A flea infestation will have you try about anything to get rid of these disgusting parasites. They may be small, but it can feel like a nightmare if fleas take over your home. While you can live the rest of your life without suffering a flea infestation, the same cannot be said about pet owners.
Controlling fleas can be a tall order, but some products commonly found in homes can help. In that case, does baking soda kill fleas?
Find the answer below and also how to kill fleas using baking soda.
Does Baking Soda Kill Fleas?
Baking soda doesn’t outright kill fleas. However, it is an effective flea remedy when combined with other flea killers and repellents like dish soap, salt, hydrogen peroxide, or vinegar. What does baking soda do in a flea remedy, though?
Baking soda helps control fleas due to its ability to absorb odors and moisture, making the environment less hospitable for fleas. Sprinkle this natural substance on your carpets, furniture, or pet bedding to dehydrate flea eggs and larvae by absorbing some of their moisture.
So, baking soda can help you control flea eggs and larvae, but is it also effective against adult fleas? Putting a solution of baking soda and an acid dehydrates and damages a flea’s exoskeleton, resulting in internal bleeding. However, the scientific community highly contests baking soda’s effectiveness in killing adult fleas.
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Aside from its effects on fleas, baking soda is also an excellent product for controlling fleas because it’s generally safe for humans and pets, making it a natural alternative to chemical-based flea control products. It also has natural cleaning properties, so you can use it as a carpet deodorizer to eliminate flea-related odors.
Moreover, besides helping kill fleas, baking soda has some deterrent effects, so you can temporarily scourage these parasites from staying in treated areas. This product is also cost-effective.
How To Use Baking Soda To Kill Fleas
The right way to use baking soda to get rid of fleas depends on where you apply it. Let’s go through how to use baking soda on your carpet, pets, couch, human hair, and bedding to eliminate fleas.
1. Baking Soda Pet Treatment For Fleas
Baking soda can help get rid of fleas on your pets. Here’s how to use it:
- Combine baking soda (1 tablespoon), apple cider vinegar (5 tablespoons), peppermint oil (3 drops), and water (1.5 cups).
- Run warm water on your pet’s body.
- Pour and thoroughly massage the baking soda mixture into your pet’s coat. Do this for a minimum of 5 minutes, then let it sit for another minute.
- Clean your dog using pet shampoo.
If bathing your cat isn’t possible, you can coat and massage dry baking soda on its skin, then brush the coat with a brush or flea comb. Brush out baking soda residue from your cat’s coat, then vacuum the area to remove debris.
Use essential oils cautiously because some are toxic to pets. Also, ensure your pet doesn’t ingest the baking soda and keep it from entering their eyes.
2. Baking Soda Pet Bedding Flea Treatment
Fleas don’t just get on your pet’s fur but also their bedding. Handling the fleas on your pet’s skin without addressing the ones on their bedding is counter-interactive.
- Wash the bedding using hot water to kill fleas, eggs, and larvae.
- Sprinkle baking soda over the bedding, focusing on areas where your pet sleeps or spends time.
- Gently rub the bedding to ensure the baking soda gets in.
- Leave the baking soda on the bedding for some hours.
- Shake or brush off the excess baking soda before returning the bedding to your pet’s sleeping area.
3. Baking Soda Carpet Treatment For Fleas
Be generous when using baking soda on your carpet to kill fleas, so instead of sprinkling, coat your carpet with baking soda liberally.
Ingredients
- Baking soda
- Essential oils (e.g., lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint) – optional
Instructions
- Vacuum your carpets and rugs to remove visible fleas, eggs, or larvae.
- Liberally sprinkle baking soda over the entire carpeted area, paying special attention to high-traffic areas where pets spend time.
- If desired, mix some essential oil into the baking soda before sprinkling it for added fragrance.
- Use a brush or broom to get the baking soda inside the carpet fibers. This helps to ensure the baking soda reaches deeper into the carpet.
- Leave the baking soda on the carpet overnight or for some hours. Letting the baking soda sit on your carpet longer gives it more time to affect the fleas.
- Vacuum the carpet again, ensuring you pick up all the baking soda and dead fleas.
