Keep a spray bottle of half Pinesol/half water under your sink spray outside garbage cans or anywhere you have a pest problem. Animals like rodents, opossums, raccoons, etc. don't like the smell.
This page contains the following solutions.
I had a problem with our cats wetting in places other than their litter box. I found out if I wash the floor with PineSol they would stay away from that spot. They soon went back to the box where they were suppose to be using. By Connie
Save on window cleaners and paper towels. Mix Pinesol (or any nonabrasive cleaner) in a bucket of water and use a rag to wash your window and another rag to wipe it clean. Works great!
After cleaning your home, you want it to smell clean. If you don't have anything else, use scented Pinesol. In a small unused pot, dilute with water and simmer.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I know I recently posted a request about my dogs fleas but now they are worse! She keeps scratching her neck and now she's bald there!
Can I use pine-sol on her? I have heard many different responses to this! Please help, thanx!Emily from TXEditor's Note: Pinesol is toxic to pets, even using it on your floors is considered a hazard by some. Never use it on your dog.pine sol would probibly burn your dog's skin. You say she's scratching her neck raw. First are you sure she has fleas ( have you seen them), because there are other reasons (ex: nerve condition) than fleas that cause a dog to scratch.
If it is fleas you might try giving her garlic oil (5000mg.) softgel capsules daily. I used to have problems with fleas too. I haven't had any problem in years now.
You can get them at the grocery store, drug store or order them on the internet from 'Vitamin World'.
You'll probably have to give them for a week or two before you really see a difference.
How it works is once it gets into her system some of the smell comes out on her skin ( the fleas can smell it, but you won't) The fleas don't like it and go away.
I know it sounds strange, but my dogs have been free of fleas for years.
note: after the first week it might be a good idea to give her a good shampoo to get rid of any eggs or dead flea residue.
DAWN dish detergent, but it has to be the BLUE kind of DAWN will kill the fleas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bathe the dog, rinse completely and bathe and rinse her again and ...no more fleas!
Please take your dog to your vet and have him or her dipped for fleas! Then use Frontline. You can get it from you vet. It goes on the back of the dog's neck and gets applied once a month. It's easy to use and your dog will be flea free. Also, have your house professionally exterminated! I really do understand what it's like to be tight on money and yet needing to tend to a problem with a pet. Even though you are trying to do some of the cheaper, easier things, please take my word for it: they WON'T work!!! This is the ONLY way to get rid of the fleas. I know it costs money, but if you keep using ideas that don't work, they cost money, too, and without being effective! It makes a lot more sense to just get things professionally treated. Also, your dog's health hangs in the balance as well. The longer he has fleas, the more compromised his health will become. Please do NOT do the garlic or brewer's yeast remedies. They absolutely do NOT work. Good luck!
I think frontline is the best,you can purchase it from the vet or online.
GO TO YOUR VET! FRUGAL IS GREAT BUT IT'S TIME FOR A TRIP TO THE VET!!!! Scrimp when you must, but your dog is a living thing, deserving of REAL HELP. This is one of those medical emergencies when you need to get her to the vet.
Do NOT use Pine Sol on your dog! Take your dog to the vet immediately! Get your dog dipped and then get Frontline to put on the dog once a month! These so-called home remedies do NOT work! Don't waste your money on silly stuff and above all, DON'T risk your dog's health!
I bathe my puppy in Dawn then dry him. Rub tea tree oil on him, rub it in good.
Editor's Note: Tea Tree Oil is considered toxic to dogs and cats and should not be used directly.
Don't take chances, with a pet! Get a product, from
your vet, that is approved, for the special need.
Over the counter products and home remedies
How do you know it is fleas? It could be ringworm or another skin condition.
It if is fleas, a simple application of ADVANTAGE or similar product will get rid of them.
Please do not rub Tea Tree oil on your dog after bathing, as one poster suggested. My teenager uses Tea Tree Oil nightly for slight acne. One night our Yorkshire Terrier went in for hugs and kisses and rubbed against her face - he was in pain. The Tea Tree Oil burnt his skin, eyes, nose, etc.
this is all very good advice...true you need PROFESSIONAL flea medication and/or advice.
