Ticks and fleas are unavoidable if you and your pets like to hike and swim in the woods. The usual treatment for flea and tick are highly chemical in nature and are toxic to many animal species out there. The high chemical content might even have a side effect on your skin. But there are some natural repellents for the flea and tick.
#1: Citric Juice
Citric Juice As Tick Repellent
Citrus repels the fleas. Freshly squeezed lemon or orange juice, acts as a natural repellent when rubbed on the skin. It helps in doing away with the pests. But it should not be used on pets since citrus fruit contains a skin irritating element, limonene.
#2: Apple Cider Vinegar
The fragrance of vinegar is enough to repel bugs. But vinegar is also a great natural conditioner for the skin and hair.
Apple Cider Vinegar As Tick Repellent
It should be added to other bug repelling herbs, like rosemary or neem and the solution should be sprayed on people and pets alike.
#3: Essential Oils
Essential Oils As Tick Repellents
Some essential oils that can be safely used on dogs for flea and tick prevention are: rosemary, lavender, sage, lemon, citronella, lemon eucalyptus, cedar wood, sweet orange, lemongrass, peppermint and geranium etc.
#4: Herbs
There are a lot of herbs available which have bug repelling qualities. They just need to be steeped in water for a few days and then that water can be used to spray all over the body.
Herbs As Tick Repellent
The water should be allowed to dry on its own without any rinsing. Some great bug repelling herbs are – peppermint, neem leaf, lavender, eucalyptus leaf, rosemary, clove etc.
#5: Herbal Powder
Add any of the herbs listed above like rosemary, neem, eucalyptus or peppermint to dried pyrethrum flowers and crush them together in a grinder so that a powder is formed.
Herbal Powder For Tick Repellent
This powder can then be applied on to the skin to keep the tick and flea off the body.
#6: Cedar Oil
Cedar Oil As Tick Repellent
Cedar oil is toxic to fleas, ticks and other bugs. Only the smell of cedar oil is enough to ward off the bugs. The best part about this is that it is totally non-toxic to humans and pets.
#7: Regular Baths
Regular bathing of your pet is an important step towards bug repelling. Real soaps should be used instead of the chemical/synthetic soaps.
Regular Bathing To Avoid Ticks
Castile soap is a real soap, it is made of oils and fats and helps getting rid of the bugs. A word of caution is to dilute the castile soap, due to its highly concentrated manufacture.
#8: Herbal Concoction
Herbal Concoction As Tick Repellent
Another great herbal concoction to keep the bugs off is to add geranium oil to apple cider vinegar and vodka and then adding a little of castile soap. Then add water and spray onto the body to repel the flea and tick.
Along with the use of a bug repellent, other measures should be taken as well like that of cleaning yourself clean and inspecting yourself and your pets after any outdoor activity. There are many natural repellents available and there is no need to use a chemical product like DEET which is so harmful and toxic to the environment.