Author: Richard Clayton

If your pets or your house is infested with fleas, you’re probably desperate to find a solution to combat the invasion. There is a wide range of flea controlling products available on the market but finding one which is safe to use for your pet or family is the concern. Flea sprays and flea bombs may help to put things in order quickly but they are poisonous chemical products that may affect the environment and the well-being of your pets or your family if they come into contact with them.

If you really want a non-toxic natural remedy to treat fleas, we recommend that you try vinegar. Perhaps you’re wondering, “Does vinegar really kill fleas?” Many may doubt whether this common liquid which is found in almost every kitchen or pantry can really put an end to a flea’s life. Let’s find out together.

Vinegar properties

Vinegar has been in use for thousands of years thanks to its various health benefits. The liquid is not simply a combination of acetic acid and water but contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, fiber and other beneficial compounds depending on the source of the materials or the organic substances that have been used to create the vinegar.

Products which are high in sugar such as fruit, rice, or barley are ideal materials to use to produce vinegar which is beneficial to our well-being in so many ways. It helps to control blood glucose levels that are typically a problem for diabetes patients. Vinegar is also effective in controlling high cholesterol, helping with weight loss, promoting heart health or preventing infections.

Now we come back to our question, “Does vinegar kill fleas?” What are the properties of vinegar that enable it to repel fleas? The answer is its acidic nature.  Some argue that vinegar just repels fleas rather than kills them due the unpleasant smell that fleas can hardly stand. Others state that vinegar does kill fleas if the insects come into contact with the liquid because of the fact that the acidity of the vinegar causes the exoskeletons of the pests to become corroded or dehydrated, causing them to die.

Put simply, vinegar does kill fleas in these ways, or at the very least it makes the habitat no longer favorable for them to survive in. This means that the answer to the question, “Does vinegar kill fleas?” is “Yes!” Now that we know this, let’s find out how we can use vinegar to fight against fleas.

Vinegar could be utilized in many ways to treat fleas and we will go through those methods one by one.

Spraying

The formula for a spray bottle mixture to treat fleas is one part of vinegar mixed with one part of water. Therefore, if you have a bottle, fill it halfway with vinegar and then to the top with water. Among all the different types of vinegar, apple cider vinegar is your best choice. Now that you have the mixture, spray it on the flea-infested areas of your home such as carpets, rugs, under sofas or on pet bedding. It can be sprayed onto your pets’ fur as well. Those fleas coming into contact with the vinegar will be killed while others will be repelled by the smell.

Mixing with pet water

You may know that fleas feed on your pets’ blood, and that is the reason why they stay as parasites on the host’s body. If we can make the host’s blood no longer edible for fleas, they will have no reason to cling to the pet. Vinegar will help out here. By simply adding some vinegar to your pets’ drinking water their blood will become more acidic and fleas will not want to feast on it. 

Of course, if your pets realize that the water tastes strongly of vinegar, they will not want to drink it. Thus, you need to be careful to add just a little bit of vinegar into the drinking water so that they won’t notice anything strange. Obviously, the vinegar in the drinking water will not kill the fleas, but it will keep them away from your pets. A word of warning though- do not try this method for cats as the water will be too acidic for them.

Soaking in vinegar

Should you have carpets, rugs, or bedding which are infested with fleas, soak them in water mixed with vinegar and all fleas and their off-spring will be killed. It may take a few hours for the mixture to take effect so make sure you allow sufficient time for the items to soak in the vinegar mixture.

Pet bathing with vinegar

There are flea shampoo products that are effective for controlling fleas on your pets’ bodies. However, a cheaper method is to try bathing your pets with vinegar. Wet their fur, shampoo their body, adding some vinegar to the shampoo. Rub it all over their body so that the fur is well coated. Allow the mixture to stay on your pet for 10 minutes before rinsing off with warm water.

