DIY Repellants Every Hoosier Needs to Try to Keep Ticks Away
If you want to avoid ticks from biting you or your family, these DIY tick repellants should help all Hoosiers!
Growing up here in Indiana, I always played outside. I'm sure that you had a similar upbringing where you'd play outside all day and as soon as you came inside, your parents said the same thing that my parents told me. "We need to check you for ticks."
Now, tick season is upon us in Indiana. We all have heard horror stories about ticks and the effects their bites can have on us. For example, there's a potentially deadly allergy that starts with a tick bite from a tick that is found in Indiana. So how do you attempt to avoid getting bit by ticks?
First things first, you should always make sure that you wear protective clothing when going out in the wilderness to help make sure the ticks stay away from you.
Of course, it's always likely that you will be bitten by a tick, even when wearing protective clothing. So in the event that happens, you should check out this simple hack to remove ticks that is virtually pain-free. Granted, the goal is to avoid being bitten in the first place. That's why I wanted to share with you a few DIY tick repellants that might do the trick for you.
DIY Tick Repellants
There are several DIY tick repellants that you can create that will help keep you and your family from being bitten by ticks this summer. Some may have better results than others, so it might not hurt to test a few of these out.
DIY Tick Repellant #1
According to Natural Kitchen Cooking School, here's a repellant that works great for everyone in your family. Take a look at all the ingredients below and the video shows how to make it.
- ⅓ cup of distilled water
- ¼ cup of witch hazel
- 30 drops of your preferred essential oil (tick-repelling essential oils: lemongrass, peppermint, geranium, and cedarwood)
DIY Tick Repellant # 2
DIY Natural suggests trying this mix to avoid ticks. It should be noted that this recipe is only intended for clothing. Some of the essential oils in this blend can irritate the skin.
DIY Tick Repellant #3
OSI Physical Therapy has another type of tick repellant that you can make:
<p>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.</p><p>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 repel ticks.</p><p>After mixing the solution, spray onto clothing, skin, and hair before going outdoors. Reapply every four hours to keep ticks at bay, and examine your skin and hair when back inside to make sure no ticks are on the body.</p>
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