As essential oils continue to become a household staple, more research is being performed to understand the potential benefits of their use. And there’s no better time than now to discuss how oils can help battle the increase in ticks and bugs through the summer months! Oils can help us through topical application. And it can help our plants too!
Please remember that that FDA does not approve any health claims associated with essential oils. This is simply because they don’t know! The information shared in this article comes from different oil users and, of course, doTERRA’s research resources.
Tick Repellent: Clove, Citronella, and Creeping Thyme
One study by European researchers at the Slovak Academy of Sciences investigated the repellent effects of several essential oils against Dermacentor reticulatus, a species commonly known as the ornate dog tick. The results are incredible! In the control group, more than 95 percent of ticks were reliably categorized as “not repelled” in almost every trial, equating to a repellency rate of less than 5 percent. The contrast in results from the treatment groups was amazing. The red thyme, creeping thyme, and clove essential oil groups showed the highest repellency, at 68, 82, and 83 percent respectively. The mixture of citronella and creeping thyme was the most effective, at 91 percent repellency, which is significantly more effective than either citronella or thyme alone. Even more astounding is the fact that the concentration of the essential oils was only 3 percent of the solution in each trial. To read the entire article, click here.
Home-made Tick and Flea Repellent Recipe: Peppermint
In a glass spray bottle add the following ingredients:
- 2 cups distilled vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 20 drops of peppermint oil
Safe to spray on animals and humans!
Looking for a pre-made, ready to use formula? A 15mL bottle is available for multi-purpose use from topical application to diffusing it. A 30mL spray bottle is also available for convenience when on-the-go!
Protect Your Plants Naturally!
After years of spraying unhealthy, chemically-ridden pesticides on our plants, we have finally realized the potentially detrimental health impacts on the plant and us. Click on the picture below for a quick guide to how you can arm yourself with natural pest control options!
