Say goodbye to unwanted hitchhikers and protect your family with our guide to tick tips.
Whether you are an avid outdoor enthusiast or enjoy a sunny afternoon in your backyard, you must be aware of ticks and how to protect yourself and your loved ones. These tiny pests may be small but can pose significant health risks. It will be okay because, with a few simple precautions and tips, you can enjoy the great outdoors with the knowledge of how to handle Tennessee ticks.
Prevention
As I stated in our quick Tick Tip video, there are four easy prevention tips you can start right now to help yourself and those you love while outdoors.
One) Gear Up
The best advice I can give is to wear the proper gear while outside. UPF gear is an excellent way to keep yourself from sunburns as well as bites. Ticks can easily be swept off due to the slick material.
Two) Tick-Treat Clothes
Permethrin Safety Tips
Read the product label because each one has their specific directions.
Only spray only your outer clothing. The Environmental Protection Agency says you should not treat underwear with permethrin.
Spray while outside and while the clothes are off your body. Hang them on hangers outside, and spray them down while they hang.
Spray enough for your clothes to become damp (they should look a little darker in color). You don’t need to drench them—to where they’ll drip if you wring them out—but they do need a thorough coat.
Let the clothes dry completely, it should take a few hours, depending on the humidity of the day. We suggest treating the clothes the night before school.
Re-treat when necessary. Clothes you treat yourself need to be re-treated more often than clothes that have been manufactured to prevent ticks. A good rule of thumb is after six washings and treat footwear once a month.
Consider treating other gear. Conlon says that camping gear like tents, backpacks, and hiking boots are also good candidates for treating with permethrin.
Wash treated clothing separately. Sawyer recommends hand washing or using the gentle cycle on your machine to best preserve the protection.
Only use permethrin approved for clothing. That will be indicated on the label.
Make sure to only use permethrin that is designed for clothing. Agriculture products are dangerous to use on things you wear.
Three) DEET
Yes, we know...DEET is a dirty word; however, it has been shown to be more beneficial and not as dangerous as it once was feared. For safe use, please:
Purchase a DEET product with 30% or less of active ingredient.
Spray only your clothes, better to do prior to putting them on before your adventure outdoors.
Re-apply as your product label indicates.
NOTE: If you have treated the clothes with permethrin, you can still put DEET on if you desire.
Four) Tick Check
This is imperative! Please check the entire body as part of your nightly routine. If you are able to remove the tick within 4 hours (24 hours at least), you significantly decrease the likelihood of a disease transfer.
What do I do with tick Ms. Kylene? We like to remove ticks with a tool called Tick Tornado because it has a higher chance of removing the tick head as well. After you have removed the tick, drop it into a disposable bag that seals, label it (e.g., name and date), and put it in the freezer. Make sure to cleanse the bite area!
Keep the frozen tick for at least 10 days and look for signs of disease.
Signs you should go to the doctor, with your tick specimen in tow:
Identification
Knowing what you are looking for is key. Please check out Tennessee's common ticks to better familiarize yourself so you can GET THAT TICK OFF!
Other Helpful Tips
Stay on the trail and out of tall grass.
Tick-treat your yard with the product of your choice.
Some great gardeners have suggested to wrap packing tape around their ankles with the sticky side out to catch ticks before they can bite.
Tuck your pants into your shoes.
Do a tick dance periodically while you are outdoors. This is a fun way to say it, but all you will really be doing is swiping your clothes to knock any ticks that could be crawling off.
Please
Do not let the chance of ticks keep you or your child from the VAST benefits of spending long hours outdoors. You can do this!
Hope to see you in the forest soon!
Kylene
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