleas is not a rare occurrence. This is due to the fact that rats are carriers of not only infections, but also fleas. Why do fleas appear in an apartment and what to do if there are fleas, read more in this article.

In some cases, removing fleas from the house using folk remedies is quite problematic, since the insects multiply quickly. Favorite places for parasites to localize are cracks in the floor, carpet pile, baseboards and soft toys. Fleas can also settle in the cracks of a sofa or bed, causing a lot of inconvenience to a person while sleeping.

Folk remedies for fleas in a house or apartment consist mainly of thoroughly treating the home, including all surfaces, upholstered furniture and walls. At the same time, there are many ways to get rid of fleas on your own using folk remedies.

Reducing the room temperature

The freezing procedure involves thoroughly ventilating the living space during the winter season. At low ambient temperatures, fleas go into suspended animation and die. If it is not possible to reduce the room temperature to 10 degrees, you can take the carpets, bedding and bedspreads outside and shake them out thoroughly. The freezing method works well to get rid of flea eggs.

Bleaching

Such folk remedies for fleas in the apartment as bleach and boric acid should be used only with complete isolation of pets and children. Dry bleach (in powder form) is used to disinfect long-pile carpets. Before use, it is important to check in a small area whether the colors may fade when the product is exposed to bleach.

Many experts recommend using bleach only if no other alternative methods exist. At home, it is recommended to replace bleach with other similar chemicals. It is advisable to treat fleas with dry bleach in basements when large areas need to be treated at once.

Boric acid

In order to quickly remove ectoparasites from the house using folk remedies, it is recommended to use boric acid, but not in liquid form. To destroy blood-sucking parasites, plant powder mixed in certain proportions with boric acid salts is used.

The composition is used to treat bedrooms, beds, furniture, cracks in the floor and under baseboards. It is advisable to leave the premises for at least half a day after treatment. After time has passed, it is important to thoroughly vacuum furniture and carpets. Bed linen and bedspreads must be washed at 90 degrees in a washing machine.

Vinegar for fleas in the apartment

Vinegar against fleas indoors is not as effective as for treating pets. The acid in apple cider vinegar is not liked by blood-sucking parasites and repels them. The fur of domestic dogs and cats is carefully treated with the composition, avoiding direct contact with the skin. One glass of vinegar is diluted with a liter of warm water, and about 30 g of soap is also added. The resulting liquid is thoroughly mixed and treated with it on dogs and cats.

Hellebore water

Hellebore water is an effective folk remedy for getting rid of ectoparasites in an apartment or private house. It is well suited for processing any surfaces. Due to the fact that hellebore water is extremely toxic, it is recommended to leave the room for at least 24 hours after treating the baseboards and floors. After this period has expired, the premises must be ventilated, the floors and objects that have come into contact with the hellebore solution are washed. Even 1 g of dry hellebore powder contains such an amount of poison that can be fatal to humans.

Pyrethrum

A natural preparation made from a plant is Dolmatian chamomile. The plant powder is added to water and filled into a spray bottle. All possible flea nesting sites are carefully treated with a pyrethrum solution - cracks in the floor, baseboards, walls, especially behind furniture.

6 most effective herbs for killing fleas in an apartment

Salt

A solution of table salt copes well with the invasion of blood-sucking parasites into an apartment. A strong saline solution is infused for at least 8 hours, after which it is used to treat the floor and baseboards. The salt solution can also be applied to carpets after allowing it to sit for at least 10 hours. Then the apartment is wet cleaned and the carpets are vacuumed.

Soda

Baking soda also actively fights blood-sucking parasites. For the best effect, baking soda is mixed with table salt in equal proportions, and carpets are treated with the dry mixture. After 3-4 hours, cleaning is carried out using a vacuum cleaner.

Another recipe: mix salt and soda in equal parts, add water and wash the walls and floor with the mixture - the fleas will immediately leave the room

Garlic

For those who are not afraid of strong odors, you can try regular garlic to combat ectoparasites. Several cloves of fresh garlic are squeezed through a special press. The resulting pulp is laid out in all dark, secluded places where flea larvae may be located. The aroma of garlic repels parasites for a long time.

Coniferous shavings

Coniferous tree shavings combined with wormwood are an excellent remedy not only for fleas, but also for other parasites. Previously, in the absence of a large number of means to combat ectoparasites in animals, pets were rubbed with wormwood and pine needles, allowed to absorb the aromas, and then washed thoroughly. Twigs of wormwood and shavings of coniferous trees are also laid out in the right places in the house, where there is the greatest likelihood of fleas. In addition, pine shavings can be added to cat litter.