 Alternatively, you may choose to bath your pets with shampoo and then add some vinegar to the rinse water. A vinegar rinse is effective in repelling fleas as the smell is so unpleasant for them. You should do this on a regular basis until no more fleas are noticed on the pets. One thing to note here is that some cats and dogs have more sensitive skin and may be allergic to the vinegar. Do look out for this. If your pets are allergic to vinegar, you will have to find other natural remedies such as tea tree oil. Although the answer to the question, “Does vinegar kill fleas?” is “Yes”, we are obviously not going to use this method if it’s harming our pets.

All things being taken into consideration, vinegar has been proven to be a cheap natural and effective remedy to treat fleas. You may still be wondering “Does vinegar kill fleas?” but you can be assured that once vinegar had been applied to control fleas, the results will be positive. To recap: as we’ve seen, there are many ways you can use vinegar to combat fleas. Spray a mixture of vinegar and water onto flea-infested places; add a few drops of vinegar to your pet’s drinking water; soak bedding, carpets and rugs in vinegar; bath the pets troubled by fleas with vinegar or rinse their fur with the liquid to repel the parasites.

Whichever method you use remember to keep a close watch on your pet for any adverse reactions. If your pets show any type of sensitivity to the acidity of the vinegar, look for other ways to get rid of the fleas. There are many other natural non-toxic ingredients you can use instead of vinegar.

The key here is not to always be needing to kill fleas but to make your pets and environment one that fleas don’t like to be in. Fleas will not want to live in a clean and tidy place with few undisturbed places to hide and to breed. Fleas like to live in unmowed grass, among uncleared fallen leaves or in wet stacks of firewood. Indoors, they like dark, dirty, undisturbed spaces. When pets hang out in those places, fleas jump up to stick onto this host’s body and travel here and there in your house. Therefore, try stop the source of fleas by cleaning up your living environment regularly and also cleaning the flea transporter – your pet.

Thanks for reading!

There are a variety of different types of fleas among which sand fleas are different from the rest because they are arthropods – the most environmentally adaptable survivors on planet Earth. Sand fleas are crustaceans possessing five to seven pairs of legs and two pairs of antenna. The name gives a clue about their favorite habitats which is the sand around beaches, rivers, lakes and even deserts.

While their body color may range from whitish to brownish, sand fleas’ body size also varies greatly. Some can be seen with the naked eye while others are only visible under a magnifying lens. Sand fleas are active in the evening, at night and early dawn, which means that if you hang out on the beach at that time, you are highly at risk of being bitten by the pesky crustaceans. Despite their small body size, their bites are especially painful and itchy. Should you want to know how to treat sand flea bites, keep reading through the rest of this article.

Types of sand flea bites and symptoms

Before starting to treat sand flea bites, you need to learn to identify sand flea bites first. Typically, there are two types of bites caused by sand fleas. The first one is very similar to that of mosquitos. They appear as red spots and bumps which quickly vanish after one or two days, provided they are not scratched. This type of sand flea bite occurs when the bloodsucking arthropod sucks blood and then moves to another host after injecting a toxin to prevent blood clotting. This process enables them to suck out some blood and then move to the next host without getting stuck.

The second type of sand flea bite tends to be more severe as they result from sand fleas burrowing themselves into the host’s skin to lay their eggs. They may stay there until the eggs hatch. This causes the host severe pain and discomfort. A black spot surrounded by a swollen area is a sign that breeding sand fleas are taking refuge there. The pain may get worse and the site will not heal until proper treatment has been executed. The bites could become so painful that walking is difficult.

Both types of sand flea bites are itchy, painful and may result in fever or infection. The more allergic you are to external invaders, the more severe reactions you may experience. Most often you’ll get bitten on the ankles, feet or legs because they are about 25cm off the ground, which is the height that sand fleas can jump. Upper body bites are less common unless you lie or sit on the beach. So, how to treat sand flea bites?

Sand flea bites treatments

There are several approaches to deal with sand flea bites. They range from soothing the area to seeking a doctor’s help or preventing the bites from happening in the first place. We’ll first have a look at soothing methods.

Apply lotion or cream

When you have been bitten by sand fleas, the very first symptom is usually itching. You will be tempted to scratch the spot to relieve the irritation; however, this is not a wise thing to do. As you scratch the bites, it may cause the bites to be opened up and infection may occur.

