The best way to prevent tick-borne illnesses is to prevent the bites of infected ticks. You can do this by avoiding tick habitats, using personal protection methods, and changing the environment to reduce the presence of ticks.
- Before you go outside
- Know where to expect ticks. Spending time in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas could expose you to ticks. This could include walking your dog, gardening, playing outside, hiking, camping, hunting, or other outdoor activities. Many people get tick bites in their own backyards or neighborhoods.
- Treat your clothes and outdoor gear with 0.5% permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing, and camping gear and remains protective through several washings. Permethrin should never be applied directly to the skin.
- Wear EPA-registered insect repellents. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, or 2-undecanone. Not all repellents are effective against both mosquitoes and ticks. EPA’s helpful search tool can help you find the product that is best for you. Always follow product instructions.
- Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months old.
- Do not use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol on children younger than 3 years old.
- Reduce the amount of exposed skin. Wearing long sleeves, long pants, hats, socks, and shoes that cover the entire foot will reduce the chance that a tick will be able to attach. Tucking in your shirt and stuffing your pant legs inside the tops of your socks is also recommended. Wearing light-colored clothing may make ticks easier to see and remove.
Photo: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- While you are outside
- After you come inside
- How to remove an attached tick
- What to do if you feel sick
- How to reduce ticks in your yard
- How to prevent ticks on pets
