A Natural Solution Using Essential Oils That Are Safe for Dogs

You can easily make homemade tick repellent spray for dogs and humans with essential oils that is surprisingly effective and with delightful fragrance.

So many essential oils act as a safe and natural tick repellent for dogs and humans. Even better news, most of these essential oils are also effective at repelling mosquitoes and fleas, sometimes just as well as — or even better than — traditional DEET.

If you’re growing your own herbs, you can make your own homemade tick spray for dogs and humans with essential oils for just pennies on the dollar. It saves money and is actually better for you and your pet’s health, so a win-win all around!

What About Essential Oils for Cats?

Whenever we share this article to the GardensAll Facebook page, people will inevitably chime in with concern and warnings about essential oil for cats. So while this is an article on dogs, you can find information at the end of this article on essential oils that are — and are not — safe for cats.

Homemade Tick Repellent Spray with Essential Oils for Dogs and Humans

There’s a long list of homemade tick spray with essential oils you can use to make an all natural tick repellent for dogs. Use these individually or mix them for improved efficacy and your scent preferences.

This list of essential oils includes essential oils that are safe for dogs if externally applied, and which shouldn’t cause problems if minute amounts are ingested from normal grooming. However, as with any new substance introduced to your pet, take appropriate caution and first apply at a time when you will be able to monitor your pet for any signs of distress.

Whenever using essential oils, remember that they are extremely concentrated from plant oils, and many are for external use only. As with any medicine, medicinal herbs and essential oils should be used sparingly and carefully,

List of Tick Repellent Essential Oils

• Basil Jolina. A 15% concentration will repel ticks 96% of the time. Adding a bit of granite rock dust will kill all ticks in twenty-four hours or fewer.^[1]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35230583/
• Catnip – 100% efficient at 20% concentration^[2]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6925501/
• Cinnamon – 100% efficient at 20% [NOT FOR DOGS]
• Clove Tree. When diluted to 3% concentrate, it is 83% effective as a tick repellent. For 100% efficacy, use a 25% concentrate.concentration^[3]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28645519/^[4]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6925501/
• Creeping Thyme and Citronella Essential Oil (a combination of two oils). This mixture of 1.5% concentrated Thymus serpyllum and 1.5% citronella oil creates a proven 91% repellency.^[5]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28645519/
• Dalmation Daisies. These are used to make Pyrethrin, the second leading pesticide, only after DEET. Luckily, Pyrethrin is much safer for humans and dogs, plus it’s very effective. One study proved it causes an 80% mortality rate for mosquitos and ticks in an hour.^[6]https://academic.oup.com/jme/article/46/3/516/859602
• Garlic. At 1.4%, researchers discovered it is 87% effective.^[7]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28645519/
• Lemon Eucalyptus. Lemon Eucalyptus, also known as Citriodiol, is proven to make wearers 2.66 times less likely to be bitten by a tick.
• Neem oil – studies show need to be an effect tick repellent, with 100% mortality at just 20% strength.^[8]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2866352/
• Niaouli – 100% efficient at 20% concentration^[9]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6925501/
• Oregano – a 5% concentration is also as effective as 20% DEET. Use two or fewer drops for your dog because it can be toxic in higher doses.^[10]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31578646/
• Peppermint – this is 100% effective at a 100% concentration for up to eleven hours (after eleven hours, it begins to lose some efficacy), (EXTERNAL USE ONLY FOR DOGS).^[11]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6925501/
• Pine. It is 100% effective with a 100% concentration.^[12]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6925501/
• Rosemary – 100% efficient at 20% concentration^[13]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6925501/
• Spearmint – 5% concentration is just as effective as 20% DEET.^[14]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31578646/
• Tea tree oil – [NOT FOR DOGS] is commonly mentioned as efficient at repelling mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks, but it is toxic for dogs and should not be used.
• Red Thyme. Red Thyme is 68% effective when it has a dilution of 3%.^[15]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28645519/ At 25% concentrate, red Thyme is 100% effective. Use two or fewer drops for your dog because it can be toxic in higher doses.^[16]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6925501/)
• Violet – 100% efficient at 20% concentration^[17]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6925501/

Essential Oil to Water Ratio

Mix any of these essential oils (one or more types) in a spray bottle with water, and shake to blend. A good ratio is thirty drops of essential oils in one cup of water for enough to cover you or your dog’s body, including lightly misting your clothing.

