Looking for an all natural homemade tick spray that can keep you, your family, and your pets safe from ticks this summer?
Not only do all of homemade sprays featured today avoid using harsh chemicals, they are also safe for pets and people alike. Even better, they can be made for far less than the cost of expensive commercial brands.
One thing is for sure, ticks are a part of outdoor life – but that doesn’t mean you have to be stuck with them crawling on you or your pets. Not only can their bites be painful, they are also known to carry serious disease.
With the danger ticks can bring, it’s no wonder that people often look to commercial pesticides and bug sprays as an answer. However, there are drawbacks to many of these sprays. For starters, most of the insecticide products are also fatal to beneficial insects. In addition, they can be questionable when it comes to using on pets, children and even adults as well.
The good news is that there are less harsh, all-natural solutions that work just as well. Even better, they are easy to make, simple to use, and work great at controlling ticks in your own backyard!
How To Make All Natural Homemade Tick Spray
Using Neem Oil To Create The Perfect All Natural Tick Spray
One of the best all-natural solutions for keeping ticks and many other pests at bay is neem oil. Neem oil is the liquid that is created from pressing the seeds of Neem trees. It is 100% natural and when used correctly, is not dangerous to beneficial insects. The best part is that it works on all stages of a ticks’ lifecycle!
Even better, in addition to ticks, it is effective against many different types of pests and insects. Aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, Japanese beetles and grubs can all be controlled with neem oil. And the list just goes on and on!
Neem oil works by killing most insects on contact by blocking their ability to breathe. One small drop directly on a biting tick will cause them to immediately let go. However, it is more effective when turned into a homemade tick spray. One that can be used on your lawn and as a repellent for you.
Neem Oil Body & Pet Spray
You can create a neem oil spray to put directly on your clothes. Neem oil does have a rather strong aroma to some, but the odor is often worth it because of how well it works against ticks! This is great if you will be deep in the woods or around a location where ticks are in large numbers.
Simply mix one cup of water with about 10 drops of concentrated neem oil in a spray bottle. Shake well and spray on your clothing as well as your pets. Just be sure to keep it out of their eyes, nose, and any bare skin.
Neem Oil Yard Spray
Along with using neem oil as a repellent, you can create a homemade spray for your yard to eliminate ticks. Simply mix 6 tablespoons of concentrated neem oil with one gallon of warm water. Affiliate Product Link: Pure Neem Oil
To use, add the mixture to a handheld or backpack sprayer and apply directly to your lawn. Add a couple of drops of olive oil or vegetable oil to help the oil stick to plants and grasses. Apply it once a month to your property through late spring and until early fall. This spray will also help to eliminate Japanese beetle larvae, mites, fleas, and grubs as well.
Listen In Below To Our Podcast On Getting Rid Of Ticks!
Essential Oil Spray
For a better smelling alternative to neem oil spray, you can also use essential oils to make your own homemade tick spray repellent. The reason why essential oils are effective is because of their strong odor. Because of this, be sure to reapply the spray every hour or two for the best effectiveness.
Simply mix 1 cup of water with 20 to 30 drops of essential oils. Scents like eucalyptus, lemongrass, cedarwood and peppermint are all great for repelling ticks.
Put the mixture into a spray bottle, shake well, and spray liberally over your clothing. You can also use this spray on dogs but use caution to avoid their eyes, nose, and any bare skin. Do not use it on cats.
Distilled Vinegar Spray
Lastly, another great all-natural homemade tick spray option is distilled vinegar.
Vinegar is one of the best natural home remedies around – and it’s easy to see why. You can use it for everything from cleaning windows to fixing clogged shower heads to refreshing your laundry.
You can also use vinegar as an all-natural spray for killing weeds on paths, driveways and patios. You can even use it to kill off poison ivy. See our article: How To Kill Poison Ivy For Good – With Vinegar!
But vinegar also happens to be great for repelling ticks! To use, take one cup of warm water and mix it with one cup of distilled vinegar. If wanted, you can add in about 20 drops of your favorite essential oil or just a drop or two of olive oil. Using it along with essential oils like peppermint or eucalyptus will give you the best results at keeping ticks at bay.
Keep the solution in a spray bottle and shake well before spraying onto your clothing. Be sure to avoid getting it in your eyes or on bare skin.
A Few Extra Tips To Help Prevent Ticks
Besides using homemade tick sprays, there are a few other ways to help reduce the chances of contracting tick bites.
First, whenever you are going out into wooded spaces or areas with long grass, be sure to dress appropriately. This means wearing hats, long sleeves, and long pants. Some people go as far as duck-taping off the bottom of their pants to prevent ticks from climbing underneath.
Also, be diligent in checking for ticks daily, especially if you live in places that are well-known for having tick issues. Check all areas of the skin, including the scalp and inside crevices like the folds of your ears.
Typically, ticks won’t become attached to your skin immediately, so the sooner you locate and remove one, the better. Shower and wash thoroughly within two hours of coming inside. Also, put any clothes worn in the dryer for 10 to 20 minutes on a higher heat setting.
In addition, keep your lawn mowed short and debris cleared out. Ticks are a lot less likely to live in these types of settings. Here is to saying good bye to ticks this summer with some great all natural options for homemade tick spray!
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Simple Garden Life is a website dedicated to keeping gardening fun, simple and enjoyable! We publish two new articles each week along with a new garden podcast episode every two weeks. This article may contain affiliate links.