DIY Homemade Tick Repellent Spray Recipe

You will find the recipe to make a DIY homemade tick repellent spray for humans and dogs in this article.

What is a tick?

A tick is a several millimeters long arachnid.

Arachnids are distinguished from insects by their four pairs of legs (instead of three) and two body segments (instead of three).

Ticks are external parasites of animals and humans¹.

They feed on their host’s blood before falling off to molt into a different development stage or lay eggs².

Can ticks transmit diseases?

When the tick bites its host, it may (through its saliva) transmit bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause diseases.

Tick-borne diseases in humans include^2,3:

Tick-borne encephalitis
Lyme borreliosis (Lyme disease)
Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever
Tick-borne lymphadenopathy

How do ticks locate their host?

Ticks move up on blades of grass or bushes and wait for a suitable host to pass by^1,4.

Being almost blind, they rely on their olfactory system to identify and locate hosts for a successful blood meal^5,6.

The odor of butyric acid, a component of sweat that mammals give off, stimulates the tick to drop onto and attach to a host^6,7.

Ticks that hunt also respond to stimuli, such as carbon dioxide, lactic acid, and ammonia^1,7.

What is a tick repellent?

A tick repellent is a natural or synthetic substance that causes a tick to go away from its initial target⁷.

It works by reducing the tick’s olfactory system⁵.

Tick repellents are either topical, such as sprays, or systemic, like oral remedies.

Oral tick repellents work by influencing skin metabolism when they are excreted through the pores along with perspiration⁸.

On the other hand, topical tick repellents are applied to the skin or onto clothes⁷.

Oral versus topical repellents

Oral remedies for ticks have a long-lasting effect and can sometimes treat tick-borne diseases.

They are helpful when you are repeatedly exposed to ticks.

However, oral remedies have to be taken regularly for several days or weeks.

On the other hand, topical repellents based on essential oils have a short duration of action⁹.

Yet, tick repellent sprays are a good solution for a walk in the woods or other risk areas.

Synthetic versus natural tick repellents

Tick repellents can be classified into two categories: synthetic and natural products⁷.

Synthetic tick repellent sprays typically contain insecticides, such as^2,7:

DEET
PMD
IR3535
Picaridin

On the other hand, natural tick repellents sprays based on essential oils are safer for humans and dogs⁷.

They also provide an ecological advantage compared to non-degradable products such as DEET⁷.

Moreover, natural tick repellents have similar efficacy to synthetic products⁷.

What is the best oil to repel ticks?

The best essential oils to repel ticks are the following:

Cedar oil
Lemongrass oil
Palmarosa oil

Cedar oil, lemongrass oil, and palmarosa oil have been shown to completely suppress tick reproduction.

DIY homemade tick repellent spray recipe

Here is the recipe to make a DIY homemade tick repellent spray for humans and dogs.

Utensils

Amber glass empty spray bottle (16 oz)
Measuring cup
Small funnel (optional)

Ingredients

8 oz of water
8 oz of white vinegar
20 drops of cedar oil
20 drops of lemongrass oil
20 drops of palmarosa oil

Recipe

1. Start by filling the measuring cup with 8 oz of water.

2. Add 8 oz of white vinegar and stir.

3. Add 20 drops of each anti-ticks essential oils and stir.

4. Poor the mix into a 16 oz spray bottle.

And voilà! Your DIY homemade tick repellent spray is ready for use.

How to apply a DIY homemade tick repellent spray

For humans

Topical repellents require total coverage of all exposed skin. Wear long sleeves and tuck your trousers into your socks.
Shake the spray bottle to mix up all the ingredients.
Hold the bottle 6 inches away from the target area.
Spray for two to three seconds on your clothes.

Avoid spraying on the skin. Essential oils can cause allergic reactions upon oxidation when used directly on the skin⁹.

For dogs

Shake the spray bottle to mix up all the ingredients.
Hold the bottle 6 inches away from the target area.
Spray for two to three seconds on your dog’s coat.

Avoid spraying on your dog’s skin, eyes, or mouth.

Summary: DIY Homemade tick repellent spray recipe

Ticks are external parasites of animals and humans.

They may transmit diseases, such as tick-borne encephalitis or Lyme disease.

Natural tick repellent sprays cause ticks to go away from their initial target, preventing tick bites.

They work by reducing the tick’s olfactory system.

This article gave you the recipe to make a DIY homemade tick repellent spray for humans and dogs based on essential oils, including cedar oil.