Fleas and ticks can be an irritating problem for you and your pets, and getting rid of these stubborn little pests can sometimes be incredibly challenging. Although harsh chemicals can help to prevent or drive away fleas and ticks, natural flea and tick remedies also work well. The following natural options are often also a safer, healthier choice for you, your home, and your pets, and they are generally much more environmentally friendly:
1. Lavender
Lavender has a strong smell that most people and animals find pleasant but is quite unpleasant to bugs. You can make an infusion and rinse your pet’s coat with it to drive away pests. You can also apply this infusion or a minimal amount of essential oil to a bandana and tie this around your pet’s neck to act as a natural flea collar.
2. Rosemary
A member of the evergreen family, this herb has a powerful smell that is unpleasant to fleas and ticks and acts as a natural repellent. To use this plant to drive off unwanted pests, add a small amount of dried or fresh leaves to about a pint of boiling water. Allow the leaves to steep for around 10 minutes as if you were making tea with them. Then, use a strainer to take the leaves from the water, and let the rosemary-infused water cool completely. You can use the water as a rinse on your pet after their bath.
3. Fleawort or plantain
Fleawort, also known as plantain or pennyroyal, can be brewed into a tea or tincture and used as a rinse, spritz, or wipe to help control flea and tick problems. As this plant grows well in many areas, you can also plant fleawort in your yard as a ground cover. This will help to keep pests out of your yard, stopping new pest problems before they start.
4. Catnip
This herb is beloved by cats and harmless to dogs, so it’s an excellent option for a natural flea and tick repellent. As with rosemary and most of the other herbs on this list, catnip’s strong smell is unpleasant to bugs. You can make tea with leaves and use this as a rinse on your pet to get rid of fleas. To ensure that new pests don’t bother your pet, spritz your dog with catnip-infused water or spray the tea on a cloth and wipe it over your cat or dog’s coat.
5. Chamomile
Chamomile is a soothing herb that helps calm animals and people. Using a tea or tincture of the herb can help reduce itching, swelling, and redness caused by flea and tick bites. The smell of the tea will also help to ward off pests. For a more potent repellent, you can mix the tea with a small amount of apple cider vinegar and use the mixture as a rinse or spray.