Please, please do not skimp on your animal and hopefully...everyone out there reading these postings may consider this....if you can not afford vet bills, consider getting a goldfish, please.,Our animals deserve good care
I heard that when a dog has flee's usually they also have worms. I'm not sure if this is the case in your situation, your dog could also be allergic to the flee bites and that's why his neck is raw and lost his hair. You should really take your pet the the vet. Never use chemicals on your pet.
Give your dog powdered brewers yeast with its food.
Two teaspoons for a large dog and much smaller dose say 1/2 tsp. for a small dog. Also make some strong tea and bathe your dog in the tea starting with the head so the fleas do not get into the ears. Tea solution is healing and does not hurt the eyes
I have lived all my life with dogs and only recently moved to a place where there are fleas. Had never even seen them up till now.
One of the first things I discovered was that vet provided remedies are somewhat toxic. Well they have to be if they are going to kill the fleas and discourage new ones. Even flea collars have a certain amount of toxicity.
So I tried every gentle home remedy I could find. Borax, essential oils, garlic, Dawn, shampoos etc. But my dogs continued to scratch and were miserable.
So I finally went to the vet and got the stuff that works.
Yes, it is still toxic but I accept the tradeoff and my dogs are a lot more comfortable. I do take extra care to see that my dogs have as good nutrition as possible so that their body's natural cleansing system can rid itself of the toxins.
FIRST AND FOREMOST---NEVER EVER USE A CLEANING PRODUCT ON ANY PET. YOU COULD KILL THEM.
If you can find flea killing powder, put it down and follow the directions on the product.
Next, take the dog out for the day, preferably for a flea dip, and have someone vacuum your rugs, furniture, strip your beds down to the mattress and vacuum those too. ( then throw away the bag, not in the house, but in the dumpsters, or far away from the home. Then have your non carpet floors mopped. I use vinegar and *HOT* water. Non toxic and the smell fades.
THEN shampoo all carpets, moving the furniture, cabinets, beds, bookshelves...this can be done professionally, if you have the money, or you can rent a steamer from a grocery store for around 20 dollars (or that is about what it cost here). Get the heavy duty shampoo for the carpet. All this has to be done straight away. Waiting will just not work. When this is done, vacuum again with a new bag, or if you have a bagless, make sure you empty it in a dumpster outside the house. Thoroughly wash out the cup with hot water and vinegar, making sure the cup is completely dry before putting it back.
I would also shampoo the couches. I would wash bed linen (the dog's and yours) in HOT water with bleach, or colour safe bleach.
Fleas are blood suckers. In any quanity, they can do harm to your pet. In great quanities, they can suck the life right out of your pet.
I hear buying Frontline (for pets) online is cheaper than at the vet's office. I would also find a vet you trust and ask if there is any herbal, or non toxic remedies that you can do to keep the fleas away. If you do not think you would get a straight answer from the vet, or he wants to sell you an ultra expensive product, try asking shops that sell natural remedies.
I wish you good luck. For something not even long as a hangnail, those buggers can sure be a huge pain. Keep us update on what you have tried, what worked and what did not.
*peace*
Just a piece of personal advice: I'd spend the extra money to get things done professionally. Fleas multiply at an alarming rate, and if you see one, it is a safe bet it has dozens and dozens of hidden companions you won't see, but feel...I'd rather spend the money now to know 100% I solved the problem, than to spend only a few and not be entirely sure....JMHO.
I have not used pine sol on my animals yet ,But I have cleaned there kennels with A cloth i dipped in pine sol and it was covered with dead fles and the next day I did the same thing and there were dead ticks also . I've sprayed A light mist on my carpets around there kennels (Their bedrooms:})All my animals are inside .Only go out to potty and come right back in doors.I've spent much money on the frontline ,frontline plus etc. from vet and online NEVER worked !!!!!! Borax for my floors left it down 2 days and hey lots of dead fleas came up from my carpet.I have A lab mix puppy ,shi tzu 1 year and A himalayan Cat .The cat has more hair than both my dogs and has never gone outside .But he is the one who gets the most fleas.He is now on iron because of the fleas they ate up his Blood !!! So that's where I am right now ,Cat goes back to vet monday to have his teeth cleaned and A flea dip . Anyway Good Luck .I live in Ga CAN'T WAIT FOR WINTER LOL
White Ivory dish soap is more gentle than Dawn, no slight to the Dawn manufacturers intended.
