Essential Oils that Naturally Repel Ticks
A great tick repellent for humans
Avoid Lyme disease from Ticks with Essential Oils
You have probably heard that a tick bite can lead to contracting Lyme disease, but researchers are also learning that ticks can also transmit other dangerous diseases.
A tick is a type of arachnid that is also an ectoparasite that will live off of the blood of humans and animals. During the blood-sucking process, a tick can act as a vector by contaminating a host with life-threatening or chronic diseases.
There are several tick species that live in different parts of the world, but the arachnids tend to flourish in humid and hot climates.
How Ticks Find a Host
A tick requires a lot of moisture to develop from an egg to an adult and also needs moisture for the breeding process. A tick latches onto an animal or human host to insert a specialized mouthpart that is designed to suction blood for its nourishment.
Researchers have discovered that ticks frequently find hosts by sensing body odours, and we now know that changing the odour of hosts can help to prevent tick bites.
An important way to change your body odour is with essential oils that are derived from plants and herbs.
Not only are these essential oils safe to use on your skin or a pet’s coat, but also, the essential oils smell wonderful.
Use Essential Oils to Repel Ticks Naturally
Rather than risk exposure to the dangerous chemicals found in store-bought tick repellents, we recommend ways to naturally repel ticks with essential oils.
In many cases, the same essential oils that will keep ticks away from human hosts are also useful for family pets such as dogs.
It is possible to use a variety of essential oils to avoid a bite from a tick.
Essential oils are available at local brick-and-mortar or online stores, and you can mix the liquids with water in a spray bottle to squirt on your skin when walking in your own backyard, taking a hike or visiting a park.
Essential Oils Have a Lovely Fragrance and are Safe to Use
We also know that it is easy to add tick-repellent essential oils to a washing machine while laundering your clothing or you can add a scented essential oil to shampoo before washing your hair.
These extra preventative measures are a good way to avoid a tick bite while camping out overnight or if you live in an area that is known for having a large population of ticks.
There are several types of essential oils that naturally repel ticks, and you can use only one variety or choose several.
Essential oils typically have a lovely fragrance, and you will not feel embarrassed to smell like a herb or flower instead of a chemical spray.
What is the best tick repellent?
The best tick repellent is anything that does not contain harmful chemicals, here you will find some essential oils that work well to repel ticks.
Lemongrass is a herbal plant that you can use for cooking or as medicine, and its essential oil has a fragrant lemony scent that you will enjoy.
You can add this essential oil to unscented body lotion before applying it to your skin to keep away ticks while outside enjoying the sunshine.
Rosemary is also a herbal plant that you may have used while preparing meals, and it has a unique aromatic fragrance that is similar to evergreen tree pine needles.
The essential oils that are collected from rosemary are perfect for making a natural tick-repellent spray that is suitable for applying to a dog’s fur.
Essential Oil Three: Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a flowering shrub or tree that grows in Australia, and it has a distinctive fragrance that you may have smelled before in cough drops. However, this same scent will repel insects and arachnids.
Eucalyptus oil is collected from the leaves of trees or shrubs, and its strong odour is perfect for use as a repellent to avoid tick bites.
Essential Oil Four: Citronella
Citronella is a particular type of lemongrass that has excellent pest control properties.
We know that many people burn citronella-scented grass candles and sprays to repel mosquitoes or flies, but the essential oil that is collected from this grass is also suitable for keeping away ticks.
The lavender essential oil that is collected from lavender flower blooms is one of the most popular scents in the world.
This floral scent is often used in perfumes and bath care products, and you can make your own tick-repelling bath soap with lavender essential oil.
Thyme is a herb that also has a slight evergreen tree needle fragrance, and you may have used it in foods to add a delicious orange or lemon citrus flavour.
We recommend using thyme essential oil in sprays rather than lotions or bath soaps.
Geraniums are a flower with a lovely fragrance that repels arachnids and insects.
We can distil the essential oils from this flower’s petals to use in shampoos or conditioners to keep away ticks that carry diseases.
Essential Oil Eight: Peppermint
Peppermint essential oil is collected from a hybrid plant and is a cross between spearmint and water mint.
You probably have smelled this tasty peppermint essential oil fragrance while eating hard candies during the holidays.
This substance is suitable for use in lotions, sprays and bath soaps, making it one of the most versatile natural essential oils for repelling ticks while outside.
Why Essential Oils Repel Ticks
You might wonder why some essential oils repel ticks, and it is because nature understands how to protect plants from infestations from arachnids and insects.
We can use what nature provides us to naturally repel ticks rather than expose our bodies to man-made chemicals that cause side effects.
With a bottle of lavender, peppermint or geranium oil, you can create fragrant tick-repelling lotions, bath soaps and sprays to remain safe.
To avoid contracting Lyme disease, keep a spray bottle filled with an essential oil solution in a vehicle to apply to your skin anytime you are outside.
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I use a Lemon Eucalyptus blend when I’m hiking or backpacking since I’m allergic to DEET. Glad to read about so many other essential oils too! Looking forward to giving the Lavender oil a try. Can I mix these? If so, any recommendations on blends so I don’t smell like a bad perfume? 🙂
Yes Sarah you can mix essential oils, but not all mix well together so it’s good to do your research first. The following mix well together
Peppermint, Geranium, Lavender, Rosemary or
Geranium, Lavender, Citronella and Rosemary
I think either of those mixes wouldn’t smell to bad, play around with it. You don’t have to use all of them either, maybe just Geranium and Lavender (which would be a safe one for children)
Hello there, I have to say that I’m really impressed that people are starting to use essential oils as it makes so much sense to do things the natural way. I’m glad to see the ones listed that repel ticks. Now our pets can also benefit from it. I really would be glad to get some for my pet. Do you recommend any for dogs?
Essential oils have been around for so long, I too am glad to see we are using them more. Here is a link to some that are safe for dogs. Essential Oils that are safe for Dogs