Fleas and ticks are a homeowner’s worst friends. It doesn’t matter if you live in the country or in an urban area, these bugs can become a major pest. If you have a dog, the chances of them bringing them in during the warmer months increases. Tick bites can be extremely dangerous and can carry Lyme Disease. Fleas are a nuisance to both humans and animals and breed very quickly.

Here are some tips to help you combat these vile pests naturally:

1. Combating pests
Fleas and ticks are tricky bugs to combat because they appear to be everywhere. If you have pets, the problem just escalates. The question is, what to do if you see a flea or a tick?

• Sticky tape, like a lint roller, will remove bugs that are on a surface level. You can use this on clothing, bedding and other places that you see live critters.
• Tossing linens in the dryer for half an hour will kill bugs, ticks and fleas. Heat is one of the best ways to get rid of dormant eggs that are waiting to hatch.
• Always check your clothing for ticks when you are heading back inside. A bath will help to remove fleas and ticks that your pets have come across on a venture outdoors, especially in wooded areas.

2. Eradicating bugs
If you are looking for a way to get rid of live critters in a natural way, there are a variety of solutions that have minimal impact on the environment:

• DIY flea baths using Dawn dish soap works incredibly well. It is noninvasive and safe to use on pets. It kills fleas on contact. For ticks, add in some essential oils, like citrus, lavender, cedar, rosemary or peppermint. If you don’t have time for a complete bath, spray some apple cider vinegar on your pet in affected areas. The acid in the vinegar can also kill the pesky pests.
• There are three things that you can sprinkle around your home that will help kill living bugs: Diatomaceous earth, baking soda and salt, which have all found to be effective.

3. Preventing fleas and ticks in the first place
Flea prevention and tick prevention is not very difficult. Once you have killed all of the living critters in your home and on your pets, it is time to prevent them from recurring:

• Essential oils, such as neem and eucalyptus oils, are incredibly potent yet extremely effective in preventing fleas and ticks from reemerging. These bugs hate the smell of these two oils. Citronella and tea tree oils are also extremely effective and are commonly used in repellants.
• Do some preventative maintenance around the yard, while adding some aesthetics! Lavender, peppermint, pennyroyal, or chrysanthemums are beautiful, fragrant plants that help prevent fleas and ticks from entering your home.