What is the best way to get rid of fleas on cats and dogs?

I have tried all of those otc remedies and nothing works. I can't really afford to take them to the vet either. Looking for a home remedy to use that is safe to use on them.

I feel your pain. Fleas are frustrating. Many over the counter preparations don't work in breaking the life cycle of a flea. Shampoos only take care fleas on the dog(and give you clean fleas, lol)- but you could wash them off and drown them anyway. When you get a flea medication make sure it has a GROWTH REGULATOR in it. This will break the lifecycle of the flea in your environment. The eggs hatch in your furniture and rugs so, the fleas you see on your pet is only half the battle. Frontline and Advantage are expensive but ultimately worth the expense since they work so well to break this cycle. My clinic allows you to by your Frontline 1 dose at a time, rather than a whole box, to help with the expense. Check with your area Vet. You will need to use any growth regulating product exactly according to the directions for a minimum of 3 months to eliminate the fleas from your environment. In warm moist weather a flea lifecycle can be 2 weeks from egg to breeding flea. Daily vacuuming every where (even hard floors)helps pick up the eggs and larva. I hear salt sprinkled on your carpet over night and vacuumed the next morning helps dry out the larva. Good luck ! Hope this helps.

Pet stores sell Frontline. It works

Advantage Multi Topical Solution For Cats. ( k 9 advantix)and regular k 9 advantix for dogs. should work. we tried frontline on my cat and she still had fleas, and ended up with worms about 3 or 4 days ago.