Many of us deal with the same ongoing battle with our pets. It’s a problem with insects, such as fleas, ticks, mites, ants and even mosquitoes. In many cases, people will use a commercial solution but they can be full of dangerous chemicals that are horrible for your pet.
If you want to get rid of the insects without having those chemicals involved, you can use this natural flea and tick repellent. It has proven to be a real success for many families, including those who originally posted the recipe.
The family had moved to an older house in the woods of Pennsylvania but they soon discovered that there was a flea infestation. Unfortunately, their dog was being eaten alive but after they used this natural solution, the fleas were gone and it had the added bonus of repelling other insects, such as ticks and mosquitoes.
Ingredient List and Benefits
The 4 ingredients in this recipe are, Diatom Flour, Neem Powder, Yarrow Powder and Eucalyptus Oil. They have traditionally been used by holistic veterinarians to successfully kill and repel ticks and fleas.
Diatomaceous Earth is a soft powder made up of fossilized remains of aquatic organisms known as diatoms. Their skeletons were made of silicon, a natural substance. It is very sharp looking when viewed under a microscope, so it is able to easily puncture the exoskeleton of fleas and other insects. It eventually causes their demise through dehydration.
In other words, Diatomaceous Earth kills the insect, not through a chemical action but through a physical action. The particles are so small that it feels just like baby powder. Foodgrade Diatomaceous Earth is perfectly harmless to both pets and humans.
Neem Powder is a herb that is often used in Ayurvedic medicine. It has been used for hundreds of years as an effective way to repel and kill ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, ants, lice and mites. One of the compounds within Neem disrupts the metamorphosis of the insect larva. Since Neem keeps the larva from developing, they die before they produce a new generation. Another compound repels insects. It has even been shown to be more effective than repellents containing DEET.
You will also like knowing that Neem has many moisturizing properties and can help with irritated skin. It has further antibacterial properties that helps to keep skin infections at bay.
Yarrow Powder has ancient uses as an herbal medicine and healing herb. Many cultures considered it to be a sacred herb. It has anti-inflammatory properties, helping to soothe irritated skin. It can also relieve pain and has antimicrobial properties as well. It can help with secondary infections from flea bites and protect your pets from those infections.
Eucalyptus essential oil naturally repels insects. The compounds in the eucalyptus are sometimes considered to be more effective than DEET. It also contains antiseptic properties, helping to heal the skin after bites occur.
Homemade Flea Powder Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth
1/2 cup Neem Powder
1/2 cup Yarrow Powder (find HERE)
20 Drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil* (find HERE) *Leave out the essential oil if using for cats.
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and put in a shaker top container. I used a mason jar with a shaker top lid (I got my mason jar shaker top lid at Christmas Tree Shop, but you could make your own by drilling holes in a regular mason jar lid).
Apply from head to tail along your pets spine in dry conditions. Brush your pets fur going the opposite direction so the powder comes in contact with the skin. Avoid the eyes and nose. Rub the powder on the belly and legs. Try to get the flea powder on as much skin as you can.
I have found that brushing the fur in the opposite direction and applying the flea powder with a cosmetic puff works really well. I also found the fleas seem to like the tail, the area right above the tail and the belly/groin area so I made sure to pay extra attention to those areas to get them well covered.
Frequency of Use:
To use this as a general repellent (with no serious flea infestation), applying once a month during active flea season (end of spring/summer) is sufficient. If the pet gets a bath or gets wet, it will need to be reapplied.
If You Are Dealing with a Flea Infestation:
You will need to apply more often, depending on how bad of an infestation you are dealing with. I applied every other day until I saw no more traces of fleas (now I’m just using it as maintenance). Some are successful with applying as little as once a week, but others need it more often – it just depends on the level of infestation. Also remember to reapply if your pet gets wet (important!).
If you have a flea infestation, you will also need to apply this flea powder to your floors, windowsills, door sills, pet bedding, sofa, etc. Focus your efforts where your pet spends the most amount of time, since fleas and their eggs will be the most concentrated in those areas. Just apply a light dusting to the areas in your house and leave it there overnight. Vacuum in the morning or sometime the next day. Do this once a week for 4 weeks if you have a flea infestation.
This flea powder works amazingly, BUT, it will not work overnight if you have a flea infestation. You must be diligent about applying it to your pet AND applying the powder to your home and vacuuming at least once per week for 4 weeks in a row to get rid of an infestation.
You can even use this flea powder it in your yard to repel and kill fleas, ticks, spiders, ants, mosquitos, etc!
I also leave a little bit of this flea powder in my door and window sills to prevent spiders, ants and other bugs from entering.
How Safe Is Diatomaceous Earth?
There have been rumors that foodgrade diatomaceous earth was harmful to the lungs if you breathe it. There may be some truth, as crystallized or filter grade diatomaceous Earth can cause problems if it is breathed in over a long period of time. Foodgrade diatomaceous earth, however, is perfectly safe. It is processed differently than the crystallized form and is not harmful to either pets or people. You can even eat it and it is safe for women who are pregnant or nursing. If you are going to be breathing it for long periods of time, however, it wouldn’t hurt to wear a dust mask.
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