How to Get Rid of Wood Ticks Around Your Home

A wood tick, which is also known as a dog tick or American dog tick, is commonly found on woodland creatures, such as rats and deer. These ticks will also feed on humans and pets. Wood ticks change locations by attaching to a human or animal body. Getting rid of wood ticks around your home involves treating the outside of the house, as well as the inside. You also need to take precaution with your pets and keep the animals from bringing more ticks into the area.

Permethrin products

One teaspoon distilled white vinegar

One quart water

Saw

Fencing

Lawnmower

Spray your clothing and the clothing of any other family members with a Permethrin-based product when you go outside. Permethrin kills ticks on contact and keeps the ticks from clinging to your clothing or skin and getting inside the house.

Treat pets with an insecticide specifically designed to treat against ticks. Ticks change from eggs to fully-grown ticks within three weeks and a single tick can lay up to 18,000 eggs in its life. It's important to treat your pets every two to three weeks or, according to the manufacturer's recommendations.

Combine the distilled white vinegar and water and pour in your pet's water dish. Feed your pets this solution every day, in place of regular water. The vinegar scent changes the scent of the pet and repels ticks. This ratio is suitable for a 40-pound pet. If your pet weighs more than 40 pounds, use a stronger concentration. The vinegar helps keep ticks away from your pets.

Cut down any tall bushes, plants or weeds around your home. Wood ticks live in tall plants and attach to your body, when you brush against the plants. Cutting down the weeds removes the ticks natural habitat and the pests will move on to a new location.

Add fencing around your yard, which keeps larger pets and animals from coming into your yard. Ticks travel on any type of animal, including wild animals like deer and even on neighborhood dogs and cats. Blocking other animals from entering your space helps prevent a tick problem.

Mow the lawn and keep the grass at a maximum height of 3 inches. Ticks travel and feed on mice, groundhogs and other lawn pests. When you keep the grass trimmed, those animals avoid the space because it doesn't have adequate room for storing food and hiding from predators.

If you develop a tick problem in the house, you need to freeze all pillows, blankets, sheets and stuffed animals, which kills the ticks. A pesticide fogger will also help kill ticks hidden in the home.

Ticks climbing the walls of your house signify an infestation. When ticks finish feeding and need a place to nest, the ticks move to higher ground.