Ticks and fleas are tiny parasites which look similar to a spider. Usually, they hide in the fur or attach themselves to the skin of animals. People who work in zoo, maintain farms or have pets can also be attacked by ticks or fleas. These tiny parasites are most active in warm and hot weathers. Though they don’t spread any diseases, they silently suck blood without causing any pain.
Few signs or symptoms of tick or flea bite are swelling, weakness, vomiting, joint pain, localized pain and fever. Instead of trying commercial repellants or creams, you can use safe and effective home remedies.
Home Remedies to Get Rid of Ticks and Fleas:
Here are various remedies you can try at the comfort of your home to get rid of ticks and fleas. Choose any one and try it with some patience.
1. Aromatherapy Oil
Aromatherapy oils like lavender, lemon, cedar, basil, rose geranium and pennyroyal are the most effective in treating ticks and fleas. The following methods are effective in removing ticks or fleas from both humans and animal skin.
- Choose any three types of aromatherapy oils mentioned above.
- Combine few drops each of the oils.
- Add this mixture to the pure almond oil and mix well.
- Soak a cloth in the solution and warp it around the affected areas.
- Replace the cloth twice in a day.
2. Citrus
Citrus is one of the effective ways to get rid of ticks and fleas. For this process, you can use citrus rich fruits like lemon and orange. This process is effective in providing relief from flea or tick bites.
- Take handful of lemon or orange peels.
- Add them to enough amounts of water and boil the mixture.
- After sometime, remove from the flame and add 10 – 15 drops of lemongrass oil.
- Mix well and let it cool down.
- Apply the solution gently on the affected area.
- Let it dry completely.
- Repeat the process until you get relief.
Note: This process should be avoided for cats as they hate citrus smell.
3. Neem Oil
This process makes an amazing natural ticks and flea repellant solution. This solution helps to remove ticks and fleas on both humans and animals.
- Combine 1/2 ounce of organic neem oil and 1/4 ounce mild detergent.
- Stir well and add 2 cups of water into it.
- Pour the solution into a spray bottle.
- Spray the solution on the skin, concentrating more on affected areas.
Note: The solution stays active only for 8 hours. Avoid using this process for cats.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is one of the beneficial remedies in removing ticks and fleas. The acidic levels of ACV repel the ticks or fleas from sucking the blood.
- Combine 8 ounce apple cider vinegar, 4 ounce of warm water, 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and baking soda.
- Mix well and pour the solution into a spray bottle.
- Spray on the pets avoiding the eyes part.
- Repeat the spraying once or twice in a day.
For Added Benefits: Add few drops of lavender oil or neem oil.
5. Witch Hazel
Witch hazel is one of the natural repellent for ticks and fleas. Follow the below process to make a natural repellant spray at home using with hazel.
- Combine witch hazel and eucalyptus oil in 10:1 ration.
- Pour the solution into a spray bottle.
- Close the lid and shake well.
- Spray the solution on your pets to kill the ticks and fleas.
- Repeat the process daily until you don’t see any ticks or fleas.
Another Possible Combination: combine enough witch hazel, 30 – 40 drops any essential oil, 8 ounce water and 1/2 teaspoon vegetable glycerin.
6. Lemon Juice
The citrus acid of lemon juice helps to get rid of ticks and fleas effectively. You can follow any one of the below process for the same.
- Prepare a spray combining enough amounts of lemon juice, peppermint oil and citrus oil. Spray the solution on the required areas.
- Combine lemon juice, 1 cup of water and lemon peels. Let the mixture boil for few hours. Add enough amounts of the solution into your bath water.
- Add a lemon slice to boiling water. Let it steep overnight. Dip a wash cloth and apply it on the required areas.
Note: You can replace lemon juice with orange juice.
7. Vegetable Oil
The Sulphur content present in vegetable oil makes it effective in repelling the ticks and fleas.
- Combine 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil, 10 drops of peppermint oil and 1 teaspoon of dish washing liquid.
- Stir well and apply it on the required areas of the pet avoiding eyes, ears and mouth.
- Repeat this process once in a week.
8. Baking Soda
Baking soda is one of the most powerful natural remedies to get rid of ticks and fleas from a pet’s body.
- Combine 1/2 teaspoon each baking soda and salt.
- Into a spray bottle, add the mixture, 4 ounces each of apple cider vinegar and warm water.