Tea Tree Oil can be toxic if you apply too much. How much is too much? I don't really know, but if you feel compelled to use it, I would put about a dime size amount in your hands, rub them together and then pet your dog. I wouldn't use it like this more than once a week after bathing. Tea tree oil is a natural antibiotic, but it can sting like all get out on raw skin.
Advantage seems to do a pretty good job. The water bowl under the nightlight actually works, too. If you have no animals or children who can get into it at night, you might try putting a little dish soap or tea tree oil into the water. Both seem to capture the fleas legs and they drown.
There is a hydrocortisone shampoo and topical cream especially for dogs that might help the miserable itch.
Nothing compares to veterinary advice though.
Good luck.
Pine sol is toxic to cats and probably not good for dogs.
The Pine oil in the product is the toxic part
1. I have used a diluted pine sol solution on my pets for years. I also mop my floor with pine sol solution. In 1984, I went to Philadelphia, Pa to pick up a German shepherd. She was 1 1/2 years old. I stayed with the family when she was a puppy. After a bitter divorce, the wife contacted me to say I could have the pet. When I got there she was not in the backyard. I went to the front porch (where we sat many of hours). I called her name. She came running, jumping the rails that connected the row houses. When she reached me, I petted her from head to toe. She was FULL of ticks. FULL! I mixed a gallon jug with 1/16 pine sol solution and the rest with warm water. I started sponging the solution around her face, eyes and ears.
This is where the fleas run to when a solution is applied. A friend of mine poured the solution down along her spine as I massaged the solution through her coat. The final stages was the tail and legs. During this time, she stayed still. Ticks began dropping off of her. Literally. The ones that were still alive, we stepped on. You could hear them pop. I let the solution stay on for about five to seven minutes then rinsed her with warm water. Princess lived with me for five years afterwards until her death.
2. Garlic is very, very. very effective. I use the dried solution, putting it inside my dogs and cat food daily.
3. I have heard that DAWN (Blue Solution) works against fleas. I have not had the opportunity to try it.
3. I have read the previous posts and ask: You state pine sol is toxic. Where is your evidence? What are the adverse actions from using a diluted pine sol solution? Hmmm?
4. Back in the day, hunting dogs were spayed or neutered by the owner. It this also too old a remedy for our society today?
I await your response.
When you get tired of fleas. 1st: vacuum and wash everything. 2nd: spray everything with Viper. 3rd: wash dog with pinesol starting around the eyes and ears. Repeat once a week for one month. 4th: start dog on frontline.
Pine sol is a toxin and should never be used on your pet. If you have been battling fleas and no other approved products have worked try Comfortis. It is a new flea product you can get at your Vets Office and it works wonders. It is an oral tablet given once a month that controls fleas.
I think Pine Sol is sooo strong. I would only bathe a really infested animal in Dawn and water, the blue kind and leave it on a couple of minutes before rinsing. I have multiple pets so I order frontline online, the spray bottle, and it lasts all summer. No rx needed.
The most effective "bath" is baby shampoo and peroxide to kill fleas. Again leave on a few minutes, and then rinse. Then why dry, apply frontline spray or shoulder treatment.
Salt discourages fleas on carpets, beds, etc. We had fleas last year so bad, that is when I did the frontline spray instead of the shoulder appication.
The vet wanted forty dollars for the spray and I bought it online for 24.00. Hmm.
earthclinic.com has a pet section....very useful info. robyn
I had a very itchy dog and it was not fleas but a skin condition so the vet gave me the equivalent of benydryl and a bottle of fish oil pills to give him every day. They made his coat so pretty and helps with the dry skin. Usually when they are itching, I treat for fleas after a bath and then do the benydryl thing. If it continues, I do the cream treatment, you the cream you put on that is a cortisone cream. Have not had any bad reactions so far between all these therapies. I have not tried the apple cider vinegar in the water bowl yet. Robyn
Always remember if you wouldn't put it on you then don't put it on your pet. I have found that hemaroid medicine is the best all around, It has benzocaine in it and that's what causes the itching to stop. This is good for pets as well as humans, I mentioned it to a doctor, he laughed he said but that it was a great idea to help ease itching of mosquito bites also for humans. My Vet also told me to buy the cheapest flea collars that you can find and place them under the furniture of your house that way they have no place to hide. Sprinkle powder soap on the rugs, sweep it into the rug with a broom. Leave it on for a day or 2 and then vaccum. Fleas eat the soap and can't burp, that's how they die. Hope this helps. I have used this before with no problems.
