Read the big special about ticks! It contains comprehensive information on combating ticks, especially in a gentle natural way. The publication also contains information on chemical preparations containing DEET, natural alternatives – for example, a list of herbs that repel ticks or a recipe for a natural repellent for humans and dogs. You will also read something about prevention and protection against ticks using food and livestock or how to properly remove a tick from the body.
Chemical repellent containing DEET
Most experts worldwide say that the most effective tick repellent is one that contains a substance called DEET. This is a pesticide, a chemical substance that was first used in agriculture to repel various types of pests and later by soldiers in the second half of the 20th century. It has been proven that 23.8% of the DEET substance contained in the repellent has very good repellent effects, however, some experts warn that it is a strong poison that can have a negative effect on the human or animal body. The use of tick products containing DEET, and the possible health consequences associated with it, is at the discretion of each individual.
In this article, we will talk more about repellents made at home using natural substances – various mixtures of herbs , etc. You will also learn something about tick control, types, or how to avoid them from getting on your body.
The article also includes recipes for making homemade repellent from natural products that do not contain pesticides. We offer a natural alternative whose effectiveness is sceptical by many experts, but others claim that it works great, even as well as DEET.
“Consider for yourself which product is better. DEET or natural repellent? You can try both and write us your opinion in the comments below the article.”
You can read more about DEET in the links below:
Why (not) use DEET
In an effort to live a more natural lifestyle and work hard to eliminate synthetic and toxic chemicals from our lives, it is a good idea to look for organic approaches and alternatives to conventional methods. Although DEET is recommended by most experts, many prefer natural protection against ticks and other serious pests. But everyone wants one thing: to keep their family safe from tick-borne diseases. It is up to each of us to make the decision about which product we truly trust.
DEET is a registered pesticide. It is a member of the chemical group toluenes. Toluene is an organic solvent used in rubber and plastic cements and paint removers. DEET is absorbed through the skin and enters the bloodstream.
The Bulletin of Medical Sciences, published by Pharmaceutical Information Associates Ltd., states: “Up to 56% of applied DEET penetrates intact human skin and 17% is absorbed into the bloodstream. Blood concentrations of approximately 3 mg per liter have been detected several hours after application of a DEET preparation applied to the skin as prescribed. DEET has also been shown to be absorbed through the gut.”
The most serious concern about DEET is its effects on the central nervous system. Dr. Mohammed Abou-Donia of Duke University studied the performance of laboratory animals on neurobehavioral tasks requiring muscle coordination. He found that laboratory animals exposed to the equivalent of average human doses of DEET performed much worse than animals not treated with the substance. Abou-Donia also found that combined exposure to DEET and permethrin, an ingredient in mosquito repellents, can lead to motor deficits and learning and memory impairments.
Natural Alternatives to DEET
So, if you don’t want to use chemical tick repellents and are convinced to go the natural route, read on. Before we start exploring natural ways to avoid ticks, we need to learn a little more about them. It’s important to know:
- tick behavior,
- tick-borne diseases,
- What do ticks look like?
What is a tick?
Ticks are tiny, blood-sucking arachnids (eight-legged insects related to spiders). They can be as small as a pinhead or as large as a pencil eraser. Different types of ticks can range in color from shades of brown to reddish-brown and black.
The more blood they suck, the larger they become. After a tick has fed on its host for several days or even weeks, it may turn a greenish-blue color. When it is satisfied with blood, it usually releases and falls off, begins to lay eggs, and starts its life cycle again.
Types of ticks
There are many different types of ticks, but only the common tick carries the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. In addition to Lyme disease, ticks can also transmit tick-borne encephalitis (a viral disease – inflammation of the brain).
Although tick-borne illnesses can have mild symptoms that can be treated at home, some symptoms can be very serious and even cause death. If you have been bitten by a tick, see your doctor immediately. You can read more about ticks on the website Klíště.cz .
How does a tick get on the human body?
