Getting rid of fleas on dogs may be easier than you imagined. The first step is identifying that your dog is suffering from a flea infestation. It is not hard to see the symptoms of a flea infestation if you know what to look for. The usual symptoms of fleas on dogs are intense itching and scabs, redness of skin, hair loss near your dog’s tail and flea dirt. Flea dirt looks like coffee grounds or spots of dirt on your dog, but are actually blood-filled flea droppings.
If your pet is suffering from a flea infestation, it is likely that you will also display some signs yourself, whether small red bumps, hives, rashes or bug bites in the folds of the skin. Nobody wants to be flea-ridden and following these 4 simple home remedies for fleas will help you get rid of fleas fast and prevent future flea infestations in your home.
4 DIY flea infestation removal and flea prevention
The first step in flea prevention is keeping your home clean. Vacuuming your home at least once a day and disposing of the bag afterwards is the place to start getting rid of fleas. Fleas are an especially hardy pest and you will often need to use more than one of the following remedies to get rid of flea infestations permanently.
1. Homemade flea dip
The homemade flea dip is probably the first flea prevention method you should employ when you are trying to get rid of fleas on dogs. This quick method will get rid of fleas and their eggs on your dog, but does not treat the sources of fleas in your home.
½ a lemon
2 cups of warm water
1 cup pet shampoo
Wash your dog once a week with this mixture to get rid of fleas, eggs and larvae on your dog.
2. Homemade flea spray for dogs
A homemade flea prevention spray is a great tool to help make your home and your pet inhospitable to fleas. There are several essential oils that can be used as natural flea repellents, including:
- Cedarwood oil: Cedarwood oil has a strong scent that repels fleas and ticks. It is effective in preventing flea infestations.
- Lavender oil: Lavender oil is known for its calming properties and is also an effective flea repellent. It can be applied to a pet's bedding or collar.
- Peppermint oil: Peppermint oil is another natural flea repellent. Its strong scent masks the pheromones that fleas use to locate their hosts.
- Eucalyptus oil: Eucalyptus oil has a strong scent that repels fleas. It can be used to make a spray that can be applied to a pet's coat or bedding.
- Lemongrass oil: Lemongrass oil is also an effective flea repellent. Its scent is pleasant to humans but not to fleas.
A homemade flea prevention spray is a great tool to help make your home and your pet inhospitable to fleas. This flea treatment will be the perfect flea spray for dogs and can also help protect your home from flea infestations. Combine 1 cup of white distilled vinegar, 1 quart of water, 2-3 drops of one of the oils listed, put the mixture in a spray bottle and voila! You have a flea spray for dogs that will get rid of fleas fast. Simply apply the flea spray to your dog twice a day while avoiding sensitive areas to get rid of fleas on your dog, but that’s not it just yet. Use the flea spray twice a day on your dog’s bed to eliminate fleas at the source and repeat until all the fleas are gone.
3. Homemade flea collars
Buying a flea collar is usually the first step in flea prevention for dog owners, but making a homemade flea prevention collar yourself is simple and effective. Simply dampen your dog’s collar or bandana in lavender oil and rub it into the collar once a week and you will have a simple, cost effective and safe flea prevention collar for your dog.
4. Homemade flea traps
One of the best home remedies to kill fleas involves a very simple flea trap. This flea prevention method will get rid of fleas and also help you assess how effective your home remedies to kill fleas have been. Simply mix some dish soap into ½ a cup of water and put it in a pie pan. Place the pie pan somewhere it will not be disturbed. Check the homemade flea trap every couple of days and replace the mixture to see just how well the war on your flea infestation is going.
What's the best homemade flea remedy for dogs?
Home remedies can support flea control between vet-recommended treatments, but they work best alongside a proper flea-prevention product - not instead of one. The safest, genuinely effective home steps are:
- A bath with mild dish soap and warm water. Lathering your dog kills adult fleas on contact by breaking down their protective coating. Use a gentle, unscented soap and avoid the eyes.
- A fine-toothed flea comb. Comb over a bowl of soapy water to trap and drown fleas, focusing on the neck, tail base and belly. This is the single most useful at-home tool.
- Washing and vacuuming. Wash pet bedding on the hottest safe setting and vacuum floors, carpets and furniture daily during an outbreak, emptying the vacuum outside - most of a flea population lives in the environment, not on the dog.
Important safety note: skip the "natural" remedies that circulate online but can harm dogs. Garlic and undiluted essential oils such as tea tree and pennyroyal are toxic to dogs, and homemade sprays are no substitute for treatment if your dog has an established infestation or a flea allergy. Always confirm any flea product or remedy with your veterinarian, especially for puppies, senior dogs, or pregnant animals.
Contact the Professional if The Infestation is Too Much to DIY
These home remedies for getting rid of fleas on dogs are easy to do yourself and are some of the best ways to get rid of fleas on dogs. But, if your flea infestation persists despite all your home remedies for getting rid of fleas, you may need to call a pest control professional. Flea infestations can be persistent and nearly impossible to get rid of. If these home remedies for fleas on dogs don’t solve your flea infestation problem, Contact the experts at Excel for your free estimate.
For more information regarding Fleas please read our Fleas FAQ Page.
