Does Baking Soda Kill Fleas? | Effective Methods for Flea Control

Controlling fleas in your home can be an uphill challenge, but there are some products that you probably already have lying around your house that can kill them. So, next time you see fleas or flea eggs in your home or on your pets, grab a box of baking soda. 

Does baking soda kill fleas? Baking soda kills fleas, but only when used in combination with other flea repellents and killers such as salt, citrus oil, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, or dish soap. Baking soda dehydrates adult fleas, but it doesn’t kill them outright.

If you have a flea problem, then you’re in the right place! Let’s talk more about the ways that you can use baking soda to kill fleas. We’ll also walk you through the steps to create homemade flea sprays and use them effectively in your home and on your pets. 

Baking Soda and Fleas

Baking soda can kill fleas when used in combination with other things. When combined with an acid and a solvent like water, baking soda dissolves a flea’s exoskeleton and dehydrates the insect, causing internal bleeding. 

Now, let’s go over the details of how baking soda can dehydrate fleas and how effective it is. 

Can Baking Soda Kill Fleas?

Baking soda alone can’t kill adult fleas, but it does dehydrate them. However, it can kill flea eggs and larvae. Still, baking soda solutions aren’t always effective at eliminating large flea infestations, and they may take several hours to work. 

How Does Baking Soda Kill Fleas?

Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. This chemical is a mild base, and when combined with an acid, like salt or peroxide, and a solvent, such as water or vinegar, a chemical reaction occurs. This chemical reaction absorbs water to release carbon dioxide. 

Baking soda kills fleas by dissolving the flea’s cuticle (an adult flea’s wavy outer skin) and causing internal bleeding or excessive dehydration. It’s due to the chemical reaction from combining baking soda and an acidic component. So, when you put a baking soda solution on fleas, it dehydrates them and damages their exoskeletons. 

Still, the effectiveness of using baking soda to kill adult fleas is highly contested in the scientific community. However, baking soda and acid mixtures have been proven to kill flea eggs and larvae, so they can help you control fleas in your home. 

How Long Does It Take Baking Soda To Kill Fleas?

It usually takes around 12 hours for baking soda mixtures to kill fleas. That’s because it takes a while for the fleas to get so dehydrated that they die. 

Baking soda, in addition to being a base in the pH scale, is an abrasive, which scratches open fleas’ cuticles. The dry powder then absorbs the blood and moisture that the fleas need to survive. 

Overall, this process can take a while to happen, so you might consider leaving your home or using baking soda overnight. 

Baking Soda for Fleas on Dogs

If your dog is covered in fleas, it’s vital to get them off as soon as possible to avoid an infestation. Luckily, baking soda can help you. You can pour a baking soda solution on your dog’s skin to get fleas to detach from them before bathing them. 

Still, there are some precautions you should take when putting baking soda on your dog since it can be hazardous if you get it in their eyes or if you let them eat it.

Can I Put Baking Soda on My Dog for Fleas?

You can put baking soda on your dog for fleas, as it’s an excellent spot treatment for getting rid of them. It’s also an organic compound, so you won’t have to worry about the harmful side effects of other pesticides. However, leaving baking soda on your dog’s skin isn’t advised.

You’ll need to rinse your dog after using baking soda on them. If they eat even more than a pinch, it could cause digestive and heart issues, so never let your dog eat raw baking soda. 

How To Use Baking Soda To Kill Fleas on Dogs?

To use baking soda to kill fleas on dogs, it’s crucial not to get it on their face since baking soda is an eye irritant. When using baking soda directly on your dog’s skin, follow the steps below: 

1. In a cup, combine 1 tbsp (14.40 g) of baking soda, 3 drops of peppermint oil, and 5 tbsp (73.93 ml) of apple cider vinegar with 1 ½ cup (354.88 ml) of water.

 2. Rinse your dog with warm water. 

3. Pour the baking soda solution onto your dog and massage it into its coat for at least 5 minutes. 

4. Let the mixture sit on their skin for at least one minute. 

5. Rinse and bathe your dog with shampoo or dawn dish soap to remove the dead fleas and eggs. 

Will Baking Soda Kill Fleas on Dogs?

