Bathing your dog with a chemical-laden flea shampoo may get rid of fleas but may not be the healthiest option for your dog or your household. Pet shops now sell high-end organic flea shampoos infused with essential oils, but that might not be the best option for your pocketbook. However, you can combine affordability with health by mixing up your own organic flea shampoo, which will repel fleas while leaving your dog smelling fresh.
Step 1
Bring 2 cups of distilled water to a boil. If you have no distilled water, you can use filtered water, but the shampoo won't clean as well as if you use distilled water.
Step 2
Put 1 ½ tbsp. of dried soapwort root to the water. If the soapwort you are using is whole, chop it. This will help the soapwort release its cleansing compounds into the water.
Step 3
Turn down the heat to simmer and cover the pot. Let it simmer for 20 minutes, then take it off the stove and let it cool to room temperature, which should take about an hour.
Step 4
Pour the mixture through muslin and into a jar to remove the soapwort. Discard the soapwort and retain the liquid, which is your organic flea shampoo base.
Step 5
Select organic essential oils to add to the shampoo that have natural flea-fighting properties, such as cedar, citronella, citrus, eucalyptus, lavender, lemongrass, mint or rosemary essential oils. You can add a single type of essential oil to the shampoo or you can blend them. Either approach works well for flea control.
Step 6
Mix 20 drops of essential oils total into the flea shampoo base. Place the lid on the shampoo jar and shake it to combine the oil with the shampoo. Refrigerate it until you need it. It will last about two weeks in the refrigerator.
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