How to get rid of fleas naturally: what works and what does not

Step by step: how to get rid of fleas naturally

Safety first. Do not put concentrated essential oils such as tea tree oil on pets or their bedding unless your vet approves; even a few concentrated drops can severely poison a cat or dog. If you use diatomaceous earth, choose a product registered for insects, wear a dust mask and keep pets and children out until the dust settles.

1. 1

   Confirm it is fleas

   Run a flea comb through your pet’s fur near the base of the tail and tap what you collect onto a damp white paper towel. Adult cat fleas are reddish-brown and about 1/8 inch long; specks that turn red on the wet towel are flea droppings (digested blood). Itchy bites around your ankles are another clue.

2. 2

   Comb your pet every day

   Comb your pet once a day, dipping the comb into a bowl of soapy water after each stroke so the fleas drown. Combing removes adults, gives the animal relief and tells you if numbers are going down. It does not prevent new fleas, so talk to your vet about an on-pet product.

3. 3

   Wash bedding and fabrics in hot water

   Wash pet beds, blankets, throw rugs and cushion covers in the hottest water the labels allow and dry them on high heat. Repeat once a week. Flea eggs fall off the pet and collect wherever it sleeps, so its bed is the first place to clean.

4. 4

   Vacuum everywhere the pet goes

   Vacuum carpets, rugs, upholstered furniture, under cushions, along baseboards and under beds and furniture. Vacuuming picks up eggs, larvae and adults and its vibration makes waiting adults leave their cocoons sooner, where you can catch them. Empty the canister or seal the bag in a trash bag and take it outside right away.

5. 5

   Steam clean carpets and upholstery

   Run a carpet or upholstery steam cleaner over the rooms where your pet spends the most time. The heat and moisture kill larvae and eggs deep in the fibers that the vacuum misses. Let carpets dry fully before your pet walks on them again.

6. 6

   Keep vacuuming for at least two weeks

   Fleas in cocoons are protected from almost everything and keep hatching for about 2 weeks, so new fleas after the first cleaning are normal. Vacuum every day or two during that time. If you are still finding fleas after 3 weeks, the pet is likely still carrying them in.

7. 7

   Treat shady outdoor spots with sunlight

   Flea larvae survive in moist, shaded areas where pets rest, such as under decks and bushes. Rake out leaf litter and trim low branches so sunlight reaches the soil; sun and dry soil kill young fleas. Wash outdoor pet bedding along with indoor bedding.

8. 8

   Block wildlife and stray animals

   If you have no pets and still have fleas, look for wildlife: rodents, opossums, feral cats or squirrels in the attic, crawlspace or under the porch can bring fleas with them. Have those animals removed and the entry points sealed.

Which natural flea remedies actually work?

The natural methods with real support are mechanical: vacuuming, washing, steaming, combing and sunlight. Most kitchen-cupboard remedies do not hold up.

The University of California IPM program notes that studies show neither vitamin B1 supplements nor brewer’s yeast prevents fleas from feeding, and that herbal collars and ultrasonic devices are not effective repellents. It recommends vacuuming floors, rugs, furniture and crevices daily or every other day and washing pet bedding in hot, soapy water at least weekly. The National Pesticide Information Center also suggests steam-cleaning carpets and upholstery, keeping yard vegetation low because sunlight dries out young fleas, and avoiding home remedies, since most have not been found effective.

Does diatomaceous earth kill fleas?

It can, on contact, but only where it stays dry and undisturbed, so it is a supplement to vacuuming rather than a fix by itself.

According to the National Pesticide Information Center’s diatomaceous earth fact sheet, it is registered against pests including fleas and works by absorbing the oils and fats from an insect’s outer layer so it dries out. Breathing in the dust can irritate the nose, and large amounts can cause coughing and shortness of breath; it can also irritate eyes and dry the skin. If you try it, buy a product labeled for insects rather than “food grade” DE, which NPIC says is not labeled for pest control and has untested risks for that use. Dust a very thin layer into cracks and under furniture with a duster, wear a mask, keep pets and children out of the room until the dust settles, and vacuum it up after a few days. Do not rub it into your pet’s coat unless the product label and your vet say it is for use on animals.

Are natural flea sprays and essential oil products safe for pets?

Not automatically. “Natural” on a flea product tells you nothing about whether it is safe for your animal or whether it works.

Some plant-oil pest products are sold as “minimum risk” pesticides. The EPA explains that these products are exempt from federal registration, and that it generally does not review them or their labels before they are sold; the maker decides whether the product qualifies. So a “kills fleas” claim on one of them has not been checked by the EPA.

