Yesterday I pulled a tick off of one of my daughter's necks. I first used the dawn soap and cotton ball method, but it didn't release the tick. Later in the day we found another tick on the couch. The dogs will be getting a good shampoo scrub, then will be rubbed with this oil we make. Ticks are very bad this year already.
I found this recipe in a copy of The Herb
Quarterly several years ago. I lost it, then ordered a back issue of the
magazine.
Tick-Repelling Oil
(for adults, dogs, and children older than 5 - otherwise they recommend using a gentle rose geranium hydrosol)
2 oz. jojoba oil
20 drops geranium essential oil
10 drops lavender essential oil
Combine
all ingredients, place in small bottle and label. To use: Before
going outdoors, apply this oil to any exposed skin. For dogs, place a
few drops on your hands and then gently smooth the oil over the coat.
If you prefer spray, substitute 2 oz. of distilled water for the jojoba
oil, and place all ingredients in a small spray bottle. Spritz over
your hair, clothing and skin. Repeat as necessary. (From The Herb Quarterly Magazine, Summer 2009).
I
do recommend organic oils. So far, this is working for us and for the
dogs. I'm not sure if you can use it on other animals, but wanted to
share. There is a concern for using it on young children, but you could
research it for other animals.
My son is constantly picking up ticks on his legs when he walks the dogs around the 6 acres here. He just rubs some on his legs and arms to prevent them from attaching. It's a nice way to repel ticks naturally.
Note: It was recommended by my Herbalist to never store your oils in the refrigerator. She recommended storing them in a cool/dry place. There is too much moisture in the refrigerator.