You may have seen a tick sitting on a blade of grass with its front legs outstretched, waiting to get on your body and bite. Back in 1881, scientist G. Haller published the first description of how ticks behave, although he didn’t yet understand the purpose of this behavior. Haller thought that ticks had good auditory sensors, but it later turned out that they had especially powerful olfactory sensors. So when a tick sits on a blade of grass with its front legs extended, it senses the presence of a host, a human or animal, in the air and waits for it to approach so it can move.
It’s quite remarkable how well ticks can smell you, even the slightest movement. The so-called Haller’s organ can detect the carbon dioxide you exhale with each breath, as well as the ammonia found in your sweat. So a tick will react to all the unpleasant odors that humans produce, from breath to farts.
Ticks have an incredible sense of smell and can detect you, some even seek you out. The way herbs work to repel mosquitoes, spiders, ticks and other biting insects is by providing you with sensory camouflage. They mask your natural odors, which are very attractive to biting insects.
List of herbs that repel ticks
Many of the same herbs that repel mosquitoes and spiders also repel ticks.
Tick-repellent herbs in particular:
- Pink geranium (Pelargonium radens),
- Pelargonium capitatum (Pelargonium capitatum),
- Sweet Tom (Hierochloe odorata) – new research has found that it contains chemicals that work the same way as DEET,
- Mentha pulegium (Mentha pulegium),
- Rosemary (Rosmarinus),
- Ruta (Ruta graveolens),
- Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium),
- Lavender (Lavandula),
- Lemon balm – (Cymbopogon citratus),
- Lemongrass – Citronella (Cymbopogon nardus),
- Eucalyptus.
Mix up a homemade herbal spray
Now more than ever, it is important to research all the ingredients, properties and uses of herbs, as bacteria, parasites, viruses and pathogens have become resistant to current chemical preparations. Alternative natural repellents are thus coming back into fashion.
The long-term solution to tick-borne disease prevention, according to some scientists, lies in the power of plants and herbs. Our ancestors already used various decoctions and syrups made from natural products. This plant-based treatment, along with some knowledge of ticks and tick-borne diseases, may be your best bet for staying healthy, especially during the spring and summer months when ticks are most active.
Using essential oils
Any combination of the above herbs will work to repel ticks, but the most effective are the essential oils of Rose Geranium and St. John’s wort , which contain a high concentration of active ingredients. Always use them according to the instructions or package insert and never take them internally, but only as a repellent – spray.
You can use fresh herbs to make a natural tick repellent, but you need to have a lot of them and make a very, very strong decoction. You can also use essential oils from any of the plants listed above, but always buy only the highest quality and truly natural ones. Also, always make sure to use primarily Pelargonium and Tomkovica , as these have been proven to be the most effective.
Recipe for natural tick repellent
Mix your own safe and natural tick repellent with essential oils that you can use as a spray. We offer two recipes, one for humans and one easier for dogs .
Tick spray for humans
Ingredients
- 20 drops of rose or fragrant geranium essential oil,
- 10 drops of St. John’s wort essential oil,
- 5 drops of lavender essential oil,
- 5 drops of citronella or lemon essential oil,
- 120 ml of alcohol (pure spirit), or you can use witch hazel hydrolate, vodka, apple cider vinegar or distilled water.
Don’t forget that you will also need a spray bottle for the finished tick repellent.
Instructions for use
Add all ingredients to a spray bottle and spray it on your clothes every time you go outside. Always shake the spray bottle before using.
Note: While you can use water to make your repellent, other options are better for keeping the oils active longer. Additionally, tap water can contain impurities, so distilled water is preferred.
Anti-tick collar drops for dogs
Dogs are the biggest domesticated victims of ticks, especially due to their close proximity to the ground and their desire to roam outdoors and run around, whether in the woods or in tall grass. Dogs can also succumb to tick-borne diseases and viruses. In addition, they can bring ticks into your home.
Ingredients
- about 20 drops of essential oil of Pelargonium and Common Meadowsweet,
- 2 tablespoons of almond oil.
Note: you can use vegetable oil instead of almond oil, but almond oil contains sulfur, which is also a natural tick repellent.
