5 all-natural products to keep ticks at bay
Keeping off the bugs needn't come at the price of acrid-smelling odours
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It may be sooner rather than later depending on where you are, but warm spring temperatures are not far away – and with them, a tick season that starts way sooner than most people expect. If you’re looking for some natural, DEET-free products to tip the odds in your favour, here are five we recommend.
Natrapel Lemon Eucalyptus Mosquito Repellent Spray
Amazon.ca
Here at The Weather Network, we try to avoid recommending chemical-heavy products. With tick season gearing up, we like the look of this Lemon Eucalyptus Mosquito Repellent Spray from Natrapel, which is rated as being effective against ticks as well. Nicely sized for travel as well.
Why we’d order it:
Natural plant base (oil of lemon eucalyptus) helps avoid the usual acrid smell of most bug sprays
Provides up to six hours of protection from bugs of all kinds
Highly rated on Atmosphere and other platforms
Atlantick All Natural Outdoor Spray
Amazon.ca
We’ve featured this one on The Weather Network before. It’s a relatively new product, whose Nova Scotia-based inventor partnered with researchers at Acadia University to perfect its lemongrass formula, such that it purports to have a 97.5 per cent success rate at repelling ticks. They also sell tick removal kits.
Why we’d order it
A made-in-Canada success story, backed by university research
Travel-sized with a crisp, lemony aroma
Rated 4.4 out of 5 by Amazon.ca reviewers
Like what you see? Check out our Shop the Weather articles for more must-have product recommendations.
LaMarcotterie Natural Insect Repellent
Etsy
Various essential oils are often employed to keep ticks and other insects at bay, with the added bonus of having a lovely scent compared to other chemical-based repellents. Etsy is a gold mine for handmade remedies, and of those available, we most liked the look of this one, from Quebec-based LaMarcotterie. While mostly marketed as a mosquito repellent, some of the ingredients, like cedarwood and lemongrass, are effective against ticks as well.
Why we’d order it
Two scents available, combining different oils
Made-in-Canada: seller is based in Chelsea, Que.
Rated 5 out of 5 on Etsy, and the seller is also highly rated, with 11,000 recommendations
READ MORE: Essential products for people who really don’t like bugs
Mosquito Barrier Garlic Spray
Upper Canada Organic Products
Garlic is often touted as repulsive to pests like mosquitos and pests, and there are a few garlic-based products out there. We liked this one, from Upper Canada Organic Products, because rather than using garlic oil, it uses a more diffuse garlic juice solution, whose odour dissipates faster and has less of an impact on more beneficial insects in the area. Order direct, or pick it up at selected retailers.
Why we’d order it
A portion of sales goes to charities such as Lyme Ontario
Also available in 3.7-litre jug
Highly rated among users who ordered it from larger retailers such as Wal-Mart
Natural Botanic Essential Oil Pet Collar
Amazon.ca
When it comes to tick protection, what’s good for you can be just as good for your pets. One of the benefits of using essential oils is that most aren’t toxic and typically don’t have a chemical base, so they’re ideal for use in pest-control collars like this one. And with an effective life of up to eight months, your pet would be covered through almost all of tick season from early spring through late fall.
Why we’d order it
Suitable for cats and dogs
Adjustable to fit different-sized breeds
Rated 4 out of 5 among Amazon.ca reviewers
Like what you see? Check out our Shop the Weather articles for more must-have product recommendations.
Our trusted Product Specialists recommend high-quality items that we think will enhance your experience with Canadian weather conditions. Prices and availability of items are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