Ammonia

Both ammonia and ammonia have excellent properties for controlling fleas, ticks and bedbugs. The pungent odor of ammonia is unpleasant to parasites, and they soon leave the home after treatment. Ammonia is used for cleaning floors, baseboards, and also for irrigating cracks in the floor or walls. After surfaces have been treated with ammonia, it is necessary to leave the living area and remove animals for at least 6 hours.

Dilute 10 drops of ammonia in 400 ml of water, pour the solution into a container with a spray bottle and use for spraying. You can bathe your pet in the same water and wash its bedding.

Tar soap

Tar soap is recommended for treating animals against external parasites. The product has a pronounced antiparasitic effect. The main disadvantage is the lack of long-term results and labor costs. To treat domestic cats infected with fleas, it is necessary to soap the animal and not rinse it off for at least 20-25 minutes, and for dogs the time increases to 45 minutes.

Tar soap will help you get rid of fleas, their larvae and even clutches of flea eggs that may end up on your pet or carpet

Advice! If desired, tar soap can be replaced with lavender soap - it has the same properties, but smells much more pleasant.

Citrus zest

Citrus peels and the essential oils they contain are great at repelling fleas. Peels from oranges, lemons, grapefruit or limes are laid out, if possible, in all areas of the apartment where fleas can live. In addition to getting rid of ectoparasites, citrus peel removes unpleasant odors in the kitchen and helps remove other pests, such as moths.

Brewer's yeast and kerosene

These products for controlling fleas in an apartment or private house are used in extreme cases due to the presence of an extremely unpleasant odor. Dry brewer's yeast and kerosene are mixed in a bucket and treated the floor and baseboards. It is not recommended to treat carpets with this composition.

A mixture of camphor and vinegar

Camphor alcohol combined with table vinegar is used to treat adult fleas. This remedy is ineffective against eggs and larvae of parasites.

Homemade traps

If there is a severe flea infestation, you can try making traps for them. They can be glue or water based. A water trap is a container of water in which soap has been previously dissolved. A glue trap is a sheet of paper or cardboard, one side of which is treated with glue. It is better to install a homemade trap on the floor, since fleas move more often on the floor. In clean water, fleas do not drown due to their small weight, but in a soap solution they get stuck as a result of a change in the surface tension of the water.

Other folk remedies against fleas

The following folk remedies are used to kill and repel fleas:

• Saline solutions. Pour 1 kilogram of table salt into 10 liters of boiling water, then stir the substance until completely dissolved. Allow the liquid to cool to an acceptable temperature and bathe the animal in it, avoiding getting water into the eyes, mouth and ears;
• Geranium and lavender. Take 30 grams of dried geranium and lavender in equal proportions. Pour the mixture with two glasses of water and cook for 10 minutes. Let the liquid cool, filter it through several layers of gauze. Treat the skin of the animal with the product;
• Lemon. Make lemon juice from fresh citrus. Dilute one glass of the product in 1 liter of boiling water, then close the container with a tight lid and let it brew for 2 hours. Spray the animal with the prepared liquid from a spray bottle;
• Essential oil. Extracts of lavender, cedar, rosemary, and mint are used, sold through modern networks of herbal pharmacies. Take 5 drops of any of the indicated essential oils, dilute them in 100 milliliters of water, mix thoroughly and apply regularly to the collar.

Pest control tactics

Proper treatment of your home against ectoparasites requires careful preparation and time. First of all, you need to put all the textiles in the house into the washing machine. It is necessary to wash all sheets, curtains and blankets, as well as beds and pillows on which the pet sleeps. Dry cleaning must be done first. You need to wash at a temperature of at least 60 degrees, preferably 90.

The best means and preparations for treating apartments against fleas

Next, the carpets and furniture are cleaned using a vacuum cleaner. Particular attention should be paid to rugs near the front door and in the bathroom. Wet cleaning is also necessary. Floors need to be carefully treated not only in publicly accessible areas. It is recommended to treat all spaces behind furniture, cabinets, and under radiators.

Important! An important point when treating your home for fleas is the careful treatment of outdoor shoes. It is better to wash it with laundry soap or wash it in a washing machine at 60 degrees. This will prevent re-infection of the apartment with parasites after careful treatment.

How to get rid of fleas if there is an animal in the house

The appearance of fleas in the house is not always associated with pets. Sometimes parasites appear even in places where cats and dogs are not kept, but the presence of furry or feathered pets in the room creates perfect conditions for the reproduction of fleas. And this factor is considered one of the key ones.

