Your initial line of protection against ticks is to keep them away. Build a fence to help keep deer, a well-known host, off the lawn. Use repellent and traps to keep smaller rodents, including mice and chipmunks, off your property. If you can, install a two- or three-foot cement, gravel, or bark walkway between all woods or shrubbery and your yard, play areas, and residence. Ticks must have water and as a consequence these drier regions cause them to dry out and thus prevent them from crossing. Always keep grassy areas and shrubbery trimmed and away from pathways where you, as well as your pets, can rub against them and also get rid of any fallen foliage or grass clippings. Edge sprinklers used in May or June may be successful in heavily populated areas. Popular natural tick applications for your home or backyard are Wondercide Yard And Garden Spray, Wondercide Home Spray, and Vet’s Best Home Spray. Inorganic products include products like Vet Chem or Adams Plus Yard Spray. For those who do not choose to add chemical compounds to their gardens, experiment with treating the garden with diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth works as a desiccant and can be very effective.
Trying to keep animals tick-free doesn’t have to be a full-time occupation. For starters, prohibit your pet from going into tall vegetation or playing in foliage and similar tick hiding places. Next, use a tick poison or tick repellent. There are tons of natural oils that kill ticks, including geranium, eucalyptus, peppermint, clove, neem, citrus, and the first shield against leeches, garlic. These repellants can be rubbed directly on your pet; a few drops behind the skull, as well as a drop or two on the lower back before exiting. Any of these natural oils can be easily made in a spray can in your own home.
A couple of great herbal products available on the market are Terra Pet Naturals Drops or Spray and Pure Neem Oil. Many very good external chemical type solutions can be found. Frontline Plus or K9 Advantix II are recommended. Tick collars will also be effective longer-term coverage. Seresto collars for dogs and cats are very effective. You may want to try an oral tick killer like NexGard. NexGard is easy to use, just feed your pup the tasty treat once a month. Wash animals frequently with a tick repellant or tick-removing shampoo. Ovitrol can be especially effective for dogs and cats or alternatively use Wondercide Shampoo Bar or Wally’s Natural Shampoo. Don’t forget to brush after washing to remove any loose ticks before they have a chance to re-attach.
Just a few drops of your favorite all-natural tick repellent around your cuffs before heading out on a hike should be ample protection for most of us. Tuck your pants into your socks or use alligators to help keep ticks off your clothes. Full strength DEET repellents will also work effectively against ticks. Spraying garments with an application of permethrin will kill ticks on contact. You should not use permethrins directly on the skin. There are actually insect and tick resistant clothing for sale and also DIY clothing applications. These products appeal to many people, however their capabilities will gradually disappear over time.
In short, create a hostile environment for ticks in your home. Apply repellents or poison to yourself, your pets, and your garden or house. Use tick shampoo to kill existing ticks on your pets. Apply more repellant. With these simple steps, you should be well on your way to a healthy, tick-free home!