Citrus Peel Infused in White Vinegar
★★★★★
Citrus peels have two organic chemicals called limonene and linalool which kill all stages of the flea's life cycle.
Just pour a 1/2 gallon (or really as much as you want, cause it can also be used for general household cleaning too) - of white vinegar into a large glass, covered container and throw in whatever citrus peels you have - oranges, grapefruit, lemon, lime... doesn't matter which or how much...as long as it's completely covered by the vinegar. Stir or shake it up every once in awhile and give it a week or two. Leaving it in sunlight will accelerate the process.
I use the solution, once a week, as a final rinse (don't rinse it off) after their baths. The citrus chemicals kill any fleas they may have picked up and smell of the vinegar, though not detectable to us, once the dog is dry, repels the fleas for the rest of the week.
The solution can also be put in a spray bottle for occasional spot treatment and it can even be used as a cleaning solution around the house!
Coconut Oil
★★★★★
Coconut oil is also outstanding in ridding and preventing fleas and ticks on cats and dogs. I've witnessed it with both my own cat and puppy. For my cat I leave out a teaspoon on a plate and she'll lick as much as she needs. If she finished that up I'll put more out. If she doesn't eat all or refuses it then I know she doesn't need anymore at this time and I toss it out so it doesn't go rancid and collect dust. Sometimes she'll eat a lot for a week or two.. To sometimes won't eat any for a week. Dogs I just give a teaspoon once or twice a day during warm/hot months and randomly in winter and fall.
If their fur has fleas I coat their fur with coconut oil, use a fleas comb to rid fleas and then shampoo. Fleas and ticks cannot tolerate the smell of coconut oil and by their eating it goes through their pores. They can't move in the oil so is easy to rid them. This method not only saves one money, but from harsh pesticides that are no longer effective as they once were, helps save your pets health.
Make certain cats are not cold for the oil will make them much cooler while oil is on. One may need to wash them twice. Coconut soap is good to wash off of cats. Must try to get all oil off cats because it will collect dust and go rancid.
I've personally heard vets tell me not to use coconut oil that it doesn't work. Yet they never tried. They insist on meds like human doctors to make them money. I've had two vets tell me that coconut oil does work and they also give me many holistic remedies. One yet I took a homeless cat in to get checked out I told him about coconut oil and he asked me not to tell anyone so he doesn't lose money. That angers me quite a bit. He'd rather poison animals and something not effective rather than something healthy and works.
(Usa)
12/27/2011
Just wanted to say - I saw several people mentioning to take care to dispose of the coconut oil before it goes rancid. I was wondering if anyone saw it go rancid - because coconut oil supposedly does not go rancid.
(NC)
08/11/2021
You just don't want to leave it exposed to the elements. That's when things grow bacteria, even coconut oil.
Coconut Oil
★★★★★
Colloidal Silver
★★★★★
Crab Apple Flower Essence
★★★★★
(Oakland , CA)
08/13/2008
Hey thanks...i'm trying the crab apple essence....two drops in the water....how much in the food...?...one...two drops?... once a day?...have you heard of any ill effects? I also ordered "Flea Free"...which is at least not a super deadly chemical like Frontline etc....Paul
(Los Angeles, Ca)
09/19/2011
Hi... Is this also safe for dogs? I have a 4 lb. Chihuahua and am loathe to use chemicals on her. She got sick when I gave her brewers yeast. Thanks!!
Diatomaceous Earth
★★★★★
Diatomaceous Earth
★☆☆☆☆
Diatomaceous Earth
★☆☆☆☆
(Mpls., Mn)
08/26/2016
Hello Michelle,
Your experience sounds spot on - DE makes a huge mess if you do it right, and you do have to sleep in another room while the dust given time to work. If you still are loaded with fleas, you may not have done enough dust, or applied to all the areas that needed it. You might find the lamp trap easier to use and more effective for your situation. Get a small desk lamp and place it on the floor that you want to treat. Put a white plate under the bulb on the floor, and add some water with a few drops of dish soap added - mix it so the soap is dispersed but don't get it all sudsy or full of bubbles. Turn the lamp on and turn the room lights off and then check to see what you have caught in the morning. I find this to be a very effective way to catch fleas and quickly clear out an infestation from a room. I have a lamp trap in each room of my house - they work on mosquitoes as well as fleas and tend to catch any insect. Keep your house well vacuumed, wash pet beds and human bedding frequently, and deploy many lamp traps to help rid your house of fleas. I also find the easiest and most effective way to get rid of fleas on pets is to give them a flea bath followed by a blow dry and flea combing to remove any fleas that survived the bath. Good luck and please keep us posted!
