# How to repel ticks on humans?



## tngirl (Mar 10, 2004)

I'm sure most of you know that my mother (sancraft), sister and I are going to camp out on the land this week for 4-5 days. We will be sleepng in tents, which I know are pretty secure, but bugs still sometimes get in. Well, for some reason, ticks just seem to LOVE me. Every time I even think about woods, I get covered in ticks and it is no fun. So, does anybody have an suggestions on how I could keep the ticks off of me this week. I already spray myself with OFF and roll my socks up high and tuck my pant legs into my socks. But, they still get all over me. Any suggestions?


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## halfpint (Jan 24, 2005)

I've heard that eating garlic works, you might try that, although it might repel your mother and sister also.


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## mtman (Sep 2, 2004)

i eat a lot of garlic seems to bother everything but the tics


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## shadowwalker (Mar 5, 2004)

I was a chigger and tick magnet. A friend of the wife's told us about swallowing a teaspoon of brown vinegar a day. Also I put a spot of it on each wrist and on above my socks. I haven't had a tick on me for three weeks. Or skeeters, or any bugs I guess. I am working on 5 1/2 acres weeding, cutting brush, gardening, building a shed, mowing even under trees. No problem. shadowwalker


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## WolfWalksSoftly (Aug 13, 2004)

Consumer Reports, I believe, ranked deep woods off with at least 30 % deet works and lasts the longest. I live in the heart of tick country and am surrounded by woods. We use the Deep Woods Off on our skin and then on our boots and clothes a spray with Permetherin in it...the combo works great...DO NOT use the Permetherin on your skin though the Permetherin is supposed to last through a few washings as well..good stuff!
Scott


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## copperhead51 (Aug 14, 2003)

Somebody just told us about Shaklee Basic H. He is a timberer and works in the tick infested woods of southron missouri. I'm going to get some and try it. I will also try the brown vinegar.


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

> Consumer Reports, I believe, ranked deep woods off with at least 30 % deet works and lasts the longest.


Deet enters the bloodstream and its long term effects are unknown...


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## PezzoNovante (Jun 11, 2002)

southerngurl said:


> Deet enters the bloodstream and its long term effects are unknown...


Speaking as one who has had a bout of Lyme disease. I'll risk the long term effects of Deet.

We've tried a lot of different treatments, but spraying the skin with 30% Deet and then hitting the footwear and pants legs with Raid works the best. Follow that with a strip down inspection and change of clothes once done working outside.

Nothing seems to work against chiggers...


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

A bleach solution will work on the chiggars. Won't keep them off but makes them leave.
Also fire ant stings can be treated by dousing with alcohol (rubbing not drinking). Works well on wasp and scorpion stings also.


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## Judy in IN (Nov 28, 2003)

A deer hunter and Realtor in MO (tick capital of the WORLD) told us that he dusts himself with powdered sulfer. He gets it at the drug store and puts it in an old sock. When he's going to be out in the woods, he justs dusts himself with the sock. I haven't tried it--would rather rely on guineas....


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## Tarot Farm (May 22, 2005)

I have been using someting right out of the kitchen. It is vanilla extract! You can either dilute it with water (1 part vanilla to 3 parts water) for a spray or mist to keep away the mosquitos, flies, gnats. Or, use it right out of the bottle around the wrists, neck, ankles, and please check around the groin area, as the ticks here are attracted to areas where there is tight clothing.

If you are wearing long pants or jeans, put rubber bands around the legs at the ankle to keep the critters from crawling up the pant legs. 

It is also ok to use the sprays with deet in them, but only on the outside of the clothing! I have heard all about the problems with use of deet products and I myself do not use them on the skin, only on the clothing.

Brenda


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## mtman (Sep 2, 2004)

i allso read somewhere if you go into the woods neked you will have a lot of less ticks then with clothes on they cant grab the skin as well as they can clothes but if you choose that way dont forget sunblock for you fair skined people


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

I'll take ticks over mosquitos and deer flies any day !!

