Tick ​​repellents: forms, brands, and reviews

Before heading outdoors, it's important to decide on a method of protection against dangerous parasites—ticks. It's crucial to choose and apply the right product to ensure it's effective. Let's look at different protection methods and find out which ones are effective.

Types of chemical tick repellents

Tick ​​bites can cause serious illnesses, including:

• tick paralysis,
• encephalitis,
• typhus,
• Lyme disease (tick-borne borreliosis).

Today, there are many different medications available for these parasites, which can be divided into three groups according to their mode of action:

• repellents,
• acaricides,
• combined, or insecticidal-repellent.

Repellents are products that repel ticks but do not kill them. Acaricides contain an active ingredient that kills ticks by paralyzing the nervous system. Combination products combine the ability to repel and kill not only ticks but also mosquitoes. They are often available as aerosols.

Acaricides

Acaricidal agents must be applied to clothing because their composition is toxic to skin. After application, allow the agent to dry completely before dressing. The applied agent retains its effectiveness for up to 14 days.

It is strictly forbidden to treat clothing on the body with acaricides!

Acaricides can only be sprayed on clothing.

Table: Popular brands of acaricides

Ratings are based on reviews published online.

Repellents

Repellents are applied to the skin in areas where ticks are most often found:

• armpits,
• ankles,
• inner part of the knees.

The effect of repellents lasts up to 5 days.

Important! Rain, high humidity, or sweat will wash away the product and reduce its effectiveness.

People with sensitive skin should use repellents with caution.

Table: Popular repellents

Combination products

Insecticide-repellent products, like acaricides, are applied to clothing. This type of tick control is the most effective due to its dual action. When processing clothing, it is important to pay special attention to the cuffs of the sleeves and collar, areas at the waist, knees, and hips.

Important! The product must be reapplied after a certain amount of time, as directed.

Some combination tick repellents remain effective for up to 20 days.

Table: well-known brands of insecticide repellents

Some products can be used by small children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, but for safety reasons, other people should be assigned to handle the clothing.

Folk remedies

Natural repellents—essential oils—are often used as folk remedies for tick control. Their pungent scent can repel the parasites. The following oils are commonly used for this purpose:

• geraniums,
• eucalyptus,
• palmarosa,
• lavender,
• cedar,
• mint,
• rosemary,
• thyme,
• basilica.

To make a homemade tick spray for adults, use one or more oils, as well as alcohol or vinegar for emulsification.

Photo Gallery: Essential Oils That Repel Ticks

Recipes for adults

You can make your own tick repellent. To do this, you'll need:

• 2 tsp palmarosa essential oil,
• 2 teaspoons of medical alcohol,
• 1 glass of water.

Method of preparation:

1. Mix the ingredients.
2. Transfer to a storage container with a tight-fitting lid.
3. Before going outdoors, spray the mixture on your clothes or skin—it is safe and does not cause allergic reactions.
4. Store the solution for up to six months.

Instead of alcohol, you can use table vinegar to make a repellent mixture. To do this, you'll need:

• 15 drops of peppermint or eucalyptus oil,
• 4 teaspoons of table vinegar,
• 2 teaspoons of water.

The mixture must be prepared and used in the same way as in the first recipe.

Recipes for children

Home remedies for ticks for children have a more gentle composition - they do not use alcohol and vinegar, so as not to irritate delicate children's skin.

To prepare the mixture you will need:

• 15 drops of tea tree essential oil,
• 50 ml of water.

What to do:

1. Mix the ingredients.
2. Pour into a storage bottle.
3. Apply to exposed areas of skin using a cotton pad.
4. Treat clothes additionally.

You can make anti-tick soap using essential oil. To do this, you will need:

• 15 drops of tea tree oil,
• 10 ml soybean oil,
• 30 ml of liquid soap.

What to do:

1. Mix liquid soap and soybean oil.
2. Pour in tea tree oil.
3. Use the product while taking a shower.

Washing with such soap is especially useful after walks in nature.

Photo Gallery: Essential Ingredients for Homemade Tick Repellent Mixtures

Physical impact devices

In addition to chemical tick repellents in liquid, aerosol, or emulsion form, there are physical repellent devices such as bracelets and ultrasonic repellents. These offer several advantages:

• Absolutely safe for humans. No toxic substances are used in them.
• There are no contraindications for small children, pregnant women, or animals.
• Safe for the environment.
• Easy to use. The devices are compact and portable.