So how should you treat sand flea bites when they are so itchy and you cannot scratch? Application of soothing lotions or creams is one method. Calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream, which can be easily found in your local pharmacy are good choices to apply to bitten areas for relief from the itching. The package instructions should be read carefully to check how much to apply, how often to apply it and where not to use it.

Basically, the eyes and mouth are parts of the body that should not have contact with any chemicals so you must be careful not to touch those parts with your hands after rubbing lotion on the bitten areas. Remember to wash your hands well after using the cream or lotion. For children under 10 years old, and also pregnant women or breast feeding moms, you should consult with a doctor to know whether the medicine is safe to use or not.

Baking soda and water

A mixture of baking soda and water can be used to treat sand flea bites. A cup of baking soda can be poured into a bathtub of cool water. Soak your entire body or just the bitten parts in the tub for about half an hour. Another way to utilize baking soda is to mix it with water in a 3:1 ratio. Stir the mixture well. As soon as it forms a paste, it can be spread onto the itchy areas of skin. Keep the paste on the skin for 30 minutes before washing off with cool water.

Oatmeal bath

The antioxidants in oatmeal can also help to soothe flea bites quite well. Add one or two cups of oatmeal to a warm tub of water and then use this to soak the affected areas. The irritation and itchy feeling should feel relieved within an hour of soaking. It’s important to note that hot water should not be used as it just worsens the irritation.

Aloe Vera and essential oils

Aloe Vera functions as a soothing agent for irritated skin the same way that some essential oils do. Both can be purchased from your local drug store and applied directly to the sand flea bites. However, instructions to apply the appropriate dosage should be strictly followed to get the best results without suffering any side effects. It’s a good idea to seek a doctor’s advice regarding essential oil varieties such as lavender, tea tree, or cedar if you are pregnant. To check first for allergies or sensitivity, a patch test should be performed on a small area of unaffected skin before applying to the whole area.

Medical help

If you have a swollen area with a black spot in the center, it is probably the sign of a severe bite caused by female sand fleas burrowing into the skin to lay eggs. For this kind of bite, soothing methods will not help to cure it. Hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion may lessen the symptoms but in case either of the options do not work, you need to visit a doctor right away. The doctor will usually remove the sand flea and will probably recommend that you use antihistamine cream to reduce the irritation due to an allergic reaction. Strictly follow your doctor’s instructions to obtain the best results.

No matter how effective the remedies for sand flea bites are, it is best not to get bitten at all in the first place. The following prevention measures will give you some ideas about this.

Avoid hanging out on the beach at dawn and dusk

Cooler weather activates sand flea activities. Therefore, if you want to enjoy beach sight-seeing in the evening or at dawn, it is highly likely that you will get bitten. Rainy days are also favorable for the bloodsuckers, so be careful if you go to the beach during those type of days. It is advisable to visit the beach once the sun has risen and the weather is warm and dry. You may still get bitten, but the chances will be much less.

Use insect repellents

If you still want to enjoy the beach at dawn or dusk regardless of sand fleas, try spraying insect repellent on your feet, ankles, and legs before you go. Sand fleas will be discouraged from approaching to bite you as the chemical smell of the repellents will deter them from getting closer. Remember to take the insect repellent with you and to re-apply after swimming.

Protect your feet, ankles, and legs

Sand fleas can jump about 25cm high, so covering your ankles, feet and legs can be a good protective measure to keep you safe from sand fleas. Pants, sandals or shoes can be worn for beach walking. Have a towel or blanket beneath you when you want to lie down on the beach.

To Sum Up

We hope these tips have given you some ideas about what to do if you get bitten, and how to prevent sand flea bites. The main things to remember are to not scratch no matter how itchy they are, and to seek a doctor’s help if the bite is suspected to be a severe one with female sand fleas burrowing into the skin. Prevention measures are always preferable to treatment ones. Equip yourself with insect repellents or avoid the sand fleas’ active time and you should be able to enjoy your time at the beach without worrying about sand flea bites.