Baking soda will kill adult fleas on dogs but you’ll often need to repeat the bathing process to see results since you can’t let it sit on your dog’s fur long enough. Still, it can weaken adults and make them detach from your dog’s skin, making it easier to remove them with a bath or a flea comb. 

Applying baking soda also weakens and kills the eggs and fragile larvae on your dog. 

Baking Soda on Cats for Fleas

Bathing your cat when they have fleas isn’t always an option, so using baking soda to kill flea eggs and larvae is an excellent idea. You can use baking soda as a dry shampoo to kill immature fleas on your cat and weaken adult fleas. 

Does Baking Soda Kill Fleas on Cats?

Baking soda kills fleas on cats, and using it is an excellent way to banish cat fleas without having to bathe your feline friend. However, just like on dogs, baking soda doesn’t always kill adult fleas. It does damage eggs and larvae, though, which can keep your cat’s fleas from reproducing. 

How To Use Baking Soda To Kill Fleas on Cats

Just like with dogs, never use baking soda on your cat’s face. In all animals, it can irritate and damage the eyes.

To use baking soda to kill fleas on cats, follow the steps below: 

1. Coat your cat’s fur in baking soda, massaging it down to its skin. 

2. Use a flea comb or brush to work the baking soda evenly through their coat. 

3. Brush out as much baking soda as you can and clean up the debris with a vacuum. 

Baking Soda on Carpet for Fleas

Of all of the applications for baking soda, using it to kill fleas on your carpet is the simplest. You can generously pour baking soda on your carpet and rugs, and it’ll kill all of the flea eggs and larvae burrowed deep in your carpets and rugs.

Does Sprinkling Baking Soda on a Carpet Kill Fleas?

Sprinkling baking soda on a carpet may not kill fleas, but liberally coating your carpet in baking soda will. When it comes to killing fleas, it’ll take at least 12 hours and a lot of baking soda to eradicate them.

So, you should ensure that your carpet is covered if you want to use baking soda to get rid of your pests. 

How To Kill Fleas in Carpet With Baking Soda?

If you want to rid your carpet of fleas, you’ll want to use a solution of salt and baking soda. Combining these two ingredients is very effective at dehydrating adult fleas, and it’ll assuredly kill eggs and larvae. 

To kill fleas in your carpet with baking soda, follow the steps below: 

1. Mix equal parts baking soda and salt. We recommend using as much as you can per room since the more you use, the more effective the mixture will be at killing your fleas. 

2. Put your mixture in a bag or plastic container. To make a shaker for your combination, poke several small holes in a plastic bin with a nail and hammer. Then, put your mixture in the container. 

3. Generously coat your carpet with salt and baking soda. When you pour the mixture, ensure that you cover all corners, closets, edges, and hard-to-reach spaces where fleas lay their eggs. 

4. Work the mixture into your carpet. Use a broom or a large scrub brush to push the powder deep into the fibers of your carpet and spread the mixture evenly across your floor. 

5. Leave the mixture for at least 12 hours. We recommend coating your carpet in the evening and letting it sit overnight.  

6. Vacuum your carpet. After letting it sit for as long as possible, vacuum your carpet, ensuring that you get as much of the powder and dead fleas as you can. 

7. Dispose of your vacuum bag immediately. While some people just put their vacuum bags into an outdoor garbage can, it’s ideal to put the vacuum bag in an airtight freezer bag before you throw it out. That way, any surviving fleas cannot escape and make their way back into the house on your pets.

It may take several treatments to eliminate all of the fleas and eggs burrowed in your carpet. Still, if you repeat the process at least once a month, you should be able to get rid of them completely.  

Does Baking Soda Kill Fleas on Mattress?

Baking soda can kill fleas on your mattress. You can coat your mattress with baking soda and salt to make this happen. Having fleas in your bed is frightening and annoying, but you should never use a harsh chemical to treat the places you sleep, so baking soda is the perfect pesticide for this task. 

How To Use Baking Soda on Mattress To Kill Fleas?