Instructions for use
Mix these ingredients together and apply a few drops to your dog’s collar.
Important: These repellent oils are not intended for use on cats or pregnant animals.
Tick protection through food
There are many herbs that you can use to repel ticks, such as the aforementioned clothing repellent. However, there are also edibles that contain substances that are odorless to ticks and repel them. When you eat these foods, they release the right substances from your body.
- Gentian drops – herbalists have discovered that an effective remedy against ticks is an herb called Gentian (Gentiana), ideally in the form of medical drops.
- Garlic capsules – it has also been found that consuming garlic, ideally in the form of garlic capsules, reduces the risk of tick bites by 21%.
Tick protection using livestock
Animals, insects, and even fungi play an important role in maintaining the balance of nature. Some of the amazing species that can provide your family, homestead, or farm with natural tick control benefits include:
- Guinea fowl – used to help reduce tick populations and unlike chickens, they do not damage the garden.
- Chickens – they are huge consumers of ticks and any other insects.
- Ducks – Chickens, ducks, turkeys and guinea fowl are not only fun and beautiful, but they can provide fresh eggs daily and offer effective bug and slug control.
- Opossums – Opossums can kill about 5,000 ticks in one season.
- Nematodes and Fungi – Several species of parasitic nematodes and fungi infect ticks and can cause their demise. They have been investigated as potential means of reducing the risk of ticks and tick-borne infections.
Tips on how to protect yourself from ticks
The first line of defense against tick bites is to know where ticks live and where they hide. They live in tall grasses and wooded areas with moist environments. The more you move around in these environments, the greater the chance that a tick will find you.
To avoid bites, follow these tips:
- wear high-waisted trousers and ideally tights underneath,
- do not walk in tall grassy areas,
- Keep the lawn in your garden regularly mowed.
- Don’t sit unnecessarily in tall grass, on logs, logs or stumps – just five minutes in a tick-infested area and you have a 30% chance of being bitten by a tick,
- When walking in the forest, wear a hat or cap or other head covering,
- Wear clothing that covers as much skin as possible and has elastic at the wrists and ankles.
- tuck your pants into your socks,
- When walking in nature, walk on trails rather than on them.
- as soon as you return from the forest, or if you have been sitting in the grass or in another risky place, take a shower,
- After returning from nature, always check your clothes and your entire body, especially under your arms, around your ears, on your stomach, on the back of your knees and in your hair.
Safe tick removal
If you notice a tick on your skin or in your hair, it’s important to know how to safely remove it so that you remove the entire body and not just the head. Here are current recommendations for safe tick removal.
1. To properly grasp the tick, use tweezers with fine tips and as close to the skin surface as possible.
2. Pull the tick out with a steady upward pull, applying even pressure. Avoid twisting or pulling the tick from the bite site. This can cause the tick’s mouthparts to break off, leaving the head in the skin. If this happens, use tweezers to remove the remaining mouthparts. If you are unable to easily remove the head or only the mandibles with clean tweezers, seek medical attention as soon as possible.
3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the affected area and wash your hands thoroughly and wipe with alcohol or disinfectant, an iodine brush, or soap and water.
4. Dispose of the tick or its remains using one of the following methods:
- by immersion in alcohol,
- by ignition,
- by flushing it down the toilet,
- by placing it in a sealed bag or container.
Important: Never touch a tick or try to squash it. Squeezing it can spread dangerous diseases.
“Tick infection can also be transmitted when removing a tick.”
Avoid folk remedies, such as putting nail polish, Vaseline, or vinegar on a tick bite. Don’t even think that applying heat to the tick will make it come off. It won’t! Your goal is to remove the tick as quickly as possible, not wait for it to come off. Time is of the essence!
“A tick can infect you within two hours of biting you.”
If you develop a rash or fever within a few weeks of removing a tick, see your doctor. Be sure to tell your doctor that you recently had a tick bite. This could be life-changing for the rest of your life! Also tell them when and where it happened.
Note: The longer a tick remains attached to your body, the greater the chance of transmitting the infection and developing the disease.