The best home remedies to fight fleas

Fleas are found all over the world and everywhere they are just as annoying. These wingless parasites they have an average length of 2 to 5 millimeters. They have six legs, the two rear ones a little longer and are used for jumping.

They do not fly, but some species of fleas can jump up to 30 centimeters high. The chitin shell that covers its body is so hard that they cannot be easily removed by hitting or crushing them.

There are different types of fleas. Each of them prefers a particular host to suck their blood, such as humans, dogs, or cats. From time to time they also feed on other species. However, fleas can survive without food for many months.

The following types of fleas are of particular importance to humans:

cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) Dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis) Chicken flea (Ceratophyllus gallinae) rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopsis) human flea (pulex irritans)

Despite its name, the human flea rarely bites humans. The bites commonly come from the cat or dog flea; in these cases humans accidentally become a food source.

This is how you recognize an infestation

Dogs and cats are more prone to flea attacks. Howeverfleas can sometimes be passed from pets to humans. In either case, the bites cause intense itching. It is more common to find multiple bites in a specific area of ​​the body (usually three bites).

If your pet scratches frequently, this is an indication of a flea infestation. The surest distinguishing feature, however, is flea droppings. If when combing your pet you discover small black particles, you probably have fleas. Especially if they are short-haired animals, you can sometimes see live fleas running through their fur.

Causes of fleas

It is mainly domestic animals, such as cats and dogs, that attract these parasites. Check your pets regularly for fleas to detect infestation early.

fleas at home they are most common on carpets, clothing, and closets. Also, the more mess there is, the more time and space the fleas have to settle. Despite the intense itching they cause, these insects are not harmful to health. The only potential danger is based on the fact that fleas could transmit tapeworms, which then nest in the intestines. other animals like chickens or pigeons can become hosts for fleas. However, those flea species pose little to no danger to humans. The hotter it is, the faster the larvae can develop. from the fleas Therefore, fleas are particularly active in the summer months.

Prevention and fight against fleas

If you keep your house clean regularly, you are already preventing fleas. Organize your home and clean it regularly. You don’t need to use chemicals.

If you already have fleas in your home, you must clean very thoroughly. Clean all surfaces with an ecological cleaner. Vacuum all the corners and crevices and then discard the vacuum bag if you have one or empty the contents into a bag that you must immediately remove from your house

To prevent flea infestation, also you can add a few drops of essential oil, like rosemary, to cleansing water, but its effect only lasts a few days.

Protect pets from fleas

You can protect your pet with a mint collar, preferably fresh from your own garden or balcony. Chop the mint and then wrap it in a cotton bandana that you can tie around your pet’s neck.

But once your pet is infested, you should thoroughly comb its coat several times a day (outside the home) and spray it with a homemade flea spray.

Homemade flea spray against the infestation

For an ecological anti-flea spray you need:

Ingredients:

1 lemon Fresh rosemary Geranium oil 1 liter of water

Elaboration:

Cut a lemon and its peel into small pieces and place them in a saucepan. Add a handful of rosemary and about a liter of water. Let the mixture boil for about 15 minutes. Cover the infusion when it has cooled and let it rest overnight. Strain the infusion and add ten drops of geranium oil. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Spray them on your pets, furniture, clothing, and anywhere fleas can hide.

Home remedies to treat flea bites in humans

The intense itching from flea bites can be well treated with home remedies. The cold vinegar compresses or cold mint infusion, placed directly on the affected areas of the skin provide fast relief.

Aloe vera. Relieves itching, cares for irritated skin and contributes to healing. Unscented natural gels can be used or a plant leaf can be cut to extract pulp and placed on the affected skin area. After about 15 minutes, the treatment should be temporarily stopped, but it can be used as often as desired during the day. Tea tree. Its oils relieve itching and, thanks to its antibiotic effect, also prevent wound infections. However, the oil should not be applied undiluted to the skin area, as the highly concentrated ingredients trigger irritation rather than heal, especially on previously damaged skin. Diluted in a little almond oil it can work wonders.