natural stuff to get rid of fleas?

OK I have used lemon grass and tea tree oil and spritzed furniture, woodwork, draperies, I have sprinkled baking soda and salt all over carpeting, I have washed my little dog (and only saw a couple fleas) and then put a vinegar/water mixture on his coat (THIN, not thick-haired, short coat, and light so I can see if there are fleas and I've found only a couple), a bit of vinegar in his water which I read makes dogs less attractive to fleas. YET with all this, including even spritzing bed linens and myself with the lemon grass and tea tree combo I mixed up, dog is still scratching and I woke up with a few bites on my leg (which granted could have been a mosquito or something but I thought lemon grass warded off most insects). Any other thoughts?

Lemon oil. Not lemon grass. Lemon water, for instance.

Slice a whole lemon (leave the peel on), pour 12 oz of boiling water over it and allow it to sit overnight. Then spray it on your pet. Rosemary works that way, too.

Also put garlic in his food. Fleas don't like the taste.

To get RID though - that's harder. I think those traps that are all STICKY, so the fleas stick there and can't get away work best.

But this will go on for a while as nothing kills the EGGS and there will be LOADS of them around still....

Thanks Gregory!

I just found this link and may add that to my arsenal as well http://www.ehow.com/how_2289120_make-homemade-recipes-rid-fleas.html
Amazing, how one little dog that is basically an indoor dog, doesn't run through shrubbery or anything and who I've only seen a couple fleas on, seems to have brought them in. Or maybe they're just coming in from outside. It's an old house and I wouldn't think fleas would have a hard time making an appearance. I will keep doing the baking soda/salt thing on the carpeting and vacuuming because can't hurt. I read that in several places, the baking soda thing, but like you said, it's ongoing. I am hoping with cold weather coming, they will hibernate or whatever they do. I will be getting lots of lemon! I read about putting a bowl of vinegar under a lamp and the fleas jump into it. I have been combing sites to read anything and everything that could work. I hate using chemicals. I just read an article about what pesticides are doing to our bodies and it ain't pretty....

Soap and water, wash everything, pet bedding your bedding, carpets... that's where you start in the house. vacuum every surface.

From there I use "flea treatment" So I am of no help from this stage on, but the first stage is the most crucial, what I listed above.

Thanks tco

been there done that and am now going to the getting rid of any lingering eggs or fleas and prevention part. I did read that boiling a bunch of cutup oranges with the peels on, letting them soak overnight and then putting the liquid in a spray bottle to spritz on just about anything (just orange water) dissolves their exoskeletons. I have only found a couple fleas on my little dog so far, but where's there is even one.... there are bushes around this area and fleas are a bigger prob than when I lived in Arizona. I know we had them there, but I never had a prob with any of my dogs getting them. I think the 120 degree temps fried them....

im not sure of you consider it natural but ive had good luck in the past with diatomaceous earth

I hate to say it, but if you have a big problem with fleas, you may just have to resort to bombing your home, GD. try everything else first. My uncles dog had fleas terribly! came to visit and stayed at my sisters home, who didn't have any pets and viola! he left and she was badly infested with fleas. She tried everything and finally had to resort to bombing her place.

I hope it is not going to require this for your problem. Poor pooch too. Just be sure he doesn't have another problem besides fleas--maybe he just has itchy skin? Lots of dogs have skin issues..........your vet could tell you for sure.

Hi Cassandra and Celticnoodle

Thanks for the tip Cassandra. Nope, not infested, CN, so that's good. Really only seen a couple and I think sometimes he is just scratching because those bites, well, itch. I am being really aggressive with it because I don't want it to be a big problem where I have to resort to something really strong chemically. I am using both natural and some otc things, I have read that boiled oranges (and Gregory mentioned boiled lemons) kill the little suckers (no pun intended), something about the acid eating their exoskeletons. I have been wiping my dog down with a mixture of vinegar and water to repel them, which helps. I will be spraying baseboards as well as carpeting with the strongest, yet least harmful, stuff I can find as well. It isn't horrible as I've only seen a few all summer, but that's all it takes....

lemon as described above, and also tea tree oil. next time you shampoo your dog, try adding in a drop or two of tea tree oil. I've used that before and it seemed to work.

best to get them before they establish themselves...that's a pain in the ***. you may want to investigate and speak with your vet before adding garlic. a lot of places online suggest garlic but just as many places say that dogs can have problems with garlic. My mom makes home-made treats for her dogs, i can see if she has any ideas.

yes, I do believe I saw where tea-tree oil is good for this sort of thing! You can find that in most grocery stores, (unless you live out in the middle of no-where like I do, ) and it's not terribly expensive either.

Also an oatmeal bath will help with the itchies. Or just using oatmeal soap. however, it can also dry your skin out, and if he is scratching a lot, he may also have dry skin right now, poor ol Bryan the wonder dog.

Do you also give him bacon grease or chicken grease in his foods? That is good for his skin and his coat too- (but alas, no help for the fleas). I think he deserves a prize for putting up with those awful fleas!