Keep ticks off your kids, pets and yard with our favorite tick control tips.

Beautiful backyard that has been treated with tick control treatment for yard.

Ticks are tiny, but they carry a big health risk.

Regular tick treatments for your yard do a lot to keep ticks off your property, but these little buggers are persistent. In fact, they really are genetic wonders — they’re resilient to starvation and tolerant of temperature extremes, and they live a relatively long time. But that doesn’t mean we want them to stick around.

Luckily, regular tick checks and a few easy property safeguards, in addition to regular spraying, go a long way. And if you’re headed into “ticky” areas, use a tick repellent and stay in the center of the trail.

What you can do to help get rid of ticks

We’ll handle the regular tick treatments for your yard, but tick prevention is a true team effort. Here are some things you can do to safeguard your property.

MOW YOUR LAWN ONCE A WEEK:

Ticks LOVE to hide out in tall grass, so don’t give them the option.

CLEAR OUT ANY LEAFY DEBRIS:

See above! Another favorite hiding place for ticks.

RECONSIDER GROUND COVER:

We love it, too, but unfortunately, so do ticks.

KEEP WOODPILES OUT IN THE SUN:

Shaded wood can get soggy and invite ticks.

CONSIDER ADDING A PERIMETER AROUND YOUR YARD:

Wood chips or small rocks create a barrier against ticks.

PLANT TICK-DETERRENT HERBS:

Lavender, lemon balm and rosemary smell great to us, but ticks hate them.

How (and when) to check your kids for ticks

Until the ground is frozen solid, ticks are around. We recommend giving kids daily tick checks — just work it into your bath-time routine, especially during the spring and fall. (This goes for you, too!) We also recommend checking your child before they come inside if they’ve been playing in the woods or a high-density tick area, like a neighbor’s hayfield.

How to safely remove a tick

Ticks are tiny and can be hard to spot: Adult ticks are about the size of an apple seed, while nymphs are about the size of a poppy seed. So break out those reading glasses! If a tick hasn’t attached itself, a lint roller will get it off. If it has, you’re going to need a pair of fine-point tweezers to do the job. (Disinfect them with rubbing alcohol before use.)

  1. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible — you want to prevent tearing the tick’s body, which can spread infection.
  2. Pull upwards in a slow and steady motion and flush the tick down the toilet or save in a plastic bag for testing.
  3. Swab the bite with rubbing alcohol and wash hands with soap and water.

NOTE: You can follow the same steps above for pets, but it can be a little trickier, since ticks can be hard to see in their fur. And since your pet is more likely to squirm and wiggle (or maybe not!), we recommend wearing rubber gloves. Not a bad idea with the kids, too.

A few more tips to keep ticks off your pets

  • Comb your dog or cat daily with a flea comb.
  • Vacuum at least once a week during tick season, and immediately dispose of bags outside.
  • Wash pet bedding weekly in hot, soapy water.
  • Shampoo your dog weekly.
  • Get a good tick and flea collar for your pet and replace it every six months.