How to Keep Fleas and Ticks Off Your Pets

Summer is the hardest time of year to keep your pets free of fleas and ticks. Every year you seem to have to go through the same battle with the pests again, but there are several things you can do to keep them safe.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• pet shampoo
• peppermint oil
• pet combs / brushes
• small bowl of water
• citrus scented cleaner
• 20 mule team borax

1. Wash your pet regularly with a gentle pet shampoo, and brush their hair. After brushing their hair, take a flea com, and comb their hair. Put a small bowl of water beside you, and rinse off the comb as you work. It will remove the flea eggs, and the fleas. Get into a habit of brushing your pet every day, and combing them with the flea comb at least once a week. Your pet will lose the fleas, but will love all of the attention that they are getting.

2. Mix a little garlic into your pet’s food. When they eat it, their body will give off a smell that fleas hate. If you don’t want to mix it into their food, give them a little bit of bologna each day. It is loaded with garlic, and the animals think they are getting a wonderful treat.
   Another good thing about garlic, it’s a natural antibiotic, so it helps your pet stay healthier.

3. When you’re done, put a small drop of peppermint oil into the palm of your hand, rub your hands together and rub it on your pet. It will make him smell good, and will help repel pests.

4. Clean your pet’s bedding regularly. If your pet has a pillow or blanket it lays on regularly, wash it at least once a week. If your pet has claimed a chair or sofa in your house - like my dog-, you will need to treat it. You need to sprinkle 20 mule team borax on the chair or sofa, leave it for thirty minutes and then vacuum it off of the furniture. When your done wipe the furniture down with a diluted mixture of a citrus scented cleaning product.

5. Treat the floors the same way sprinkle 20 mule team borax on the floors – carpet, linoleum or wood, let it sit for thirty minutes and vacuum. The fleas will eat the Borax, and it will kill them. If you do this once a week you will break the fleas’ life cycle, and they will slowly disappear. Mop kitchens and mop- able surfaces, with citrus scented cleaning products. Fleas, ticks and roaches do not like the smell of citrus.

6. I haven’t tried this, but some people say that you can crumble up eucalyptus leaves and put it around areas that your animals go to keep fleas away.

Tips & Warnings

• KEEP YOUR PETS OUT OF AREAS WHILE THE BORAX IS ON THE FLOOR OR FURNITURE. VACUUM AREAS BEFORE ALLOWING PETS BACK INTO THE ROOM. I usually do one room at a time, and keep the pets out of the room.

[riefderrico]

on 9/17/2009 I love your chemical free tips!