How to Remove Ticks Without Tweezers

When summer comes around, so do the ticks. They come out of the woodwork (literally). I've seen and heard many ways of removing ticks from children and pets, and most of them are either very awkward, and some are even painful. But I've recently discovered (through a school nurse) a pain-free way to remove ticks without using tweezers, cigarette lighters, or burnt-out matches (yes, some people still use those last two methods).

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Liquid Soap
• Cotton Ball

1. Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. A cotton-tipped swab may be more effective for getting into tight spaces like an ear or between toes.

2. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds, maybe 15-20. The soap will cause the tick to remove his head from the skin.

3. Remove the cotton ball and tick will be stuck to the soapy cotton ball. Dispose of the tick by flushing it down the toilet. Washing it down the sink is generally less effective.

Tips & Warnings

• Sprinkling a small amount of Sun brand powdered laundry detergent around a campsite or other outdoor activity area will greatly reduce (if not eliminate entirely) ticks in that area.
• There are many chemical-based and homeopathic methods for keeping ticks off of your children and pets.
• Some ticks have been known to carry diseases such as Lyme Disease. If you think you may have been bitten by a tick that typically carries such diseases, consult a physician.
• Be sure the head of the tick is removed during any method of tick removal. If the head is still lodged in the skin, it can cause an infection, and any diseases it may have been carrying could still be transmitted.