According to the Wikipedia definition, fleas are small brown insects that are about 3mm long when mature. They don’t have wings, but possess hind legs for jumping, and have chewing mouthparts which are useful for piercing the skin of their hosts and feeding on their blood. They love to take refuge in warm, shady places. Too much exposure to the sun or water will kill them.

“How to treat fleas in yard?” is a common question, if you have pets like dogs or cats. Because it is very likely that there are fleas residing in your pets’ warm fur. To make it worse, they may jump elsewhere and spread over the house into blankets, carpets, and even clothes. As long as your pets play around the yard or sleep there, fleas will also take the opportunity to invade the yard.

Should you notice fleas indoors, it is fairly easy to do something about it as the space is small and manageable. In case of the yard, fleas are more difficult to identify as the area is larger and fleas have more room to hide. Despite this, it is not impossible to deal with fleas in the yard. You may need to invest a little more time and effort on this task, but if you are determined enough to get rid of a flea infestation, it is absolutely worth trying and the results will be rewarding. We will now go into more detail about how to treat fleas in yard safely and effectively.

Locate fleas in the yard

Before you get started with the question “how to treat fleas in yard?”, you will need to locate the areas where fleas are most likely to be hiding. The yard is spacious and fleas will not spread equally everywhere. Remember that they love to stay in warm and moist places which are not directly exposed to sunlight. Pets are the favorite host of fleas. Check out where pets frequently play in the yard and those will be the places that are probably most densely populated by fleas. Shady, grassy areas, the compost heap or piles of leaves are the most likely residence of the bloodsuckers.

A recommended trick is to wear white socks while you are searching for fleas in the yard. They may try to attach to you by clinging to the white socks and their tiny brown or black bodies will be easy to see against the white of the socks. It is very important to note that trying to treat fleas in the yard must come after you have figured out where they are, otherwise it will be a waste of time and effort to try to treat the entire yard.

Prepare the yard for treatment

You’ve first got to make sure that your pets are free of fleas before thinking of dealing with fleas in your yard. The reason is simple. If your pets still have fleas, sooner or later they will spread those insects over the yard again and your time and effort will have been wasted. Once pets have been treated for fleas, keep them out of the yard. Keep your children away too, while you are busy. You can now start mowing the grass, removing weeds and debris, stacking wood that is lying around and clearing away any piles of fallen leaves. The yard should be kept tidy and free of too many overhanging branches so that the sun can reach the ground and there are fewer places for fleas to hide.

It is not necessary to treat the entire garden area. Instead, focus on the places where your pets often hang out. Cleaning and arranging things neatly will be adequate to get rid of a certain number of fleas. In order to eradicate them completely, insecticides are your best option when getting rid of fleas in your garden.

Apply insecticides to the yard

Toxic chemicals will kill fleas right away, but you need to be careful to select insecticides that are high quality and safe for human and pets. Read the manual or follow the instructions on the label to use the chemicals safely. Protect yourself by wearing a mask, gloves and protective clothing while spraying flea-concentrated areas.

You may prefer to use organic pesticides that are more environmentally friendly and safer. You can source these using the Internet or local suppliers. Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is one of these non-toxic treatments for fleas in your yard. You could use a spreading tool to spread the fine dust in areas where you suspect fleas are living. However, bear in mind that DE will not work on rainy days or in wet weather.

Flood the yard

Fleas prosper in moist places, but cannot survive in flooded areas. Mature fleas can be killed with insecticides and water will finish the rest of the task of clearing their eggs and larvae. After mowing your lawn, you may pump in water to flood the entire yard. This will not only kill the fleas but also wash away all the feces. Rainy days could help you with this as natural water from the sky will help to clean and get rid of all flea offspring. For sunny or dry seasons, you’ll have to flood the yard yourself.

Utilize nematodes

Nematodes are natural enemies of fleas. They are microscopic worms that are harmless to humans, animals, and plants. Feeding on flea larvae while not being able to resist direct sun exposure, nematodes could be sprayed in any shady spaces where fleas are noticed. Treating fleas in your yard is safe and effective with nematodes.