- Close the lid and shake well.
- Spray the solution on the pets avoiding eyes, ears and mouth.
- Repeat the spraying once in a day.
Alternative: combine enough amounts of baking soda and water. Apply the paste on the affected areas.
9. Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus oil is one of the effective solutions to kill the ticks and fleas. Below is the process of how you can use it.
- Add 15 – 20 eucalyptus leaves in a liter of water.
- Boil for 10 minutes.
- Let the mixture cool down to room temperature.
- Pour the solution into a spray bottle.
- Spray the solution on the affected areas to kill the ticks and fleas.
- Repeat the process 2 times in a week.
10. Liquid Detergent
The liquid detergent suffocates and eventually leads to the death of ticks and fleas. This is one of the simple and effective home remedies.
- Pour some liquid detergent into a bowl.
- Using a cotton ball, apply it on the affected areas.
- Repeat the process regularly.
Note: This process is not suitable for pets that are allergic to soap.
11. Clove
The anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties of cloves kill the ticks and fleas.
- Take enough amounts of clove oil into palm and rub it on the affected areas.
- Alternatively, you can spray the clove oil by diluting it with any carrier oil.
- Repeat any process regularly.
12. Tea Tree Oil
The medicinal properties of tea tree oil are effective in killing the ticks and fleas present on the pets.
- Into a spray bottle, add enough amounts of water and few drops of tea tree oil.
- Spray it directly on the infected area.
- After few minutes, remove the ticks using tweezers.
- Repeat the process whenever you spot ticks and fleas.
To prevent the attack: Add few drops of tea tree oil into the regular shampoo used to bathe the pet.
13. Mouthwash
Though it sounds silly, mouthwash is also one of the effective remedies in killing the fleas and ticks.
- Add few drops of mouthwash on a tissue paper or cotton ball.
- Place it on the tick or flea and remove after some time.
14. Turpentine
Alcohol fuels like gasoline or turpentine are also effective in killing the ticks and fleas.
- Take 2 tablespoons of gasoline into a bowl.
- Dip a cotton ball in the solution and place it on the tick.
- Leave it on for 3 minutes.
- Using tweezers remove the dead ticks or fleas.
15. Cinnamon Oil
Just like any other essential oil, cinnamon oil is also effective in killing the ticks and fleas. Apply some cinnamon oil on the affected area or try the below process.
- Add 80 drops of cinnamon oil in 1 ounce of water.
- Pour the solution into a spray bottle.
- Spray the solution on the pets and around the garden.
- Repeat the process regularly.
16. Mint
The cooling effect of mint makes it inhospitable for ticks and fleas to survive on the skin. This process is effective in removing ticks on the human skin.
- Combine 10 mint leaves, juice of 2 lemons and 10 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.
- After few hours, dip a cotton ball and apply the mixture on the affected areas.
- Leave it on for few minutes and remove the dead ticks or fleas.
- Repeat the process regularly.
17. Diatomaceous Earth to Prevent Fleas
Ticks and fleas can easily hide and survive in various places of the house like carpets and mattress. Diatomaceous earth helps to kill the ticks and fleas.
- Brush and vacuum your carpet and furnishing.
- Sprinkle some diatomaceous earth on the carpets and bedding.
- Leave it on for 4 – 6 hours.
- Vacuum away all the sprinkled powder.
- Discard the vacuum bag properly.
- Repeat the process once in a while.
Tips and Precautions:
- Spray cedar oil on the required areas or pet’s collar to prevent the attack of ticks and fleas.
- Applying Vaseline on the required areas suffocates the ticks and fleas which eventually lead to insect’s death.
- Garlic is one of the strongest repellants for ticks and fleas. Let your dog consume it daily in small amounts. Add 1/8 teaspoon of garlic to food or soups and serve them.
- Sanitize your house properly especially if you have pets.
- Remove dead fleas and ticks using tweezers.
- Mow your lawn regularly as they are breeding grounds of tick and fleas.
- Remove the litter, weeds and fallen leaves regularly.
- Shampoo your pet regularly with antibacterial soap.
We hope the information we provided in this article has helped you (Credit of this post goes to Northside Emergency Vet Services). If you have any queries or suggestions, write to us in the comment section below. You can read more about tick paralysis on their official website.
1 comment
Fleas and ticks don’t spread disease? I stopped reading there.