Tick season is here, and that means it’s time to break out the tick repellent, cut down high grass, clear brushy areas, and become an expert at examining your skin for critters after being outdoors. After all, prevention is one of the best ways to protect yourself from serious tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, and alpha-gal syndrome, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
A critical component of a tick prevention plan is repelling ticks before they have a chance to attach. Most conventional tick repellents contain active ingredients like DEET, picaridin, and permethrin, which work well, but some natural remedies for warding off these pesky parasites can also work.
Should you use natural tick repellents?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. Many of these ingredients are not found in natural products.
Natural tick repellents are mostly compounds that are found in plants that seem to naturally repel ticks and insects, according to Ken Perry, MD, an emergency medicine attending physician in South Carolina. Natural repellents are less studied, says Chantel Strachan, MD, an internal medicine and primary care physician at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York. They have been shown to have a short duration of effectiveness—approximately less than two hours.
“Choosing a natural tick repellent over a synthetic one can be done if you are in an area with a low tick infestation,” Dr. Strachan says.
On the other hand, synthetic repellents, like DEET, offer longer lasting protection. The higher the concentrations of DEET, the longer the protection. When used in an extended-release fashion, she says this can provide about 12 hours of protection.
All that said, people who are at high risk for contracting tick-borne illness should likely avoid natural tick repellents, Dr. Strachan says. For example, if you’re in the Northeast and you will be outdoors in grassy areas for long periods of time, you should probably avoid using natural tick repellent.
Another reason to avoid natural tick repellents is allergies, says Dr. Perry. For example, an allergy to eucalyptus is a red flag to avoid natural tick repellents with this ingredient. If you have allergies, Dr. Perry recommends consulting with your doctor or a pharmacist to ensure that these products are not a risk for allergic reactions.
6 natural tick repellents for humans
If allergies to natural ingredients are not a concern and you are at low risk for contracting a tick-borne illness, you might want to give natural repellent ingredients a try.
Like conventional products, apply natural tick repellents to your clothing or skin before going outdoors. Here are six ideas for natural tick repellents and tips for avoiding tick exposure and treating tick bites if they do occur.
1. Oil of lemon eucalyptus
Oil of lemon eucalyptus is a common plant-based mosquito repellent that is also used for tick prevention, according to Pennsylvania State University College of Agricultural Sciences. It is considered safer than many synthetic chemicals, but it’s not as natural as pure botanicals. However, this ingredient is not recommended for children under 3 years old. You can find oil of lemon eucalyptus in many commercial tick sprays, insect repellent products, or as a bug spray.
2. Nootkatone
Nootkatone, a naturally occurring ingredient, is a component of essential oil in grapefruit skin and Alaska yellow cedar trees. According to the CDC, nootkatone can be added to insect repellents for people and pets to keep ticks, mosquitoes, and other biting bugs away for hours. Unfortunately, since nootkatone was just recently approved by the CDC and EPA, it may not be readily available in tick repellents quite yet. However, you can try natural repellents with grapefruit oil.
3. Cedarwood oil
Cedarwood oil is a pleasant-smelling ingredient often used in soaps, perfumes, and deodorants. And while humans may enjoy the smell, insects do not. In fact, cedar oil is known for its ability to repel ticks, according to a 2022 study. More specifically, researchers found that cedarwood oil actively repelled hard tick nymphs, with the repellency being as effective as DEET on I. scapularis nymphs. Cedarwood oil is found in many commercial tick sprays and insect repellent products.
4. Citronella
Citronella is best known for its powerful scent, which can off mosquitos during hot summer nights. But this essential oil may also help with tick prevention. According to a 2017 study, a mixture of 1.5% each of citronella and creeping thyme showed higher repellency against dermacentor reticulatus ticks than individual essential oils at a concentration of 3%. You can find citronella in many commercial tick sprays and insect repellent products.
5. Geranium oil
Geranium oil and rose geranium essential oil provide an easy and safe way to repel ticks on humans and pets. An older 2013 study found that 10 essential oils of geranium have repellent activity against nymphs of the lone star tick. You can find geranium essential oil in many commercial tick sprays and insect repellent products.
