Here are the best tick repellants on the market today.
We also like the way this version of OFF! Deep Woods is formulated to spray on and absorb dry, eliminating that yucky, greasy feeling that many insect repellents leave behind.
Price at time of publication: $14
Picaridin doesn’t carry the same risk of damaging fabrics, so you can grab a single canister of this 15 percent Repel spray (which is already priced super-affordably) and use it on exposed skin and your clothing or shoes. No buying two separate products, and no blanching at the cost when it comes time to replace the canister—at this price point, you can stock up and enjoy the great outdoors all summer long.
Price at time of publication: $8
With no added fragrances, the Ranger Ready spray is less likely to trigger any reactions, but just as likely to keep away pesky ticks and mosquitoes as a DEET-based spray, earning our pick for sensitive skin types.
Price at time of publication: $12
We like the Cutter All Family Mosquito Wipes for this purpose, since they come in a resealable package to prevent drying out and have just the right amount of saturation. They’re also great for wiggly kids and, with a lower concentration of DEET they can reduce your child’s overall exposure to the chemical. Just keep in mind that lower concentrations of DEET mean that you have to reapply more frequently, but for family outings to the park, a little bit of DEET may be all you need.
Price at time of publication: $7
Price at time of publication: $8
“Oil of lemon eucalyptus works similarly to low concentrations of DEET, at least for mosquitoes,” Dr. Schrading says.
The makers of Murphy’s Naturals Lemon Eucalyptus Oil Insect Repellent Spray claim their product can also repel ticks for about four hours, which is comparable to about 20 percent DEET. It’s safe to use on fabrics and is a largely effective, plant-based way to ward off biting insects. We want to note, however, that even though OLE is considered a “natural” way to repel ticks, it’s not recommended for use in children under age three.
Price at time of publication: $22
If lotion isn’t your thing, however, Sawyer Products also offers 20 percent picaridin protection in the form of a pump spray and continuous spray, so there’s something for everyone here.
Price at time of publication: $16
The Sawyer Products Premium Permethrin treatment is easy to use: simply spray the outer front and back of your clothing (while it’s off your body and in a ventilated area), and allow everything to dry for a few hours. From there, the treatment will last for six weeks or through six washings, whichever comes first. Then you can re-treat again if you want. Just be sure not to use permethrin on your skin or put on treated clothes while they’re still wet—permethrin is only for fabrics, not use on the skin.
Price at time of publication: $22
Both experts said that the method of application—such as spray versus lotion—doesn’t matter as much as simply choosing the method you will reliably use. With that in mind, we scoured the internet for crowd-favorite tick repellents with the most reliable ingredients, plus added bonus features like easy, convenient application and pleasant scent.
What to Look for in Tick Repellents
Ingredients
There are several EPA-registered ingredients that can be found in tick repellents. The most common ones are DEET, picaridin, lemon eucalyptus oil, and IR3535. These ingredients are preferred over unregistered products, because the EPA has evaluated them for both safety and effectiveness and has approved them for use in children and pregnant women.
There are also several unregistered products listed on the EPA’s website that have been approved for safety but not necessarily effectiveness, such as citronella oil, cedar oil, and geranium oil. These products may or may not work as well as registered repellents in protecting you from ticks, but you can generally consider them safe to use.
You can also add an extra layer of protection to your clothing with an application of permethrin, but you can’t use permethrin in place of tick repellent, says Dr. Schrading: “Permethrin is an insecticide of low toxicity to mammals and is not an insect repellant, per se—it should be applied to surfaces, like clothing and tents, not applied to the skin.”
Method of Application
Dr. Campbell says that contact allergens are not commonly seen with repellents that you apply to your skin or your clothing, and there are no specific ingredients or methods of application she recommends avoiding if you have sensitive skin. Whether you choose a lotion, spray, or towelette is largely up to you. Feel free to choose whatever method is most convenient, but keep in mind that some applications will be better suited to certain situations.
DEET, for example, can stain clothing, warns Dr. Schrading, so if you don’t want to take chances with your outfit, you may want to opt for a wipe (or a picaridin-based lotion). On the other hand, lotions can be difficult to apply when you’re out in the middle of the woods, so if you’re looking for a product you can quickly apply on the go, a spray might be the easiest.
Effectiveness
How effective a tick repellent product is depends partly on the percentage of the active ingredient. According to Dr. Schrading, DEET is the most effective insect repellent, and a product with 25 percent DEET can provide about four to eight hours of protection.
FYI, the higher the percentage of the active repelling ingredient, the longer your protection will last, but that doesn’t mean you should always opt for the highest-percentage product available. These ingredients are still chemicals, and they can have side effects at high doses. A DEET percentage between 10 and 30 percent is generally considered all that’s needed for reliable protection, and anything over 30 percent is not considered safe for use in children.
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Use clean tweezers to grab hold of the tick as close to the skin’s surface as you can. Pull upward gently but with steady pressure. Once the tick has been removed, clean the bite, and wash your hands with rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer, or soap and water.
This is the best practice, obviously—you may not always have access to tweezers and disinfectant when you’re out and about. Do the best you can to remove the tick with any thin, firm item you have, but Dr. Schrading warns to never crush a tick with your fingers. That can increase your risk of infection. Keep in mind that finding a tick on you isn’t an immediate cause for panic: “Ticks that have been on or embedded less than 24 hours are very unlikely to transmit disease,” says Dr. Schrading. The bottom line? Stay calm, remove the tick, clean the bite area, and keep an eye out for tick-related illness symptoms for the next few weeks.
