Ticks are tiny insects belonging to the arachnid family. There are hundreds of species of ticks. Many carry bacteria and viruses that can cause serious illnesses such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease.
If you love the outdoors, ticks can be difficult to avoid. For those who love beaches, hiking and parks, funds can help greatly.
Many manufactured tick repellents contain chemicals. If you prefer a natural alternative, there is a wide range of essential oils that you can use to avoid tick bites.
Oregano
Oregano essential oil wins in several ways. It contains cedrol, which can kill 100 percent of the ticks it comes into contact with when used in high doses. Cedar oil also contains cedrol and may be useful in protecting against ticks.
Carvacrol, a component of oregano oil, is very effective in killing Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. This can be of double benefit in case of a tick bite.
Oregano oil may cause skin irritation in some people. Like all essential oils, oregano oil should be diluted in a carrier oil. Be sure to do a patch test before using it on a large area.
How to Use Oregano Oil as a Tick Repellent
To use oregano oil as a mite repellent, mix 5-6 drops for every ounce of carrier oil and apply to exposed skin using a cotton ball.
You can also spray the oregano oil mixture directly onto clothing such as pants, socks, jackets, and hats. Ticks often fall from trees, so it is necessary to protect your head.
Do not use oregano oil on delicate fabrics that may stain.
Never apply undiluted oregano oil directly to your skin. First you need to dilute it.
How to get rid of ticks using folk remedies?
It’s worth noting right away that folk remedies are not capable of destroying ticks or driving them away from their summer cottage. They can only scare away blood-sucking pests. To obtain maximum effect and safety, it is recommended to wear special clothing and mechanical protection (mosquito net, hood, thick cuffs on sleeves and trousers) when going into the forest. Vaccination will protect against tick-borne encephalitis. The medical method is a modern, one of the most effective methods of protection against the sad consequences of an attack by a dangerous parasite.
Vaccination, a special protective suit and natural ingredients are a good set that reduces the likelihood of being bitten by a forest tick. If this does happen, getting vaccinated in advance will save you from encephalitis, which often leads to serious chronic diseases and death.
How to get rid of ticks using folk remedies? The main principle of any method in this group is based on the effect of strong aromas that repel blood-sucking parasites. These can be herbs, oils, compounds from household chemicals, perfume. You can use any source of a pungent odor that is safe for humans, but intolerable to forest ticks.
Combination of thyme and citronella
Citronella oil is a widely used biopesticide that has been registered by the Environmental Protection Agency as an insect repellent since 1997.
The combination of thyme and citronella essential oils is most effective against ticks.
How to Use Citronella Oil as a Tick Repellent
To apply, add 10-15 drops of citronella oil plus 5 drops of thyme oil to water and spray onto skin or clothing. Since oil and water do not mix effectively, adding a dispersing agent such as saltwater may help. Use a 4:1 ratio - 4 drops of solubol for every drop of essential oil - and mix well.
You can also dilute the oil in a carrier oil and apply to the skin.
Be sure to patch a small area of skin before applying more broadly, as some people react to citronella and other essential oils.
Let's group repellent essential oils:
The Campers Guide to Essential Oil Bug Repellent divides them into the following groups:
| From mosquitoes: | For fleas: | From ticks: |
| Citronella, cedar, lemongrass, mint, eucalyptus, lemon, geranium, basil, lavender, thyme, cloves | Cedar, tea tree, citronella, eucalyptus, lemongrass, orange, lavender, pine | Lavender, lemon, cedar, geranium, eucalyptus |
Carnation
Clove bud oil is effective in protecting against ticks, a finding that was confirmed by a 2006 study.
How to use clove oil as a tick repellent
You can prepare a tick repellent by adding 10 to 15 drops of clove bud essential oil to 30 ml of water. You can add solubil so that the oil is better distributed in the water. Use a 4:1 ratio - 4 drops of solubol for every drop of essential oil.
Using the same diet, you can also make a topical oil by mixing clove oil with a carrier oil such as coconut oil. Massage damp skin into exposed areas generously.
