A friend forwarded this to me, and her timing could not have been better:The presence of ticks this year has been quite evident so far. In a two-day period, I personally encountered four female wood ticks: one racing across my dog’s snowy white head, one running up my pants leg, one under my arm, but not attached, and the last one prepping for a meal on my scalp.
I work outside a lot, and walk my dog daily, so, I’m hyper-vigilant. I know a few people who’ve suffered from Lyme Disease and I know I never want to get it.
Read this through and do whatever you can to protect yourself.
The warmer weather marks the beginning time for camping, hiking, and getting outside to play. Don’t let those pesky annoying ticks stop you. Here’s how with simple homemade solutions!
Repellent for your pets:
For pets, add 1 cup of water to a spray bottle, followed by 2 cups of distilled white vinegar. Ticks hate the smell and taste of vinegar and will be easily repelled by this ingredient alone. Then, add two spoonfuls of vegetable or almond oil, which both contain sulfur (another natural tick repellent).
To make a repellent that also will deter fleas, mix in a few spoonfuls of lemon juice, citrus oil, or any other safe essence oil that may also repel ticks and fleas while also creating a nicely scented repellent that isn’t toxic to your dog.
Spray onto the pet’s dry coat, staying away from sensitive areas including eyes, nose, mouth, and genitals. When outdoors for an extended period, spray on this solution two to three times per day.
For you and your family:
In a spray bottle, mix 2 cups of distilled white vinegar and 1 cup of water. To make a scented solution so you do not smell like bitter vinegar all day, add 20 drops of your favorite essential oil.
Eucalyptus oil is a calm, soothing scent that also works as a tick repellent, while peppermint and citrus oils give off a strong crisp scent that also repels ticks.
After mixing the solution, spray it onto clothing, skin, and hair before going outdoors. Reapply every four hours to keep ticks at bay, and examine your skin and hair when you get back inside to make sure no ticks are on the body.
(I do not know the source of this information, as it was forwarded to me)
On April 20 we published an article from the CDC with additional information about the dangers of ticks this year.