I agree with the DEET recommendations. Lyse disease is terrible.


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

> Nothing seems to work against chiggers...


Heh heh, I don't get them. I'm not allergic to poison ivy either. I was built for Arkansas.  

uh, knock on wood.


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## Matt Black (Aug 19, 2003)

We use Permetherin on clothes and 30% Deet on skin. We don't use the Deet on our young children, on them we use some stuff that is also a sunscreen and made for kids, I forgot the name of it. We do use the Permethrin on their clothes though. This seems to cut down on ticks but will not render you invulnerable. 
MB


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## moopups (May 12, 2002)

One part catnip seed oil, 20 parts witch hazel, apply as needed where needed.


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## hollym (Feb 18, 2005)

Bugs rarely bite me, and I always wondered why? I read recently that taking extra vitamin B repels them, and I take it daily. Worth a try! I don't know if citronella repels ticks, but when we are REALLY infested with mosquitos, I dab the essential oil on, like you would perfume? before I go outside and it works like a charm.

Be sure to check each other, especially in your hair, ESPECIALLY if your hair is thick! It's hard to see them on yourself in the less accessible places. 

Good luck, be careful, Lyme disease is nothing to mess with. 

hollym


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Another recommendation: Have a roll of 2-inch wide 3M masking tape near your sleeping bag at night. If you feel a tick crawling, pick it off and stick it to the tape. That way you don't have to get up in the middle of the night and dispose of the tick. The tick will remain stuff to 3M making tape and die (there is something in the glue that kills the tick). I haven't had good luck using other brands of masking tape.


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## Blu3duk (Jun 2, 2002)

Our family went fer a walkabout last evening and of course i got the lovely feeling of a tick crawling on my neck after we got home... just something about taller grass those pesky critters love.

the free range chickens seemed to have knocked the population down this spring here, only found one on the dog and one on a cat.... usual numbers in the teens by now. as for keeping them off a person, and keeping them from biting my in-laws swear by a product from Avon.... skin-so-soft which works against skeeters, chiggers, and deer flies too.... I used to smoke a cigar or three and that seems to keep everything at bay although im told that was just an ole tale as nothing in a cigar would repel anything like a tick... just other people..... but i never got bit by a vampire while smoking one either..... <----- not an advocation for smoking anything at all.... 

But if your new property is infested with those biting insects, and you can swing it, and can stand them afterwards, get some guinea fowl, they will make short work of a lot of pests but if your neighbor has higher ground or taller trees, they will seek that out [might have to build a tall radio type tower for them to roost on].

A positive attitude will help as well, feeling like you are gonna be a victim of a tick will attract them to a person..... not being afraid of them wil just let them crawl on you to find a good spot to bite you, allowing you time to get the needle nose pliers and the butane lighter and FRY THE LITTLE VARMITS, not that I dislike any of natures creatures or anything, but that "POP" as they bake sounds really good and satisfying that I just put to rest several thousands of generations of bloodsucking parasites [not to be confused with those of the lawyering profession]

HAve a great adventure working on your property 

William


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Start taking Vitamin B pills. Ask at the health store how much you should need. Vitamin B (I don't remember which one, 12?) makes you taste bad. You need to start now and continue until you get home. While you are at it, also get a good Vitamin C supplement to help your immune system. Do not buy at K-Mart or similar store. Go to a health store. You will pay a little more, but you need the higher quality.


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## logcabn (Jan 19, 2005)

This is from Mother Earth News sept 2001 country lore
Mix 1/8 teaspoon of powdered sulfur with a little honey or molasses
Take this mixture once a day for a week in early spring
Next week take it every other day .
The next week take it every three days.
Thereafter take the mixture once a month during tick season.


Sounds gross I've never had to try it we don't have ticks, in all my years of being in the woods and trecking around I've only had to remove 1 and that was on my cat. You would probably also want to make sure you didn't have an allergie to sulfur. Good luck.