Advantages
Still, natural products with essential oils have more advantages than disadvantages. Firstly, such products are completely non-toxic. They can be used in small puppies and kittens, and pregnant females. There are only slight restrictions for nursing females and suckling cubs. Secondly, such drugs are very difficult to overdose on. Even if you apply the phytospray too much, you just need to wash off the excess. Thirdly, in addition to the repellent effect, preparations with essential oils have many therapeutic and healing effects. And the bonus is a pleasant natural aroma from your animal.
Red thyme
Red thyme contains carvacrol and has been shown to be effective in repelling ticks when applied to skin or clothing. This is a highly concentrated, powerful oil that is a natural antiseptic. It is obtained by first distilling white thyme oil.
Red thyme oil may cause skin irritation in some people. Never use it at full strength and do not use it on pets .
How to Use Red Thyme Oil as a Mite Repellent
To repel ticks, add 3-5 drops of red thyme oil to 2 cups of a carrier oil such as jojoba and apply to skin.
Lemon eucalyptus
Lemon eucalyptus is a common ingredient in many insecticides. You can buy a commercial eucalyptus oil-based insect repellent or make your own by adding 15 to 20 drops of the oil to 4 ounces of water. You can also add solubil so that the oil is better distributed in the water. Use a 4:1 ratio - 4 drops of solubol for every drop of essential oil.
Lemon eucalyptus essential oil may be irritating to some people's skin, so it is important to dilute it with a carrier oil before applying to the skin. Be sure to patch a small area of skin before applying more widely.
What are ticks afraid of: folk remedies
Forest ticks navigate in space using different methods, including using smells. This has long been noticed and taken into account when developing effective means of protection against blood-sucking parasites. Scents that are intolerable to dangerous arachnids have been used by people to repel them for many years. The accumulated knowledge of what ticks are afraid of is included in folk remedies for killing parasites.
All folk methods can be divided into large groups:
- Natural ingredients from herbs and fruits.
- Household chemicals.
- Pharmacy repellent drugs: acaricidal, repellent, combined action.
- Essential oils.
- Tools at hand.
- Growing plants and flowers with a strong, repellent aroma in the garden.
The most effective control of parasites will be when using a combination of different repellent methods.
Pharmaceutical preparations for ticks
Pharmaceutical products made from natural ingredients have a repellent or fatal effect on ticks. They are divided into acaricidal preparations, repellents and mixed type compounds. The classification is based on the method of exposure, speed and degree of protection.
Acaricidal preparations must be applied to clothing and exposed areas of the body. They erode quickly and require frequent re-spraying. The compound contains components that are toxic to ticks, which begin to manifest their effect only when the parasite comes into contact with treated clothing or skin.
Repellents are less effective. They can scare away, but not destroy, the blood-sucking parasite. Some parasites freely overcome the barrier of repellent and attack humans.
Combined action products provide a person with double protection: the first barrier is based on a deterrent effect. If the tick does not pay attention to the aroma and continues to look for the bite site, then upon contact with the poison it will die.
Essential oils
Fragrant oils are a popular way to protect yourself from tick attacks while walking. But they wear off after a couple of hours and require frequent reapplication.
The following essential oils are suitable for repelling most ticks:
- pine nuts;
- eucalyptus;
- palmarosa: aroma similar to deep floral geranium;
- thyme: the repellent effect can be enhanced with the help of an additional component - rosemary;
- basil;
- wormwood: bitter herb has a repellent effect on most insect pests of cultivated plants;
- cloves: tart, bright, rich aroma is unbearable for ticks;
- geranium;
- bai tree: quite expensive essential oil with a pungent and spicy aroma;
- rosemary: its specific aroma repels blood-sucking forest parasites.
There are many folk recipes for making homemade solutions, sprays and perfumes to protect against ticks.
All of them are based on the use of one of the essential oils. For example, you can prepare a gel for application to exposed areas of the body. To do this, you need to mix essential and vegetable oil. And use aloe vera gel as a basis for creating the structure. All specific odors (harsh, bright, bitter, tart, spicy, pungent, deep floral) are perceived by forest ticks as a danger signal. They hurry to leave the territory, avoiding the source of the aroma.
Household chemicals against ticks
In every home there is at least one or two products from which you can prepare an effective anti-tick preparation. Their action is based on a pungent odor, which has a repellent effect on blood-sucking parasites.
