How do I get rid of these fleas??

United States
August 18, 2009 6:28pm CST
Does anyone know of any home remedies for getting rid of fleas? I have two cats and I'd buy Frontline or something, but I'm unemployed and can't really afford it. I've been sprinkling Borax on the carpet because I've heard from two people now that it helps. One was even a vet or a vet's assistant or something. I've heard if you boil some water and cut up a lemon into fourths and leave it in the water overnight, that it apparently helps kill the fleas once applied to the animal. I've been trying that too and I still have a flea problem. HELP!! I'm unemployed, so the cheaper the remedy the better.
6 responses
@Loverbear (4918)
• United States
20 Aug 09
Another great flea deterrent is Marigolds. I have them planted in the yard and I haven't had fleas in the house for years. Also, Sevin dust is great for getting rid of fleas. It doesn't harm the animals (if you read the container it says that you can actually use it on the animals- but I don't) and my Mom used it for years not only in the house but in their motor home that was parked at the beach. Sevin dust is cheap and lasts a long time. Also you can mix garlic powder with the borax and it should help..but your house would smell like a pizzaria. Another great flea repellent is eucalyptus. Both the oil and leaves will produce great results. Plus if there are trees nearby you can get the leaves fresh and free! The cats won't chew on the leaves because of the scent. Also, you could gather the seed pods (those nasty round things that always managed to slip under my feet and make me fall!) drill a hole through them and string them on a ribbon or something to tie them around the cat's neck. Drill a couple of holes half way through to release the scent and tie it around the cat's neck. It won't take long and the fleas will run for their lives. Hope I've helped. I haven't spent money on flea repellents in a long time...or borax because of using the natural stuff.
1 person likes this
• United States
20 Aug 09
Thanks for the advice! Unfortunately, I don't have any eucalyptus trees near me. Plenty of pine trees, though! I don't think my cats would let me get the pods around their neck anyway. They seem to be so sensitive to scents that they'll just turn and run. It'd be worth a shot, though. Do you know where I could get some Sevin dust? Is it available at stores like Target?
@Loverbear (4918)
• United States
21 Aug 09
I can only assume so, our Target store closed down the garden shop a couple of years ago. If you can't find it there, try Wal-mart. Otherwise try Home Depot or Lowes. It might be hard to find because Target and Wal Mart may be narrowing down their garden areas for the fall and winter. You don't have to buy the "brand" but can use the store label sevin dust. It will be classified as Sevin dust...so don't buy anything else as I can't guarantee that it would be safe for the cats.
@letsee77 (224)
• United States
19 Aug 09
Very much agree to vacuum, and every day. I was going to say sprinkle Barax but I've see you said your doing that. Make sure you get under all furniture and any area that's covered and corners. You don't want to miss any larvae or pupae and that's where they love to hide before they hatch into adults. Also the vibration fo the vacuum can draw ready to emerge fleas out of their cocoons. Also I agree with giving your cats a bath, we had fleas horrid last year, I mean put your foot on the carpet and your feet and legs were covered with them. It was just plain awful. But as said in a reply, use dawn soap, it's gentle and works to smother the fleas on your pet. My mother says when you put Borax down to put some low containers of water, she says because the borax dries the fleas out, that they'll go for the water and drown, I have not tried this but she swears it works. The only other thing I can think of is to buy a package of flea bombs from the store, but you would have to be out of the house for up to 3 hours during the time they were going off. It is a hassle but can be very effective. But you would still have to vacuum because I've read that flea cocoons are sealed really tight and most poisons can't penetrate it. So you may kill the eggs, larva, and the adults but if you don't vacuum and get those pupae you'll have a whole new brood hatching and I don't have to tell you how fast the multiply. Best of luck to you I know what you'r going through and it's awful.
1 person likes this
• United States
19 Aug 09
Yeah, it seems like every morning I'll get up and as soon as I start walking through the house, my feet will constantly have a flea or two on them. *sigh* I'll just have to keep up with the vacuuming and Borax, I guess. Thanks for the reply.
