Organic Flea & Tick Repellent

Create an organic insect repellent with lemons and water.

Fleas and ticks are not just biting nuisances, they can also carry diseases. You can create organic repellents at home to protect your family, pets and house from these dangerous insects.

Inside Home

Inside your home, you can repel fleas by slicing up a lemon then pouring a pint of boiling water over it. Let the lemon and water mixture sit for several hours, then pour the liquid into a spray bottle. Spray the mixture on pet bedding and doorways to keep fleas out, according to "Green Guide," a guide to eco-friendly living. To repel ticks, add a few drops of palmarosa essential oil to the mixture.

Outside

To create an organic flea and tick repellent for your dog when it is outside, get a cloth collar and place a few drops of lemon oil and palmarosa oil on it. This will create an organic flea collar. For your family, spritz your shoes and the bottoms of your pants with the indoor repellent spray. You can add the oils you placed on your dog's collar to cloths and carry them in a pocket for added protection.

Considerations

If you have cats inside your home, avoid using citrus-based oils as a flea repellent. While safe for humans and dogs, they can make cats sick, warns "The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care." Instead, substitute in pennyroyal oil, unless the cat or someone in your family is pregnant, as pennyroyal can trigger miscarriages. In that case, try cedar or lavender oil.

References

• "Green Guide"; Seth Bauer; 2008
• "The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care"; C.J. Puotinen; 2000