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Homemade Flea & Tick Repellent
Homemade Flea & Tick Repellent. No one wants fleas and ticks on their pets or taking over their home, but commercial remedies can be costly and even dangerous to your pets, you and your children. There are homemade remedies that will do the job. The key is to be thorough in checking for fleas and ticks, tracking them down and then in keeping them...
No one wants fleas and ticks on their pets or taking over their home, but commercial remedies can be costly and even dangerous to your pets, you and your children. There are homemade remedies that will do the job. The key is to be thorough in checking for fleas and ticks, tracking them down and then in keeping them out. No one remedy, homemade or commercial, is totally effective, so it's best to combine them. Also, the effectiveness of your products may change from year to year or from region to region, so keep trying until you find one that works for you and your pets.
Things You'll Need
6 lemons
Coffee filter
Spray bottles
Lemon or orange essential oil
Rose geranium or palmerosa essential oil
Almond oil
Glass jar
Flea Repellents
Cut six lemons into halves and bring them to a boil in about a quart of water. Fleas hate citrus oils, and any product with citrus in it repels them.
Turn off the burner, cover the lemons and let them steep for about two hours. This helps to draw out their essential oils, from both the pulp and the skin.
Strain the mixture using a coffee filter or cheesecloth and pour it into a spray bottle.
Spray the mixture over your dog's fur daily, or if you have a cat spray it onto your hand and then rub it into the fur. Do not spray the mixture on your pet's face. Instead, spray it into your hand and rub it over the fur of its face, taking care to avoid the eyes.
Put one or two drops of lemon or orange essential oil on your pet's collar. Keep an eye on it to make sure your pet doesn't develop a rash or irritation.
Spray Tick Repellent
Combine 2 tsp. of either rose geranium essential oil or palmerosa essential oil with 2 cups of water. Both oils repel ticks, but palmerosa oil is less expensive.
Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and shake it well.
Spray it on your dog's fur, or spray it on your hand and rub it into your cat's fur. Never spray the mixture on a pet's face; instead, rub it into the fur with your hand while taking care to avoid the eyes.
Direct-application Tick Repellent
Combine 2 tbsp. almond oil with 10 to 20 drops of rose geranium or palmerosa oil in a glass jar.
Shake well to blend it all together.
Apply a few drops to your pet's fur, preferably around the shoulders where it's hard for it to reach to lick it off.
Store in a cool, dark place. It will last around six months before losing potency.
Tips & Warnings
Wash your pet's bedding weekly to keep fleas and ticks from making a home there.
Essential oils are very concentrated and can irritate pets with sensitive skin. Never use more than a few drops when applying them to your pet.
Inspect your pets for ticks whenever they've been outside. Ticks transmit many diseases, including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
