Flea spray Make your own ~ Naturally

Are you tired of spending your weekends treating your home and pets for flea's that just do not get the idea that they are NOT welcome in your home? ME too! What I really hate is all the chemicals that we subject ourselves and our pets to, just in the name of getting rid of bugs! That is why I dedicated this past weekend to researching and testing my essential oils to combat those nasty little things!

I have spent the last several month looking (off and on) at the essential oils that others were using to combat their pest problems. What really sold me on this all natural method was when I made my BUG Off spray for the mosquitos and it WORKED! I knew that there would just have to be a combination that would work for the fleas in the home as well. For me, other than the many health benefits of using essential oils is, one they smell awesome ~ your house never smells like a chemical spray, it just smells, well natural :) Second the essential oils that you use do not "build up" in your system like many toxic chemicals do. Your body uses the benefits of the oil on the molecular level and then it is gone!
I was quite pleased at how this mixture turned out! I did not have any recipes to follow, but I thought about my mixture that I use on my garden plants to fight off insects and spider mites on my evergreens like rosemary - it has a base of water, peroxide and dawn. I felt this would be a good base as it had already proved effective in the garden :) I also knew from my research on the BUG OFF mosquito spray what essential oils would be a good start at repelling the fleas.  At this point I trusted the LORD to direct the right amount of drops into the bottle :)

 The scent was very similar to Citronella and I was literally floored at how effective this was! I used this in and around my sons house (we have BAD BAD Sand fleas in SC) When I got on his back porch I noticed I had some on my feet already, so I sprayed it on his porch and let some spray on my feet, lo and behold, not another flea got on me!  I suggest Spraying it on carpet, along baseboards, around doors (in and out) Even on your porches, under couch cushions, your pets bed and even on your mattresses. Wait for at least 1/2 hour before vacuuming again. You want them to DIE :)

All Natural Flea Spray:
1/4 Cup Peroxide
1/4 Cup Dawn
21 oz water
35 Drops Tea Tree Oil
25 Drops Lemongrass Oil
20 Drops Eucalyptus Oil
20 Drops Lavender Oil
25 Drops Thieves oil
1 spray bottle or garden sprayer if using outside You can double or triple the batch for outside use or to cover large area's

Measure & pour the Peroxide and Dawn into your spray bottle. Next add in the essential oils and then swish it around a time or two. The Dawn will break the oil down so it will mix with the water. Now fill your bottle with water (slowly) up to the 25 oz mark. Gently shake to mix it up.
** Other things to consider when using this spray:

• Cats are very sensitive to essential oils and many oils should not be used near them or on them as they could be toxic! 
• I use this oil on on my dogs bedding and carpeted areas they frequent, I do not spray it directly on them. Please research which oils are safe for your dogs and only apply them where they will not lick it off.
• The oils are antifungal, antibacterial, antivirul (including resistant strains of bacteria, Ecoli & pnuemonia), good for respiratory issues (colds, flu, asthma, allergies) good for the relief of sinus congestion and skin disorders just to name of few (these statements have not been reviewed by the FDA BUT there have been numerous studies by leading medical universities with data that backs up these claims!!  
• With the above in mind, this is also an effective cleaner for your countertops, stove, refrigerator, door handles ~ any where that germs may be lying... how about a few sprays in that hamper or diaper pail :)
• I tried it in my bathroom and in my kitchen, The dawn had that great little grease cutting ability that sparkled up my stove top too! I just love to be able to multi task, that is the blessing with essential oils - they are good for so many things and good for you!
• I am NOT a paid spokes person for anyone or any brand, I just love sharing recipes with others to help us all live a better life.... though I probably should be, maybe I could get a discount on my oils :0)

Other suggestions to help you in your fight against those nasty little bugs:

1. Vacuum Often and SLOWLY - let the beater bar work the carpet and get the eggs and fleas out of the carpet. A little persistence will pay off big time, whether you find yourself with an infestation or trying to avoid one. Make sure to pay special attention to high traffic areas, under furniture and where your pets sleep / play. 
2. Empty your vacuum often into a closed trash bag and get it out of your house!
3. Treat your yard! If you can keep them somewhat under control in the yard, it will help the battle of them hitching a ride into your home. I am preaching to the choir here (me) since the weather has been so wet this year treating my yard has not happened. (thankful for my garden and well water not used btw)
4. Every week sprinkle a mixture of "Borax" and "Baking Soda" ~ (Add in essential oils for a refreshing carpet fresh and flea treatment) mixed 1/2 and 1/2 on your carpet and let sit for at least a 1/2 hour before vacuuming. This has helped dramatically, I have not noticed any fleas in my house, even though my yard has not been treated. I do put it under my furniture and just leave it there until the next time I feel like moving it and vacuuming it and putting down a fresh batch.
5. Wash your pets bedding often, or at least throw it in the dryer on high heat for 20-30 minutes to kill the bugs, eggs and remove the hair and dust mites.
6. To help make your dog "undesireable" to fleas and ticks add in a tsp of Apple Cider Vinegar to their drinking water. I have a 2 1/2 gallon dispenser and put in about a tablespoon. The smell is very faint, but it has seemed to help in the tick dept! 
7. A trick that my son has used and reports that it works is he takes his dogs flea shampoo, puts a couple of ounces in a spray bottle and then fills it up with water. He sprays down the dogs bed area and under his furniture to keep them from taking up residence there. Sounds good to me, It hurts your body to continually have to move furniture to vacuum.
8. If at first you don't succeed, try AGAIN! What works in our area may not work in your area. If you have been treating the fleas with harsh chemicals they have probably gotten immune to the insecticides. There are MANY essential oils that are good for flea / ticks, you just have to experiment with what will work for you. 

After conducting my own experiment / blend for the fleas I stumbled upon this website ~ She has a lot of good information on there and has spent a lot of time going in depth about each oil. HA ~ she even has a couple of recipes at the bottom of the page for flea sprays and mixes to put directly on the collars :)

There are MANY that are effective in controlling home and yard pests ~ since she has it already layed out, and a great reference guide.... it would be foolish of me to not just direct you here for some of your own in depth research. Good Luck! 

http://www.experience-essential-oils.com/homemade-flea-treatment.html

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