Cedar wood chips

This is another natural option to consider to help you with treating fleas in your yard. They cannot stand the scent of cedar wood chips. Sprinkle these chips over the areas that fleas are around. Cedar wood chips could be turned into a finer sawdust and sprinkled next to neighboring fences to prevent potential fleas from entering your yard.

Professional treatment

If you have no time to deal with fleas in the yard yourself or not successful after applying some of the treatment options above, professional help from the companies specializing in insect control is your next option. It will cost you some money, but you will certainly save time and effort. You will also usually obtain satisfactory results, and you’ll no longer need to worry about fleas. Next time you notice a flea infestation in your yard, just pick up the phone and call for the professionals. They will come and eradicate them safely.

Prevention of fleas in your yard

Whatever you do to treat fleas in your yard, it’s best if they have no chance to invade your living space in the first place. There are several things you can do the stop them from frequenting your yard.

First, remove any moist conditions of the yard by watering correctly- neither too much nor too little. Of course, flooding the lawn may kill flea eggs and larvae, but doing that too often will harm your lawn as well. Therefore, correct watering will help the lawn grow while keeping it dry enough to deter fleas from hiding or breeding.

Second, mow the lawn regularly, and trim or prune the shrubs and trees to expose the soil to more sunlight. Fleas will have no place to hide and will not be able to survive under the heat of the sun.

Third, plant lavender or pennyroyal, which is a member of the mint family. Both of these things are disliked by fleas. They are natural remedies to keep fleas away. One note of caution: pennyroyal is poisonous to cats if ingested, so if you have cats, then rather choose another method of flea prevention.

You should now have a better idea of how to treat fleas in yard. Remember to start treating for fleas as soon as you notice the first one. This will prevent the infestation from getting out of hand. You can absolutely do it yourself if you’re not too busy, otherwise you can always call in the experts. Thanks for reading!

About indoor gardening read more at Comfy Home Corner.

Thanks for reading!

Flea infestations are a common nightmare for each and every pet owner. It has been estimated that about 90% of pets can be attacked by fleas which can then invade your entire home just in a short time. Generally, many people will use chemicals to treat this problem; however, most of these products are fairly expensive and not good for your health or the planet. There are, however, several less toxic substances that can help you deal with the worry of a flea infestation. Today we’ll explain to you how to get rid of fleas with baking soda, a well-known home remedy.

How to get rid of fleas with baking soda on pets

The source of fleas will usually be your dogs or cats, so you need to start with them in order to deal with the problem at the root. A mixture of baking soda and water is a good remedy for the itching caused by fleas. Pets can be treated with a paste made from 1 teaspoon of baking soda and a little water to prevent itching and scratching. Simply mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with a little water and apply the thin paste onto the flea bites. Use a cotton ball to apply this mixture to the affected areas. Leave it on for 5 minutes, then rinse it off with cool water. Do not use baking soda on broken skin or open wounds.

In case your pet is itching all over and you desire to get rid of all the fleas, you can give your pet a bath with half to one cup of baking soda mixed into its bath water. Wash your pet with the mixture, beginning at the neck, and working your way to the tail. Keep the mixture on your pet for a few minutes before rinsing. As you rinse, you can clean away any dead fleas. Use a clean towel to dry your pet. Next, utilize a flea comb to remove any fleas that may remain on your pet. Keep fleas from invading your home again by keeping your pet indoors or by using nontoxic, preventative flea control products like a flea collar

How to get rid of fleas with baking soda and salt on carpets

The carpets in your house are places where these annoying insects like to hide and multiply. As we all know, baking soda and salt, these common kitchen ingredients, are not only safe and healthy for pets and babies but are inexpensive as well. Why don’t we take advantage of them instead of spending a fortune on toxic exterminatory products? More importantly, this natural remedy allows you to not only get rid of adult fleas, but also their eggs and larvae.

To get started, you’ll need the following: a box of baking soda, salt, a vacuum cleaner and a good stiff broom.

First, remove as much furniture as you can give yourself a free space to work on the entire carpet. In addition, remove your pets and children far from the treated areas because baking soda and salt can cause irritation to open wounds on their skin.

