How to Get Rid of Ticks in the House and Yard Naturally

Ticks are a nuisance and can spread harmful diseases, so it’s important to take steps to prevent them from invading your property. Here are some tips on how to get rid of ticks naturally, using safe and nontoxic methods.

Eliminate Existing Ticks Yourself

Oils

To get rid of existing tick infestations in the home and yard, you can try using natural pesticides like cedar oil. This remedy causes the ticks to dehydrate and obstructs their breathing. Cedar oil sprays are available at most garden stores, but you can also make this solution yourself: Just mix two teaspoons of cedarwood essential oil in one cup of water.

Neem oil is another natural insecticide for ticks. When ticks ingest this oil, they lose their appetite and starve to death. Like cedar oil, this preparation causes the ticks to suffocate. A homemade neem oil solution consists of two teaspoons of neem oil and four cups of water.

Other effective natural treatments include garlic oil and peppermint oil. Whatever product you choose, spray it around your property’s perimeter and directly on plants and shrubs. It is recommended to treat ticks in the morning or evening, when the sun is not as strong; this prevents the sun’s rays from directly hitting plants and burning them.

Diatomaceous Earth

You may also want to consider using diatomaceous earth (DE), a naturally occurring substance formed from the fossils of marine algae. DE destroys the waxy outer layer of ticks, causing them to dehydrate. Not only does this abrasive powder help to kill adult ticks, but it also prevents new ones from hatching.

Heated Insect Traps

Heated insect traps are another nontoxic way to remove ticks from your house. These traps use infrared lights that attract the pests, after which they are captured in a bag or container for easy disposal.

Chemical Solutions

In addition to natural repellents, there are a variety of chemical solutions available for controlling tick populations. However, we recommend using these products with caution: When it comes to insecticides, improper use can cause more harm than good. Many of these items can also be toxic to children and pets.

Professional Tick Removal

Professional exterminators like Dominion Pest Control are trained and experienced in treating tick infestations. Depending on your individual situation, we can provide you with the most suitable option and ensure that all safety guidelines are followed during the application process.
Targeted treatments may involve applying pesticides directly onto the ground around your property’s perimeter or into any crevices in walls or fences.

At Dominion, we offer natural solutions like Nature-Cide® green pest control products. When applied by a skilled professional, commercial grade Nature-Cide® Insecticide targeting fleas and ticks is a powerful remedy. Besides being non-hazardous and non-flammable, Nature-Cide products are made from 100% natural ingredients; these include clove oil, cottonseed oil, cedar oil, and cinnamon oil. The proprietary blends used in Nature-Cide® are a powerful alternative to traditional pest control products.
Our natural tick control methods kill ticks and fleas on the spot. What’s more, they also repel other insects like mosquitoes.

How to Prevent Ticks

Keep Your Lawn Trimmed

When dealing with ticks, it’s best to take proactive measures to prevent them from entering your property.

Ticks are attracted to warm, humid environments like those found in many lawns and gardens. Although beneficial predators like frogs, birds, spiders, opossums, and snakes can help to control the tick population naturally, it’s important to do your part: Avoid planting shrubs near wooded areas and keep any plants away from walls and fences; these can provide pathways into the garden.

It also helps to keep your lawn trimmed and free of leaf litter, brush, and tall grasses. Not only do these create an inviting habitat for ticks, but they also conceal them as they make their way inside your home.

Also be sure to avoid overwatering your lawn or garden and make sure that all gutters and drains are clear and dry. Additionally, if you have water features such as ponds or streams, it is important to maintain them properly: Regularly remove debris and keep the water well aerated to reduce the likelihood of tick infestations.

Use Natural Repellants

Using cedar mulch or wood chips in the garden is an excellent way to prevent ticks from nesting outside your home. These materials contain natural repellents that keep ticks away. Planting marigolds around the yard can also help to repel ticks, as these flowers emit a strong scent that insects find unappealing. Other common plants that produce tick-repelling toxins and oils are rosemary, mint, garlic, lavender, lemongrass, eucalyptus, and sage.

Check Yourself and Your Pets

To prevent bringing ticks indoors with you, it’s a good idea to inspect yourself after spending time in wooded areas or near bodies of water – even if you’ve taken precautions like applying repellant or wearing long sleeves. If you find an attached tick, you can remove it with a pair of tweezers by grasping it close to the skin and pulling it straight out.

You should also check your pets for any existing tick infestations. Regularly checking pet bedding for signs of infestation is also recommended.

Create Entry Barriers

Although ticks are tiny, you can still create an effective barrier by sealing cracks, crevices, or holes around the exterior of your home. Sealing gaps between windows and doors will also help to make sure that these parasites are unable to gain access to your home. Additionally, check for any loose-fitting weather stripping or caulking which may have weakened over time.

If you live in an area with a high tick population, we also recommend installing screens around your perimeter walls, porch, patio, and any other outdoor areas of your property. These screens help to keep ticks away while still allowing air to circulate.

Are Ticks Harmful?

Ticks are dangerous to both humans and animals. They can transmit bacteria and viruses, resulting in a range of illnesses. Whether they attach to your skin or to your pet’s fur, ticks feed on blood and can cause Lyme disease (common in Pennsylvania), Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, or tularemia. If you’ve been exposed to tick-infested areas, keep an eye out for symptoms like fever, headache, muscle or joint pain, fatigue, or a rash. In rare cases, these conditions can also be fatal.

How to Get Rid of Ticks Once and for All

If you have ticks in your house or yard, you probably want to get rid of them as soon as possible. To get the fastest, safest, and most thorough tick removal in your area, contact Dominion Pest Control. Dominion’s technicians have been helping residents of Lancaster and York, PA get rid of ticks and other pests since 1991.

Not only will we help to resolve your existing tick infestation, but we’ll also implement methods to keep these pests away long-term. The best part? We can do it using natural products like Nature-Cide®.

Call us today at (717) 393-7879 or contact us here so we can get you back to living tick-free!

We serve Lancaster County (Lititz, Lancaster city, Manheim, Ephrata, Strasburg, etc), York County (Dallastown, Red Lion, York city, Hellam, etc), Lebanon, and Hershey. Here’s a map of our location and service area: