Flea bites are an annoying itchy problem for either you or your pet. Generally, flea bites are considerably harmless because they do not lead to any severe complications, but they leave reddish spots on the skin and can make you feel uncomfortable. In addition, you may not be able to keep yourself from scratching your body after being bitten by a flea. However, there are natural remedies for flea bites that can help you relieve the condition’s symptoms. I will discuss the remedies in this post.
Table of Contents
You will learn the following from this post:
Table of Contents
What are Flea Bites?
Before understanding the meaning of flea bites, we must first understand what fleas are. Fleas are a parasitic insect that feeds on the blood of both birds and mammals. There are over 2500 species of fleas in the world. Out of this number, the United States alone takes over 300 species. The most abundant species of flea in the United States is the cat flea, known botanically as Ctenocephalides felis. Even though sand fleas are tiny crustaceans whose bites resemble cat fleas, they are not a kind of flea.
Flea bites are discolored small bumps on your skin resulting from a flea feeding on your blood. Fleas are pretty tiny, and they have no wings. They are dark brown or black, and their bodies are flat. They have six legs and strong claws beneath those legs. The claws allow them to grab onto a host firmly as they pierce the skin and feed on your blood with their mouthparts. Fleas’ hind legs are stronger and longer than the middle and front ones. It is their hind legs that allow them to jump very far. They can jump over 12 inches.
Ordinarily, flea bites rarely cause any serious harm to the body and health in general. This is because the mild irritation they cause often lasts for a short period. However, it would help if you did not ignore flea bites. Even though they are harmless, the bites can be pretty dangerous because they can easily spread dangerous diseases. In some cases, the diseases may be fatal.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Flea Bites?
The signs of flea bites in humans will occur immediately after being bitten. These symptoms include:
- Swelling around the bite
- Red spots in the middle of a halo
- Rash
- Hives
- Itching
Some people develop high sensitivity to flea bites; therefore, they can react when bitten. Symptoms of such allergic reactions include:
- Chest pain
- Wheezing, difficulty breathing, or shortness of breath
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Swelling of the tongue or lips
An allergic reaction to flea bites may require a medical emergency. If you feel that you are developing an allergic reaction, you should not treat the reactions with natural remedies for flea bites. Instead, visit a hospital’s emergency department as soon as possible.
Differences Between Flea Bites and Bedbug Bites
Both flea bites and bedbug bites may look similar, but they are not the same.
Most times, bedbug bites look like mosquito bites. The bite spots are often firm, and red, and have slight swelling around the bite spot. Flea bites, however, resemble a small cluster of red spots. In addition, while bedbug bites often appear in linear rows on any part of the body, flea bites appear in clusters, often on the ankles or feet.
Bedbugs are nocturnal; that is, they attack primarily at the night. However, they also live in your mattress, so they often bite you when you sleep at night. Fleas, although nocturnal, too, do not reside in your mattress. Instead, they cling to your pets and may appear in your carpeting, drapery, and furniture.
Bites from bedbugs may take several days to manifest themselves and will gradually begin to itch. On the other hand, Flea bites start to itch immediately and, within an hour, become red and swollen after the bite.
How to Treating Flea Bites in Babies
Any fleas that can bite your pet, or you can also bite your baby. Although like adults, flea bites are not very dangerous in kids, they can be pretty uncomfortable. The bites will resemble little red bumps on your child’s skin. The bumps may swell up and blister. Consult your pediatrician about the best way to get rid of flea bites according to your child’s age. Treatments may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- cutting your infant’s fingernails to keep them from scratching the bites
- washing the bite area with mild soap and clean water
- giving your baby an antihistamine liquid or cream to stop the itch
Call your pediatrician if your child:
- develops shortness of breath or hives (these could be signs of an allergic reaction)
- run a fever
- has bumps that feel warm to the touch, swell up, or leak fluid
Who is at Risk of Flea Bites?
Weirdly, fleas enjoy biting animals more than humans. They usually bite humans because the animals are close to humans. However, if fleas do not see animals bite, then they resort to biting humans. The following are factors that attract fleas:
- Vibrations
- Body heat
- Movement
- Breathing (CO2)
Protecting Yourself From Flea Bites
To keep yourself from getting bitten, you must eliminate the fleas around you. Since they are more likely to bite your pet, check for fleas around your pet’s neck, ears, belly, and back. Part your pet’s fur and search around its skin. If you discover fleas in your pet, consider the following removal option:
- Vacuum: Thoroughly clean your rugs, carpets, and fabric furniture with a strong vacuum. When you are done, empty the content of the vacuum into a bag, seal it, and throw it outside.
- Wash the bedding: Use hot water to wash your pet’s bedding every few days. You should wash your bedding the same way, too, especially if your pet shares the bed with you. Then dry the bedding by setting the highest heat on it.
- Medicine: Give your pet a prescription or over-the-counter flea medicines. Some drugs are oral (taken by mouth), and others are topical (applied on the skin).