- Vinegar Spray: Mix apple cider vinegar and water (2:1 to 1:3 ratio) and add 15-20 drops of any essential oil listed above. The ratio of chemical components should be selected taking into account the age and sensitivity of the person. When working with apple cider vinegar, you must follow safety precautions.
- Alcohol spray: mix 20 grams of alcohol and 250 ml of water. A few drops of essential oil will help enhance the repellent effect and aroma that is unpleasant for ixodid ticks.
- Ticks are known to be wary of fire sources. But they rely on smell, so to repel parasites, you can dilute “Liquid Smoke” with water and apply the resulting mixture to your clothes before going outdoors. Cooled ashes on clothing have a similar effect, but they are less convenient to use.
Natural plants and ingredients
Fresh and dry herbs, spices, and aromatic fruits are often used to make tick repellent. Several recipes:
- Turn geranium leaves into a paste and pour boiling water over them. When the solution has completely cooled, it can be used to treat clothing.
- For 100 ml of vodka, take at least 2 grams of vanilla. Infuse the drug for 7 days.
- A powerful repellent weapon against ixodid ticks is garlic cologne. One clove will require one glass of water. After 8 hours, the drug is ready to be sprayed on skin and clothing.
- Mix seven tablespoons of dry wormwood with a glass of water. Spray on clothes with a spray bottle.
Other drugs based on improvised means
There are several other recipes for making your own tick repellents. Most people have the ingredients for their preparation at home. As a last resort, they can be purchased at the nearest pharmacy or store.
- Cologne-based spray: mix any perfume (about 20 g) with 10-15 drops of valerian tincture. Both components contain alcohol, which will repel ticks. The spray can be sprayed onto clothing and exposed areas of the body, periodically renewing the aroma.
- The following recipe combines the action of the pungent odor of several substances. You need to mix liquid soap, apple cider vinegar in water and add “Star” balm. Mix all this thoroughly until it has a homogeneous consistency and uniform color. For better and faster dissolution of the components, the mixture can be heated.
- Spray based on bay leaf. If possible, it is better to use a fresh plant. It has a more pronounced and rich aroma. But dry bay leaves, which most people keep in their kitchens as a seasoning, can also make an effective preparation for repelling ticks. To prepare, pour a glass of boiling water over laurel leaves for four hours. The second recipe is to prepare a tincture, when the plant is poured with alcohol and the tincture is left to ripen in a dark place for 14 days.
Protecting your garden plot from ixodid ticks
Gardens and vegetable gardens are common habitats for ticks. Treatment of the area with the help of folk remedies will help you escape from blood-sucking parasites and protect your suburban area:
- Add 1/3 laundry soap and three tablespoons of tar to 10 liters of water. Treat the area with the resulting homogeneous solution.
- Take 300 grams of pyrethrum for 10 liters of water. Pour the resulting concentrate into a spray bottle and treat the plants in the garden.
- Mix seven tablespoons of dry wormwood with 10 liters of water. Spray on plants with a spray bottle.
Along the perimeter of the area to repel ticks, you can plant plants that emit a rich aroma: lavender, mint, basil, cilantro, erect or African marigolds.
Folk remedies for children and sensitive people
Some of the drugs discussed above are aggressive. They are not recommended for use for protection against ticks by children and people prone to allergic reactions. In such a situation, it is better to pay attention to drugs with a milder effect. It is ideal to combine them with mechanical protection and vaccination.
- Heat water, add vanillin and bring the mixture to a boil. Cool the solution, pour into containers and spray on clothes. You can treat exposed areas of the body with a cotton pad soaked in concentrate.
- Mix almond oil with any essential oil that repels ticks. This drug should be used only if there is no allergy to the components included in its composition.
- A decoction of clove flowers is suitable for treating leather.
If you decide to give preference to traditional methods of protection against ticks, if possible, undergo regular vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis and use special suits when going out into nature. Combined methods of combating blood-sucking parasites demonstrate maximum effectiveness. Preparations based on natural ingredients quickly lose their aromatic and repellent properties, so it is necessary to treat clothing and exposed areas of the body every 1-3 hours, depending on the intensity and concentration of the product. You can prepare them yourself or purchase ready-made natural anti-tick mixtures at pharmacies and specialized online stores.
