Ah, the great outdoors. The sun on your face, the fresh smell of nature, the breeze in your hair… does it get any better? Well, it could. There’s nothing worse than coming home from a picnic, a hike or a fun day at the bike trails to find a tick burrowed in your skin.
If you spend a lot of time outdoors, it’s important to know how to protect yourself from ticks. Not only are they pesky and uncomfortable, they can also carry deadly diseases that are extremely dangerous. The next time you’re enjoying nature, follow this simple trick to keep ticks from latching onto your skin!
Lint Roller And Essential Oil Tick Hack
All you need for this tick hack is a lint roller and some essential oils! Make sure your lint roller is the kind with adhesive layers. Simply take the roller with you when you’re going on a hike or doing yard work, and roll it on your clothing from time to time. After just a short time outside, you might be shocked to see what you pick up!
Adding some essential oil to this trick can minimize the risk of tips hopping onto you as you work, bike or walk outside. Spraying essential oil onto your clothing and rubbing it onto your skin will help deter ticks from coming near you. This hack also works to deter mosquitoes and black flies. Using essential oils instead of tick or insect repellent helps to eliminate the amount of chemicals you’re exposed to.
Here are the five best essential oils to help repel bugs:
- Lavender – Lavender essential oil is a sweet-smelling tick deterrent. You’ll love the smell, but bugs will hate it! It can help deter mosquitoes, flies and other unwanted insects.
- Pennyroyal – Pennyroyal is a member of the mint family. This essential oil is toxic to insects and which makes it an effective natural insect repellent!
- Lemongrass – Lemongrass oil comes from the tropical lemongrass plant known as Cymbopogon citrates. It has a bright citrus scent and works as a natural flea and tick repellent. It can be sprayed directly on the skin to help ward off bugs.
- Eucalyptus – Eucalyptus oil can be used alone or in combination with citronella oil for an all-purpose bug deterrent. A study published in the Journal of Medical Entomology found that eucalyptus extract has the ability to reduce tick bites and infections.
- Lemon – Lemon essential oil contains a compound known as limolene. This compound is considered to be especially effective against fleas and other bugs. Use it in a diluted form before spraying it onto your clothes or skin.