@letsee77 (224)
• United States
20 Aug 09
We had an infestation really bad, when walking on the rugs could have 9 on you. And I get little pink spot where they bite me. You can spray your feet with Off and this will keep them off you. Since they start low and climb, the off will make them jump right back off. Since you said your cats will not allow you to bathe them, I think you should invest in a flea comb. This won't get them all as a bath might but it can get a great amout off your pet. Have a bowl of HOT soapy water next to you so every time you run the comb through your cat you can immediatly put all content that comes off your cat into the water. You may see the water turn a reddish brown color. This is blood but don't be alarmed, that's what the parasites are doing drinking your pets blood. As the adult flea drinks the blood of your pet and, well poo's, it. This fall off your pet and onto the carpet, pets bed, etc. This is one way they help feed the flea larva get something to eat. So removing this from your pet also help as you'r taking away a food source while killing some fleas. Be persistent, because they certainly will be, and you'll beat them at their own game. All the best. :)
1 person likes this
• United States
19 Aug 09
One of the best things to do is to vacuum your home each and every day. Vacuum several times a day if you need to and immediately take the bag (or the dirt cup whatever applies) out of your house to be dumped. Secondly, give your cats a bath. I know cats hate it, but buy a thing of dawn dish detergent and give your cats a bath with it making sure to get it all the way down to their skin. Let it sit for a minute or two and then rinse. If you're lucky, you can pick out some fleas as you see them to help get rid of them. I tried the whole lemon trick and it never worked for me. What worked for me was using a tea tree oil mixture. I put a few drops of tea tree into a spray bottle filled with water and sprayed it on myself to help repel the fleas and then I'd spray it on areas they liked to lay and let it dry before giving it back to the pets if possible. Also, a cheap flea catcher is to take an old container and fill it with warm water. Put several drops of dish detergent in the container and set the container in the middle of a room where a lot of fleas hang out. If possible, place a lamp over the container and turn it on but watch it carefully. The fleas will jump towards the warmth, land in the container and will be trapped. Change this every day. The only way we finally got rid of our fleas was the borax. It took several days for it to fully work, but with all the vacuuming that we did we really got rid of the fleas.
1 person likes this
• United States
19 Aug 09
Thanks to all of you who commented here. I'll have to buy more Borax (that goes fast, doesn't it?) and keep up on the vacuuming. And as much as I would like to give them a bath, there's just no way that's going to happen. They'll jump out right away and I'll end up with no skin left on my arms. Thanks, though!
• United States
19 Aug 09
I have heard that tea tree oil is toxic to humans if ingested. Is it the same for cats? I'd make sure before putting it on their coat because they lick their coats.
• United States
19 Aug 09
I have an article on my blog concerning natural ways to prevent fleas. It is a long article and I have written it in response on another mylot question similar to this. I have a link under my profile or you can search through the subjects of mylot and see if there is another question that is similar to yours. I posted it within the last two months. I don't know if it will help or not, but we have not had fleas in our house for 20 years.
• United States
19 Aug 09
Thanks. I read your blog and I've tried adding a little bit of garlic to their food, but whenever I do, they won't touch it. I haven't tried the yeast yet, though.
• United States
20 Aug 09
If you use the product by Pet Guard, they blend it so that the animals love it. By itself, garlic is a very hard thing to get an animal to go near. It is so pungent. The yeast MUST BE nutritional yeast. All other yeast may cause problems. The Pet Guard product listed lasts a long long time and the pets love it. It's made so that they will eat it according to usage directions on the bottle. Keep in mind that this is a preventative. It builds up the pets body and the fleas have no reason to jump on a healthy animal. I wish you the best in this.
1 person likes this
• United States
19 Aug 09
hey! According to my roomie of 22 years (a former vet tech) permethrin is the substance in flea preventatives and it is present in chrysanthemums. Perhaps a holistic or herbal site would have information on how to extract it, as maybe a tea to apply to home and critters. She warns NOT to use such things as Hartz and similar over-the-counter things because they have been documented as killing the critters applied to, especially cats. Hope this helps!...ENJOY!
• United States
19 Aug 09
Chrysanthemums, huh? I wonder if it helps to just have them around in the house. Thanks!
• United States
19 Aug 09
Ive heard of a few different things.... Puttin a bowl of water and vinegar on the carpet and the fleas attrat to the bowl... and Puttin salt on the floor in a bowl also.... But for the CATS THEY HATE IT, but give them a bath alot and it helps....
1 person likes this
• United States
19 Aug 09
A bath isn't really an option, but thanks anyway. I keep trying the bowl of water. So far, it doesn't seem to help, but I just might keep on doing it.