Have trouble with ticks? This natural DIY homemade tick repellent spray is a simple recipe with natural ingredients that actually work!
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Is it me, or is tick season worse than ever this year?
This year alone I have found five ticks on myself and my two children. We have a relatively small yard in a small town, but we still seem to have many ticks around.
Homemade Tick Repellent Spray
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For months I have been searching for a natural homemade tick repellent. I’ve come across a lot of recipes for at-home tick repellents, but very few cite ingredients and research. I’m always hesitant to try something if there is not enough research to prove it works – especially when it comes to my kids.
Research-Based Natural DIY Tick Repellents
Essential oils are often wonderful insect repellents, but I had heard little research when it came to ticks. I know that geranium essential oil is effective against ticks thanks to this great article on the Tisserand Institute.
The article cites several studies indicating geranium essential oil can be an effective homemade tick repellent. This study examined 10 different chemotypes of geranium essential oil and found them to be quite effective. The best part: geranium essential oil is safe to use around kids.
Another oil mentioned in that study is cedarwood essential oil. This makes sense to me because many people use cedar chips as a form of natural tick prevention around gardens and yards. This 2014 study indicates that Virginian Cedarwood can repel ants and kill ticks. Cedarwood essential oil is also safe to use around children making it great for our homemade tick repellent.
Next, I looked to the CDC’s guidance on natural tick repellents. They have a great article here that details some natural tick repellents and the research that supports them. Among these is garlic essential oil. I have never used garlic essential oil before and I’m a certified aromatherapist! Quite honestly, the smell alone is enough to keep me away. However, this article cites that many people use garlic in lawn care applications. Another study I found here also confirmed the effectiveness of this oil against ticks.
Important Notes & Precautions
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Garlic essential oil can irritate the skin so use it at very low dilutions and not with children under 2. It also inhibits blood clotting, so it should not be used with people who are taking blood thinners. I feel comfortable using garlic essential oil with this homemade tick repellent recipe because I intended to use it on our clothes, not our skin.
While essential oils are wonderful, you should dilute them in a carrier oil if you want to use them on your skin or in a spray. I knew I wanted to make a spray for clothes as we do a lot of walking. Oil and water do not mix. Any time you put essential oils in the water you can guarantee they will separate. However, if you mix essential oils with a bit of high-proof alcohol they will disperse more easily. I typically choose grain alcohol because I can buy it at my local liquor store. You can also choose isopropyl alcohol, but it is actually only 70% alcohol while grain alcohol is 95% alcohol. It will work, but not as well as grain alcohol.
Hopefully, this homemade tick repellent recipe will keep you as tick-free as it does us!
What if you are bitten by a tick?
If you are bitten by a tick, there are some steps you should take immediately after noticing the bite. This article covers what you can do: How to Remove a Tick Once You Have Been Bitten
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Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Recipe
