Pet owners have found that apple cider vinegar is a good tick and flea repellent, making it a great alternative to chemicals. Its sour taste is unwelcome to parasites, so if you regularly spray your dog's or cat's fur with this liquid, you can prevent these insects from taking over. If your furry friend is allergic to chemicals or you want to try a natural remedy, follow the simple instructions in this guide to make an apple cider vinegar wash solution that eliminates ticks and fleas.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Getting rid of a flea and tick infestation with apple cider vinegar
Step 1. Make an apple cider vinegar solution
Do not pour the product directly on the animal's skin, as it could irritate it; instead make a diluted mixture. Pour 240 ml of apple cider vinegar into a liter of hot water and add 30 g of castile soap. This diluted solution is powerful enough to fight parasites, but not so strong that you can smell vinegar.
- If you want a stronger repellent effect and protect the animal from parasites, add 2-3 drops of lavender or cedar oil to the mixture. The scent of this oil will keep ticks and fleas away while giving the solution a good scent. You can also add 60ml of aloe vera gel, which acts as a moisturizer on your furry friend's skin and repels fleas.
- Apple cider vinegar is non-toxic to dogs and cats. However, if your pet has sensitive skin, change the concentration by diluting one part of vinegar to three parts of water.
Step 2. Put on gloves and long sleeved clothing
Fleas and ticks also bite humans, so you must protect yourself while treating the animal. Use rubber gloves, wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants so you don't get bitten.
You should also tie your pants around your ankles to prevent parasites from reaching the skin in these areas
Step 3. Treat the pet with the solution you have prepared
Thoroughly soak his fur with the vinegar-based wash, making sure all fur is wet. Massage the body of your four-legged friend with your fingers, so that the mixture also reaches the skin. Castile soap will begin to lather which you can use to scrub all of your skin well. Wait for the mixture to work for ten minutes.
- Make sure that the solution does not get into the eyes of the animal, otherwise it could irritate them.
- If you have to manage a flea and tick infestation, you should work outdoors; if it gets too cold, wash the dog or cat in the bath.
- If the infestation is really severe, have an extra batch or two of the mixture on hand to treat the pet's coat twice.
Step 4. Use a fine-toothed comb
Before rinsing the coat, comb it thoroughly. Focus on one section at a time and comb all the fur to get rid of fleas. Each time you comb a strand, dip the tool into a bowl of soapy water to get rid of any parasites remaining between the teeth of the comb. Fleas should come off their fur without difficulty, as they will want to get away from the bad taste of apple cider vinegar. When you're done, rinse the pet off with warm water.
- If your dog or cat has particularly thick hair, you will need to comb it twice. After the first session, rinse the pet completely and apply a second vinegar treatment. Wait ten minutes and repeat the process.
- Check that the comb you are using is the specific flea comb. Normal combs cannot properly eliminate parasites and their eggs at the same time.
Step 5. Check your pet's skin thoroughly for ticks and remove them safely
Remember to wear rubber gloves when doing this as you don't want to get bitten by parasites. As you comb your pet's coat, feel its skin for small bumps and bumps. If you see a tick, peel it off with a pair of tweezers. Grab the parasite and lift it from the animal's skin. Do not twist and crush the tick; the goal is to remove it without separating the body from the head; pull it perpendicular to the skin.
- Disinfect the bite area with rubbing alcohol as soon as you detach the bug. You should also monitor the wound and continue disinfecting it for a few days to make sure no infections develop.
- Place the mint in a plastic bag. If your pet shows signs of infection, you need to take him to the vet for tests.
- Check the bite areas for a few days for redness, swelling, or disease. If you notice any signs of infection, take your furry friend to the vet.
- Ask someone to help you hold the animal still. The procedure might be a bit unpleasant for him.
Step 6. Repeat the apple cider vinegar treatment
Fleas have a life cycle of just a few weeks, so if you haven't eliminated a few fleas the first time you wash them, they may lay more eggs in the house and start a new infestation. You will need to wash your pet like this every few days until you no longer see any traces of fleas.
When the parasites are gone, repeat the treatment once a week to protect the animal from new infestations
Part 2 of 3: Get Rid of Fleas in the House
Step 1. Clean all the fabrics in the pet bed
Fleas are able to survive for days or even weeks in the carpet and bed. Wash any materials that have come into contact with the pet using very hot water, then dry them on a high-temperature cycle. You will need to repeat the washing a few times to get rid of the infestation.
- These precautions allow you to protect your furry friend from new infestations caused by the environment in which he lives while trying to rid him of parasites.
- You should wash all items that the dog or cat has touched, including blankets and pillows.
