Pets

Flea Prevention & Treatment: The Natural Way

The best approach with fleas? Stop them before they start! Once they take hold, it can be a real mission to clear them out.


If you’re dealing with fleas, it’s crucial to treat all your pets (yes, even the ones that don’t seem affected) and your environment.


Regular cleaning — at least twice a week — and vacuuming every surface is a must.

Natural Prevention for Fleas and Ticks

Every 8–12 hours, apply diluted Cedarwood essential oil or TerraShield® Repellent Blend. You can spritz it on as a spray or rub it gently onto your hands and then onto your pet’s coat.


For extra power, add 2–3 drops of Citronella, Lemon Eucalyptus, and Turmeric essential oils to the mix. These plant oils are brilliant for naturally repelling pests.

Got Fleas Already?

Here’s a Step-by-Step Natural Game Plan:

1. Tackle the Home

  • Diffuse Black Pepper, Oregano, and Peppermint essential oils on your diffuser’s highest and longest setting — but make sure your pets are in a separate space during this, as the oils can irritate their respiratory systems.
  • Vacuum everywhere — floors, under furniture, in dark corners, and on furniture itself. Be sure to empty the vacuum contents outside immediately.
  • Repeat this weekly for 4–5 weeks to catch fleas as their eggs hatch.


2. Clean All Hard Surfaces and Floors

Use a toxin-free cleaner like Purify®, Abode®, or On Guard® Cleaner Concentrate.


3. Wash All Bedding

This includes your bedding and especially your pets’! Wash in hot water using On Guard Laundry Detergent or Abode Laundry Pods. If you have a lot to do, consider heading to a laundromat to get it all done at once.


4. Bathe Your Pets

Use a natural flea and tick shampoo or even Dawn dish soap (with caution). You can also add a few drops of Cedarwood or TerraShield to your pet’s regular shampoo for extra protection.


5. Bring in Diatomaceous Earth (DE)

Mix 2 cups of food-grade DE with 20 drops of Cedarwood or TerraShield. Use this powder to:

  • Dust your pets (avoid their face),
  • Sprinkle on their bedding, your carpet, hard floors, or even outdoors.
    It takes about 48 hours for fleas to be affected after contact, so be patient — but it’s highly effective and also works on ticks!


6. Reduce Humidity

Fleas thrive in humid conditions, so consider using a dehumidifier in the warmer months.


7. Set DIY Flea Traps

Use a shallow pan filled with water and a squirt of dish soap (like Dawn). Place it where your pets can’t reach. These traps attract and drown fleas — simple but effective.


8. Boost Your Pet's Collar

Turn their regular collar into a flea-fighting one by adding 1–2 drops of Cedarwood essential oil.


9. Comb Daily

Use a flea comb to groom each pet daily, or even 2–3 times a day during a bad infestation. This simple step really makes a difference!

How to Remove Fleas & Ticks from your Furry Friends with the Help of Essential Oils

Bugs

I’m not talking about ants or creepy crawlers, it’s worse. I’m worried about fleas and ticks.


Nothing quite compares to the panic you feel if you find 

one hiding in your pet’s fur.


Just the thought of fleas makes most people itchy.


Now that you’re completely repulsed, what can you do? How can you protect your pets and yourself?


While many retailers offer flea and tick shampoos, 

these products are harsh on your pet’s skin and can cause irritation.

Several doTERRA essential oils are safe and effective for repelling pests—before and after you’ve discovered a flea or tick. Lemongrass, Geranium, Cedarwood, Citronella, and TerraShield® Repellent Blend* are all excellent products that’ll help keep creepy crawlers away.


Dilute 10–15 drops in two ounces of water or a carrier oil in a glass spray bottle and spritz on regularly, soaking your pet’s nylon collar in essential oils or investing in a passive diffusing pendant.


Remember to protect yourself as you venture outside. Your own backyard can be just as risky as a nature hike. Your pet goes where you go, so spray yourself and your pet to stay safe outdoors. You can also diffuse essential oils for protection from pesky gnats, mosquitoes, and other pests during picnics or patio dining.


Fleas thrive in carpets, rugs, and upholstery. Ditch chemical flea solutions and spray TerraShield or a combination of the essential oils mentioned before on fabric and carpets daily for three to four weeks. Vacuum thoroughly and wash your bedding and your pets in hot water with a few drops of Citronella or Cedarwood.


Removing a tick from your pet’s skin takes patience. Too much pressure can crush it, releasing the germs it’s carrying and putting your pet in danger. Encourage the tick to back out of the skin by applying a few drops of Citronella or Cedarwood around its head, carefully lift the tick off with tweezers or gloves, and dispose of it.


If the tick doesn’t back out, use a pair of tweezers to slowly and carefully retract the tick. The tick may take some skin with it, leaving a wound behind, which is okay if you successfully remove the entire tick. If you can’t remove the entire tick, visit your local vet to have it professionally taken out. Picking at the area could induce more inflammation and force the remaining part 

of the tick deeper.


Protect the whole family with doTERRA essential oils so you can enjoy the great outdoors, your yard, or a simple patio cookout safely. 


*Our veterinary advisory board has determined the essential oil ratios in TerraShield Repellent Blend to be generally safe for pets when used aromatically or topically.