Essential Oils

[tammystroops]

Just curious if anyone has used or is using essential oils like lavender, orange, peppermint in helping with flea control?

if so, how do you use them? spray bottle? right from the bottle? mix with anything special?

 

 

[galgrey]

I prefer to try non-toxic measures before using chemicals and I've been using an insect repellent called Beat It! (after seeing several posts about it on here). I bought it for mosquitoes, but it's advertised as effective against mosquitoes, flies, fleas, etc. It works great for mosquitoes on me. I also spray it on the dogs. It contains the following essential oils: Lemongrass, Eucalyptus, Mint, and Citronella along with aloe vera get, coconut oil an water. http://jadeandpearl.com/beat-it/

 

Here's an article on using essential oils to make a homemade flea treatment: http://www.experience-essential-oils.com/homemade-flea-treatment.html They are selling their own brand here, but this is just for info.

 

They also provide a recipe to make your own:

 

Can I make a Homemade Flea Spray?

Absolutely, here is an essential oil recipe you can use as for homemade flea treatment.

Purification Flea Free Recipe

• 1/2 cup of Distilled water

• 6-8 Drops Purification Essential Oil

• 2-4 Drops Palo Santo Essential Oil

• 1 Drop of Thieves Hand Soap or Castile Soap (emollient)

Place in a spray bottle and shake. Spritz daily to stay flea free!

 

I've also used a cedar oil product called Cedarcide on myself for mosquitoes and on the dogs for fleas with with good results. It has a very strong cedar smell, but I like it and it's non-toxic.

http://www.cedarcide.com/product/das-domestic-animal-spray/

Edited August 13, 2013 by galgrey

[3DogNite]

I can't add anything more to the above comprehensive list. Love all those products and have made my own concoction as well.

 

I use essential oils for MANY things and am lucky enough to not need flea/tick deterrents. (there are places in Phx that do have problems, but so far

i haven't seen any)

 

I love Cerdarcide products as well for insect repellant around my back yard - although it seems I have to re-apply fairly often.

 

bonus,, you and your dogs will smell greyt!!!

[tammystroops]

THANKS!!

[galgrey]

Love all those products and have made my own concoction as well.

 

Would you mind sharing your recipe for your own concoction? I'm really interested to know what you use.

[3DogNite]

Oils that repel: from the Higley Guide

citronella, clove, purification, lavender, basil, bergamont, cedarwood, ---

Pick your choice of oils (3-5 different ones): 5 drops each w/1cup water (purified) spray on skin

 

** my choices: cedarwood, Lemongrass, peppermint and theives, clove work well together,

 

I like the idea of using the theives soap - i am going to use that next time!

I also will use my diffuser outside, at my feet will keep away most mosquitoes:

citrus fresh, purification, lemongrass, peppermint, clove

 

Lavender eases itching

Purification bee stings, ant bites

I just read this: Basil known to neutralize poisons (ie brown recluse spider or wasps) Purification removes poisons from body.

 

 

*** Some oils are HOT on the skin - do not apply without knowing which ones need to be diluted topically !!!

Edited August 14, 2013 by 3DogNite

[galgrey]

Thank you for sharing.

[seeh2o]

I tried lavender, but had no luck with it, same with Bug Off garlic from Springtime Inc, no luck. This year I tried something else and I really have had luck with Flea Treats. I don't get at all how they work, but the last time I put Advantage on the dogs was early June. I started them on Flea Treats that same week and as of today, not a single flea on them since then. They are pretty cheap and the dogs LOVE them, they really think they are treats. No problems with poo or gas with the treats either.

[Walliered]

I know this is a little different, but I clean my floors with water and vinegar. I use 1/2 of each. It seems to do a good job on the floors and does not hurt my dogs or my lungs. Thanks

[tammystroops]

great to know! also one more question, do you put the oils etc in a glass spray bottle or plastic bottle?

[3DogNite]

Glass only

[juliemac]

glass bottles only, especially if you use Thieves.

[galgrey]

I tried lavender, but had no luck with it, same with Bug Off garlic from Springtime Inc, no luck. This year I tried something else and I really have had luck with Flea Treats. I don't get at all how they work, but the last time I put Advantage on the dogs was early June. I started them on Flea Treats that same week and as of today, not a single flea on them since then. They are pretty cheap and the dogs LOVE them, they really think they are treats. No problems with poo or gas with the treats either.

I've not used these, but I give my girls a B complex vitamin every day and it does seem to help repel fleas. I've noticed if I skip my B complex, I'm much more likely to get bitten by mosquitoes. I believe it's the thiamine (B1) that makes us "smell" bad to bugs.

 

I looked on the Flea Treats website, but didn't see the breakdown re: what how much of the different B vitamins are in each tablet/treat. Does it tell you on the bottle or package?

[seeh2o]

From the bottle: vitamin B-1 (thiamine HCI) 2.0mg, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride) 20.0mcg, pantothenic acid 30.0mcg, folic acid 20.0mcg, vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamin) 2.0mcg

 

Brewers yeast, liver, silica, stearic acid, cellulose, thiamine HCI, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine HCI, folic acid & cyanocobalamin.

[tammystroops]

I went to a local store called Bloom Naturally. it is near my home. never was in it.

very nice.

the girl was so helpful. we talked great length about the flea problem I have been having and what all we have done.

she agreed that obviously too much chemicals going on.

so I am going to try just the Lavender for right now.

just as it is.

if it doesn't help, I will go back for the other oils and then make my own mixture.

 

I will say one thing...IT sure does smell nice in the house!

[3DogNite]

Lavender is good for so many things: allergies, nerves, helps you sleep at night - itchie places.

it is the "go to" oil in my collection

 

Congratulations!

I hope it works - but don't be surprised if by itself it doesn't do much for the fleas - might need some of the other

more potent oils for that.

 

with all the oils i use daily, my house has smelled like a very pricey BROTHEL for the last 2 years love it!!! brothel in a good way

Edited August 15, 2013 by 3DogNite