In addition, animals that periodically walk outside are most often the cause of parasites in the house. Having picked up one or two fleas in the grass, a cat or dog becomes a “home” for them, a source of food, and a breeding ground. Flea eggs are then released from the animal's fur onto the floor and thus spread throughout the house.

In this case, imagoes, that is, adult fleas, will accumulate on the animal’s body. And the pre-imaginal stages (eggs, larvae and pupae), which can make up up to 95% of the entire domestic population, will be dispersed on its bedding, on the floor and on upholstered furniture where the animal rests.

In such a situation, flea treatment must be carried out simultaneously both on the animal and indoors . Otherwise, part of the colony in the house will not die, and soon the number of insects will recover.

Preparations for the treatment of fleas in cats and dogs are sold in veterinary pharmacies and are selected individually, depending on the type and weight of the animal. These could be drops on the withers, ampoules, sprays, shampoos or collars - a veterinarian or pharmacist will help you choose the right product.

What to do if there are children at home?

Attention! If not only adults, but also small children live in a house where there are fleas, you need to act immediately. Bites of blood-sucking parasites can provoke the development of serious allergic reactions in young children, accompanied by itching, redness of the skin, rashes, and even anaphylactic shock. It doesn’t matter what means are used to destroy parasites - traditional methods or industrial chemicals - it is necessary to remove children from the house during treatment.

How fleas get into a house/apartment

Fleas in an apartment are an unpleasant phenomenon, so let’s study where they come from and how to get rid of the pests.

Common reasons include:

• entry through the attic/basement (extremely important for residents of the first or last floors);
• entry with pets that have not been treated for fleas;
• favorable conditions, for example, high humidity in the apartment;
• a man brings fleas from a walk.

Before getting rid of fleas in your apartment, study the areas in which they live at home. Then proceed to exterminate the jumping vampires yourself.

Prevention methods

People living in private houses or on the first floors of apartment buildings are at risk of fleas more often than other residents, so it is necessary to take preventive measures to exclude parasite infestations. The following preventive measures can help minimize the risk of ectoparasites:

• Regular cleaning of carpets several times a year. You can dry-clean your carpets and carry out additional treatment with special chemicals.
• Constantly wash the floor with the addition of table vinegar. In addition to flea prevention, the home will be cleared of various infections.

Attention! Folk remedies for flea control are suitable for those people who do not want to use household chemicals. Cracks in the floor, walls or window frames must be repaired, creating additional obstacles for fleas to enter the home.

5 best ways to get rid of fleas quickly

Stage two - extermination of fleas in the apartment

This stage involves the use of professional medications and available folk remedies. Let's talk about them in more detail.

Chemicals against fleas

You can buy chemicals at any hardware store. The choice is quite large.

Insecticidal aerosols

Using aerosols you can get rid of fleas in about a couple of hours. But first you need to familiarize yourself with the rules of working with them:

• Step 1. Close windows and doors and remove all animals and people from the apartment.
• Step 2. Put on gloves, goggles, and a respirator.
• Step 3. You need to spray as many surfaces as possible, including bedding, textiles, clothing and other items in the house.
• Step 4. Then the apartment should be closed for 3-4 hours.
• Step 5. After the expiration date, ventilate the room.
• Step 6. Do a wet cleaning.
• Step 7. Wash all textiles and bedding.

Now let's move on to the review of aerosols:

• “Sinuzan” is a professional preparation based on chlorpyrifos, has an unpleasant odor, and reliably removes fleas;
• "Gett" is a household aerosol. For a one-room apartment you need 2-3 cans;
• "Raptor" is a German-made drug that is odorless and highly effective. Using this tool, you can stay in the apartment;
• "Raid" is one of the most famous brands and is in great demand.

Solutions

These chemicals must be diluted with water to obtain a solution:

• “Tetrix” – 30 ml is needed for 1 liter of water. The solution can be sprayed or rubbed into the surface;
• “Cifox” – bottle 50 g. allows you to treat an area of ​​100 square meters. m;
• Get is a wonderful tool. For 1 liter of water you need 100 g. drug. This amount is enough to spray a large room and furniture;
• "Cucaracha" is a powerful insecticide. Per 100 sq. m. 50 ml of product is enough;
• “Butox 50” – disinfestation is carried out by spraying. 30 grams are diluted in 10 liters of water. drug;
• “Executioner” - for an apartment of two rooms, 20 bottles are required (1 bottle per 0.5 liters of water);
• "Medilis" is a concentrated emulsion that effectively removes household fleas.