Any chemical you use on your pet (even from the vet) can cause negative reactions. No matter what you use, if you wait a few minutes and then fully rinse and re-wash your pet again to be sure, you will reduce any chance of adverse affects. Whatever you do: Try to keep any chemicals and even the rinse water from getting in their eyes, ears, nose, or mouth.
To those who say something does not work: Why do you think people here say some of these remedies have worked for them? Maybe you didn't do it right. Fleas can develop a resistance to most vet advised flea treatment chemicals, but they can never develop a resistance to powdered soap, borax, bleach (I don't advocate this one for pets, but it's ok for floors and hard surfaces if you rinse afterward), and PineSol.
Garlic has mixed results depending on both flea resistance and quantity fed to your dog. To those worried Garlic is bad the same as onions are for dogs, think again.
Oh, and since nobody else cites their sources: (www.vetinfo.com/garlic-dogs-safe.html)
Vets may disagree of the safety of Pinesol because of Phenols naturally occurring in the pine oil, but most seem to agree that rinsing it off reduces any possibility of a problem enough to call it a non-issue.
Change the above link to /dtoxin.html for a more complete list.
Now I am not going to say that this site is cat's meow of vet info sites, but it's certainly in line with US national averages for veterinary beliefs and practices.
Do your own search if you like though, as there's no replacement for a few minutes Googling intelligent search terms...
Good luck everyone.
Eric W
When you mop the kitchen floor with Pine Sol and water, does it disinfect the floor of germs and bacteria?
By jasmine from Pasadena, CA
Yes, it is a disinfectant: www.pinesol.com/
"Does Original Pine-Sol® Brand Cleaner disinfect? Yes. Original Pine-Sol® Brand Cleaner is registered with the E.P.A. as a disinfectant when used as directed full-strength. It kills household bacteria on hard non-porous surfaces."
It does kill germs, but also is dangerous if you have pets, especially cats. The Phenol in Pine Sol is harmful and even toxic if they walk across the wet floor, then clean their feet.
Wow. Thanks, COFlower. I've been adding a little chlorine bleach to my mop water with the Pine-Sol, just to be sure. Now I can save my bleach!
To my knowledge, Phenol is only used in Lysol, NOT Pinesol. When I called the company to try to find the original Lysol, which has been discontinued in favor of Les-toil, the company confirmed that the original Lysol had Phenol, the reason they discontinued it. Hospitals use some brand of Phenol, but it is not easily available to general public their staff says.
Best best is to use some chlorine, but with plenty of ventilation, with whatever else you use other than Ammonia that will explode when mixed with Chlorine. Good luck and God bless. : )
Is it safe to boil Pine Sol? I will sometimes put a small amount in a big pot of water and boil to give the house a fresh clean smell, is that safe?
By shortygal from MO
I don't know it for fact but because of the detergent (chemical) qualities, I would think the answer would be "no, it's not safe". It may very well okay but based on my chemistry classes in high school, boiling something like that, even diluted, could put out undesirable (toxic) gases.
If you want a nice smelling home, there are many other alternatives like putting misc spices in a pot with water (very good way to use up spices and even herbs that are no longer good for cooking or baking). Buying some essential oils that do not have any artificial ingedients and putting a few drops in some boiling water.
There is a reason that most cleaners have labels and many warn against using them but for their intended purposes. I can't say that Pine-Sol has those warnings as I don't use it but for your health, your family and your pets, I would stay away from boiling your cleaners, even in small quantities.
