Tick Tactics: Your Guide to Safe Tick Removal

Finding a tick on yourself or someone else can be alarming, but to safely detach the pest, it’s important to stay calm and understand the best next steps. Ticks can transmit harmful diseases, such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, which makes prompt removal important. The longer a tick is attached the more likely it is to transmit a disease.

While you may be eager to quickly rip it out with tweezers and then flush it down the toilet, not just any method will work. If the tick is already lodged in the skin, you run the risk of removing the body without the head or squeezing harmful bacteria into your skin! Squeezing the body may even irritate the tick and cause it to embed itself deeper.

That’s where our guide with the best way to remove a tick comes into play – to help you avoid these common missteps and get that pest out!

Read on to learn how to safely remove ticks and then dispose of them …

Related Blog: Common Types of Ticks That Could Be on Your Dog

What to Do If You Have a Tick? How to Remove a Tick in 5 Steps

1. Gather and clean your supplies.

Before you start, make sure you have the following items:

• Fine-tipped tweezers.
• Rubbing alcohol or soap and water to clean the tweezers.
• A clean container (like a small jar or plastic bag) to safely dispose of the tick.
• Gloves or washed hands to avoid getting any germs on the site.

2. Position the tweezers around the tick’s head.

Using the fine-tipped tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible. Avoid squeezing the tick’s body, as this can cause infectious fluids to enter the bite or risk detaching the head of the tick from the body if it is already lodged into the skin.

3. Pull the tick out.

Using the tweezers, pull the tick upward and away from the skin with steady and even pressure. Do not twist or jerk the tick; this can cause parts of its mouth to break off and remain in the skin. If this accidentally happens, remove the mouthparts with the tweezers. If you cannot remove the mouth easily, don’t fret; if only small parts are left behind you can leave it alone and let the skin heal. Mouthparts without the body attached will not transmit diseases. However, if a large portion of the tick head is stuck in the skin, you may want to seek the help of a medical professional to remove it because it can cause an infection or irritation.

4. Clean the bite area.

Once the tick is removed, clean the bite area with rubbing alcohol or soap and water to prevent an infection, along with your hands and the tweezers to avoid transmitting any germs.

5. Monitor yourself for lingering symptoms. 

After removing the tick, keep an eye on the bite area. Look for signs of infection, such as a rash, redness, or swelling. Additionally, monitor for symptoms of tick-borne illnesses, including fever, chills, muscle aches, and fatigue – even heart palpitations. If you experience any of these symptoms or have trouble removing the tick yourself, contact a healthcare provider.

What to Do After Removing a Tick? How to Dispose of a Tick

If the tick is still alive after removal, try one of these methods before disposing of it in the trash:

Place it in a small container with rubbing alcohol, seal it in a bag, or wrap it tightly in tape. This will ensure the tick dies and cannot sneak out of the trash and bite again. Another common method is wrapping the tick in toilet paper and then flushing it down the toilet; just make sure the check that the tick doesn’t sneakily cling to the side of the toilet.  

Be sure not to crush the tick with your fingers, as this can excrete harmful bacteria.

Hitchhikers You Shouldn’t Pick Up: Tips for Preventing Tick Bites

Although ticks are a common spring and summer nuisance, there are some ways you can help to avoid a bite:

• Wear protective clothing. When in heavily wooded or tall grassy areas, wear long sleeves, pants, and socks. Tuck your pants into your socks to prevent ticks from crawling up your legs.
• Get a professional tick treatment. A professional tick treatment is the best way to deter ticks from your yard and kill existing populations. Mosquito Squad offers a traditional barrier treatment spray along with a tick-tube treatment option to kill and deter future ticks.  
• Make a tick trap. Use a DIY tick trap with petroleum jelly and cotton balls to attract and then trap the pests. Learn how to make a tick trap!
• Perform tick checks. After spending time outdoors, check your body, clothes, and pets for ticks. Shower soon after being outdoors to help identify both unattached and attached ticks.
• Keep your yard clean. By mowing the lawn regularly, you can deter ticks from making a home in your space. It also helps to remove leaf litter and create a barrier of wood chips or gravel between your lawn and any wooded area.

Related Blog: Myth Busting: Common Tick Myths

Have Peace of Mind in Your Yard

At Mosquito Squad, we believe you shouldn’t have to worry about ticks while you’re enjoying the comfort of your outdoor space. Get a professional tick treatment and protect yourself, loved ones, and pets from potentially disease-carrying tick bites. Request a quote online or call our team at (877) 332-2239 to get started.