When purchasing, pay attention to the specified age group - for each you need to select the right accessory

Cons:

• The bracelets have an intense, specific smell.
• Children may develop allergies due to the smell.
• The effectiveness of these devices has not yet been proven.

The ultrasonic repeller operates within a range of up to three meters.

Medicinal prevention of tick bites

Specific prevention (vaccination) against tick-borne diseases is essential for people who spend a lot of time outdoors.

Vaccination does not protect against tick bites, but it does help develop immunity against the encephalitis virus. It is carried out in two or three stages with breaks from 14 days to 3 months.

Immunity after vaccination develops within 2 to 4 weeks, so vaccinations given the day before a trip to the countryside are useless.

There is no vaccine for Lyme disease (tick-borne borreliosis). Antibiotics, including doxycycline and amoxicillin, are prescribed for prevention and treatment. After a bite, be sure to go to a hospital to have the tick examined in a laboratory. If the tick is found to be infected with the causative bacteria, the doctor will prescribe treatment, including immunoglobulin, and Anaferon.

Important! If you are bitten by a tick, seek medical attention immediately.

Symptoms of tick-borne borreliosis are similar to a cold:

• headache,
• cough,
• runny nose.

Therefore, be careful and seek help promptly. The disease has dangerous complications, including disability.

If a tick bite leaves a red spot with a border, it is most likely Lyme disease.

Self-medication is prohibited! Only a specialist can prescribe medications after testing.

How to choose the right product for you and your child

When choosing a tick repellent, follow these recommendations:

• Carefully read the information about contraindications on the packaging;
• Do not buy products in dubious places (at markets, from private sellers): there is a risk of purchasing a low-quality product or a counterfeit;
• When choosing a product for a child, pay attention to the manufacturer's instructions about the age of children for which it is intended;
• Study reviews of products in advance, especially bracelets and ultrasonic repellents;
• Give preference to acaricidal and insecticidal-repellent preparations.

There are special products for children of different ages, for example:

• Off Extreme,
• Biban,
• DEFI-Taiga,
• Mosquitol anti-mite.

Photo Gallery: Tick Repellent for Children

How to protect your property from ticks

You can treat the area with acaricidal tick control products either through specialized services or on your own. When doing this yourself, follow these basic guidelines:

• carefully read the instructions for the product you are using;
• carry out the treatment in the morning (at 5–7 o’clock), in calm weather;
• During processing, use gloves and a respirator, put on protective overalls and rubber boots, and tuck your trousers into your shoes;
• Spray the area and a small part of the adjacent territory evenly with a spray bottle;
• After finishing treatment, remove protective clothing and conduct a self-examination for ticks.

When treating an area for ticks on your own, use a protective suit, respirator, boots and gloves.

There are many ways to kill pests on your property, including:

• Medilis-Ziper,
• Ram,
• Dobrokhim Phos,
• Force Site,
• Sipaz Super.

Video: Testing tick repellent

Reviews of the products

Moskitol

The aerosol really works. During the entire May holidays, even though I was walking in the woods, I didn't have a single tick on me, even though it's tick season now, and my dad even removed one from himself (he didn't use the aerosol). Ultimately, the product works, and I can confidently recommend it to anyone who enjoys the outdoors.

OFF

For the second season now, we've been using OFF Extreme aerosol, which works well and protects against mosquito bites, ticks, and all sorts of other blood-sucking little creatures.

Kaput tick

The repellent had a strong odor, and it was unpleasant when driving in a hot car. They say to re-treat after 10-15 days. Ticks don't like the smell. I haven't seen any crawling on treated clothing. So, I consider the product suitable for use.

Gardex Extreme

I had a positive experience using the product. After the picnic, no mosquito bites were found on the participants. No ticks were found on their bodies either. We treated their clothes and sprayed them on exposed skin. One downside is the strong chemical smell. The fragrance contains geranium and fir essential oils, which are quite effective at repelling insects. Another downside is that it doesn't work on bees and wasps.

Reftamide Maximum

It really does repel these bastards, the most effective of the ones we've tried so far. It does have a distinct odor, though. When applying, be careful not to get it in your eyes or mouth, otherwise it will sting and leave an unpleasant taste in your mouth. It's truly effective, I highly recommend it, and I'll be back for another can soon.

Ticks are dangerous parasites, but knowing how to protect yourself from them can minimize the risk of being bitten and potentially contracting unpleasant diseases. It's important to ensure you have tick repellents in place and use them correctly.