No, It is NOT safe to boil Pine Sol! If you really like the smell, go into any Health Food Store & buy a tiny bottle of Pine Essential Oil. This will cost around $5. You can then add the Pure Pine essential oil to a pan of water & boil it, or put a drop on a light bulb for a scent that will last. (the curly florescent bulbs work best, but any bulb will work) The sell lamp rings.. These are either metal or a special fiber that holds the oil near the bulb while the bulb heats it. You can also add a drop to a candle that has melted wax in it & whenever you re-light the candle it will smell like pine.
PineSol gets it's scent from Pine Essential oil, so it will smell exactly the same, but with no danger to you or your family.
If you like Pine oil because it smells "clean", you may like Spruce oil. It smells like Christmas & it's one of my favorites! If you want to buy it online, just Google Essential Oil. It's much cheaper to buy it online & you can buy a large bottle for a very good price, thought many on-line supplies have a $50 minimum order. But, not to worry, a tiny bottle from the Health Food Store will last for MANY months, probably many years, just keep it away from the sunshine in a tightly close bottle.
A Tip: To get your home smelling wonderful in 2 seconds, simply sprinkle real cinnamon powder (without sugar) directly on to a warm burner on your stove, then turn it off. It will smell like you've been baking all day! It's super-yummy & very welcoming to guests!
Just mop the floor with it, or get a rag and go over the dirty spots on the floor, then you'll have to smell throughout the house!
Take it from a 55 year old who was emergency hospitalized this past April because couldn't breathe and diagnosed with Emphysema after life long use of man made chemicals that it's not worth the risk!
There are so many natural things you can use to make your home smell nice and vinegar is a great disinfectant and cleanser and baking soda is also a great cleanser!
Here's my list of Home Sweeteners:
Natural Home Sweeteners
Winter is coming and with that the windows and doors will be closed up tight and odors trapped inside. Here are some ideas to sweeten the smell of your home without harmful chemicals.
Place a small sprinkling of ground cinnamon or ground clove on an electric stove burner and turn on the heat to the very lowest setting possible.
Preheat oven to 350 F. degrees. Use a small piece of tinfoil, turn up the edges and pour a teaspoon of vanilla on top and place the foil in the oven. Turn off oven and prop the door open a bit.
Place 1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla or vanilla extract in small cups or bowls around the home. Mix small amounts of lemon juice or vinegar and baking soda together and place in small cups or bowls around the home.
To abolish cooking odors simmer 1 tablespoon vinegar with one cup of water in a small pan. Simmer your favorite spices, citrus rinds or fresh pine needles in a small pan of water on the stove. Experiment by mixing and matching. Also, instead of throwing out stale dated apple, cranberry or orange juice, just simmer in a small pan on the stove. Be sure to set a timer to remind you that it's time to add more water!
In a spray bottle, add several drops of your favorite essential oil to water. Shake to mix and mist the air.
Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to a cotton ball and place around the home.
Place a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil on a light bulb. Be sure to only do this on a bulb that is turned of and is cool! Once you turn on the light on the heat from the bulb will slowly release the essential oil in the air.
Place a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil inside your cardboard toilet paper roll and the scent will be released every time someone removes toilet paper.
Place springs of fresh eucalyptus around your home. And don't forget fresh flowers ;-)
I just heat cinnamon, cloves, allspice, spices like that, in a pot of water. I have a small pot that that is the only thing i use it for! It smells wonderful in the house. And you can buy those spices at the dollar store now, so it is very inexpensive.
My grass was pretty and green, until I sprayed Pine Sol on it for the fleas. Now it looks like my yard is dying.
Help?
I have a Hoover Steamvac and would love to use my Pine-Sol cleaner solution in it. Would this damage the cleaner?
Thanks.
By Betsy S.
Will PineSol hurt my pet dog if sprayed on weeds?
By Lydia from Houston, TX
Just curious, what are the benefits of spraying pine sol on plants?
I've never had any problem using Pine Sol around my pets as long as it was diluted well and the room was well ventilated. Never heard of spraying it on plants. Seems to me it would clog up the "pores" on them.
I sometimes pour a small amount of Pine Sol into my sink drains and toilets when I want the fresh smell of clean and don't actually need to clean or "feel like cleaning"!
