When you are a pet owner, keeping your pet and the home free of parasites is important. Creating an environment that repels fleas and ticks helps keep your pets safe.

Some of the ways to keep your home flea-free are as follows:

1. Plant with a purpose
Certain plants are natural remedies for flea and tick infestations. People often use essential oils to repel fleas from cats and dogs, but planting these herbs in your yard as well as in pots near the home entrance will keep fleas at bay. These include lavender, rosemary, thyme, lemon, mint, catnip, basil, and mint.

2. Eucalyptus
Fleas are repelled by the smell of eucalyptus. If your pet does not have the tendency to eat leaves, planting this tree in your yard will act as a repellent boost to the area.

3. Mow
Ticks thrive in the grass. To keep the lawn unfriendly for ticks, mow the grass to make it as short as possible and maintain it regularly.

4. Use nature’s flea controllers
Ladybugs eat fleas. You can get them at a gardening store. There are dangerous and beneficial nematodes as they feed on small worms that feed on flea larvae. The good variety will reduce a flea population in a couple of days. They are also available in garden and pet stores.

5. Cedar chips
Sprinkling cedar chips around your yard will help you keep away bugs and critters.

6. Garlic
Garlic steeped in water can be lightly sprayed around the yard, plants, and lawn. Do not overspray it as this will eliminate bugs that are good for the garden as well.

7. Flea Trap
Dish soap destroys the exoskeleton of fleas. You can also create a flea trap with dish soap. All you need to do is fill a shallow dish with some warm dish soap and water and placed near a source of light. Light attracts fleas. The soap in the water alters the surface tension and fleas jumping into it will sink right in.

8. Diatomaceous earth
Diatomaceous earth is food-grade that is safe for pets and people. It is a natural rock formed by fossilized algae. It is very harmful to bugs as it destroys their exoskeleton. To absolutely eradicate fleas from the home, one can spread a fine, even coat of this both indoors and outdoors; it should be vacuumed after a couple of days. Pay special attention to the bedding and the areas frequented by your pet. This is not to be used directly on a pet as it will dry their skin out.

9. Salt
Salt also has an extreme drying effect on fleas and flea eggs. Spread fine ground salt onto carpets and work it in with a brush before vacuuming it out. Clean dry surfaces with a salt solution.

10. Aromatic essential oils
Spray your home often with aromatic essential oils of your choice to keep insects away. If you wet mop, adding a few drops of the oil to the water helps.