6+ ways you can get rid of fleas naturally

Fleas are your pet's nemesis. They cause poor Fido or Fluffy to sit and scratch endlessly. If left untreated, these pesky critters can infect your carpets and furniture and bite people in your family, too.
Often, people want to avoid spraying chemicals on their family pets and sprinkling them around the house. Although chemicals may work the best at removing fleas and ticks, you can get rid of them through some safe home remedies. Here are 6+ ways to get rid of fleas safely.
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1. Citrus. According to Pet MD, citrus juice repels fleas. It cautions to never use the essential oils as these are dangerous for your pet. Instead, take the juice from an orange or lemon and rub it on your pet's fur.
2. Diatomaceous earth. WebMD shares that diatomaceous earth works much the same as flea powder. If you're fighting a flea infestation, sprinkle the earth on the carpet and furniture. Let it sit for several hours and then vacuum the surfaces. Be sure to empty the vacuum into an outdoor trashcan. The earth dries out the fleas, killing them.
3. Baking soda. Ehrlich pest control recommends using baking soda. For an infestation, sprinkle the baking soda on the surfaces you want to treat and rub it in with a brush. Let it sit for a bit and then vacuum the soda up. Empty the vacuum into an outside garbage.
4. Tub. Pet MD states that giving your pet a bath is often the best answer. Be sure to place your animal in a tub of water. Fleas can't swim or breathe in water, so they will fall off and drown. Using dish soap to wash your pet will help knock the fleas off and into the water without putting harsh chemicals onto your friend.
5. Boric acid. Much like baking soda and diatomaceous earth, WebMD says you can use boric acid to kill fleas. This can be bought at the drug store. Ask a pharmacist if you have trouble finding it. Sprinkle it on the carpets and furniture, let it sit and then vacuum. Empty the vacuum into an outside garbage. A word of caution is given to those who have babies. This remedy should not be used if you have little ones crawling on your carpet and breathing in the boric acid.
6. Salt. This remedy takes a little longer, but if you don't have the other ingredients handy, Ehrlich recommends giving it a try. Sprinkle finely ground salt on the carpet and furniture and let it sit for one to two days. The salt dries out the fleas. Then, vacuum them up and empty the vacuum outside.
7. Clothing. To keep your pet from being reinfested, Pet MD says to fashion pet socks from some old socks. Put these on your pet before letting him go outside to run where fleas might be. If your pet is low to the ground, use an old t-shirt as a pet t-shirt to keep the critters off your pet's body.
8. Dish soap. How well this trap works is uncertain, but Ehrlich says it's worth a try. Place some dish soap and water in a low plate or shallow bowl and place the bowl in the center of the infected room at night. The fleas should be attracted to the water and drown.
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The next time you have to fight fleas, try these remedies and see if you can knock out the pests without using harsh chemicals.
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RemedyDaily.com does not give medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.