Ticks are GROSS! But so is tick spray. What’s a momma to do?
We could spend days debating the pros and cons of using a commercial tick spray. We, also, could spend hours searching for and making homemade recipes that typically don’t work, or work for only a very short period of time.
When we lived in town, my kids only had a handful of ticks over the years. In fact, I could probably recount each time, where we were and how I was able (or unable) to remove it. Once, I even had a doctor check on the child that had a tick head stuck in their leg.
Now that we live in the country, it’s a completely different story! We encounter ticks on the humans and the animals regularly. Yes, we plan on getting chickens to remedy this! But in the meantime, I needed a plan. One, I don’t like spraying chemicals on my kids. Two, even if I did, the reality is that I would not be very effective at spraying them each time they head out to play.
So, as I was removing the umpteenth tick from my kiddos, I remembered a fabulous trick a friend shared with me years ago. (We never used it, so I was skeptical at first!) We tried it that first time, and bam! We have a fantastic tick removal system!
First, cover a cotton ball with dish soap. Hold the cotton ball over the tick without pressing down. Wait about 2 minutes (or have your kiddo sing a song!)
Next, using tweezers, gently tug on the tick. If it doesn’t come out easily, reapply the cotton ball. And, try again.
Finally, call your pyro-loving child to burn the tick! (A husband works for this too! “Woah, it just exploded!”)
We have tweezers in the kitchen and in each bathroom, along with cotton balls and soap in easy-to-grab places. We regularly check for ticks and try to get them off while it’s still early. After the removal, we check for signs of infection or disease. And, we don’t live in fear!
It’s not so much a matter of if it will happen, but what we will do when it happens!
Please note, I am not a medical professional. If you have doubts about your tick bite or develop a rash, check with a doctor.
