Does Apple Cider Vinegar Kill Fleas?

We all love having pets around the home. There is hardly a home you don’t find one or two pets around. Pets are comforting companions that keep us healthy and help relieve the stress of everyday life. The perks of having pets around are numerous. But then, there comes a downside to pet ownership and this is the potential of a flea infestation. Apple cider vinegar is a popular home remedy choice amongst pet owners dealing with a flea infestation. It is often cited as one of the home remedies that kill fleas. Does apple cider vinegar kill fleas as touted?

There are many chemical products out there that pet owners may have tried out, and on seeing the dangers that they pose to the pet’s health decides to replace these with natural remedies. Products like spot-on topical medications, flea collars, powders and pesticides work on our pets no doubt. But they come with their own ill-fated side effects if our pets don’t react well to them. These can range from gastrointestinal problems, neurological disorders, skin irritations down to other fatal ill effects. So, it makes sense to try something else. Something that doesn’t put the health of our pets at unnecessary risks.

In responding to our earlier query, Apple cider vinegar will not kill fleas. Don’t get your hopes too high. But it will do a yeoman’s job of keeping these fleas at bay. Fleas do not like the smell and taste of vinegar, so they are fended off.

You can start by creating a natural flea repellent out of a mixture of Apple cider vinegar and water. It is recommended you use the raw, organic variant of Apple cider vinegar to prepare your concoction. To make the mixture more potent, you can throw in a mixture of essential oils such as lemongrass, lavender, neem, geranium and catnip oil. Be sure they are the safe variants and your pets would not elicit allergic reactions to these oils.

Beyond fighting off fleas, this mixture can also ward off ticks, mosquitoes, bed bugs and other pests in the home. You can spray on your pets just before they head outdoors to play. Spray also on your pet’s sleeping place and other areas in your home.

What are the other ways apple cider vinegar can be useful?

Dietary Add to Your Pet’s Food

Adding a teaspoon of apple vinegar to about a pound of your pet’s food can help to keep your pet healthy.

Add Vinegar To Their Drinking Water

Your pets may not like it initially, but if mixed in the right ratio and diluted properly, they would come around. The recommended quantity is to add a teaspoon of Apple cider vinegar to every quart of their drinking water. Not adhering to this guideline may make your pet consume less amount of water, thereby leading to dehydration.

Add Vinegar To Their Bath Water

You can add diluted apple cider vinegar to their bathwater. Use 1 cup of vinegar to 1 gallon of water. Once done with bathing, allow the mixture to dry on their skin. Do not dry with a towel. This makes this method much more effective.

Apple Cider Vinegar Spray

This is important in keeping out fleas when your pets are outdoors. Do not use the spray on your pets if they have open wounds or sores.

Other health benefits of Apple vinegar to your pets include as a remedy for urinary tract disease, respiratory infections, acting as a laxative, helps to calm skin irritations and allergies. Does apple cider vinegar kill fleas? Although apple cider vinegar will not expressly kill fleas, its repellent property is quite helpful in tackling their menace.