- Flea shampoo: Put your pet in warm water and then wash it thoroughly with a flea shampoo. Make sure the shampoo does not get into your pet’s mouth or eyes.
- Flea comb: Flea combs’ tines are close together. Fleas get stuck in the tines when you brush your pet’s fur with the flea comb. Immerse the flea comb in a bowl of soapy or hot water if you see fleas in it.
7 Natural Remedies for Flea Bites
There are a handful of remedies you can try at home without having to visit the hospital before getting rid of fleas from yourself, your pet, and your home. The following natural remedies for flea bites are essential.
1. Dish Soap
This remedy involves using some water and dish soap to create a flea trap. It is pretty easy to make. Fill a bowl or plate with a mixture of dish soap and warm water. Place the mixture in places in your house you know fleas dwell.
The solution of water and dish soap will act as glue; the high viscosity of the mixture will be responsible for trapping the fleas. It would help if you always did this every day with a fresh batch of solutions.
To best result, you should conduct this remedy at night because fleas are generally nocturnal creatures. Placing a candle near the solution will speed up the remedy, but such is not advisable due to the potential risk of fire hazards an unattended flame can provoke.
2. Herbal Flea Spray
Making use of herbal flea spray in your home rapidly eliminates fleas. This method is one of the most effective natural remedies for flea bites because it is a remedy made from non-toxic products you can get in your house, making it harmless to both children and pets.
To create a flea spray, you will have to mix about 2 liters of water, 4 vinegar, 250 milliliters of witch hazel, and 500 milliliters of lemon juice in a large spray bottle. You should first properly vacuum your home, empty the content outside, and wash any cushion or bedding that might be infested before applying the product. Once your home is clean, you can now apply the flea remedy with heavy spray on floors, window sills, pet bedding, furniture, and carpets.
3. Baking Soda
Vacuuming the entire house is one of the most effective flea-control remedies. Vacuuming will help get rid of fleas by eliminating them from the fibers of your furniture and carpets. However, you can increase the effectiveness and durability of vacuuming by using baking soda.
Before vacuuming, lay down baking soda along with your furniture and carpets, then rub the baking soda into the fabric by using a hard brush. After this, you can thoroughly vacuum your home and then empty the content into a bag and deposit it in a bin safely away from the house.
4. Salt
Just like baking soda, salt is another excellent natural remedy against flea bites when accompanied by vacuuming. In addition, salt contains dehydration properties that will help eliminate adult fleas.
To get rid of fleas with this remedy, take some finely ground salt and sprinkle it on your carpets in each room. Allow the salt to remain there for at least 2 days, then thoroughly vacuum your home and empty the content in an outside trash can.
5. Lemon Spray
You can use lemon for various purposes in the house. Besides the fact that it is very effective in treating stings from wasps, it’s also an excellent natural remedy for fleas.
To use this method to get rid of fleas in your home, you will have to create a citrus spray that you will use on infected furniture. To make lemon flea spray, you should thinly slice a lemon into a pint of water and boil the mixture. Let the citrus solution form overnight before pouring it into a spray bottle. You can spray the solution on the infested areas of your home the next day; such areas may include the chairs, pet bedding, sofa, etc. Make sure that you do not soak when you spray; dampen instead.
6. Rosemary
Rosemary is a beautiful flea control product, and it is organic. You can use it to treat light infestations, and you can also apply it to your pet (but you must be careful about how you use it). This example of a natural remedy for fleas involves creating a powder to eliminate fleas in your home.
In making a herbal flea powder using rosemary, place the rosemary in a mortal alongside some peppermint, fennel, and wormwood. Then proceed by grinding the mixture into a powder. Finally, sprinkle the mixture on your furniture, window sills, carpets, pet bedding, and anywhere else you may suspect flea activities.
Rosemary is only a flea-repellant solution. This means that its job is not to remove fleas but to prevent and help repel them from home.
7. Flea Repelling Plants
The final remedy you can employ in getting rid of fleas from your home is by enlisting the assistance of certain plants to help repel the annoying little creatures. Some specific plants contain certain compounds, oils, and chemicals that the fleas hate and will always avoid.
Various plants can repel fleas. Planting them around your home in flower beds or pots is an excellent natural remedy against fleas and their bites. The following plants can keep fleas away from your house. You should plant them if you can:
- Spearmint
- Penny Royal
- Lavender
- Chrysanthemums
Final Thoughts
The best way to get rid of fleas is with the assistance of a professional. A pest control professional will provide you with the best solutions and services that will eliminate a flea infestation in your home for good. But if you do not have time to consult a pest controller, the natural remedies for flea bites already given above will go a long way in giving you and your pet flea-free lives.
Post Disclaimer
The information contained in this post "Flea Bites: 7 Natural Remedies for Flea Bites" is for educational purposes only. Always consult your primary care doctor before using the remedies that are provided. The information is provided by The Hidden Cures and while we do timely, in-depth research on the information that we provide to you, everything stated may not be up to date or accurate from the time it was written.