Farm Dreams
Homesteading, Organic Gardening, How to Farm, Preparedness, Self-Reliance
Fleas Fleas Fleas!!!! Finding a natural way to rid your life of the pests.
Now that it is spring the heat and humidity bring on the inevitable flea population explosion. I am desperate for a way to manage the fleas that my lovely pets bring into the house. I am trying to find an organic/natural way to manage the flea population without using the drops, shampoos, flea bombs, collars or powders. I have two cats (indoor/outdoor), my neighbors "stray" cat, and the wildlife (opossums and dear) that visit my yard. The house that I am renting has carpet. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated! So far I have tried:
Shampooing the cats with regular dish soap
Pro: Kills fleas currently on the cat
Cons: You must give the cat a bath (yikes!), no long lasting effect
I comb the cats with a flea comb daily
Pro: Kills fleas currently on the cat, Cats LOVE it
Con: No long lasting effect
Sprinkle borax on carpet
Pro: Seems to make a dent in the overall population.
Con: Makes a mess, cannot really walk around the house for a day or 2, not matter how much you vacuum you can never get ALL the borax out of the carpet (perhaps that is a pro)
Tags: Animals, Borax, Bugs, Cats, Fleas, Pests, Pets, Shampoo
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Daisy on -
You can buy DE at some good nursery's since it has caught on as an organic gardening pest control. Otherwise, you have to buy it online which stinks because, while DE is cheap, the shipping charges often cost more than the product. Try some local feed co-ops as well because some farmers mix it into their feed as dewormers. Just be sure to use food grade DE. There is also DE for pools and this is not best to use on animals.
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Permalink Reply by Ellen Peavey on -
Thanks Daisy for the information I will check out the feed stores. Ellen
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Permalink Reply by Debbie Fraker on -
I have been bathing my dogs with peppermint dr. bronners castile soap. I have seen fleas float to the surface dead as I'm washing them, and it seems to discourage fleas between bathing.
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Permalink Reply by J Green on -
Salting the carpet, soapy water flea traps(with light over the bowls), garlic powder on the cat's feed(fleas don't like the taste of it in the blood), sulfur powder on the cats, garlic/herb soaked collars/rags around their necks.
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Permalink Reply by Ellen Peavey on
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Is this safe for cats? We have a cat who is 10 years old and an indoor cat, don't know if garlic powder sprinkle on his food would be safe for him.
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Permalink Reply by Ellen Peavey on
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Thanks Crystal I will give it a try, have to get some brewer's yeast and garlic tablets
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Permalink Reply by J Green on
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Someone needs to inform my dogs about the fresh garlic...they've been eating it for years to prevent fleas and intestinal parasites. I guess the fresh grapes they eat off my vines may counteract the toxicity of the garlic.....
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Permalink Reply by J Green on
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Yeah...and they can't eat chicken bones and chocolate and about a hundred other things that just may have killed a dog here and there in some isolated case but millions of dogs eat such things every day without any problem whatsoever. A person can't live their life entirely on what MIGHT happen because it happened once to someone, somewhere at sometime.... one has to look at how many times it doesn't happen and live their life by that.
Millions of people die in car accidents but we still gladly hop in that car and go...because we can't live our life around the fear of what might happen. My dogs have never had a day of illness in their lives...they eat cheap dog food, live outside all their lives, never had vaccinations or chemicals put on or in their bodies and they are here to bark about it each and every day.
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Permalink Reply by Ellen Peavey on
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J Green very true and really true about dogs mine live out side also and haven't had a shot in a couple of years, I don't use chemicals either. I'm willing to try garlic and I don't think grapes will hurt them. My two out side dogs and even the cats have pulled a grape or two, especially the ones that fall on the ground.
Ellen from Georgia
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Permalink Reply by MyBackAchers Farm on -
No, no and no. I read on NoMowGrass,com that if you want to rid your home and land from fleas - use peppermint or minty mouthwash if you don't have that around.
1 DROP of peppermint, spearmint or any mint will have fleas vacate the property.
Just put a drop on the back of the pet and you are done until they get it washed off.
I spray my pasture and barn with 1 cop of minty mouthwash mixed into 10 gallons of water and I do it a couple times a summer.
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Permalink Reply by Sarah C on
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Hmmm, I'd heard of peppermint for ant control, but not fleas. That's interesting and much nicer than flea treatments.
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