Folk remedies for fleas

To remove fleas from your home or apartment, you can use what you always have on hand. Keep some recipes! They are completely safe and will not harm your health.

Recipe 1 – herbal collection

Compound:

• Wormwood – 2 tsp;
• Eucalyptus – 4 tsp;
• Tansy – 2 tsp;
• Water – 250 ml.

How to use:

1. Mix all ingredients.
2. Pour boiling water over the herbs.
3. Wait 10 hours and filter through a sieve.
4. Pour into a spray bottle and spray the entire room. A very strong aroma will help quickly expel fleas.

These herbs can be sewn into canvas bags and hung around the apartment.

Recipe 2 – salt and soda

Compound:

• Salt – 1 part;
• Water – 250 ml;
• Soda – 1 part.

How to use:

1. Combine salt and water.
2. Fill this mixture with water.
3. Let it brew for 10 hours.
4. Pour into a spray bottle.
5. Spray onto floor coverings.
6. Vacuum after 8 hours.

Recipe 3 – garlic

Fleas just hate that nasty smell! Cut the garlic cloves and place them around the apartment - the parasites will escape.

Recipe 4 – ammonia

Having a very pungent smell, ammonia can scare away your uninvited guests. Dilute 10 drops in 400 g. water and spray on the floor. You can also add bleach and wash all the floors in the apartment.

Recipe 5 – cologne

A mixture of camphor alcohol, vinegar and cologne (floral) effectively removes fleas. Wash floors with it, wipe baseboards and crevices, spray on carpets. This explosive aroma will intoxicate the parasites.

Recipe 6 – high and low temperatures

A very radical method, but it can also help. Open all windows and doors so that the temperature in the house drops to -20 degrees, or heat so that the air warms up to +50 degrees.

Recipe 7 – tansy and celandine

Compound:

• Tansy – 1 part;
• Water – 250 ml;
• Celandine – 1 part.

How to use:

1. Pour boiling water over the herbs.
2. Leave the container overnight.
3. In the morning, pour the infusion into a spray bottle and spray the entire room.

Recipe 8 – chamomile

To remove fleas yourself, stock up on fresh chamomile (Persian or Caucasian). It contains a large amount of pyrethrin, a special substance that kills fleas. Place the leaves and stems of Caucasian chamomile around the apartment (along the perimeter). The main thing is that they do not dry out, otherwise the effect will disappear.

Recipe 9 – pine sawdust

If you have a pet that is almost 100% likely to bring you these fleas, fill its bedding with pine sawdust. This is very important in early spring, when insects begin their vigorous life activity.

Any of the herbs indicated in these recipes, as well as mint and calamus, can be safely replaced with aroma lamp and oil. This method can harm allergy sufferers, so it is better for them to leave the house for a while.

Important! Not a single folk recipe can destroy these dangerous insects. You can only supplement the chemical treatment with any of the home remedies or use them as a preventive measure.

Purchased flea products for your home/apartment: TOP-10

No. 1. "Raptor"

It affects the nervous system, paralyzing and completely exterminating fleas.

No. 2. "Get"

A universal remedy that helps not only eliminate fleas, but also remove cockroaches, ticks, moths and other parasites.

No. 3. "Raid"

The most effective remedy among all available. Available in aerosol form, easy to use at home.

No. 4. "Dichlorvos"

It has been a favorite among flea and other insect repellents for many years. Modern versions of Dichlorvos do not have a pungent odor, but are very effective. We recommend considering Dichlorvos Neo.

No. 5. "Karbofos"

Another universal drug. It costs a penny and is effective against fleas, bedbugs, cockroaches, ants and other pests.

No. 6. "Clean house"

As a rule, it comes in the form of an insecticidal powder. An extremely effective composition in the fight against fleas, ants, bedbugs and mice.

No. 7. "Sinuzan"

An insect repellent (particularly flea repellent) intended for use by professionals or ordinary people. Helps both get rid of fleas in the house and quickly eliminate other pests at home.

No. 8. "Butox 50"

The main active ingredient is deltamethrin. The insecticide is universal and effective against all types of insects, including fleas.

No. 9. "Cifox"

Liquid composition that costs pennies. But the result from its use will exceed all your expectations. The fleas die immediately.

No. 10. "Biorin"

A professional product that requires protection of the skin, mucous membranes, and respiratory tract. Efficiency has been proven by numerous reviews.