When you go for a walk in the woods or even if you’re playing outside, there is a chance that you’ll come across a tick or two. They are small insects that you don’t notice until they are clinging onto your clothing, in your hair or on your skin. Sometimes, you don’t know that they are there until they have already attached to the skin and started to make you sick in some cases as they can spread Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Fortunately, there are some natural tick prevention techniques that you can use to keep the pesky critters away.

One of the ways that you can keep ticks away and make your home and the outside smell good is to put aromatherapy oils in a small container. You can also soak a cloth in the oils before wrapping it around your pet. Cinnamon, lavender, lemon and basil work the best. You don’t need a lot of the oil in the container for it to have an impact.

Use the peels from any citrus fruit, such as lemons or oranges, as a natural repellent. To make the scent stronger, you can boil the peels in water on the stove before putting the water in a container. Another way to use this remedy is to apply the water on a bite that has already occurred.

A comb is the best way to keep ticks away. Use the comb to brush through your pet’s hair to remove ticks that might be present. You can also get a special comb for the family to use as ticks can sometimes hide in the hair and near the scalp. If there is a tick on the skin that doesn’t want to let go, rub the area with apple cider vinegar. The vinegar will cause the tick to release its grip on the skin and can usually kill it in the process. Another tip for removing ticks from the skin is to rub Vaseline over the area. This should help to loosen the tick.

If you like being outside but don’t want ticks and other insects to invade your area, spray the exterior of the home with cedar oil spray. You need to use it once a day, especially if you live in an area where ticks are prominent. Peppermint oil also works in this fashion. It will keep just about every insect away from the home, such as ants spiders and mosquitoes.