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Need to know how to keep troublesome ticks at bay? We've got you covered. This simple natural repellent can be made with a few inexpensive household ingredients. It's easy, budget-friendly, and chemical-free.
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Repellant for Pets
Things You'll Need
1 cup water
2 cups apple cider vinegar
Vegetable or almond oil
Lemon juice, citrus oil, geranium oil or peppermint oil
Step 1
Add 1 cup of water to a spray bottle, followed by 2 cups of apple cider vinegar. (Ticks hate the smell and taste of vinegar, and will be easily be repelled by this ingredient alone.)
Step 2
Then, add two spoonfuls of vegetable or almond oil, which both contain sulfur (another natural tick repellent).
Step 3
Mix in a few spoonfuls of lemon juice, citrus oil, geranium oil or peppermint oil, which will all repel ticks and fleas while also creating a scented repellent.
Step 4
Place the top onto the bottle and shake well. Spray onto the pet's dry coat, staying away from sensitive areas including eyes, nose, mouth, and genitals. When outdoors for an extended period, spray this solution on two to three times per day, otherwise once per day is fine.
Repellent for You and Your Family
Things You'll Need
2 cups apple cider vinegar
Essential oils
Step 1
In a spray bottle, mix 2 cups of apple cider vinegar and 1 cup of water.
Step 2
Add 20 drops of your favorite essential oil. 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 repels ticks. This way you won't smell like bitter vinegar all day!
Step 3
Place the top onto the bottle and shake well.
After mixing the solution, spray onto clothing, skin, and hair before going outdoors. Reapply every four hours to keep ticks at bay, and examine the skin and hair when returning home to make sure no ticks are on the body.