The best Dog Flea Sprays: Reddit reviews

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

We had a very similar outbreak and bought this spray from Amazon. It worked ASTOUNDINGLY WELL. As in, no signs of fleas within a hour of spraying. I also like that it's plant based, pleasant smelling, and safe for home and pets.

Permethrin. Can't get the Sawyer spray stuff here, but this Amazon seller will ship to Canada: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007TA5QNA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Seems like they dropped the price too. I paid $19.99 for mine from the same seller.

Just dilute it down to 0.5% and treat your clothes. Kills bugs dead. Mosquitos, ticks, blackflies, etc.

If you have a reoccurring issue, try this stuff. You have to vacate the home for a few hours but it works wonders with any pests.

I recommend Knock Out Spray.

https://www.amazon.com/Virbac-Knockout-Treatment-Spray-16-Ounce/dp/B00AT6FY6A

Follow the directions and it shoud take care them. Vaccum the carpets and then spray. Make sure you have lots of ventilation or that you wear a good mask. This stuff is serious so make you that your own pets are not exposed to it.

Sorry I didn't mean that's the product name just that permethrin is the chemical and some companies use cheaper chemicals with similar sounding names. I used "Control Solutions Permethrin SFR" but it seems that's taken off Amazon. The stuff I had was 36% strength and I had to mix with water in a 12:1 ratio. It seems like Amazon doesn't sell 40% permethrin anymore because I can't find one.

I think this is the same thing just 10% strength.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B007TA5QNA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_ZEEBCSX0YF5Y0MF8VGKJ

Kinda sucks though because they mix the permethrin with a bad smelling liquid to keep the permethrin dissolved. So the higher the concentration the more you can use water to dilute and the less it stinks. Smell goes away after a day but still. Looks like you can still get the stronger stuff for $24 just not on Amazon.

https://www.solutionsstores.com/permethrin-sfr-insecticide

Just saw you have a cat too, be extra careful about letting it dry and don't put it in areas where the cat might eat off the floor. Cats can get sick from it a lot easier than dogs or humans. You don't need to coat the whole floor just wipe down the perimeter and it makes a marginot line the ants can't cross. If you see some reviews about making pets sick or stinking for days - these people didn't dilute it.

Btw permethrin is the same stuff that REI and similar stores use to make "tick resistant tents" and "tick resistant clothing" and such. If you put a tablespoon in with a load of laundry (then let air dry as you want to let the oils dry before they gunk up the dryer) then you get clothing/tent mesh that kills ticks on contact.

Hope this helps

I took it a step further: a permethrin soak! I purchased permethrin concentrate, diluted it significantly¹ in a bucket, and soaked all my outerwear. Then I wrung it out an let it dry. From what I read, this method results in a more durable application, providing longer protection.

Any treatment is only going to last weeks/months, so if you're concerned about ticks you may want to treat along the way.

¹ Concentrated permethrin is dangerous, I don't remember the exact ratio I used. Make sure to keep your pets away from anything you've soaked until it's dry, and don't treat your undergarments. There's info online if you search.

This stuff kills them on contact, and it really works.

It's not very expensive on Amazon. The next thing is to vacuum, vacuum, vacuum, and then vacuum some more. Two or three times daily, empty your vacuum cleaner after each time. Make sure to pay close attention where your dogs sleep and hang out the most. Oh, and did I mention you need to vacuum?

Where I live we usually have a break out of fleas in the spring and early fall. If we don't stay on top of it they can really overtake your house before you know it. This is the best way I have found to get rid of them without using harsh insecticides that could harm your pets.

I came across tics a lot last year and did a ton of reading.

In order for you to get lime disease the tick has to puke into you. So when pulling them off, pull by the head with tweezers. DO NOT Squeeze the body, especially when filled with blood. IF you squeeze the body you can force the blood back into you. DO NOT DROWN THEM OFF. It can cause them to puke into you as they convulse trying to get oxygen.

If I remember correctly the tic has to be on you for 24 hours for yo0u to get infected (on average).

I had one on me for a few hours and it got to the size of a dime before my girlfriend saw it. I was fine. I'm sure you will be too.

You can't get a vaccine

If you can get a shipment from the US you can buy this stuff. It worked really well on my dogs but they are not allowed to sell it in canada. I bought it on Amazon 3 or 4 years ago and now you can't ship to canada/

My dog has had fleas for a few months on and off also, I tried shampoo and it didn't do much besides kill/drown whatever was on at the time.

Then tried frontline+, didn't do much of anything either.

Then I got capstar tablets, these are awesome at killing the adult fleas that bite, however the eggs remain (fleas lay a shitton of eggs in their brief life span).

Tried many times to vacuum like crazy yet they just kept coming back. Also tried borox all over (pain in the ass to vacuum), they were still coming back.

After this I figured there were fleas with dogsitter and dog kept re-getting fleas anytime they dogsat. Stopped dropping dog off over there for the short term and fleas have been going away.

