Like many people, this time of year is our favorite - whether it's hiking, camping, or simply being with family - there's a real charm in spending time outdoors. But recently, ticks have become an increasing threat.
And let's be honest... Even aside from the health risks, they're a terrible nuisance.
Our goal is to keep people safe so they can have total peace of mind on their outdoor adventures. Here are the top 7 tips to keeping those pesky ticks off you:
1. Wear protective clothing
First, it's important to know how ticks can get on you. Ticks wait on the ground or on the tops of plants and wait for their host to walk by. When they get on someone, they naturally want to climb UP their host and hide somewhere out of site.
To keep them from doing that, it's important to wear long pants (tucked into boots is best) so they have less of a chance to latch onto you before being spotted.
Also, wear light-colored clothing so it's easier to spot them and get rid of them quicker!
2. Stay on trails
Since ticks like to wait in leaves & other plants, they're less likely to be on established trails or other areas that are continuously well-kept (such as trails and mowed lawns).
3. Use tick repellent
Repellents like Deet and Permethrin work well at preventing ticks. Although it's important to note that these are some harsh chemicals and are not 100% effective.
4. Check for ticks often
Since there's no 100% effective solution, it's important to continuously check for ticks in case any have climbed onto you. Check closely since some ticks are very difficult to see, especially in their nymph stage!
5. Remove ticks immediately
If a tick does happen to latch onto you, it's important to remove it immediately. Some tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme Disease, take anywhere from 24-48 hours to be transferred from the tick. Others, such as Alpha-Gal syndrome, only take a matter of hours.
6. Create a tick-free zone
It's important to keep the space around your home (and other areas you spend a lot of time outdoors) well-manicured to prevent them from hanging around. There are some simple steps that will definitely help the problem:
- Keep your lawn well manicured
- Get rid of any potential habitats for mice and other rodents (which can carry ticks)
- Put up fencing to keep deer and other animals away from your home
- Treat your lawn and other areas close to the house for ticks (again, a word of caution that some of these are harsh chemicals)
7. Wear Tick Tape Wrap when spending time outdoors
We'd be amiss if we didn't mention our product that helps prevent ticks. After all, our goal is to give you peace of mind and keep you healthy when spending time outdoors.
Since ticks like to climb up their hosts, if Tick Tape Wrap is worn above the point where ticks get onto you, they'll be unable to climb up and ever get to a point where they can latch onto you.
To learn more, see our How it Works page.