How to Make a Pet Friendly Flea Trap

Fleas are attracted to light.

Fleas are small, wingless insects that feed on the blood of animals and people. Flea control is one of the biggest expenses for pet owners. Americans spend about $9 billion a year controlling fleas, but for less than $2 you can build your own flea trap in which the fleas will drown--and your pet won't get sick from a chemical spray.

Things You'll Need

• Pie pan
• Water
• Dish soap
• Lamp

Instructions

1. To build a flea trap, take a pie pan and fill it with about 1/4 inch of water with a squirt of dish soap. Without the added soap, fleas are able to walk across the water. The soap breaks the surface tension in the water and causes the fleas to drown.

2. Suspend the light source over the water. Fleas will jump toward the heat of the lamp and land in the water.

3. Put one or two of these traps in each room with a flea problem each night until there are no fleas in the solution the next morning.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also use a votive candle for the light source.

• Place the pie tin in a stable location.