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Ticks appearing in your garden and around your home can be a major annoyance. These pests are known to carry various blood-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease. Some tick-borne illnesses can even be fatal to your pets. This article will guide you on how to effectively eliminate ticks around your home to the best of your ability.
Steps
Eliminating Ticks Indoors
Clean your house thoroughly. Although ticks are commonly found outdoors, it’s not uncommon for brown dog ticks to infest indoor spaces. These ticks feed on the blood of dogs and other animals; they thrive in warm and dry environments.
- The first step to eradicating ticks is to clean your house, as they can hide almost anywhere. Pick up items off the floor and avoid leaving dirty clothes scattered around. A tick infestation indoors is also a good opportunity to deep clean your home.
Wash dirty clothes with hot water. Ticks often cling to dirty clothes or bedding. You should wash clothes and any fabric items suspected of harboring ticks in the hottest water possible without damaging the fabric.
- Avoid throwing dirty clothes on the floor, and if you suspect any clothing or fabric has ticks, don’t toss them into the laundry basket, as they can spread to other items. Place them directly into the washing machine.
Thoroughly clean your house. The next step is to clean your entire home from top to bottom. Wipe down shelves, clean neglected corners, sweep, vacuum, and mop all floors.
- A vacuum cleaner will be your best ally in the fight against ticks, as it can suck up ticks hiding in your home, pet bedding, floor and wall cracks, baseboards, ceiling moldings, and under furniture.
- Remember to empty the vacuum bag or canister after use.
Apply pest control spray. After cleaning your home and physically removing ticks, you should also use pest control sprays to eliminate any remaining ticks and their eggs.
- To eradicate tick eggs and larvae, spray your home with a pesticide containing boric acid and plant extracts. Pay extra attention to areas around pet bedding, where ticks often gather.
- For adult ticks, use a pyrethrin-based spray specifically designed for brown dog ticks. This spray works quickly and is safe for humans and pets.
- Spray throughout the house. Don’t forget carpets, curtains, under tables, chairs, and sofas. Always read the product label instructions carefully.
- Check the packaging to see if people and pets need to avoid the treated area for a period after application.
Treat indoor pets. Pets, especially dogs, are the primary source of tick infestations indoors. Dogs can bring ticks inside from outdoors or pick them up from other animals in kennels or from neighbors.
- You need to remove all ticks using your pet as a host, then treat your dog with spot-on tick treatments containing ingredients like fipronil, amitraz, or permethrin. Consult your veterinarian for advice.
- You can also purchase tick-repellent collars for your pets. These collars can protect your pets from ticks for up to three months. They are less commonly available in stores, so ask your vet or purchase them online.
Call a professional pest control service. Severe tick infestations may require professional assistance. They have specialized equipment and pesticides that can eliminate ticks immediately. They also have expert knowledge about tick hiding spots and behavior, allowing them to locate ticks quickly.
- If ticks remain a persistent problem despite your best efforts, you may need to consider this option.
Eliminating Ticks Outdoors
Identify the preferred habitats of ticks. Outdoor ticks are commonly found in areas with dense vegetation and tall grass under large trees or in shaded spots. They thrive in moist environments.
- Ticks are also present in areas frequented by deer, one of their favorite hosts. Therefore, walking through tall grass or hiking in the woods means you’re entering their territory.
- The first step is to prevent ticks from invading your space by targeting their preferred environments in your yard.
Trim trees and shrubs. Start by removing foliage that could harbor ticks. The best way to do this is to keep your yard tidy, regularly clearing away dead leaves, overgrown plants, and tangled branches.
- Keep the grass short, trim vines, and remove any plants that grow densely or form thickets.
- Additionally, like blood-sucking vampires, ticks despise sunlight. Keep this in mind when pruning to allow more sunlight into your yard.
Mow the lawn regularly. Frequent mowing eliminates the tall grass that ticks love and allows sunlight to penetrate – this not only deters ticks but also helps morning dew evaporate faster, depriving them of moisture.
- Cut down tall grass around your home and lawn. Use edging tools to create clear borders that ticks are reluctant to cross. They’ll have to rely on deer passing by; hopefully, you have measures to keep deer out of your yard.
Clear away brush piles and dry leaves. If ticks can’t live in the grass, they’ll seek shelter elsewhere. Dark, damp brush piles and dry leaves – especially dry leaves – are a haven for ticks. Don’t let debris pile up anywhere in your yard.
Use pest control chemicals. Apply safe and approved pest control treatments from late spring to early summer to prevent ticks from multiplying in your lawn. A single treatment in late May or early June can reduce the tick population by up to 50%.
- Ensure you only use approved chemicals and follow the instructions on the packaging.
- Some effective pest control products contain lambda-cyhalothrin and esfenvalerate.
Preventing Ticks
Fence your yard. Install fencing to keep large animals like deer and coyotes from entering your yard. Ticks spread through mammals, so deterring large animals helps control the tick population. Additionally, deer will devour your garden plants, and coyotes might prey on your pets.
Store firewood neatly in a dry area. Like brush piles and dry leaves, firewood stacks provide moisture and darkness. Keeping firewood dry deprives ticks of a safe haven and ensures the wood stays clean and dry for winter use!
Keep children away from tick-prone areas. Ensure play areas are far from trees or tall grass. If grass grows around swing sets, bring out the lawnmower and take care of it!
Clean beneath bird feeders regularly. Mites can hide under bird feeders if left unattended—make the area less appealing to them by washing it frequently.
Check yourself for ticks. Regularly inspect yourself, your children, and pets, especially after outdoor activities like picnics or playing outside.
- Look for ticks along the hairline, underarms, legs, and everywhere else. Use tweezers to remove ticks.
- Be careful not to squeeze a tick that’s latched onto your skin, as this could cause it to regurgitate into the bite, increasing the risk of disease transmission, such as Lyme disease.
Create a natural tick repellent. You can make a non-toxic tick repellent at home. Grab a 500 ml spray bottle and get started!
- Make a citrus-based tick repellent. Ticks hate citrus, so use this to your advantage. Boil 2 cups of water, add two lemons, limes, oranges, or grapefruits—either individually or in combination. Boil for a minute, then simmer for an hour. Strain the liquid, let it cool, and pour it into a spray bottle. Use it on yourself, kids, pets, and around your yard—anywhere ticks might gather.
- Other natural repellents include geranium, lavender, or peppermint essential oils. However, these are unsafe for cats, so avoid spraying them on felines.
Tips
- Try this homemade remedy: Mix ½ cup lemon-scented dish soap with ½ cup garlic water. Pour into a 75-liter sprayer, fill with water, and spray everywhere. Repeat every two weeks to prevent ticks.
- Wear light-colored clothing to spot ticks easily. Tuck pant legs into socks to reduce the risk of ticks clinging to your clothes.
- Ticks thrive in damp, wooded areas and dislike bright, dry spaces. Keep this in mind when landscaping or maintaining your yard.
- Ticks and red mites fear sulfur powder. Sprinkle sulfur powder in your shoes and pant legs when entering tick-prone areas. You can also apply it to dogs or sprinkle it around drains or under bushes.
- When hiking, wear long sleeves and thick, light-colored pants. Avoid brushing against tall grass or stepping on dry leaves if possible.
What You'll Need
- Tick repellent
- Gardening tools for mowing and pruning
- Cleaning supplies
- Vacuum cleaner
