Dawn and Vinegar Fleas: Does Vinegar and Dawn Kill Fleas?

The moment you realize you have fleas in your home is never a fun one. Not only are there questions around where they came from, but there is also so much confusion over how to get rid of fleas and which ways are the most effective.

To begin with, preventing fleas in the first place is the key to ensuring you don’t have them in your home. You can find out all about how to get rid of fleas on the blog.

However, if it is too late for prevention and you have already found some little pests in your home, don’t worry too much. You have probably started your research on how to remove them, and that’s probably why you are on this article!

Whilst there are many effective methods to not only prevent fleas, but to remove them too, today I am going to talk about one method that seems to be growing increasingly popular due to its simplicity and accessibility; how to kill fleas with Dawn and vinegar. 

Many people look for a natural remedy to target fleas, as opposed to having to use harsh chemicals and pesticides. By using Dawn and vinegar, fleas are targeted and killed without having to fill your home with other harsh toxins that may become harmful to yourself but also to your pets. 

How to use apple cider vinegar and Dawn for fleas

Before we get down to the pros of using this method and looking into why this easy remedy is so effective, I will explain the method of using Dawn and vinegar to kill fleas in 5 simple steps. 

Step 1

Take one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and put this into your pet’s water bowl. Whilst most pets will not notice this, if you do recognize that your pet is now avoiding their water bowl, simply adjust the ratio so that the vinegar is even more watered down. 

Whilst many people stick to apple cider vinegar, you can also combine Dawn dish soap and white vinegar for fleas, or simply use all-purpose vinegar.

The purpose of this, is the consumption of vinegar into your pet’s system will then radiate through their skin and help to repel fleas away. 

If adding vinegar to your pet’s water is not working, or if they simply won’t drink the water, you can buy vinegar capsules instead. Mix these into your pet’s food so that they are eaten up before your fluffy friend even has time to realize.

This helps create the exact same effect as adding it into their water.

Step 2

Use Dawn dish soap of any kind to bathe your pet.

Many people believe blue dawn and vinegar for fleas is the best method, but the type of Dawn and type of vinegar really shouldn’t make too much of a difference. 

This should be done by creating a bathtub full of warm water and adding about 1 cup of Dawn dish soap. Once this has lathered up, pop your pet in the bath and soak them for at least 5 minutes. 

Use the Dawn to lather your pet’s fur, Make sure you use your fingers to really foam up the soap and get it deep into their fur and on their skin. Fleas often like to hide in the roots of the fur and so getting deep deep down is really crucial. 

Behind the ears and tail are very popular areas for fleas to set up camp. So ensuring you really get into all of these creases and hidden areas is very important. Work the Dawn from your pet’s head right down to their paws.

Similar to nits, you then need to use a fine-toothed flea or nit comb and groom your pet.

Make sure you dip the comb into a bowl with soapy water between each brush. This will drown any of the fleas and prevent them from being placed back into your pet’s fur.

Step 3

Once this has been done, you then need to add ½ a cup of vinegar to the bath solution and the bowl. As this may not smell the best, you can add some scented oils as well to help disguise the smell of vinegar. 

The Dawn solution helps to remove the fleas. The vinegar helps to bring them out even more and deter them away from your pet.

If you leave the bowl of water out overnight, this will allow you to see the extent of the problem. Overnight the fleas will drown. You will be able to guess the number of fleas in the morning, which will help you to understand how serious the infestation is. 

Step 4

Whilst the vinegar and Dawn flea solution is excellent for your pets, if your pets have fleas then it is likely you probably have some fleas around the house. Particularly in your carpet or furniture. Because of this, it is important to use Dawn to clean and wipe your upholstery.

Again, this needs to be done by making a solution. Simply put a drop or two of Dawn into a steam cleaner to clean your carpet. Similarly, add a drop or two to some hot water. This creates a soapy solution. Use this to wipe down your sofas and armchairs. 

This same solution can be used to clean floors and surfaces. However fleas will be more commonly found in soft, uneven surfaces such as materials and carpets. These are warmer for them and allow them to nest.

Removing fleas from the rest of your home will prevent them from reattaching themselves to your pets. 

A lot like your furniture, fleas can attach themselves to you and your clothing. Make sure to wash your clothing in a hot wash, alongside any of your bedding. This will help work alongside the use of Dawn and vinegar and to remove all fleas from the home.

Step 5

Finally, once you are rid of the fleas it is important to maintain this environment.

A really quick and easy method using Dawn and vinegar to kill fleas is to make a spray. Fill a spray bottle with a couple of tablespoons of vinegar and some warm water.

You can use this on your pet between baths, particularly after coming back from walks or playing with other dogs. You can also use it on your furniture, carpet, bedding and curtains.

Again, do not fear the vinegar smell. Simply add a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil. This will create a lovely aroma whilst maintaining the effects of the vinegar on the fleas.

Why use Dawn dish soap and vinegar to remove fleas?

Whilst Dawn dish soap is excellent for removing fleas, it is not so successful at preventing them. Dawn dish soap can help drag the fleas out of the fur using the lathered soap. It can also kill adult fleas.

Whilst this is excellent for the fleas that are easy to remove, it can do little for the smaller fleas if it doesn’t kill them. And even if it does kill lots of the fleas, it does nothing to prevent the survivors from continuing to breed. 

On the other hand, vinegar works as an excellent deterrent. The strong scent of vinegar and the acidity of it helps chase fleas away. It also prevents them from viewing your pet as a suitable host.

Using Dawn to kill and remove fleas is an excellent first step. Following this up with a vinegar solution can be an excellent way of maintaining a flea-free pet without having to spend lots of money and invest lots of time and energy into getting rid of them. 

Can Dawn and vinegar be damaging to my pet?

When used in the correct quantities, both Dawn dish soap and vinegar should not be harmful to pets or people. However, much like many humans, pets can also have allergies to certain soaps and ingredients.

It is important to use these ingredients in the correct quantities and to dilute them. If you do notice a change in behavior from your pet, or any redness or itching that isn’t caused by the fleas, you should stop using both the Dawn and vinegar.

Any irritation should go away after you stop using Dawn and vinegar for flea removal. But if it does not then you should take your pet to be professionally looked at. 

Final Thoughts

Dawn and vinegar has the potential to kill fleas. But is more so important for the removal and prevention of fleas. 

Dawn dish soap helps remove fleas from the fur. In some instances it will kill the fleas by drowning them or causing the soap to kill them.

From this, it is important to use a vinegar solution to then go on and deter the fleas from your pet.

Not only are pets important to protect, but using a dawn and vinegar carpet cleaner for fleas can be an excellent way to deter them from your house. Removing and killing any existing fleas is really important. But it is just as important to then go on and use a vinegar solution as a barrier towards the fleas returning. 

Both Dawn and vinegar are extremely accessible and affordable. This home remedy an excellent way of removing fleas without the use of harsh chemicals on your pets or in the home.

So, when it comes to fleas, you need to remove, deter and maintain. Remembering that removal is not the only part of getting rid of the pests is the key to never having to do it again. What better way than a cheap and easy method like Dawn and vinegar!

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