Nobody likes ticks. Not just are they little blood suckers that can get at your pets, but they are also carriers of a lot of blood-borne diseases for both humans and furballs.
For example, Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease has about 30,000 cases reported yearly in the US alone. One of their favorite hiding and reproduction places is throughout your yard. They love bush and foliage and will happily hide out for long periods until your unknowing pooch or cat passes by before hitching a ride.our pet then brings the sneaky little hitchhiker back into your home, where it has the chance to proliferate and prosper.
Fortunately, there are several ways of dealing with these pesky little creepy crawlies. The most effective way of getting rid of ticks is by using yard repellents and other insecticides. However, although tick repellents are effective, they can be harmful to the environment, and you don’t really want you, your family, and your pets breathing in the chemicals.
4 Homemade Tick Sprays for Your Yard
Below are four homemade or DIY tick sprays that you can try in your yard. An important caveat — these sprays have not been scientifically tested for efficacy or safety, but using ingredients like cider vinegar or neem oil sounds harmless enough. These recipes were passed to us based on trial-and-error of people trying to keep ticks out of their yards. Anecdotally, they are effective.
Using these does not, however, replace the need to also use tick repellent on your body when in a tick-heavy area.
Apple Cider Vinegar-Based Tick Repellent
Apple cider vinegar is one of the most effective natural tick repellents. The acidity of apple cider vinegar is repulsive to ticks which makes them avoid areas that contain it. However, you cannot apply apple cider vinegar directly on pets or in your yard because it may irritate your pet’s skin or your plants.
Here’s a recipe to dilute the apple cider vinegar enough to reduce the irritating effect without losing its potency as a tick repellent.
Ingredients For ½ Liter Of Spray
- 150ml water
- 300ml apple cider vinegar
- 60 ml vegetable cooking oil
- 2 tablespoons peppermint oil
- 500ml spray bottle
Instructions
- Add the water to the spray bottle
- Add the apple cider vinegar and shake the bottle till the two ingredients are well mixed
- Add the cooking oil and shake again till it is mixed in
- Add the peppermint oil and shake for the final time
This spray can be used applied straight to the skin or generously all over your yard. It is especially recommended for pets that are allergic or sensitive to industrial-grade pesticides.
Vegetable cooking oil is added to the ingredients because it contains sulfur which is an additional tick repellent. Peppermint oil is included just for the pleasant smell!
You have to love how economical cider vinegar is, too. Check it out here on Amazon.
Cedar Oil Tick Spray
This is another effective tick spray since rubbing cedar oil on exposed skin has been known to repel ticks. Cedar oil blocks ticks’ smell receptors!
This homemade mixture combines the potent effect of cedar oil with eucalyptus oil, which is yet another powerful essential oil when it comes to repelling ticks. Almond oil, which contains sulfur that repels ticks, is also part of the mixture. Combining these three ingredients makes for a wonderful-smelling and effective tick spray.
To make a half liter of this tick repellent. spray, you will need:
Ingredients
- 30 drops of cedar oil
- 30 drops of eucalyptus oil
- 2 tablespoons of almond oil
- 450 ml water
- Spray bottle
Instructions
- Add the water to the spray bottle.
- Add the essential oils and shake well to mix.
- Add the almond oil and mix thoroughly
Essential Oil Tick Spray
Essential oils are some of the most versatile items in a home. They can be used to freshen the air, help clear a stuffy nose, and of course, be used for a homemade tick spray. More and more people are observing that some essential oils can be good tick repellents.
There are a variety of essential oils that have been used for centuries as tick replants. Here are some of the most effective ones.
Ingredients
- 30 drops of neem oil
- 30 drops of citronella oil
- 1 tablespoon of garlic oil
- 2 tablespoons of jojoba oil
- 450ml water
- Spray bottle
Instructions
- Add the water to the spray bottle.
- Add the essential oils and shake well to mix.
- Add the garlic oil and jojoba oil then mix thoroughly
Neem oil is one of the most versatile plant components. It is used in Ayurvedic medicine in the management of several diseases, and it is no surprise that it can also be used to get rid of ticks. First, it clogs the tick’s breathing system causing death by suffocation. Second, when ingested, it causes several health problems in ticks including lack of appetite and infertility. Neem oil can even be applied directly to human skin to repel ticks.
Citronella oil also has many uses. This essential oil is so potent as a tick repellent that it has been listed as an insect repellent by the Environmental Protection Agency. Studies have shown that it can repel many other insects as well, including mosquitoes. Combined with neem oil, they make an effective tick spray.
Although garlic oil may not have the best smell, garlic is very effective at controlling ticks. It’s rich in sulfur which has long been used as an insecticide. Because of its smell, you can use garlic oil as a spray for your yard. T
Note: Some essential oils can be toxic or dangerous for pets. Always research before using these ingredients. Garlic is also toxic to dogs and cats so it should be avoided if you have pets.
Wondercide for Ticks
OK, this one is not homemade. Wondercide isn’t a DIY tick spray, but it is a natural one with plenty of happy users. This product is made of 100% biodegradable material and harnesses the power of essential oils to repel insects so that it keeps your yard protected without harming the environment. Find it here on Amazon.
It comes in different flavors and sizes depending on the intended use. There are sprays for use in the yard and those for application on the skin to repel ticks and other insects. The yard spray comes in a ready-to-use bottle that you can refill as needed, and can spray up to 5,000 square feet of land. Wondercide is so easy to use because you don’t need to measure or mix it with water. Simply attach it to your hose and you can start the spraying process!
Easy to use, smells good, and gentle on the environment, the active ingredients that give Wondercide its potency are cedar wood oil, sodium Lauryl Sulfate derived from coconut oil, and sesame oil. All the components are individually good insect repellents, but when combined in the right amount, they make an awesome, natural tick repellent.
The spray can be applied directly to the yard. Start by spraying your house then expand to the yard till you have covered the entire area. Make sure you spray again every few days for optimum results and keep your yard free of ticks, mozzies, gnats, flies, and fleas.
There is also a DEET-free Wondercide product for use on human skin which comes in four fragrances: cedar wood, rosemary, peppermint, and lemongrass. It can be applied directly to the skin and can be used even by children.
As we grow more conscious about using harsh chemicals that could do harm, natural, homemade products are gaining much traction. Whichever you decide to use though, make sure it’s safe for your pets or children, and get in the routine of applying it every few days! Good luck!