Ticks are a problem for many people who spend time in the woods or even in their back yards. Ticks can be a problem for both people and for animals. You can spend a lot of money on commercial products that smell bad and are toxic to your animals or you can make your own tick spray that will likely be just as effective.
Creating Your Own Topical Spray
You have to be careful when spraying your pet or yourself, as you don't want to select products that are too potent for topical use. You can create your own topical spray by combining tea tree oil and lavender oil in a spray bottle and then mixing with a 16 oz.-bottle of spring water. Spray this solution on yourself and your dog before going out. The scent of the lavender and tea tree oil will keep the ticks off both of you for your walks in the woods or time spent in the backyard. It's time to re-apply to your pet when you can no longer smell the oils.
Homemade Tick Repellant
If you would prefer not to spray your dog every day but would rather put a few drops of a repellent on your dog you can still repel ticks effectively. To do this you need to combine two tablespoons of vegetable oil and 25 drops of rose geranium essential oil. Mix this in a jar and place a few drops on the skin or on a collar or bandanna of your dog. This mix can also be used on people, just apply a few drops to the skin and you'll be free of ticks.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Fleas and ticks are both repelled by the smell and taste of apple cider vinegar. During tick season or before going out in areas where you know there are large tick populations you should spray your dog with apple cider vinegar. Simply fill a spray bottle with apple cider vinegar and spray your dog and even spray yourself. This spray will last about a week, at which time you simply need to reapply. You can also use apple cider vinegar as a conditioning rinse after bathing your dog, which will ensure that they have plenty of the repellent on them even after a good scrub down.
Tags: apple cider, cider vinegar, apple cider vinegar, spray your, before going, drops skin