How To Repel Ticks With An Overlooked DIY Solution That's So Simple

When it comes to repelling ticks, you'll often hear words like "permethrin" or "DEET" being tossed about. While these chemicals are among the very best pesticides available to kill ticks, they are not a great option for people seeking a more natural approach to tick repellent. Thankfully, there is an incredible and often overlooked DIY solution that, I can say from personal experience, works well at repelling ticks.

Geranium essential oil is a highly concentrated oil extracted from sweet geranium flowers  (Pelargonium graveolens) through a process called wet steam distillation. The result is an incredibly potent oil that smells strongly of rose with hints of citrus and herbs. A 2013 study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry showed that a geranium oil sample with high 10-Epi-γ-Eudesmol alcohols proved to be effective at repelling 90% of ticks, which puts it on par with DEET, the primary ingredient in Ben's 30 Tick and Insect Repellent, which Consumer Reports named as the best tick repellent in 2026.

So, if scientific research proves that geranium oil can be as effective as some of the commercially available tick repellents, it would behoove you to give it a try. As I've mentioned, we use geranium oil regularly as a family whenever we go out hiking or to do chores on our homestead. You can find geranium oil from different brands at organic supermarkets as well as online.

When we use geranium oil at home, we follow topical application instructions by diluting it in a carrier oil such as coconut, jojoba, or avocado oil. The dilution helps prevent potential skin irritation. We create a roller ball applicator and use it on any exposed skin. So far, whenever we've used it, we have not discovered ticks on our person afterwards.

Another method would be to create a DIY tick-repelling spray, which can be more easily applied to clothing. For this, you will need to dilute the geranium oil with some distilled water. You also need to mix in a measure of grain alcohol like Everclear, as it acts as the solvent that binds the water and oil together, as well as a preservative that will allow the mixture to remain stable for several months. You can spray this mixture on your boots, clothing, or your tent. We wouldn't recommend applying it to the skin because of the burning effects of the alcohol.

There are several other essential oils you could mix in with the geranium to make an even more potent repellent. Cedarwood, lemon eucalyptus, and lavender are some examples of oils you could use. However, since geranium is already so potent and proven effective against ticks, there's really no need to add anything else to your spray or your roller.