How To Repel Ticks Naturally

Ingredients

• Eucalyptus oil
• Fabric softener sheets
• Deer-proofing plants
• Neem oil
• A loved one to check your skin

Steps

1. Dab on a little eucalyptus - Dab on a little eucalyptus oil—studies show ticks hate it. Just add ten drops of eucalyptus essential oil to your sunscreen. (19 sec. )
2. Try fabric softener sheets - Tie a fabric softener sheet to your belt. Though no studies have been done to prove it, many hikers swear the smell repels ticks and other pests. (28 sec. )
3. Plant things deer hate - Put a few plants in your garden that deer hate: ferns, daffodils, tiger lilies, snapdragons, geraniums, and morning glories. (37 sec. )
4. When you are walking through tall grass or a tick-filled area, tuck your long pants into your socks. (47 sec. )
5. Apply neem oil - Rub some neem oil directly on your skin. Derived from a plant native to India, this oil has been a popular natural insecticide in Asia for centuries because it repels over 200 kinds of pests, including ticks. Find it at health food stores. (53 sec. )
6. Whatever repellent you choose to use, apply it generously to your ankles, a tick’s favorite stomping ground. (68 sec. )
7. Do spot checks - No matter how careful you may be, if you’ve been in an area with deer, and therefore ticks, have someone check your skin right away. If you see a tick, don’t freak out. Many don’t bite right away, and it can take up to 24 hours after the initial attachment for ticks to transmit disease. (75 sec. )
8. Lyme disease got its name in 1977 from the town where it was first discovered—Lyme, Connecticut. (92 sec. )