Cats are the bigger worry. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center warns that cats are especially sensitive to essential oils: swallowed in significant amounts and concentrations, they can cause stomach upset, central nervous system depression and even liver damage, and breathing in the oils can lead to aspiration pneumonia. Neem oil is no exception. NPIC’s neem oil fact sheet reports that cats treated with it for fleas in other countries have had reactions including sluggishness, heavy drooling, trembling, twitching and convulsions, and some of them died.

Before you use any natural flea product on or around a pet:

• Check that the label names your species. A product for dogs is not a product for cats.
• Ask your vet, especially for cats, kittens, puppies, pregnant animals and pets with health problems.
• Never put oils straight from the bottle, or homemade oil mixes, on fur or bedding.
• If your pet drools, trembles, wobbles or vomits after a treatment, stop using the product and call your vet or an animal poison control line right away.

Does a soapy bath kill fleas on a dog or cat?

Yes, for the fleas on the animal at that moment. Clemson’s Home & Garden Information Center says a 10-minute warm, soapy bath will kill most of the fleas on an animal, and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension calls soap a gentle insecticide that helps control light infestations.

A bath has no lasting effect, though. As soon as your pet lies down on carpet or bedding where cocoons are hatching, new fleas climb on. Clemson notes that even insecticidal flea shampoos do not provide long-term control. Use a bath for quick relief, then keep up the combing, the vacuuming and the vet-approved treatment.

• Use lukewarm water and a mild pet shampoo, keep suds out of the eyes and ears, and rinse well.
• If your pet already has a spot-on flea product, check its label for bathing limits first.
• Ask your vet before bathing a very young, old or sick animal, and skip it for a cat that panics in water; combing is gentler.

Can you make a natural flea trap?

Yes, and it is a cheap way to see whether your cleaning is working. UF/IFAS Extension describes a simple version: a light, such as a bedside lamp, shining directly over a shallow, light-colored dish of soapy water. Adult fleas that land in the water drown quickly.

• Set it on the floor overnight in the room where your pet sleeps, with the other lights off.
• Make sure the lamp is stable and cannot tip into the water, and keep the setup where pets and toddlers cannot reach it.
• Count the catch each morning, then pour it down the toilet and refill the dish.

Clemson notes that light traps catch adult fleas and show where flea numbers are highest. Treat the catch as a scorecard: a trap only catches adults, so it cannot clear the eggs, larvae and cocoons in the carpet. A catch that drops week by week means the plan is working.

Why fleas are worth clearing quickly

Bites are not the only problem: fleas carry a tapeworm. The CDC explains that dogs and cats get the Dipylidium tapeworm by swallowing an infected flea, often while grooming, and that people get it the same way. Children are infected most often, possibly because of close contact with flea-infested pets.

The CDC calls the risk to people extremely low, because you have to swallow a flea to be infected, and says treating flea infestations and using routine flea preventives can help prevent it. That is one more reason to pair the natural cleaning steps here with a flea product from your vet.

Why your pet still needs a vet-approved flea product

Because the fleas live on your pet, a house that is spotless will fill up again if the animal keeps bringing in new ones. Natural home cleaning works best alongside an on-pet treatment.

Modern spot-on and oral flea products from your veterinarian kill adult fleas on the animal before they can lay many eggs, and the UC IPM program describes them as more effective and safer than older flea dusts, shampoos and sprays. Ask your vet which suits your pet; many dog products cannot be used on cats. The University of Kentucky’s flea control guide stresses vacuuming thoroughly where pets rest, along room edges and under furniture, then sealing the vacuum bag in a garbage bag and putting it in an outdoor trash can.

Be careful with “natural” oils. Pet Poison Helpline warns that concentrated tea tree oil is toxic to pets and that even a few concentrated drops on the skin or swallowed can cause severe poisoning, while pet shampoos with low concentrations used as labeled are generally considered non-toxic.

Call a licensed pest control company if fleas are still biting after three weeks of daily vacuuming and a vet-approved pet treatment, or if the infestation came with wildlife in the walls or attic. For a full room-by-room plan, see our guides to getting rid of fleas in the house and fleas in carpet.

Mistakes to avoid

• Cleaning the house but not treating the pet, so new fleas arrive every day.
• Stopping after one big vacuum, when cocooned fleas keep hatching for about two weeks.
• Putting concentrated essential oils like tea tree oil on a cat or dog, which can poison them.
• Spreading thick piles of diatomaceous earth that get kicked into the air and breathed in.
• Leaving the full vacuum bag or canister inside, where fleas can crawl back out.
• Assuming a flea spray is safe for cats because the label says natural or plant-based.