6. Other essential oils
Dr. Strachan says natural tick repellents are often made from essential oils. “It is thought that ticks are sensitive to these smells and avoid them,” she says.
Some other common essential oils found in natural repellents include:
- Eucalyptus
- Lemon eucalyptus
- Lemongrass
- Peppermint
- Soybean
- Verbena
You can find essential oils in natural tick repellents or bug repellent, or you can make your own by combining various essential oils with distilled water in a spray bottle. The combination of essential oil and water depends on the dilution rate you desire. In general, a 5% dilution rate is about one ounce of water to 30 drops of essential oil mixed in a spray bottle. A carrier oil like a fixed vegetable oil is another option for mixing essential oils, according to the International Federation of Aromatherapists. When making your own mixture, test on a small area of skin and wait several minutes to see how if skin reacts before applying it more widely.
How to avoid tick exposure
Although tick bites are more likely to happen during warmer months, there is a year-round risk. The good news is there are ways to mitigate your chances of tick exposure. Here are some tips to help you stay away from ticks.
- Understand the ticks in your area. In general, avoid high grass, wooded and brushy areas, and leaf litter. Moreover, keep grass mowed and brushy areas cleared in your yard.
- Pre-treat clothes, shoes, and gear before going outdoors. The CDC recommends using products with 0.5 percent permethrin on items like clothing, boots, and camping gear.
- Use an effective tick repellent that best suits your needs. Natural tick repellants can be effective for short-term use in low risk areas. For everything else, the CDC recommends an EPA-registered insect repellent. Children under the age of 3 should not use a tick repellent spray or lotion with oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol.
- Check your body and clothes for ticks after being outdoors. Tick control extends beyond the outdoors. It’s important to do a thorough tick check and remove any visible ticks. Wash and dry clothing on high heat.
- Check your pets. Your dog or cat can bring ticks into the home, putting you at risk of tick bites. Remove ticks from a pet or call your veterinarian for assistance.
- Shower within two hours of coming inside. According to the CDC, showering shortly after being outdoors can decrease your risk of getting Lyme disease. Do a visual skin check on yourself. Check your back in the mirror.
The CDC says spraying a pesticide in parts of your yard can reduce the number of ticks. However, you should check with the local health or agricultural departments about what to use and the best time to spray.
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Tick bite treatment
If despite your best efforts, you get a tick bite, the first step is removing it. If you can remove a tick within a few hours, your chances of developing Lyme disease are markedly reduced. That’s because a tick needs about 24-48 hours of feeding time before Lyme disease can be transmitted, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Remove the tick with a fine-tipped tweezer. Grasp the tick nearest to the skin, and avoid squeezing the tick body. Clean the bite area and your hands with soap and water or rubbing alcohol, according to the CDC. If Lyme disease is a concern, consider calling your healthcare provider. Your physician may start you on an antibiotic.
The next step after removing a tick is to watch for symptoms. According to the CDC, some of the more common tick bite symptoms include:
- Aches and pains like headaches, muscle pain, and joint pain
- Fatigue
- Fever and chills
- Rash that may appear around the bite. A bull’s-eye rash may occur up to 30 days after the bite
More serious side effects can happen weeks or months after a tick bite. These include nervous system abnormalities, arthritis, and heart-rhythm irregularities, according to the FDA.
Ultimately, tick treatments depend on your symptoms, history of exposure, and blood tests, according to the CDC. In general, a short course of antibiotics is recommended for most tick-borne diseases. However, if you live in an area at risk of Lyme disease, the CDC recommends a prophylactic dose of doxycycline to reduce the risk of acquiring Lyme disease after the bite of a high-risk tick. The typical dose is 200 mg for adults and a weight-based dose of 4.4 mg/kg for children or any person weighing less than 99 pounds.
If you have any questions about trick treatments or prevention, including the right tick repellent for your region, make sure to talk with your primary care provider or health department.
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