If you want to use baking soda to kill fleas and their eggs on your mattress, we recommend following the steps below in the morning. Since it takes at least 12 hours for the fleas to die, coating your bed in the morning and vacuuming it off in the evening will allow you to finish before bedtime. 

To use baking soda on your mattress to kill fleas, follow the steps below:

1. Remove your sheets, pillows, and blankets and wash them in hot water with a tablespoon (14.40 g) of baking soda. 

2. Mix equal parts baking soda and salt. 

3. Coat your mattress in the powder, covering all seams, the bottom of your bed, and your boxspring if you have one. 

4. Wait 12 hours, then vacuum off as much of the powder and fleas as you can. 

5. Put your vacuum bag in an airtight bag and dispose of it in an outdoor garbage can. 

Fleas in Human Hair and Baking Soda

Since baking soda is safe for people and is entirely organic, it’s an excellent home remedy for fleas that have found their way into your hair. You can use baking soda and water paste as a shampoo to kill and repel fleas in human hair. 

Baking soda will also neutralize oils and absorb moisture, making a great dry shampoo, although its flea-killing properties are a welcome bonus. 

How To Use Baking Soda To Kill Fleas in Human Hair?

To use baking soda to kill fleas in human hair, follow the steps below:

1. Mix 1 tbsp (14.40 g) of baking soda with 1 cup (236.59 ml) of water and stir. 

2. Optionally, add a drop of lemon, orange, mint, tea-tree, or lavender essential oil to your mixture for added potency. 

3. Generously coat your hair in this baking soda solution, paying close attention to your roots where fleas feed. 

4. Massage the baking soda on your scalp to work it into your pores. 

5. Leave the solution on your hair for at least 15 minutes. 

6. Rinse your hair and comb the eggs and fleas out with a fine-toothed comb while you rinse. 

7. Wash your hair with a gentle shampoo and comb your hair out again. 

8. Repeat the process at least one more time.

Baking Soda on Couch for Fleas

Fleas like to hide in small crevices, and that includes your couch. 

Can You Put Baking Soda on Couch To Kill Fleas?

You can put baking soda on your couch to kill fleas and make these crevices inhospitable to them. Coat your couch cushions in baking soda and wash the pillows with baking soda to kill flea eggs and repel adult fleas. 

Treating your couch for fleas is simple with baking soda. Here are the steps on how you can eradicate fleas from your couch:

1. Remove washable cushions and launder them in hot water with 1 tbsp (14.40 g) of baking soda and soap. 

2. Coat your couch in baking soda and let it sit for at least an hour. 

3. Vacuum the baking soda off of your couch. 

4. Immediately empty your vacuum cleaner into an airtight bag and dispose of it in an outdoor garbage can. 

Does Baking Soda Kill Fleas in Yards and How?

Baking soda can kill fleas in your yard. It’s an organic pest repellent, and in addition to killing fleas, it prevents fungus and snails from eating your plants. To use baking soda to kill fleas in your yard, follow the steps below: 

1. Mix equal parts salt and baking soda with 2 cups (473.18 ml) of water and 3 tbsp (44.36 ml) of apple cider vinegar. 

2. To make the solution more effective, add a few drops of tea-tree, lavender, lemon, or orange essential oil to the solution. 

3. Put the mixture into a sprayer attachment in your garden hose or a watering can.

4. Treat your garden, yard, and other problem spots around your home with the solution. 

5. Repeat the process every time it rains or when the weather warms up to keep fleas at bay. 

Baking Soda Recipes for Fleas

When it comes to using baking soda to kill fleas, it always works best when you combine it with other repellents and acidic solutions. In some cases, like when you treat your dog for fleas, you won’t want to add anything to the baking soda. So, depending on the application, you may want to use a different recipe. 

Homemade Flea Spray With Vinegar and Baking Soda

Vinegar is one of the best ways to turn baking soda into a powerful cleaning and pest-killing agent. Still, vinegar has a strong smell, so you may want to use this around your doors, windows, outdoors, or underneath rugs.

Additionally, vinegar should only be used on the skin if you plan on washing it off since it’s so acidic and can dry out or irritate your or your pet’s skin. 

