How to Make Non-Toxic Flea Shampoo

Flea shampoos are an important part of an overall strategy for effective flea control. Low-toxic flea shampoos are commercially available. The best choice are products that contain adult flea killers such as pyrethrins and insect growth regulators to kill the eggs, larvae and pupae. Follow these steps to make a non-toxic flea shampoo at home.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• ½ cup of sodium lauryl sulfate
• ½ cup plus two tablespoons rosemary oil
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons peppermint oil
• 2 tablespoons white cedar essential oil
• ¼ cup citronella oil
• olive oil
• cedarwood oil
• lavender oil
• ½ tablespoon of pure Neem oil

1. Mix two cups of boiling water with ½ cup of sodium lauryl sulfate until it is completely dissolved. Mix separately ½ cup plus two tablespoons rosemary oil, ¼ cup white vinegar, two tablespoons peppermint oil, two tablespoons white cedar essential oil and ¼ cup citronella oil. Add this mixture to the cooled sodium lauryl sulfate mixture.
2. Add the following mixture to one pint of water and use in a spray bottle: one tablespoon of olive oil, ½ tablespoon of pure Neem oil, 10 drops of cedarwood oil and six drops of lavender oil.
3. Use Neem oil in a similar concentration with your favorite combination of essential oils. The essential oils are used simply to cover the smell of Neem oil which is an effective insect repellent by itself.
4. Turn your favorite regular dog shampoo into a flea shampoo by adding one tablespoon of Neem oil to it.
5. Use original Dawn dishwashing liquid as a very gentle flea shampoo that is safe for puppies.

Tips & Warnings

• This preparation can be even more effective when combined with a chemical enhancer such as piperonyl butoxide.
• Do not use a shampoo such as the one described in Step 1 on cats because they do not metabolize essential oils well. The oils can bio-accumulate and become toxic.