Did another application of frontline+ and continued using capstar and a bath, continuing to vacuum anything and everything the dog touches.

They came back again after another brief stay with the family member. Pestered family member to clean house (helped also) and started using this the other day. Sprayed it everywhere, doesn't smell bad and doesn't harm the dog. Haven't seen any fleas yet. Probably will use the spray at family members house. It's just oils and water, dries pretty quickly.

Hoping to be rid of these bastards because they've attacked my legs quite a bit.

Some animals are sensitive to it, so be careful, but:

A single Seresto collar on one of the cats, can in the relatively short term clear all of them and the house (assuming indoor cats).

It renders fleas infertile, which slowly clears the infestation by attrition.

They’re about $50-$60 on Amazon.

Do NOT buy a knockoff or bootleg - they don’t work.

And while you’re waiting for it to work,

Vet's Best Flea and Tick Home Spray

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B003PRI6OC/

(Not an affiliate link)

It’s a peppermint/clove/eucalyptus spray, and seems to help a bit in the short term.

Source: this combo worked for us, then subsequently several neighbors.

This right here.

Adams Flea and Tick Home Spray,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JN9H50M?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Fleas were driving me absolutely bonkers a couple of years ago and nothing else worked. You need to lock the animals out of that room so you can spray it down thoroughly and keep them out for a few hours while it dries, but it’s totally safe after that. Flea genocide. Glorious flea genocide

There has to be an area where they’re breeding. Try looking through everywhere the kittens hang out. In the bedding. Blankets. Check everywhere. Mine were in my mattress. That’s where I focused the spray, but I washed everything I could in the room anyway. All my cat’s stuff. And like someone else said, Revolution is awesome. Just little bit of liquid you put behind their shoulder blades and it lasts for a month. It’s great.

This right here.

Adams Flea and Tick Home Spray,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JN9H50M?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Fleas were driving me absolutely bonkers a couple of years ago and nothing else worked. You need to lock the animals out of that room so you can spray it down thoroughly and keep them out for a few hours while it dries, but it’s totally safe after that. Flea genocide. Glorious flea genocide

had fleas in my house a couple years ago. i treated my single cat with advantage multiple times, vacuumed the house (mostly tile, some area rugs) religiously, all furniture, washed clothes, it did not matter. i'd be sitting down and randomly would have a flea jump on me. another indicator were the flea bites on my ankles, itchy & just disgusting to have this happen in your home. oh also tried the flea lamp traps, caught a few, but did not solve the issue.

i resorted to buying chemicals to fix the problem, this specifically: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JN9H50M

i put the cat in the garage, nuked the house, literally everything, floors, furniture, bed, hard surfaces, EVERYTHING. house stunk for a few hours afterwards but i shit you not after doing this you could almost hear the silence, as if dozens or hundreds of insects were just gone instantly. i treated the house again some time after to be sure i got all the eggs, etc..

i wouldn't wish this bullshit on my worst enemies. that spray worked. took a couple of bottles to do my small house, would have paid 10x what they cost.

Grateful I'm not dealing that, but I'd wager this would help.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B003PRI6OC/

Has worked for me with bugs of all sorts.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WWP19PG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is what we used and granted we had to go through several cans. Dogs were also having allergy issues at the same time due to bones we were giving them so that exacerbated the issue. I had no idea my wife’s alarm at the first sight or the 6 months of hell I was in for. Good luck and definitely spray your carpet!

https://www.amazon.com/Martins-Permethrin-Livestock-Kennel-product_by/dp/B01M97TUYF/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=martins+permethrin&qid=1654025680&sr=8-3

Here is a bottle of water based stuff. Still has a slight smell but doesn't smell like gasoline. Mix it volumetrically at about 2% strength with regular water.

VERY IMPORTANT: keep wet/liquid permetherin away from cats. It will cause them a horrible death. Same goes with any aquatic life. Don't go dumping it in water.

Once it is dry, you've got nothing to worry about.

Mix your own from this concentrate. Cant get any cheaper.

https://www.amazon.com/Martins-Permethrin-Livestock-Kennel-product_by/dp/B01M97TUYF

> https://www.petmd.com/dog/parasites/it-safe-use-essential-oils-fleas-and-ticks-pets

> Check out the reviews:

> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003PRI6OC

I’ve seen the all natural essential oil flea dip shampoo and it’s sold everywhere, even Amazon. They often contain mint, eucalyptus, peppermint, lavender, lemongrass, clove, tea tree oil, etc and can cause chemical burns and/or leave permanent bald spots. Even if you look through the reviews on Amazon you will see pictures uploaded of the damage it did to their dogs.

for an instant kill spray i suggest https://www.amazon.com/Vets-Best-Treatment-Certified-Natural/dp/B003PRI6OC?th=1

(it's marketed for fleas and ticks but should be pretty effective on anything with an exoskeleton if you can spray it on directly -- we've used it on ants, flies, terrifying giant spiders we are too afraid to squish, etc)

Had to deal with this last summer! I vacuumed the whole house (including couches) thoroughly every day and dumped the canister into a freezer bag so I could look to see if there were any live fleas (vacuuming does NOT kill them, so make sure you immediately empty the vac and put the bag outside). When I no longer saw live fleas for a couple days in a row, I cut back on the vacuuming a bit. I also washed fabrics (bedding, curtains, rugs) in hot water after treating the animals.

