800-837-5520 Call us for a free quote Contact us

How to get rid of ticks

Ticks are very tiny arachnids, which means they are relatives of spiders and scorpions, but probably most closely related to a number of species of mites. Located  all over North America and around the world, ticks are found most commonly  in areas where there is a lot of vegetation and areas of tall grass and wilderness. Ticks are common in the warmer months and can become pests for pets, but also humans.

Ticks are blood-eating pest sand while that's bad enough, the real concern with ticks is the links they have to very serious diseases such as Lyme Disease.

Ticks like to be outdoors, but once they get inside a home, they can develop into a full-scale infestation. Learn how to get rid of ticks and how to prevent ticks from coming back. Of course, if you think you have a tick infestation in your home or business, contact your local Ehrlich office today!

How do ticks bite people?

Ticks are blood feeders. They have piercing mouthparts that they use to jab through the flesh of their intended meal and right into a blood vessel. Ticks also inject an anesthetic so people do not feel the bite, plus an anti-coagulant so the blood will flow right into the tick for their meal. As they fill with blood, their bodies swell until they are full and then they just fall off to digest their meal.

Ticks cannot fly, so they usually hatch outdoors in tall vegetation. Found in grassy areas and within the woods, the tiny parasites will crawl to the top of a piece of the tall grass and use their front legs to wave around in the air. What they hope is that their intended meal will brush against them so that  ticks can quickly latch on to clothing, fur or the human hair.

A tick will then crawl across a person's body until they find just the right place where they can easily pierce the skin and find blood. Sometimes this means people can find ticks before they find a place to feed.

How to remove ticks

Removing a tick from your body is difficult. They secrete a substance that actually sticks them to the person or animal on which they are feeding. Trying to just grab a tick and pull it away can actually cause the head to detach and it can still infect the wound, so removing a tick involves carefully grasping the tick with tweezers near the head and as close to the skin as possible, turning and twisting.

Getting rid of ticks in the home

While removing ticks from your body is pretty straightforward, ticks removal from a home is something else entirely.

When ticks get indoors they can use the carpeting much the same way they use the grass outside. Once a tick has a blood meal and falls off their intended meal ticket, they are ready to breed and lay eggs. Laying eggs within the carpet fibers or within couch cushions or pet bedding,a tick’s larvae will hatch and hide among the fibers,waiting to hitch a ride on potential host.

Ticks start to come out when it gets warmer, but they do have a heat threshold. f you find a tick, or several ticks, on a pet bed for example, you can wash the pet bed in hot water and get rid of the ticks. Steam cleaning carpets if you find ticks in the carpeting will get rid of the ticks as well as eliminating any larvae or eggs they have there. Vacuuming where pets sleep is also a good way to get rid of ticks.

Cleaning behind baseboards and looking for any tiny crack or crevice where the tiny tick larvae can thrive is key. Use a steam cleaner or vacuum cleaner for area rugs, too.

How to prevent ticks in the home

The best way to get rid of ticks is really to prevent them in the first place. This is done best by making sure you and your family keep their exposed skin to a minimum when going out into tall grass or the woods. That means wearing long pants, long sleeves, closed-toed shoes and tucking pant legs into shoes or socks.

You can also use DEET just like is recommended with mosquitoes because it will repel ticks just as well.

If you wear light colored clothing the brownish/red ticks will stand out more easily, so if they have tried to hitch a ride on your clothing, they can be spotted and removed.

Avoid tall grass and keep vegetation away from your home. Keep tall grasses and other tangles of vines and vegetation trimmed and clean and away from the house. Having any of vegetation right up against your exterior walls can lead to ticks who find a way into a tiny crack or open window.

Make sure you check your pets if you go walking in the woods or tall grass areas as well as other members of your family. Do this outside so that if ticks are found, they can be safely removed and do not end up in the carpeting or inside.

Ehrlich Pest Control tick specialists

Of course, Ehrlich has been training and staying up on the latest ways to get rid of ticks and prevent ticks around your property. If you have found a tick or two inside your home, it's best to contact the experts who know all of their hiding places and have the most effective treatments to get rid of ticks.

Contact your local Ehrlich Pest Control office and discuss what we can do for you to get rid of ticks and prevent more ticks from around your home.

Next steps

How to get rid of wasp nests

Wasp nests can be dangerous to handle. Rely on professional treatments to keep safe from stings

Wasp stings

Know how to treat and avoid painful stings

Find your local branch

We were unable to access your location. Adjust your browser settings or enter your place or zip code above

Start living pest-free today with PestFree365+. Ehrlich Pest Control protects your home from 36 different pests for the ultimate peace of mind.