A rag soaked with hydrogen peroxide and held on the area for a few minutes will make the tick uncomfortable causing it to release. This way you can grab it and dispose of it without yanking. If your pet is on preventive medication and has been bitten by a tick and that tick died, removal can be a little more difficult.
The peroxide does not affect the tick or your dog. It helps kill germs in the area. Open the jar and put a small amount of rubbing alcohol inside. Use the tick remover or tweezers to grab the tick body and carefully remove the tick.
It is recommended for tick bites because the oxygen it contains destroys the Lyme disease bacteria. Hydrogen peroxide can be liberally poured over bites on light-haired dogs (keep away from eyes and apply directly to skin!), but because it is bleach, this method is not recommended for black or dark-haired dogs.
Touching it with a hot match is a common one. Others include covering it with petroleum jelly or nail polish (in theory to suffocate it), or freezing it off. These are all supposed to make the tick "back out" of the skin on its own.
Rather, you can kill a live tick by trapping it in a tightly sealed bag, tightly wrapping it in tape or by placing it in alcohol. You can also flush a tick down the toilet. If you develop a rash and/or any flu-like symptoms, contact a medical professional immediately.
Cedar Oil. Cedar oil kills and repels ticks by causing dehydration, inhibiting breathing, disrupting pheromones, and emulsifying body fats. You can find cedar oil spray at most garden stores, or you can also make it yourself. In a spray bottle, mix 1–2 teaspoons of cedarwood essential oil with 1 cup of water.
Garlic, sage, mint, lavender, beautyberry, rosemary and marigolds are some of the most familiar and effective tick-repelling plants, and they are great to use in landscaping borders around decks, walkways, pet runs, patios and other areas to keep ticks away.
Chuck Lubelczyk, a Vector Anthropologist, offered his own body to test a homemade vinegar and water solution that would supposedly repel ticks. When the solution was applied to his wrist, and a tick placed on his arm – the tick actually made a run for the vinegar solution!
Eucalyptus oil is known as an effective tick repeller and killer. Just combine 4 ounces of purified or distilled water to a small spray bottle along with 20 drops of eucalyptus essential oil. Shake before using and spray on skin, pant cuffs, and shoes.
The CDC discourages "folklore remedies" like nail polish, petroleum jelly (Vaseline), and heat that lift the tick away from the skin, since they rely on waiting for a tick to detach, which takes longer.
Alternatively, you can wipe the tips with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Grasp the tick with the clean tweezers as close to the skin as you can. Pull the tick in an upward motion, using even pressure. Avoid jerking or twisting the tick to dislodge it.
Use Dental Floss In a Pinch
But if you don't have tweezers around, some dental floss might work as well. Simply tie some thread around the mouthpart area of the tick (as close to the skin as possible), then pull up and outwards. Pull slowly, so you don't break the tick off but rather pull it off completely.
Clean the tick bite with soap and water or use an antiseptic such as iodine scrub or rubbing alcohol. If a tick is attached to your skin for less than 36 hours, your chance of getting Lyme disease is small. But just in case, monitor your health closely and be on the alert for symptoms of Lyme disease.
A 3% hydrogen peroxide solution may just be your answer. Peroxide is a common insecticide used in gardens and other agricultural sites. Not only does it kill fleas due to its toxic nature, but it can also eradicate other pests from your foliage as well.
In dogs, the side effect to ingesting 3% hydrogen peroxide can be mild, but severe reactions do and can occur. Severe gastritis (inflammation of the stomach) can occur following hydrogen peroxide ingestion and in severe cases this can lead to stomach ulceration, bleeding and even death.
Apple cider vinegar is an easy-to-use natural tick repellant. You can add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar per quart of water to your dog's water bowl to keep ticks away from your dog. Apple cider vinegar can also be mixed with water to make a tick repellant spray.
Make an apple cider vinegar (ACV) solution.
This diluted solution is powerful enough to deal with fleas and ticks, but not so strong that you will be able to smell it.
Salt water won't kill them in the short time you are swimming, so if the tick is attached it will go on merrily feeding. Of course, it is better to use repellents and treated clothing whenever possible and not have to rely on swimming or tick checks to help prevent tick bites.
Bleach: Bleach contains powerful chemicals that can instantly kill ticks. Place the tick in a small container that contains bleach. Rubbing alcohol: Rubbing alcohol can kill ticks for good. Once you remove the tick, put it in a cup of alcohol and cover it up with a lid to prevent the tick from escaping.
Preferably, a soap with natural ingredients is ideal for this method, and you will also need either cotton balls or a cotton swab. Add a bit of soap to your cotton ball or swab and hold it against the tick. The tick will react to the soap and unbury its head.
Best overall tick repellent
The CDC — along with six experts I spoke with — recommends DEET as an effective tick repellent. “The EPA suggests that any product with DEET should have a concentration between 20 and 30 percent of the active ingredient,” says Molaei.
Ticks are attracted to carbon dioxide and sweat
Just like mosquitoes, ticks are sensitive to the CO2 you exhale and will find that attractive. They also sense body heat and the lactic acid that comes from sweating.