Homemade Flea & Tick Repellent

Flea Repellents

• 1

  Cut six lemons into halves and bring them to a boil in about a quart of water. Fleas hate citrus oils, and any product with citrus in it repels them.

• 2

  Turn off the burner, cover the lemons and let them steep for about two hours. This helps to draw out their essential oils, from both the pulp and the skin.

• 3

  Strain the mixture using a coffee filter or cheesecloth and pour it into a spray bottle.

• 4

  Spray the mixture over your dog's fur daily, or if you have a cat spray it onto your hand and then rub it into the fur. Do not spray the mixture on your pet's face. Instead, spray it into your hand and rub it over the fur of its face, taking care to avoid the eyes.

• 5

  Put one or two drops of lemon or orange essential oil on your pet's collar. Keep an eye on it to make sure your pet doesn't develop a rash or irritation.

Spray Tick Repellent

• 6

  Combine 2 tsp. of either rose geranium essential oil or palmerosa essential oil with 2 cups of water. Both oils repel ticks, but palmerosa oil is less expensive.

• 7

  Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and shake it well.

• 8

  Spray it on your dog's fur, or spray it on your hand and rub it into your cat's fur. Never spray the mixture on a pet's face; instead, rub it into the fur with your hand while taking care to avoid the eyes.

Direct-application Tick Repellent

• 9

  Combine 2 tbsp. almond oil with 10 to 20 drops of rose geranium or palmerosa oil in a glass jar.

• 10

  Shake well to blend it all together.

• 11

  Apply a few drops to your pet's fur, preferably around the shoulders where it's hard for it to reach to lick it off.

• 12

  Store in a cool, dark place. It will last around six months before losing potency.