Ticks are not just pesky nuisances, they spread dangerous tickborne diseases that pose a serious threat to our health. In this blog post, we will discuss ways to get rid of ticks, as well as reliable methods to prevent them from coming back.
Using the right tick repellents, keeping your yard clean, and protecting your pets will give you peace of mind when it comes to these nasty intruders.
How To Get Rid of Ticks
If you happen to find a tick crawling around your home, or even worse, on yourself, your kids, or your pet, don’t panic! Instead, grab a pair of tweezers and gently but steadily pull it out as close to the skin as possible.
Whatever you do, avoid twisting or jerking the tick, as it might cause pieces of its mouth to break off and remain embedded in your skin. Once you’ve removed the tick, drop it into a container of rubbing alcohol to ensure it’s dead.
A. Inside your home
If you have an infestation inside your home, you can use pesticides that contain pyrethrins or permethrins. Before you begin, read the label and follow the instructions carefully. To effectively kill all the ticks, apply the insecticides throughout your home, including on the carpets, curtains, and furniture.
If you would rather use a natural alternative, try using food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE). It is a drying agent that dehydrates ticks, so sprinkle it all around your home, on the furniture, and in small nooks and crannies where ticks might lay eggs.
Another natural alternative is cedar oil which suffocates ticks and their larvae on contact. You can use it to spray ticks directly or places where they might be hiding.
B. In your yard
The best way to remove ticks from your yard is to mow your lawn regularly, remove the leaves, and trim bushes and trees. Then spray your yard with a natural repellent made of water, apple cider vinegar, and neem oil.
How To Prevent Ticks From Coming Back
Ticks are dangerous parasites that can cause you and your family serious health issues. To protect yourself, your pets, and your home from ticks, the following are steps you can take:
- Wear long sleeves, pants, and closed shoes when going outside, especially in wooded or brushy areas, and tuck your clothes in to prevent ticks from crawling under your clothes.
- Use insect repellents containing DEET, lemon eucalyptus oil, IR3535, picaridin, para-menthane-diol, or 2-undecanone on your skin and clothes to repel ticks and other insects.
- Treat your clothing and equipment with permethrin to kill ticks on contact. Be careful not to apply it directly to your skin.
- After being outside, check yourself, your children, and your pets for ticks. If you find any, remove them immediately with tweezers and drop them in rubbing alcohol to kill them.
- Wash your clothes and bedding in hot water and dry them on high heat to kill any ticks that may be attached.
- Vacuum your floors, furniture, curtains, and rugs regularly to remove any ticks or eggs that may be hiding there. Get rid of the vacuum bag outside your home.
- Keep your lawn mowed and clear away any leaf litter, debris, or brush that may attract ticks. Use wood chips or gravel to form a barrier between your yard and any wooded areas to discourage ticks from entering your yard.
- Spray your yard with a natural repellent made of water, apple cider vinegar, and neem oil.
- Plant herbs or flowers that repel ticks, such as lavender, rosemary, mint, garlic, chrysanthemums, or marigolds.
By following these tips, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of ticks returning and causing harm to you and your loved ones.
Conclusion
Don’t let ticks ruin your outdoor fun or your comfort indoors. These bloodsucking parasites carry diseases and cause allergies.
You can get rid of them by removing them with tweezers, washing your clothes and bedding, and vacuuming your house. You can wear repellents and long clothes to prevent them from returning, clean your yard, and remove debris. You can also put wood chips or gravel around your property.
If you want to enjoy a tick-free home and yard, contact Bigham Pest Services now. They have all the know-how to rid your life of ticks for good.