How to Get Rid of Ticks in 6 Simple Ways

Don't let piles of brush, leaves, and grass buildup in your yard. Those are perfect places where ticks like to hide, as well as kids and pets. Also, mow your grass regularly so it won't provide a shady shelter for pests.

Ticks thrive in moist, shady areas and tend to die in sunny, dry areas. So keep their favorite habitat away from your favorite habitat. Place compost piles away from outdoor play areas, decks, and other outdoor living spaces. Also locate swing sets, sandboxes, and anywhere else your family typically plays or gathers away from wooded areas. In addition, a wide patch of chips or gravel can provide a barrier that prevents ticks from jumping from the woods into your lawn.

Ticks can travel on deer to get into your yard, so you need to dissuade deer from entering your lawn. One way is to avoid plants and shrubs that attract deer; your local nursery can help. Or install physical barriers, such as a fence. Jundt says spraying deer repellent can also help to keep the animals from wandering into your yard to nibble on your plants or tree branches.

Fences, retaining walls, and exterior walls of outbuildings, such as sheds, are popular tick hideouts. "Know where ticks like to hide, then check there frequently," Jundt says.

Family pets can suffer from tick bites and tick-borne diseases—and they can carry ticks into your house. Make sure to outfit your cats and dogs with tick collars, and don't forget to spray them. Your veterinarian can recommend pest-control products.

Chronic tick problems may require professional help. Pros use sprays that kill live ticks on contact. They also use "tick tubes." These are biodegradable, cardboard tubes are typically filled with permethrin-treated cotton balls. Mice will collect the cotton to build their nests; when the deer ticks that feed on the mice are exposed to the permethrin, they die. The mice and other animals aren't harmed. Field mice and other rodents are the main deliverers of ticks.