Keep Ticks Away With This Simple Herbal Scent

We welcome warmer weather by shedding our bulky winter jackets and showing a little more skin. And yet, when the temperature starts rising, the ticks start showing up again. Tick bites can be rather dangerous, with the bacteria from a tick's mouth potentially causing tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis, which can affect the joints, kidneys, liver, lungs, heart, and brain. That said, you may fear (and with good reason) that chemical repellents can come with health and environmental consequences. Luckily, there's an au natural solution to our tick and insect repellent problem: oregano oil.

If you're looking to keep ticks away with a DIY repellent, oregano oil is your friend. A study published in Experimental and Applied Acarology determined that 5% oregano essential oil was as effective at warding off ticks as 20% DEET. It works because oregano oil contains cedrol, a compound also found in cedarwood that acts as a powerful killer of ticks. To make it even more appealing to folks navigating tick-heavy environments, it also contains a compound called carvacrol, which effectively kills the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria which is responsible for Lyme disease.

Oregano is an essential oil that can be used to keep pests out of your home and garden, including repelling mosquitos and bedbugs, but how do you use it to keep ticks at bay? If you plan to use the repellent on your skin, it's crucial that you combine the essential oil with carrier oil. Essential oils are so concentrated that when used directly on the skin, there's a potential of irritation. However, five to six drops in an ounce of olive, jojoba, or sweet almond oil, and you're good to go. Simply rub a thin layer of the oil on exposed skin or those places ticks commonly make contact with, like the ankles and behind the ears. You might keep it in a spray bottle for easy application, or dab it on with a cotton ball. 

When applied to fabrics, oregano oil is especially effective at improving the drop-off rate of ticks. But if you're hesitant to spray oil all over your pants, that's understandable. Instead, try combining the essential oil with alcohol. Two ounces of 190 proof grain alcohol combined with 16 drops of essential oil in a spray bottle makes an excellent bug repellent that can be sprayed on trousers, socks, backpacks, and other fabrics without leaving oily stains. For something slightly gentler that can be used on both clothes and skin, combine two ounces of distilled water with an ounce and a half of witch hazel and between 5% and 15% essential oil to ensure it's effective but still safe for skin.