The beautiful weather of the last few weeks has lured us more and more often into nature. We go for walks in forests and meadows, have picnics or simply lie down on the grass to sunbathe. But we often forget that there toodangerous tickscan lurk or we can't really enjoy our time outdoors because of the fear of being attacked by them. You can at least reduce your worries a little if you rub yourself with an insect repellent that is effective against ticks. And the great news is that you can even make tick repellent yourself.
It is not uncommon for purchased tick treatments to contain chemicals that many people consciously want to avoid. Of course, this is especially true if we also protect our children from tick bites and other things with such a remedyTick-borne diseaseswant to protect. However, if you make your own anti tick spray, you choose the ingredients yourself and always know exactly what is in your protective product.
So you can even use your homemade spray forChildren from one year olduse. However, keep in mind that some people cannot tolerate some essential oils. Therefore, test the compatibility on a small area first and wait 10 minutes to see if it isSkin with rednessorItching reacts.
Make tick protection yourself – what the parasites like and what they don’t
We humans emit smells that ticks find particularly attractive. Examples include lactic acid and butyric acid, which we excrete through sweat and also when we breathe. But just as some smells attract them, there are also those that scare them away. The lauric acid contained in coconut oil and the essential oil citriodiol, which is obtained from lemon eucalyptus, are such fragrances. For this reason, you should use at least one of these two substances when making tick repellent yourself.
By the way: What do ticks actually smell like? It is interesting to know that ticks perceive smells via the so-called Haller organ. This organ is not located on the head, like the nose in humans, but on the outer ends of the front legs.
Make your own tick repellent with this recipe
In principle, the scents mentioned above are enough if you want to make your own natural tick protection. However, you can make the scent of your spray even more pleasant by adding other essential oils. This way you can also do it right awayprotect against other insects. For example, you can combine the basic ingredients in the following ratio:
- 100g coconut oil
- approx. 15 drops of lemon eucalyptus oil (i.e. citriodiol)
If you would like to make the tick treatment yourself, first heat a liter of water until it boils and turn off the stove again. Put the coconut oil in a mason jar, close it and place it in the hot water to melt. If your coconut oil is already liquid, you can skip this step and mix it straight away with the lemon eucalyptus oil. Now let your finished tick remedy cool down, stirring occasionally.
You can leave the finished tick treatment in the glass and rub it onto your skin or fill it into a spray bottle and use it as a spray. Always shake it well before use.
Combine with other essential oils
When you mix the coconut and lemon eucalyptus, you can also mix in any other oils you like. For example, lavender oil, rosemary oil and cedarwood oil are well suited, as these are also effective against ticks. Which of these oils you choose depends solely on your scent preferences.
Application
Ticks lurk in tall grass and bushes. When you walk through the grass, you brush them off and that's how they end up on your body. That's why you shouldn't neglect your legs when using homemade tick repellent. However, that is not enough. Ticks don't bite each other straight away, but instead start looking for a place on the body that is comfortable for them.
Ticks particularly like it where the skin is thin and moist. That's why it's best to rub areas such as ankles and lower legs, but also hands, forearms and the crook of your arm. You should also apply some tick repellent to your hairline, behind your ears and on the back of your neck, as this is where you tend to sweat a lot on warm days. The insect repellent works for about 4 hours. You should then apply it again at the latest.
Make tick protection yourself – What else needs to be taken into account
Just because you make and use tick protection yourself does not mean that tick infestation can be completely ruled out. It can always happen that a tick still bites. However, you can minimize this risk by also making sure you wear the right clothing. If the weather permits, wear long clothing (long-sleeved shirts or blouses, long pants), socks that are ideally pulled over your trouser legs, and closed shoes. The parasites can also be discovered more quickly on light-colored clothing. After your outdoor excursion, it is important to inspect the body.
