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7 Ways to Chase Away Fleas

BY READERS DIGEST

1st Jan 2015 Animals & Pets

7 Ways to Chase Away Fleas
As much as we love our pets, sometimes it can't be helped if they introduce some unwanted pests into the house. Learn how to get rid of fleas for good using all natural methods.

Mix your own flea repellents

Homemade flea repellents are easy to mix and bottle, so why not give them a try? 
Use them to spray your dog or cat almost all over, especially under the ‘armpits’, behind the ears and around the head, taking care to shield the eyes. When you spray at the base of the tail, avoid spraying your pet’s genitals. Here are two quick and easy recipes:
  • Lemon sprayCut 2 lemons into small pieces, put the pieces into a saucepan of 1 litre water and boil the pieces for 1 hour. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture stand overnight. Strain the lemony liquid into a spray bottle and spray your pet as directed above.
  • Vinegar flea repellentRepel fleas with a solution made from 10 parts water to 1 part white vinegar. Pour it into a spray bottle and spray your pet as directed above.
For more effective chemical-free flea removal, click here to try an ionic pet brush

Pine scent in the doghouse

A pile of fresh pine needles, or cedar shavings, placed underneath a dog’s bed will discourage fleas from settling.

Draw a line in the salt

Pour table salt around all the crevices of the kennel to keep fleas well away from your dog’s cosy abode. 

Cedar deterrents

Add cedar chips or cedar sawdust to the stuffing for your pet’s pillow or bedding. If your dog has a kennel, hang or nail a cedar block inside. The odour of cedar repels fleas as well as other nuisance insects, including moths.

Scent flea collars with essential oils

Shop-bought flea collars often carry an unpleasant odour, and you may hesitate to put a chemical-laden collar so close to your pet’s skin. Fit your pet with a natural, pleasantsmelling flea collar instead. Rub a few drops of tea-tree essential oil, or lavender, eucalyptus or scented geranium, into an ordinary webbed or rope collar or a dog bandana and then refresh the oil weekly.

Kill flea eggs with salt

This flea killer takes a little time to work its magic. Sprinkle salt on your carpets to kill flea eggs; let it sit for a day, then vacuum. Repeat the process a few days later to make sure you haven’t missed any flea eggs. Each time you vacuum the salt, tie up and discard the vacuum cleaner bag that you’ve used.
And here's a great idea...

Yeast flea repellent

It’s not true that fleas can be repelled only with topical treatments. Brewer’s yeast work as a systemic flea repellent when ingested.
If you use the powdered form, sprinkle 1 teaspoon into your cat or small dog’s food daily (a 20-kg dog will need 1 tablespoon).
You can also use brewer’s yeast topically; just rub it directly into your pet’s fur. Caution: some animals develop a skin allergy after eating or being rubbed with yeast. If this happens to your pet, discontinue at once.
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