The Most Important Place To Use Flea Collars That You're Probably Missing

For most of us, flea collars are something we put on our cats and dogs to keep them from bringing pests into the house when they adventure outside. It also keeps them from spreading pests to one another when you have multiple pets.

These plastic collars aren't all created equally, as Pet Basics points out. Some kill only adults or younger fleas, while others can get rid of both, while even other collars will both kill and repel fleas. You can check the box the collars come in to find out exactly what kind of coverage you're getting with any specific product.

The thing is, even if you don't have any pets, flea collars may be something you'll want to add to your shopping list because they can repel bugs from more than just pets. While APHC warns that you want to avoid using these repellents on yourself, they can come in handy in another area of your home.

That's right — flea collars can help get rid of bugs that are bugging your houseplants! The Herb Gardener says that the collar might not kill bugs that are in your plants, but it does work to make an unfriendly environment for the bugs that will cause them to want to move elsewhere (hopefully outside of your home). They also suggest that before using flea collars as a bug deterrent, you should give your plant a nice cleansing bath in some soapy warm water if you've spotted pests. Once the plant is dry, you can put it in a quarantine area away from other plants and put a flea collar around the pot or on the shelf with it.

It should only take a few days for the bugs to leave your plants, at which point you can give them another nice bath and put them back in their usual spot. Toss the flea collar in the trash — you'll want to use a new one if any pests return.

If you're worried about the chemicals in flea collars or you just don't want to spend money on one for your plants, you can make your own (and since you'll be using them for a plant, you don't even have to buy a collar to dip in your concoction).

Pawtracks points out that there are various options online for bug repelling mixes that work with DIY flea collars and shares one that simply requires a few ingredients you might have at home (or are easily found at the store). Combine a tablespoon of witch hazel, a couple of drops of cedarwood, lavender, tea tree, and thyme essential oils with a teaspoon of garlic oil, and soak a piece of cloth in it (something long enough to tie around your plant's pot will do). Put the cloth up to dry, and once it is, you can put it with your plants.

Other ingredients that are useful in repelling bugs this way include citronella, clove, eucalyptus, and peppermint.