How To Repel Ticks With A Simple But Overlooked Solution

They say that good things come in small packages. Unfortunately, terrible things can too, and ticks are one example. Tick-borne illnesses are on the rise across the globe, affecting both humans and animals with a range of problems. Some illnesses, like Lyme disease, are well known, with the CDC finding that as many a 476,000 people could be diagnosed every year in the United States. Other sicknesses are gaining attention, too, like alpha-gal syndrome, which causes severe allergies to red meat, among other foods. Nobody wants to return home from a leisurely stroll to find they've been bitten by a tick, but it can feel like a balancing act to find ways to repel ticks that are still safe for you and the environment. Instead of opting for conventional products with questionable chemicals, you may be able to use essential oils to keep these pests at bay with geranium. 

Before grabbing a vial of geranium essential oil, it's important to understand what this oil is and how it might protect you and your home from ticks. Geranium essential oil comes from plants in the Pelargonium genus. Through a process of steam distillation, the fragrant plant compounds are extracted and concentrated into those tiny brown bottles you see on store shelves. Geranium essential oil has constitutes like geraniol, 10-Epi-γ-Eudesmol, and citronellol that make it effective at repelling ticks. One study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found a geranium oil sample repelled more than 90% of lone star tick nymphs. When further studied, one compound from that oil showed tick-repelling power similar to DEET – one of the most powerful current insect repellents.

Before your next hike through the woods, try these DIY solutions to help keep the ticks away. A 2023 study from Scientific Reports found that a lotion with a concentration of 10% geranium oil was effective at deterring ticks for roughly 30 minutes. To make the repellent, thoroughly mix ½ ounce of geranium essential oil with 4 ½ ounces of an organic, unscented lotion in a clean container. 

Instead of a cream, a DIY spray could also work. Another study published in the Journal of Medical Entomology discovered a 30% concentration of geranium was effective at deterring sheep ticks. A concentration that high is not safe for skin, but it's fine for your clothes and belongings. Just mix 3 ounces of geranium essential oil with 7 ounces of 95% grain alcohol and pour the mixture into a dark glass bottle.

It's best to test a small spot before using the lotion or repellent. Some people could have sensitive skin, or you may find that the oil leaves marks on some fabrics. It's also important to remember that while this method may seem pet-friendly, you should never apply any essential oils directly to pets.

Keeping pests like ticks out of your yard can seem impossible when they're so tiny. In addition to using geranium oil on clothes and skin, it's also possible to spray the most suspicious areas around your home. Think tall grass and wood piles where ticks are likely to hang out while waiting for a host to pass by. While removing excess brush or wood piles is the ideal solution, spraying diluted geranium oil around these tick-prone areas may offer an extra layer of protection in the interim.