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4. Baking Soda Mattress Treatment For Fleas
After a long day’s work, having a good night’s is something well all look forward to. You wouldn’t want fleas anywhere near your bed. Having fleas on your mattress is not only annoying but frightening, so you should prioritize getting rid of them.
Follow these steps to kill fleas in your mattress using baking soda.
Materials
- Baking soda
- Vacuum cleaner
- Cleaning brush or cloth
- Airtight plastic bag or container
Instructions
- Remove all the bedding, including sheets, pillows, and covers, from the mattress. Wash them using hot water to eliminate any fleas, eggs, or larvae present.
- Thoroughly vacuum the entire mattress surface using a vacuum cleaner, preferably one with a hose attachment. Pay special attention to common hiding spots for fleas, such as seams, crevices, and tufted areas.
- Generously sprinkle some baking soda all over your mattress, evenly covering the whole surface. The baking soda should form a thin layer over the mattress.
- Gently rub your mattress fabric with a cleaning brush or cloth to ensure the baking soda penetrates deeper and comes in contact with the fleas.
- Let the baking soda sit on your mattress for a minimum of 1-2 hours. If you can, leave it overnight for better results to give the baking soda ample time to dehydrate the fleas and kill them.
- After the waiting period elapses, thoroughly remove the baking soda from your mattress using the vacuum cleaner. Ensure the vacuum cleaner gets into every nook and cranny.
- Immediately remove the vacuum bag, place it in an airtight plastic bag, and then dispose of it properly to prevent fleas from escaping. This step is important because you might still have live fleas inside the vacuum bag.
- After vacuuming, inspect your mattress for any remaining signs of fleas. Repeat the process if you still notice fleas or flea dirt (black specks resembling ground black pepper).
- Regularly clean and vacuum your mattress and bedding to prevent future flea infestations. Additionally, treat your pets for fleas, as they are typically the primary infestation source.
5. Baking Soda Human Hair Treatment For Fleas
Baking soda is entirely organic, cheap, safe, and can help you get rid of fleas in your hair. Here’s how to use it.
Materials
- Baking soda
- Shower cap or plastic bag
- Fine-toothed comb
- Shampoo
- Warm water
Instructions
- Before showering, generously sprinkle baking soda onto your dry hair, focusing on the roots and scalp.
- Gently massage the baking soda into your scalp and hair to reach the roots. After that, use a fine-toothed comb to comb through your hair to help dislodge the fleas or flea debris.
- After massaging and combing your hair, cover it with a shower cap or wrap it in a plastic bag. Allow the baking soda to sit in your hair for at least 15-30 minutes to give the baking soda enough time to work on the fleas.
- After the waiting period elapses, remove the shower cap or plastic bag and rinse your hair thoroughly with warm water to wash away the baking soda.
- Clean your hair with conditioner and regular shampoo as you usually would. This step takes out the remaining flea dirt and baking soda from your hair.
- If you continue to experience itching or notice signs of fleas in your hair after the first treatment, you need to repeat the process a few times to ensure all fleas are gone.
Note
You can mix baking soda with salt, borax, hydrogen peroxide, Diatomaceous Earth, Dawn dish soap, lavender oil, orange oil, or vinegar to make a flea treatment recipe. Baking soda works better when combined with acid solutions and other repellents.
How Long Does It Take Baking Soda To Kill Fleas?
You will see dead fleas after a couple of hours, up to 12 hours after applying baking soda. This time varies depending on factors like the infestation level, environmental conditions, and the flea life cycle.
Baking soda needs time to work, and the sitting time varies depending on the application location. For instance, while you can leave baking soda on your carpet overnight, you cannot do the same on your pets.
Summary
Baking soda is less potent than other flea control methods like insecticide sprays. Also, it is not a reliable or comprehensive method for eliminating fleas. However, you can use it as part of a natural, non-toxic approach to complement other flea control methods.
I’m Mike Hyle, an exterminator with 7+ years of experience handling all sorts of pests, including mice, cockroaches, bed bugs, and termites. I also write for Pest Solutions DIY blog to share my knowledge and help homeowners keep their homes pest-free. Outside work, I enjoy hunting, snowshoeing, and exploring nature. Check out my blog for helpful pest control tips!