In any flea control effort, you must eliminate and treat fleas in the environment (both indoors and outdoors) and on the animal AND these efforts must be done simultaneously to be effective. There is a lot of inaccurate information going around the internet so I thought I’d find out about some of the best natural alternatives for flea treatment and one of the best is cedar or cedar wood.
Many alternative flea treatment remedies are actually repellents. This means that they won’t actually kill the fleas (or bugs), but instead will keep them off pets and the environment. Not too long ago, folk medicine and traditional home remedies used a lot of common sense and products found right in the home (or garden) to effectively get rid of fleas.
Growing up, I remember the calming smell of cedar chests, the fresh scent of cedar chips in the morning dew in the yard, and was amazed at how many cabinets were made out of cedar to repel moths. Now I loved the smell, but the reason cedar was used so often is that cedar wood acts as a great deterrent and repellent for many different types of insects.
In the Middle Ages, the bubonic plague was spread by fleas, so cedar wood was burned to fumigate the streets and houses to eliminate ectoparasites. In more contemporary times, cedarwood oil was officially registered as a pesticide in the United States in 1960. It was approved to repel moths and for use as a pet tag (or collar) and as a liquid that could be sprayed on pet clothing. animal bed.
Cedarwood oils come from trees in the botanical family Cupressaceae (cedars, junipers, and true cypresses), and in the United States cedarwood oil is harvested from four different sources:
- Juniperus virginiana (Eastern redcedar or Virginia cedar),
- Juniperus ashei or Juniperus mexicana (Texas cedar),
- and Thuja plicata (western red cedar).
However, the Chemical Abstract Service registration number also applies to:
- Chinese cedar oil (Cupressus funebris),
- Kenyan or East African cedarwood oil (Juniperus procea),
- and Moroccan or Atlas cedar oil (Cedrus atlantica).
Since its registration, cedar wood has been considered an excellent alternative for less toxic flea control in the garden, home, laundry room, and around pets. For example, when used in the garden with other biological auxiliaries, such as parasitic nematodes, cedar chips can help kill fleas before they spread and enter your home.
Inside the home, many people use cedar shavings inside pet bedding. For use on animals, there are commercial cedar pet shampoos, cedar pet flea repellent sprays (like LiquidNet), and an entire company (CedarCide) dedicated to creating cedar products to thwart fleas and other insects.
The safest uses are in the environment rather than on the animal, unless the product is labeled as safe for pets. There are many home remedy tips for cedar fleas, such as:
cleaning solutions
Add cedar oil drops to your steam cleaner or floor cleaning solutions for the scent of cedar to pleasantly permeate your home while adding to other flea control strategies.
bedding and fabric sprays
Add a few drops of cedarwood oil to at least two cups of water and place in a spray bottle and spray on clothing and sheets (or other bedding). You can even add a little to fabric softener dryer sheets.
Cedar Wood Blocks, Cedar Wood Hangers, and Cedar Wood Bags
Used in closets and around the home, these products can help keep insects at bay and can be placed almost anywhere.
Finally, when using any herb or essential oil on pets, always consult your veterinarian, as many natural products can be toxic to pets. Don’t forget, since our sense of smell isn’t as smart as our pets’, use any scent sparingly.