After I stopped seeing live fleas in the vacuum, I sprayed this stuff on the carpets, rugs, and couches because it gets rid of the eggs too. I let it sit overnight, then vacuumed reallllly well the next morning before I let my toddler run around. It's natural ingredients like peppermint and clove oil, but I wasn't sure if it would irritate her skin or something. It did not, and we didn't have any more fleas afterwards. Fair warning, it smells super strongly of cloves, so I def recommend opening some windows and having a couple fans on. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003PRI6OC/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_RKYEKSFVEVGMZSE4Q5EK

Here is one but I don’t necessarily only mean this exact product. I think it goes on anything you’d want to eliminate mites from

https://www.amazon.com/Ecology-Works-Dust-Mite-Control/dp/B006G8YJXE

Have also found this yard spray to be cheap, easy, safe and works awesome! Chickens didn’t react to the spray as far as we could tell!

Vet's Best Flea and Tick Yard and... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00393HSLY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

So a big thing to think about is that ‘overdosing’ on flea meds can be a dangerous game! Try not to do anything more to your pup beside flea combing, but you likely will have more to do to get rid of them if you saw a live flea in the house. This pet safe spray: Vet's Best Flea and Tick Home Spray | Flea Treatment for Dogs and Home | Flea Killer with Certified Natural Oils https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003PRI6OC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_DXR4SRNC8VYMPSRGEFDQ And this D.Earth will kill those fleas, Safer 51703 Diatomaceous Earth-Bed Bug Flea, Ant, Crawling Insect Killer 4 lb https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D60GAW2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_X5JXCK5V20GB5RZMW87Q

Although pet safe, please make sure to read labels and follow the directions carefully. Wash any and everything with fabric, bath mats, towels, blankets, pillowcases, everything! Check your couches too, fleas are horrible and I wish you the best in ridding them! Last time we bug bombed our house twice and stayed at a hotel for a weekend.

A really good spray I used was Zoecon Precor, for fleas, but it also works on roaches. When I had used it for the fleas they were gone the same day and stayed gone. To note, I did use it for a small ant infestation and it worked like a charm.

I’m ok on my end, what I struggle with is everyone around me not knowing how dangerous or bad Lyme disease is.

I try not to be that guy paranoid or screaming about it all the time, but it’s tough. It doesn’t have to be tall grass, it doesn’t have to be obvious rash- heck you can find ticks at the beach.

When I was a kid it was pull them out a certain way, make sure you get the head and watch for the bulls eye rash. If you get the rash, take pills for 30 days call it a day. After experiencing it and having to learn about it, it is very much worse then that.

Lyme disease can end your world, wish we at least did public educating about it.

There’s also east things to do. Spray your clothes and treat your lawn- it’s getting more common but not common common.

I like this yard spray - I’ve seen it work.

Vet's Best Flea and Tick Yard and... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00393HSLY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I use this spray for clothes but not sure…

YAYA Organics Tick Ban and Squito... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BFFGRFN?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Sounds peaceful. Just be aware ticks can be as small as a printed period. If I had deer on my deck I’d spray my deck monthly with some natural tick repellent though.

This one works from my experience

Vet's Best Flea and Tick Yard and... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00393HSLY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

(I’m not trying to be rude, I just find people getting sick from ticks awful and personally terrifying.)

This stuff is great for spraying on floors and furniture https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001ZETFMY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 we found this to be much better than the flea bombs.

NTA If you use something like Revolution, two treatments should clear them of fleas. The problem is that you also need something to spray in your place due to fleas in the carpeting and chairs. It's true that cats have flea eggs that will hatch. It will be an ongoing problem unless treated, but an indoor cat rarely needs more than 2 treatments.

I use this for carpeting and chairs. Try to keep the cats out of the area until it is completely tried (in winter, with heat on probably 2 hours will do it): https://www.amazon.com/Virbac-Knockout-Treatment-Spray-16-Ounce/dp/B00AT6FY6A/ref=sr_1_15?keywords=flea+spray&qid=1637980214&sr=8-15

Vet's Best Flea and Tick spray. All natural, works well. On Amazon: Vet's Best Flea &Tick

https://www.amazon.com/Vets-Best-Treatment-Certified-Natural/dp/B003PRI6OC/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=flea+and+tick+killed&qid=1630108692&sr=8-6

This stuff really works for me. I had fleas once and so I sprayed everything. Vacuumed the next day. And washed as much stuff as I could.

Then I used it after that as preventive when I deep clean my apartment once a week.

Also can spray it on your dog. I would give them a flea bath and then spray this on after they dry per directions