How to Get Rid of Fleas Without Getting Rid of Your Money

Fleas on you and your pet are not only annoying, but can be dangerous. Fleas carry many diseases than can affect you and your pet. Fleas may be annoying to you and your pet, but they are also exposing both of you to harmful diseases.

With the economy being so rough, you may not be able to afford to take your dog to be professionally treated for fleas, or, maybe your flea problem isn't bad enough to warrant a full scale attack, but maintenance is still needed.

Read on to find out economical ways to get rid of fleas without getting rid of your money.

Spreading Borax around the house, especially in carpeted areas will kill the fleas, dry up the flea eggs and kill other household pests. Sprinkle the powder on your carpet, especially in the corners. Take a coarse broom and sweep the floor to really work in the Borax. If possible, let the powder set in for 34 to 48 hours before vacuuming.

Eucalyptus leaves placed behind the couch, under couch cushions, and in various other flea infested places will also help. Try not to place the leaves where your pets have easy access to them. I have also cut up flea collars and placed them in my non-bagless vacuum cleaner to kill fleas. If you do not have a bagless vacuum cleaner this may be beneficial so that you don't have to throw out or empty the bag after each vacuuming.

Regularly wash all of your pets bedding. You can even wash the bedding in your dog shampoo or with Lemon Joy soap. Washing your pet with Lemon Joy, Dial, or similar is also suppose to kill fleas and flea eggs. This has worked for my pets' maintenance, but hasn't worked as well for getting rid of a major infestation.

If you cannot afford high end products such as Frontline or Advantage, try bathing your pet in a solution of Pine Sol and water. I only suggest this attempt if your animal does not have any major open sores and his docile when getting a bath. If your dog is like one of mine and won't stay still in the tub, do not use the Pine Sol as you may get it in his eyes.

Using lemon juice can also help with flea problems. However, the cost may be too high if you are using it on a large animal. The lemon juice method may only be feasible on small dogs and on cats.

Regardless of what you use to bathe your animal to get rid of fleas, it is always more effective if you are able to submerge your animal up to his neck. This will drown the fleas. Be careful though because this, as with any other effective measure to get rid of fleas, will cause all of the fleas to run to his face. I have found that lathering up around his neck with soap before letting him be fully submerged has helped. Leave the soap suds around his neck until you are ready to actually wash his face. That way the fleas can't run up to his head.

No matter how many times you bathe your dog, bomb your house with flea spray, do the borax method, vacuum with the flea color trick, or wash his bedding you will still get fleas if you don't also treat your yard and implement some preventative measures.

Fleas hate the smell of cedar. Place cedar chips in shady areas around your yard. Most fleas are attracted to shady areas because the suns heat kills them and their eggs. Place cedar chips around dog runs and around the dog house.

Keeping your yard mowed will also help as well as going to a garden store and asking for Steinernema carpocapsa. This little nematode eats fleas.

A recap, place cedar in obvious areas of your yard, sprinkle Borax throughout the house and let set overnight, bathe your pet in your chosen solution while his bedding is being washed, vacuum up the Borax and repeat in a week or so if necessary. Unless you have an extreme infestation, these tips should help.