5 home remedies to prevent flea and tick infestation
Having a pet is a promise of loving companionship. While these furry companions bring lots of love and joy into a pet parent’s life, they also attract bugs and pests like ticks and fleas, which attach to their skin and fur. These pests are unhygienic and unsafe as they potentially also carry illnesses like tick fever, which can even be fatal. Here are some home remedies that should be used frequently to prevent flea and tick infestation.
Diatomaceous earth
This is a fine, powder-like substance which is made from silica. The same substance that makes up sand. This diatomaceous earth can be sprinkled on various furniture, rugs, and even bedding. One can use it generously around the house and even at the corners. This substance helps in drying up the fleas and the eggs, which means it can kill the infestation, if any, in the house. Leave this lying around for a couple of hours, and then vacuum it up. This is a safe and non-toxic remedy that can help keep ticks and fleas away from one’s pets. However, one thing to note is that the dusty powder can irritate the airways if breathed in. So it is important to not stay in the house while this is sprinkled around.
Citrus
Citrus is a natural repellent for fleas because of its acidic nature, and it also kills their eggs. Citrus extraction from oranges or lemons is a useful home remedy for treating tick and flea infestation. Take a few orange and lemon peels and boil them in water. Let the water cool down and filter it out to bottle it up in a spray bottle. This spray can be used around the house to help kill the fleas and their eggs. Extracts from citrus peels, like d-limonene and linalool, are easily available in the market and can be bought to use at home for these pests.