Homemade Flea Repellent

These natural flea repellents are easy to make, effective and kind to your budget.

• B complex vitamins: 50 mg once a day for cats and smaller dogs, and twice daily for larger dogs.

• Use Omega 3 and 6 fatty acid supplements. Coconut oil is the best source for this.

• Add a tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar to your dog's water bowl to fight fleas and mange.

• When bathing your pet, you can use apple cider vinegar to rinse his or her fur. This is a great flea repellent...Fleas don't like the smell or taste.

• Add a teaspoon each of safflower oil and powdered kelp or seaweed to the food bowl.

• Fresh garlic in small quantities can be an effective flea repellent by making the animal taste unpleasant to fleas. Grate a small amount of fresh, raw garlic into your pet's food at mealtime, about one-half to 3 cloves depending on the animal's size. Some vets recommend one crushed clove of garlic (not a whole bulb; a clove is just one chamber) per every 30 pounds. Some holistic health practitioners recommend heating the garlic for easier digestion, and not to give them garlic every day.

Note: Garlic and Onions can be toxic to dogs. Typically the problem is with large quantities not "seasoning portions". You should seek the advice of your veterinarian to find out if any garlic use is appropriate for your pet. If in doubt, leave it out.

• Fleas HATE Stash Earl Grey. Tear open a few bags, scatter the tea about on your carpet and vacuum up in a few days. Fleas will flee. Other folks have noticed that their pets love to roll in Stash-perhaps that's why! What a tea-riffic flea repellent!

• If you have pets, salt your carpets. At the end of winter, salt your carpets liberally, let stand about 10 minutes and then vacuum up. You just might get the jump on fleas before they get the jump on you. Also, try crumbling dried peppermint over your carpets before vacuuming, smells great and most critters don't like it.

• For your own homemade flea repellent collar, take a bandana or rope collar and rub eucalyptus oil, Tea Tree Oil, citronella, lavender or geranium onto it. Reapply weekly.

• If you're feeling crafty, here's a recipe for a flea repellent herbal pillow that will naturally repel fleas: 2 parts pennyroyal, 1 part thyme, and 1 part wormwood.

• Lavender, peppermint and geranium essential oils repel mosquitoes. Lavender, lemongrass and geranium repel ticks. And lavender, lemongrass, peppermint and citronella are natural flea repellents. Dab oils between your dog's shoulder blades. Other effective natural repellents include lemon, cedar, eucalyptus, myrrh, neem and rosewood oils.

• Put a drop of lemon oil or rosemary oil on your dog's collar.

• A safe, easy homemade flea repellent: cut 6 lemons in half, boil in a quart of water, steep a few hours, then strain the solution into a spray bottle. Spritz your pet's fur, taking care not to spray near the eyes. Don't spray anything in a dog's face; apply spray to your hand and then rub it on their face.

Flea repellent blend 5 drops citronella

3 drops lemon

3 drops rosemary

3 drops thyme