If your dacha is being attacked by blood-sucking parasites, their numbers have reached enormous proportions, you should not hesitate and try to scare them away with folk remedies. They are effective only as a preventive measure and in the presence of single individuals on the site. In difficult situations, professional methods of struggle will help solve the problem. Contact for help. Specialists will select an effective anti-tick drug that is safe for people and pets. They will quickly treat the local area and garden using modern equipment. You can get a free consultation by toll-free telephone and email.
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What to do if a tick is crawling on you?
If you notice a tick on your skin but it does not bite you, quickly remove it with tweezers or a gloved hand. If it's on your clothes, brush it off.
If the tick has already burrowed into your skin, use sharp-tipped tweezers to grab the tick as close to the surface of the skin as possible.
Try to remove the tick by the head, not the body, to remove the mouth part. In a quick motion, pull it upward with steady, even pressure.
Apply antibacterial ointment to the bite site.
If you suspect a tick has been on your skin for several hours or longer, contact your doctor after removing the tick for a blood test. This is especially important if you notice redness, swelling, or a rash, such as the bull rash associated with Lyme disease.
If you want to keep the tick to show a healthcare professional, place it in a jar with a lid.
The dangers of Lyme disease
The nymphal tick is the tick most likely to cause Lyme disease. Most experts believe that the tick must be embedded in the skin for at least 24 hours before Lyme disease can be transmitted from ticks to humans.
Lyme disease can cause many debilitating symptoms, including:
- joint pain;
- swelling of large joints such as knees and elbows;
- extreme fatigue;
- heat;
- loss of short-term memory;
- speech problems;
- muscle pain.
Contact your doctor immediately if you have any of these symptoms.
Dangers of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a bacterial infection transmitted by the bite of an infected tick. Symptoms include vomiting and high fever, as well as muscle and abdominal pain.
If you become infected with RMSF, you may see a rash with small red spots on your arms and legs within 5 days. You may also see a second purplish-red rash, which indicates progression of the disease.
RMSF is a serious disease that, if left untreated, can cause serious organ damage or death. Contact your doctor immediately if you suspect you have RMSF.
Additional therapeutic effect
Repellent essential oils have disinfecting and regenerating effects, emit a delicate aroma and refresh for several hours, and also have the following additional properties.
- Citronella
- normalizes blood circulation, eliminates inflammation on the skin, gives a refreshing and invigorating effect. - Lavender
- accelerates wound healing, is used to treat skin abscesses, ulcers, joint diseases, has antimicrobial and antiviral effects, soothes and normalizes the process of falling asleep. - Schizandra
- increases the efficiency of the body's metabolic processes, stimulates lymphatic drainage and blood circulation. - Cloves
– has a general strengthening effect, promotes rapid healing of wounds, and has a tonic effect on the body. - Eucalyptus
– has a disinfectant effect, eliminates muscle weakness, produces a hypotonic effect, and is used to treat colds. - Chrysanthemum
– has a general strengthening and antimicrobial effect, gives a calming effect. - Tea tree
- has a pronounced antifungal, antiviral and antimicrobial effect, promotes cleansing and healing of wounds, is used to treat skin abscesses, and stimulates the immune system. - Neem
– has antifungal, antiparasitic, antitumor effects.
Other ways to avoid ticks
Ticks can be found in wooded or grassy areas or on beaches. They live in leaf piles, tall grass, trees and bushes. Their active season varies from place to place, but in general ticks can bite when the ground is not frozen or covered with snow.
In some areas, young ticks are most active from May to August. Adult ticks are most active from March to May and from August to November.
In addition to using products, there are several ways to avoid ticks and the diseases they carry:
- Cover as much skin and scalp as possible. Tuck your pants into your socks, put on a hat, and fasten your long-sleeve shirt or jacket at the wrist with snaps or an elastic band.
- Treat exposed skin with the product of your choice.
- When you return home from your walk, check your skin and scalp for ticks, as ticks can be as small as sesame seeds and dark in color. Ask a friend to look at areas of skin you can't see, such as your back. Be sure to check between your toes, legs and behind your ears.
- Wash clothes in hot water and dry.