Step 2. Eliminate any fleas from your home
Just like in the kennel, fleas and ticks survive in the carpet of the house for a long time. These parasites lay their eggs on the animal, which can then fall on the carpets and other fabrics in the house. To prevent them from hatching, you need to get rid of the eggs and any adult specimens that may be in the carpet. To do this, thoroughly clean the house with a vacuum cleaner.
Don't neglect upholstery and fabrics, small crevices in furniture, corners of the room, and any places your pet has access to
Step 3. Make a natural spray
Once you have cleaned with the vacuum cleaner and washed any washable material, you can make a spray, similar to the solution with which you bathed the animal, to be applied on the carpets and on the kennel to get rid of fleas. To do this, mix four liters of apple cider vinegar with two of water, half a liter of lemon juice and 250ml of witch hazel in a large bowl. Pour the mixture into a large spray bottle and apply it liberally to all surfaces in the home, including carpets, hardwood floors, crevices, corners, window sills and furniture.
- You will need to repeat the treatment for 2-7 days, depending on the severity of the infestation.
- If you are trying to prevent an infestation, you can continue this way for a month or so.
- Wait for the solution to dry before placing items back on the treated surfaces.
Step 4. Set up a trap
If you don't have a serious flea problem but want to catch any flea that might be in the house, you can try using a trap. Put some night lights in the various sockets in the room that are at floor level. Under each light, place a dish with water in which you have dissolved a cap of dish soap.
- Every morning, check the dishes for dead fleas. Throw away the contents of the dishes and fill them with fresh soapy water every night.
- You can use this method to check the effectiveness of the vinegar spray. When you no longer find fleas on your dishes, you can stop the spray treatment.
- You can also use small candles for these traps, but you can't leave them unattended to avoid the risk of fire.
Part 3 of 3: Preventing Future Infestations with Apple Cider Vinegar
Step 1. Make an apple cider vinegar solution
To prevent fleas from infecting your pet after removing them from your home, you can make a soap-free mixture. Mix 1/2 liter of apple cider vinegar with equal water and pour the solution into a clean spray bottle.
- Make sure the bottle is completely clean and has not previously contained any detergents or other chemicals that could harm the pet.
- You can prepare a larger amount of the mixture, depending on the number of animals you need to treat.
- Just like you did with the wash solution, you can add lavender or cedar essential oil. In this way, the repellent effect will be stronger and the liquid will have a pleasant scent.
Step 2. Spray the liquid on the animal after bathing it
By doing this, you keep ticks and fleas away; Furthermore, the treatment is very delicate and can be applied every time you wash your furry friend. Spray all the fur from the head to the tips of the legs; rub the solution to let it penetrate and wait for it to dry. The vinegar smell will fade as soon as the coat is dry again.
- Be careful not to get the animal's face wet. To treat the ears and snout as well, moisten a cloth with the mixture and rub it on these areas.
- If you don't bathe your dog or cat often, you'll need to spray more often than washing. Try to apply the mixture every week or two, especially in months when the animal spends a lot of time outdoors.
- Cats and some dogs don't like being sprayed. If your furry friend is also very sensitive, gently treat his fur with a cloth soaked in the vinegar solution.
Step 3. Put the apple cider vinegar in the dog's water bowl
If the animal ingests some vinegar, it can stay safe from ticks and fleas by repelling them "from the inside". The skin and coat will have a constant smell of vinegar if the dog drinks it regularly; just add one tablespoon per 20kg of body weight to its water bowl, once a day.
- If your dog weighs less than 20 kg, use less vinegar. For example, if your furry friend weighs only 6 kg, put half a teaspoon or at most one whole teaspoon of vinegar in the water.
- Some owners give apple cider vinegar to cats as well, but others fear it can upset their body's pH balance. To make sure you don't make your cat sick, use vinegar externally only.
- If your dog refuses to drink the vinegar water, don't force it. Limit yourself to applying it topically only.
Step 4. Clean the house with an apple cider vinegar solution
To prevent ticks and fleas from settling in your home, use the same spray solution that you applied to the pet to clean floors, countertops and all surfaces in the home. It is a natural and safe cleaning product that kills germs and bacteria.
- If you have to clean the surfaces you use for food preparation, don't mix vinegar with baking soda, as the two ingredients neutralize each other, nullifying each other's antibacterial properties.
- You can continue spraying the carpets to get rid of the fleas.
- The house will smell of vinegar only for the time it takes for the solution to dry. As soon as each surface is dry, the smell will disappear.
Advice
- The methods described in this article are not 100% effective. You should always ask your vet for advice, to be sure you are keeping fleas and ticks under control. If you find that natural remedies don't work, ask the specialist what other solutions are available.
- Be prepared to use chemical repellants, in case your vet recommends them.
- The pet's coat will be soft and silky after applying apple cider vinegar, as it is a natural conditioner.