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## mensamule (Apr 28, 2005)

I live in southcentral Missouri (the Ozarks) and am surrounded by woods. Ticks are a big problem for me and for the dogs. Have pretty good luck with Frontline for the dogs and Deep Woods Off for me. That and a good hot shower as soon as I get in from putting up the chickens. Think I've had, maybe, 3 bites this year and I wasn't using the Deep Woods when I got them. As soon as the guineas are older the ticks will be history. There is no better cure for ticks than a hungry guinea.


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## Lerxt (Feb 22, 2005)

We've had ticks everywhere this year. I've had so many that I'm now attuned to them. They can't stay on me more than a few seconds before I know it and pluck em off. Always before they bite in. Pulled one off one of the dogs and she bled enough to leave a 2" diameter red spot on her white fur. The other dog had a tick we missed until I thought she picked up a snail in the tall grass. The horse had one in his mane that got pretty big and now it looks kinda infected. Going to have to check it out if he'll let me close enough.

Guineas get here this week. Anyone know how long before they get good at tick eradication? We don't have much of a mosquito problem at least. Seems the little fish in the ponds keep them in check.


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## Quint (Nov 12, 2004)

Personally I don't think anything really helps much with ticks other than picking the little devils off.

I use DEET based repellents for mosquitoes. I'm a magnet for mosquitoes for some reason and simply get eaten alive while those around me aren't being bothered. I think it is because I am so darned sweet. Anyway, I tried "skin so soft" (worthless) and all sorts of other stuff and found that DEET was the only thing that worked. It seems to help a bit for ticks but nothing dramatic. I've been hosed down with DEET based stuff ever since I was a kid with no ill effects. In the summer evenings it was a ritual that all us kids would line up for a dousing of "OFF!" of whatever before we ran off to play. Just make sure you wash the stuff off every day and you should be fine.

Besides, I drive waaay too fast to worry about long term DEET exposure.


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## logcabn (Jan 19, 2005)

shadowwalker said:


> I was a chigger and tick magnet. A friend of the wife's told us about swallowing a teaspoon of brown vinegar a day. Also I put a spot of it on each wrist and on above my socks. I haven't had a tick on me for three weeks. Or skeeters, or any bugs I guess. I am working on 5 1/2 acres weeding, cutting brush, gardening, building a shed, mowing even under trees. No problem. shadowwalker



By brown vinegar do you mean apple cider vinegar or something else, I'd like to try it since I'm a skeeter magnet.


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## Brandi in VA (Oct 7, 2002)

Bounce fabric sheets work well for us. Just tie one onto a belt loop or stick it in your pocket.


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## Kellkell (Nov 19, 2004)

I like using something like skin so soft on my skin and then 30% Deet on my clothes. Also keep in mind, when you come home for the night or back to camp, take a shower and scrub with a wash cloth. It takes 12-24 hours before it is really clamped on and it will come right off. Also have someone check you out, but it takes a tick 36-48 hours before it will transmit lyme disease. If you have been exposed, within 72 hours you can take a one time dose of doxycyline to prevent lyme disease. Once you start to experience the flu like symptoms, it turns into 20 days of antibiotics. I've confirmed all of this info with the Infectious Disease Specialist at work. That is aside from the creep out factor which is making me itch just writing this post. And tick bites don't even itch, and only about 30% get the "bullseye" rash.


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## doc623 (Jun 7, 2004)

Maura said:


> Start taking Vitamin B pills. Ask at the health store how much you should need. Vitamin B (I don't remember which one, 12?) makes you taste bad. You need to start now and continue until you get home. While you are at it, also get a good Vitamin C supplement to help your immune system. Do not buy at K-Mart or similar store. Go to a health store. You will pay a little more, but you need the higher quality.


B1 - 50 mg./da. for 2 weeks then continue - old fisherman's trick for skeeters.


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