Second, mix an equal portion of baking soda and salt. A reasonable starting quantity is one cup of baking soda and one cup of salt. Mix enough to cover every inch of your carpet, as well as under the furniture, in the corners of the room, on upholstered furnishings and so on. Another way to do it is to use the baking soda and salt separately. In this method, freely sprinkle salt on the carpet from left to right so as to cover all areas. Next, sprinkle baking soda as you did the salt, however, the amount of baking soda can be less than of salt since soda is easier to spread. Besides, a large amount of soda may lead to trouble with sweeping it with the broom.

Third, take a broom and sweep the carpet vigorously. This ensures that the baking soda and salt mix completely with each other. Moreover, doing this is a way to help these effective products go deep inside every carpet fiber and then choke the fleas to death. During this period, these pesky insects will try their utmost to get away from the treatment, so you will probably see them jumping on your feet and legs. It is therefore highly recommended that you protect these parts with a pair of socks or slippers.

Fourth, leave your mixture in the carpets for at least 12 hours or longer, depending on how serious the level of infestation is. A good time to do it is if you’re going away for the weekend or on holiday.

Last but not least, vacuum all treated areas thoroughly to remove all the dying and dead fleas. Just one remaining flea egg lurking deep in the carpet fibers can result in a huge problem in the long run. Therefore, make sure you regularly vacuum your home and repeat the whole process twice a week until the problem has been resolved.

How to get rid of fleas with baking soda and vinegar

Did you know that a combination of baking soda and vinegar is also a highly effective flea remedy? Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 measuring cup
• 1 cup raw apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup warm water
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of baking soda
• 5 drops essential oil
• 1 spray bottle

Step by step to mix all the ingredients:

• Place ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of baking soda into the measuring cup.
• Add 5 drops of essential oil.
• Slowly pour ½ cup of warm water into the cup.
• Gently pour 1 cup of cider vinegar into the cup. You will see a hissing and foaming reaction.
• Pour your mixture into the spray bottle and shake. 

How to spray it onto your pets and infested areas:

• Make sure that your pets are not allergic to the essential oils before spraying. Spray your pets down from a distance of 6 inches away. Avoid the area of the eyes, nose, mouth and ears. Rub it into their coats with your fingertips.
• Directly apply this mixture onto floors and places where fleas would hide.
• Store the remainder in the fridge.

To sum up

Before you turn to toxic chemical products for solutions to your flea problems, do remember to always try natural remedies like these ones first. They will save you a lot of money and health issues. They are also friendlier to the environment. We do hope that after reading this information, you have more insight into how to get rid of fleas with baking soda and how to apply it correctly.

Thanks for reading!

Fleas are pesky parasites that feed on human or animals’ blood. They often hide in moist and shady places such as carpets, rugs, and even beds. If you own a dog or a cat as a pet, you may find yourself searching for ways to cure your pets from fleas. Their bites are especially itchy and may transmit infectious diseases if not properly treated.

Therefore, any signs of fleas in your house or on your pets should be taken seriously and remedies should be utilized to eradicate the nuisance. There are multiple choices when it comes to killing fleas. Chemical products such as flea foggers or flea bombs are an immediate solution that is quite effective for flea infestations. However, the downside of this measure is the toxic chemicals that can adversely affect human and animal health if breathed in.

When dealing with fleas on pets, flea shampoos, flea combs or herbal sprays are among some of the other popular options. Those products are safe for your pets and are usually effective as well. Nevertheless, if you are still looking for a natural and cheap option to kill fleas, let’s look closer at how to get rid of fleas with salt. This simple cooking additive is found in every kitchen, but it is also an amazing option in the fight against fleas and it comes at a relatively low cost.

Flea’s life cycle

First, you should be aware that a flea’s life cycle consists of four stages, namely egg, larvae, pupae and mature fleas. Thus, you are not dealing with adult fleas alone, but their whole life cycle because if they’re not all removed completely, the potential adult fleas will soon develop from any stage of the cycle. Salt works because fleas thrive best in moist and shady environments. Salt will dehydrate the moisture and ultimately desiccate the fleas to death.