Diatomaceous Earth
★★★★★
Diatomaceous Earth
Thank you.
(In)
08/23/2016
Black walnut extract, 4 drops in her water and a few drops on her.
(Chicago)
08/29/2016
Black walnut is toxic to cats. In the past I read articles that said to use it but recent research disagrees. I then asked my vet and he said it is toxic.
Diatomaceous Earth
★★★★★
Diatomaceous Earth
★★★★★
I had a bed bug problem and tried everything. I have kids so I had to keep sleeping in my bed or risk bedbugs following me to their room. A real horror story until I found out about food grade Diatomaceous earth and tried it. There gone! I put it everywhere in the electrical sockets and to this day their still gone! I recently had a little flea problem and now mix some of the earth into my dog food and dust the dogs to keep the fleas off. My sister in NY had bedbugs I sent her some earth and it worked on her house too! I purchase a 5lb bag a year ago when I had the bedbugs and I still have 3/4 of the bag left since it doesnt take much when applying. When I first found a bedbug I called an exterminator and he quoted me at $450 to treat and that he would come back as often I needed. Once it took me 1-2 weeks to figure it all out and I invited him back he was astonished and asked me what I used ;)
Before you put pesticides and pay those high bills try it. I went a little crazy by applying it while opening all windows. Once I sprinkled everywhere with a mask on I vaccumed and put on baseboards ...etc . amen they're gone. I still apply the earth underneath bed and places you can't see just for peace of mind. I hope this helps someone.
Diatomaceous Earth
★☆☆☆☆
(Eastbay,ca)
08/16/2013
DE is a great product -but don't use to offen as it will dry out the skin. If this is used on a cat I would also use a flea comb. The De will not kill the flea eggs
If this is for a dog I recommend a natural product called EVOLV. Website: wondercide.com for products and information. It's a spray.
I did try on the cats but since they don't like to be sprayed I have put some on a cloth and wiped them down with it-but, I prefer to use the DE on them.
(Brighton Uk)
08/18/2013
Give fresh raw garlic as well. (NOT to be given to cats). Dogs only!! Small dogs half a clove. Large dogs 1 clove. Daily
Diatomaceous Earth
★★★★★
(Duquette, Mn, Usa)
11/04/2012
★★★★★
I have a dog and a cat. Both spend time indoors and out. Earlier this summer I had a terrible infestation of fleas in the house. Tried many things until I came to read about useing Diatomaceous Earth (food grade). Sprinkled it throughout the house on the carpet (that's all my house has except for in the basement). Left it there for two weeks (had to leave, otherwise would of vacuumed it up sooner). Two weeks and serveral days later I have finally gotten rid of the fleas. No more bites on my ankles (which had cleared up in the two weeks I was gone). Animals don't have them either. Before leaving I was already putting the DE in my pets hair and will continue to use it as a deterrent for fleas and ticks. I'm sold on the stuff. Dog might have Ear Mites but so far the DE doesn't seem to work.
It (DE) also appears to be working well for getting rid of spiders... no more spider webs on the stairs leading to the basement (split entry house).
Looking forward to seeing how this stuff works on our pets during tick season.
(Riverside, Ca)
07/03/2013
I'm having a flea problem in our bathroom (small just where the toilet is) I put DE all around the toilet bowl and some on the floor itself. But the fleas still jumping on me. Why are they in the bathroom anyways? That's actually where they're are the worst. They're still jumping in the DE. Does it take a few days or is there another solution? Thanks.
(California)
07/03/2016
We had fleas that kept biting in the bathroom. It turned out that possums were under the bathroom area of the house and the fleas were coming up through cracks.
(Sydney Australia)
07/04/2016
Rae Ann, did you pour salt down those cracks?
(Fl)
02/17/2018
Try neem oil for mites. It's working on my latest batch of stray kittens that lost hair between ears and eyes with tiny pinpoint red scabby dots. Vet told me she'd have to do a scraping to determine which med to prescribe. It's possible neem kills all mites by suffocation. Thick food grade coconut oil kills lice by suffocation...may kill mites too. Be very careful not to get neem in their eyes because it is an eye irritant.
Diatomaceous Earth
★★★★★
It is all natural, easy to use and much less expensive than other alternatives.
Just sprinkle the DE throughout your animal's fur, especially on their backbone. The diatomaceous earth will kill the fleas by lacerating their exoskeletons and dehydrating them.
Both pure DE and brands containing calcium bentonite or montmorillonite will have the same effect.
