# Herbs for Repelling Fleas
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Lavender
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Whether planted or used in its essential oil form, lavender helps repel fleas. The lavender plant has a sweet smell and consists of several branches that grow to about 1- to 3-feet high. The plant's purple flowers grow best in a sunny, dry area. Cut flower sections from the herb and dry them out for longer-lasting fragrance. Or, use a bit of lavender oil on any animal that has been infested with fleas. To make the lavender oil, cut stems and flowers from the lavender plant and lightly crush them. Put these items into a glass jar and pour a high-quality olive oil until it just covers the flowers and stems. Shake the jar daily and let it steep for about a month. Strain the lavender mix over a new, clean jar so you are left with just the infused oil.
Mint
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Mint also repels fleas by simply being planted in an outdoor garden. It grows with pointed, bright green leaves that have a folded or wrinkled appearance. Grow the plant in moist soil; and if the plant is in the same place for more than three years, renew the beds. Do this by removing the old plants, aerating and adding new soil before adding new mint plants. To promote growth, cut the leaves off when they give off a sweet, minty smell.
Pennyroyal
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Grow the medicinal herb pennyroyal, which will help with the prevention of fleas. Pennyroyal is the smallest species of mint with stems about 3 inches to 12 inches long, and leaves that can be about 1.5 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. The grey-green leaves grow with the reddish-purple flowers that the plant produces. Grow pennyroyal in a wet environment and it will last about four to five years. Cut away the stems right before the pennyroyal is going to flower and dry out the plant.
Flea Care
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Rubbing a couple drops of lavender oil and spraying lavender water onto your animals will help repel fleas. Bathe the animal if it has caught fleas. Prepare a bathtub with water and mild soap along with a couple drops of lavender, pennyroyal or eucalyptus oil. Wash your dog in this solution to help repel the fleas.
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