Tick Repellent for Humans

Ticks are known as ectoparasites, as they feed on blood by staying outside their prey's body. This story tells you about a couple of tick repellants you can prepare at home.

I guess I do not have to tell you about what ticks are? But anyway, just to give you a quick introduction, these parasites survive by the means of hematophagy. Meaning, they feed on the blood of mammals (which include animals and us), birds, and even reptiles and amphibians.

The most important concern which arises from ticks is that these insects are carrier of several diseases; Lyme disease being the most common and severe. Tall grasses and shrubs are the places where these insects lay and then latch into the skin or fur of their hosts. Once they get their pick, they pierce the skin through their barbed snouts to suck blood. And they keep their snouts stuck until they are done with their feeding.

Of course you can avail commercial tick repellents from stores. However, in most cases, these products do not perform as good as they are projected. Moreover, they are expensive. So, here are some tips you can jot down to make your own natural tick repellent at home.

The ingredients you would require to make the repellent include white vinegar (2 cups), water (1 cup) and Eucalyptus, peppermint or citrus oils (20 drops). Get a spray bottle and mix all these ingredients and then spray it on your clothing and skin. Spraying the solution onto your hair won't do any harm.

This spray is recommended especially when you are planning to go outdoors, especially in the woods or doing work in the yard. For extra protection wear shoes and tuck your socks into your pants.

The second tick repellant recipe consists of vegetable oil (2 tbsp.), aloe vera gel (1 tbsp.), rose geranium essential oil (20 drops) and lavender essential oil (20 drops). Now, get an empty shampoo bottle and fill it with the vegetable oil and add the aloe vera gel.

Shake the bottle vigorously so that the gel blends with the oil. Now, add 20 drops of rose geranium essential oil to this mixture and shake the bottle once again.

Add the last ingredient, which is the lavender oil and shake for 30 seconds. So, before you go outdoors, rub this tick repellent which you have prepared, onto your hands, arms, ankles, neck and wherever you suppose ticks may find their way through. Even if the ticks attempt to latch onto your skin, they will fall off after they get the odor and taste of the repellent on your body.

Apart from the above natural tick repellents, you can also make use of Deet insect repellent or Permethrin. These two insecticides have been known to be the best commercial solutions for getting rid of ticks.

Before you get outdoors, spray either of these products on the outer side of your clothing, shoes/boots, knapsacks, sleeping bags and tents. Not only ticks would be away from you as long as you are out, you would "tick off" other menacing insects such as mosquitoes, mites and chiggers too.