Pets have become a beloved part of our lives, with more couples in modern times choosing to have dogs or cats over children. We treat them with love, care, and respect as we would our own children, and when they get sick, it turns our lives upside down. However, an animal becoming sick is often very different from a human. One common cause for an ill pet in your home is the presence of fleas or ticks. Fleas and ticks in your house can lead to an unfortunate sequence of events including excessive itching that leads to infected sores, weight loss, internal problems, anemia, and/or Lyme disease.

With flea and tick combat products being an unnecessary expense, it may be more viable to look toward natural cures or treatments for this issue:

1. Baking soda
If your flea infestation problem is rooted in carpets or rugs in your home, baking soda can be an effective method to deal with it. With a small brush, you can rub baking soda into your carpet or rug and vacuum it afterwards. After this, you should be quick and thorough in your disposal of the contents of the vacuum bag.

2. Lemon
Lemon is a handy fruit to have around the house as it can be used for cleaning and for treatments. If your infestation problem is centered on furniture, making a citrus spray is a great form of combat. The process of making this spray is a reversal of making Lemonade. You should place a slice of lemon into a pot of water and bring it to a boil. After leaving it overnight, it can be used the next day as a spray, however when spraying it, you should not soak the furniture.

3. Plants
Just as some plants contain extracts or oils that can be used in cooking or deterring certain animals, there are plants that contain oils, chemicals, or compounds that are capable of deterring fleas. These plants should be kept in your garden, pots in your front yard, or inside your home if possible. Flowering plants such as Chrysanthemums can be both a decoration and repellant. Other plants include Spearmint, Lavender, and Penny Royal.

4. DIY flea baths
If your pet is already infected, there are other ways of giving it a bath rather than purchasing flea shampoo. Creating a bath with a half cup of dish soap, one cup of Vinegar, and one quart of warm water can have the same effect as using flea shampoo.

5. Make your own flea collar
Flea collars can be made easily by adding two drops of Lavender oil to water and dousing your dog or cat’s collar in it. This method saves money and time!