To make a flea spray, mix and pour into a spray bottle the following ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup (144 g) of salt

• 1/2 cup (115.20 g) of baking soda

• 1/2 cup (118.29 ml) apple cider vinegar

• 4 cups (946.35 ml) of water

Killing Fleas With Salt and Baking Soda

Salt and baking soda make an excellent carpet and furniture treatment or dry treatment for outdoor areas. Since this recipe is dry, it’ll absorb the moisture from fleas and is more likely to kill adult fleas. 

To make flea powder, mix equal parts baking soda and salt. It’s that easy!

Baking Soda and Lemon Juice for Fleas

Baking soda and lemon juice solutions are excellent for tile and wood flooring. You can also use it on furniture, skin, and in your laundry to kill fleas in weaker solutions. To make a lemon juice flea solution, mix:

• 1 tsp (4.93 ml) lemon juice

• 1 cup (230.40 g) baking soda

• 2 cups (473.18 ml) water

This mixture is safe to use on skin, pets, and furniture, and it won’t bleach fabrics. 

Baking Soda and Borax for Fleas

A baking soda and borax solution are usually recommended for outdoor use since borax can burn skin. Still, if you’re careful, you can use it on mattresses and carpets, but you have to be sure to vacuum all of it up. Otherwise, you may burn your or your pets’ skin. 

To make a baking soda and borax mixture for your yard, carpets, rugs, and furniture mix the following: 

• 1/2 cup (64 g) borax

• 1 cup (230.4 g) baking soda

• 1/4 cup (32 g) salt

Baking Soda and Peroxide for Fleas

Hydrogen peroxide is an excellent ingredient for fighting fleas on light-colored furniture. Still, it’ll bleach many fabrics and hair, so only use it if your materials or hair are very light in color. You can put this solution on carpets, furniture, or in your laundry to kill fleas on contact. 

To make a peroxide and baking soda solution, mix: 

• 1/2 cup (118.29 ml) peroxide

• 2 tbsp (28.8 g) of baking soda

Diatomaceous Earth and Baking Soda for Fleas

Diatomaceous earth also dehydrates fleas, killing eggs and larvae and weakening the adults. You can use it outdoors or in your home, but you should be cautious not to let pets or children walk on it before you vacuum it up indoors since it can irritate the respiratory system and burn sensitive skin. Still, you can use it on carpets and furniture if you are cautious. 

To make an indoor-safe diatomaceous earth mixture, combine:

• 4 tbsp (57.6 g) baking soda

• 1 cup (128 g) diatomaceous earth

You’ll probably need to scale up this recipe if you are treating a large area. 

Baking Soda and Dawn Dish Soap for Fleas

Dawn dish soap traps fleas and suffocates them, so adding baking soda is a fantastic way to make a powerful shampoo for pets, human hair, and laundry. To make a Dawn and baking soda flea-killing soap, mix:

• 5 tbsp (73.93 ml) of Dawn dish soap

• 1 tbsp (14.4 g) of baking soda 

Baking Soda and Lavender Oil for Fleas

Lavender oil is an excellent flea-repellent, and with baking soda’s flea-killing properties, this mixture makes a powerful and skin-friendly solution for any application. You can use this recipe to make flea spray or shampoo. Mix the following:

• 3 drops lavender oil

• 1 cup (236.59 ml) of water

• 1 tbsp (14.4 g) of baking soda

Baking Soda and Orange Oil for Fleas

Orange oil is another flea-killing oil that works with baking soda to break down a flea’s cuticle and dissolve flea eggs. Adding this mixture to any other recipe on this list is a fantastic way to add a bit of extra power to your flea treatments. 

Mix the following:

• 1 cup (236.59 ml) water

• 3 drops of orange essential oil

• 1 tbsp (14.4 g) baking soda 

List of Sources

UWM ‌Field Station (2010). Flea.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Fleas.
Texas A&M Aggie Horticulture. (2021). Pests.
Thomas, S. H., Stone, C. K. (1994). Acute Toxicity From Baking Soda Ingestion. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine.
Merchant, M., Robinson, J. Controlling Fleas. Texas A&M Agrilife Extension.‌