Which essential oils repel fleas

Again, be sure to use commercial formulas labeled for dog use that have been tested and proven safe for pups. Essential oils should always be diluted, either by diffusing the oil, combining it with water, or mixing it with a carrier oil—such as coconut oil or olive oil—when applying topically. Three to five drops of an oil, diluted with four to five times the amount of carrier oil, is typically recommended. Oils with high amounts of phenol, such as oregano and thyme, should never be used on animals, and especially not on cats.

Stress relief is one of the top benefits of aromatherapy for pets. There are two ways to administer essential oils for mood-balancing. A machine called a diffuser disperses the chemical compounds into the air so that your dog can breathe in the calming oils. Some oil blends can even be taken internally, which is a great alternative to anti-anxiety pharmaceuticals. Flea and tick sprays formulated with essential oils effectively repel these dangerous bugs without exposing your animal and your family to harsh chemicals.

There are many other essential oils for fleas and ticks that work to repel these and other pests, including cinnamon and rose geranium. Attention should be paid to the legs and feet, as well as the area under the tail. It not only kills fleas and ticks, but also repels mosquitos for up to 4 weeks after application.

Do not use this product on cats. Published: June 26, By: Chewy Editorial Updated: January 20, Dogs are incredibly sensitive to EOs and using the wrong ones or incorrect applications can have dangerously toxic effects on their health. Cedarwood oil aka cedar oil kills fleas and can also be used as a preventative measure for future infestations.

Always remember that EOs are potent and a little goes a long way. Be sure to dilute EOs with a carrier oil like coconut oil before any sort of topical application. You can also add them to your diffuser to treat your home too.

The following EOs are excellent and doggy-safe choices for natural flea repellent :. Unfortunately, many essential oils in the market are diluted or adulterated. It also means you may be exposing yourself to harmful or toxic chemicals and solvents. Buy or make a small bag of breathable fabric such as hessian or muslin, then fill the bag with lemon peel, dried lavender buds, and cedar chips. The mixture may lose its potency after about a month, at which time you can simply reopen the bag and replace with fresh ingredients.

One teaspoon of your vinegar of choice for every four cups of drinking water is a good ratio to aim for. Perhaps the least obvious way to treat fleas on dogs naturally is to start from the inside out.

Formulated by Dr. Bob Goldstein, this powdered supplement contains natural ingredients that, when ingested, help naturally prevent fleas and ticks on dogs. When there are fleas on your dog and you let your dog inside, what do you have? Fleas in the house, of course. Washing your soft furnishings is important, but putting everything in the tumble dryer will be even more effective.

Just 15 minutes in a hot tumble dryer will kill fleas in all stages of growth, including eggs, larvae, and adult fleas. Your vacuum cleaner is going to be your biggest ally when it comes to treating fleas at home.

A water-based vacuum cleaning system is ideal, as the fleas are drowned as soon as they are picked up by the vacuum cleaner.

For dry vacuum cleaners, remember that the fleas you collected will try to escape as soon as you open up the canister or bag, so do this immediately and outside your home. Ideally, spray your vacuum cleaner canister with water as soon as you open it to prevent fleas from escaping. Leave the baking soda on your carpet overnight, then you can simply vacuum up the baking soda and the fleas in the morning.

Just like the baking soda method above, sprinkling salt on your carpet and soft furnishings before vacuuming the next day will dehydrate and kill fleas and flea eggs. Boil a thinly sliced lemon in water and then let the mixture cool down overnight. In the morning, fill a spray bottle with the mixture and lightly dampen your carpet and all soft furnishings in your home.

Steam cleaning your carpets and soft furnishings drowns fleas on impact and will also keep your home looking and smelling great. So I took the flea collars off and then had to turn to something else. Thanks for your suggestions. I really wanted to get a blend recipe where it would tell you how many drops of what oils and then how much carrier oil to put in it and what kind of carrier oil. Thanks so much for your comment. The article states Tea Tree oil is NOT recommended to use with pets since its toxic when ingested and animals like to lick.

Is it best to use an oil defuser then to put the oils right on the dogs? As well as we have Guinea Pigs, what is the best for them?

It would most likely be more effective to use properly diluted essential oil directly on your dogs, especially since they spend time outside! Thanks so much for your comment! We are wondering if you are ever going to update with how to treat cats. We run a cat rescue and are over-run with cats, which means it is a constant battle with the fleas. We bought lemongrass to plant, along with rosemary and catnip. So far it looks like we are going to have to get rid of the lemongrass. So not instead of plants, we are looking to use oils.

We currently have 12 cats and 1 dog in residence, all come and go in the house as they please, so the battle is constant. There are very view essential oils that are safe to use around cats, especially in a diffuser. Even in small amounts, essential oils can be highly toxic to them, as they contain phenols and phenolic compounds.

The only essential oil that may be safe for your cats is Cedarwood oil, but keep in mind that they will dislike the smell. This is also dependent on the manufacturer, and where the oil is sourced from.

You can click here for an article we posted about this subject for more information on essential oils and their use around your cats. Thanks again for your reply! My cat and dog are free of fleas for months. I use white plates with dawn and water I still see some fleas in them. Will placing mint plants in the basement help? Hard to say! The concentrated oil attacks their central nervous system, killing them. We would definitely recommend sticking to peppermint essential oil if anything at all!

Thanks for your comment!