Where to start?

To begin treating your flea infestation using salt, you need to identify the places in your house that are infested with fleas. Although fleas will eventually spread all over the house, there will be some areas where they prefer to hide. If your pets are full of fleas, the fleas will travel wherever your pets go. It could be outdoors in the yard or indoors under tables, carpets, rugs, sofas, pet bedding and even in your bed if you let your pets sleep with you. Now you’ve got to treat the source of the fleas, namely your pets, before treating the rest of the infested areas.

De-flea your pet with salt

Flea shampoos are a good option to kill fleas hiding in pets’ fur. Alternatively, salt baths can also help to remove fleas. A proportion of one part of salt with ten parts of water is ideal for pet bathing. Soak your pet’s whole body in the water, but be careful to keep their eyes and ears clear. In case of heavy infestations, directly rub salt into your pet’s fur, leave for about two hours before brushing off the salt and bathing it in warm water. If your pets have any open injuries, don’t try to apply salt as it will sting. A single salt treatment may not remove all the fleas, and you may need to repeat the treatment a few days later.

Indoor flea treatment with salt

For removable and washable items in the house that are infested with fleas, such as pet blankets, high heat can help to kill the fleas. A hot water temperature of above 95 degrees Celsius is ideal to get the job well done.

What about bulky furniture and items that cannot be washed? The answer is to sprinkle salt over the infested item. Fine salt will penetrate better than coarse salt. When you are in a room trying to remove the fleas, make sure you have some salt sprinkled in front of the threshold or in the passage leading into the room. The reason is that when you try to kill fleas in one room, it is very likely that they will jump into the other.

Therefore, in order to surround them in one room for treatment, make sure you block all the exits with salt. Leave the salt spread over the carpets, rugs or floors for about 12 hours and then vacuum thoroughly. Salt acts as a drying agent and will dehydrate the environment. Those fleas that eat some salt will be desiccated as well. After that time, vacuum the room thoroughly, seal the vacuum bag, and discard it properly, otherwise eggs or larvae in it may hatch and start the whole infestation again.

Salt treatment for larvae

Salt is most effective in killing mature fleas as their bodies are exposed to the substance and the chances that they will eat the salt are pretty high. However, flea larvae can still survive in a salty habitat for a long time – they can go for up to a year without having to consume food.

Eggs are laid every day and will turn into larvae within two days or two weeks depending on the living conditions such as moisture or temperature. It may take weeks or months for larvae to make up cocoons and finally grow into mature fleas. During this larval stage, salt may have little effect on them. If you are still concerned about how to get rid of fleas with salt, the only way is to repeat the treatment – sprinkle salt then vacuum on a regular basis. This will kill adult fleas as they emerge, and gradually the cycle will end.

Outdoor treatment of fleas with salt is not very effective as the moisture content outdoors tends to be high and salt gets dissolved quickly. For outdoor treatment, you’ll need to look for methods such sprays or flea foggers. Removing all leaves and debris lying around, and keeping the lawn short also helps.

To sum up

We hope you have gained some new ideas on how to get rid of fleas with salt. For those of you who love safe and natural methods to fight against insect infestations, salt is such a good choice. In comparison with pesticides or flea bombs, it may require a little more effort for you to completely get rid of fleas. However, in return you can protect yourself, your family and pets from harmful chemicals, as well as save yourself some money.

One key point that we want to emphasize here, is that no matter how effective the measures you take to eradicate fleas are, it is best to prevent them from gaining a foothold in the first place. The saying, “Prevention is better than cure” is true in this case as well. The best preventive measure is to keep your living space neat and clean. If your yard and house are clean, pets will have a safe playground to hang out in and there’ll be less chance of their being bitten by fleas.

Watch your pets to see straight away if they have any sign of itchy spots and take prompt action as soon as you spot a few fleas on them. Early detection and immediate prevention measures will stop fleas from multiplying in number and spreading all over the house. Don’t panic if you see a few fleas around, but just take it as a reminder to clean up your house and garden and get everything in order.

Thanks for reading!