You may also be interested in this article on plants that repel ticks and fleas.

Peppermint Tick and Flea Repellent

• 1 tsp pure peppermint oil
• 2 quarts water

This solution was provided by Debie Baugher “for heavy tick and fleas in the area.” Debie says that she keeps a spray bottle of this peppermint solution by the door and sprays herself and her dogs before going out.

Neem Oil for Natural Tick Repellent for Dogs

If you don’t mind you or your dog smelling like neem oil, neem can be a potent tick repellent.

In a 4-8 oz spray bottle, add:

• 1/2 cup water
• 5 drops neems oil

Shake well and spray liberally on your dogs coat, avoiding eyes, nose and bare skin.

Neem oil has to be diluted to go directly onto dogs. However, if a tick embeds itself into your dog’s skin, you can touch the tick with neem to make it let go immediately.

While neem oil smells the worst of the tick repellent essential oils, I believe neem oil is the best natural tick repellent for dogs.

We use neem oil for natural pest control of plants as well, including to get rid of stink bugs and black aphids.

You can purchase neem oil at any garden supply store and also on Amazon.

For homemade essential oil tick repellent spray – 30 drops essential oils in 1 cup of water.

Homemade Tick Repellent For Dogs With Vinegar

Vinegar, has long been touted as beneficial for repelling fleas. However, we could only find anecdotal information as to its efficacy at repelling ticks.

If you have first hand experience with vinegar repelling ticks, please let us know, so that we can add your experience here.

Tick Repellent Using Distilled Vinegar With Essential Oil

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup distilled vinegar (or 2 cups)
• 20 drops essential oil (see list of tick repellent essential oils)

If you wish to use less of your essential oil stash, mix one cup of water with one cup of vinegar, and then add twenty drops of essential oils to the concoction. If you use vinegar, you can add any essential oils you would like because they don’t have to do most of the “work” repelling the ticks, mosquitos, and fleas.

You can make tick repellent using vinegar as a base for the spray. Simply mix two cups of distilled white vinegar with one cup of warm water, then add approximately twenty drops of a tick-repelling essential oil.

You can see more white vinegar uses and benefits here.

Natural Tick Repellent Spray With Apple Cider Vinegar

If you don’t have essential oil on hand, or don’t want to use it on your dog, try using apple cider vinegar instead.

Apple cider vinegar as a natural tick repellent for dogs is not quite as appealing in scent, but it works incredibly well. This is because the acidic scent and taste deters fleas and ticks, so they won’t want to bite (or even be near) your pet.

Please monitor your pet closely when using vinegar-based repellents, especially after the first couple of applications. Dogs are notorious for licking themselves.

While this list of essential oils (except tea tree oil) should be safe for dogs, excessive licking could be a sign of an allergic reaction and/or could cause digestive disturbances if too much is consumed.

Spot Use of Vinegar Tick Spray for Dogs

If you’re not comfortable with spraying your K9 all over, or don’t want your dog smelling like vinegar with this concoction, you can still find a use for ACV with ticks and your dog.

The next time you spot a tick on your dog that is embedded into the skin, try dipping a cotton swab into vinegar (distilled or apple cider vinegar) and then touching it to the back of the tick.

The acrid scent reportedly tends to overwhelm the tick, causing it to release your dog pretty quickly. From there, you can dispose of the tick and then scan your dog for any other signs of ticks.

We haven’t tried this, as we either pick them off or use a tick remover gadget.

Be Safe With Essential Oils and Your Pets

1. CAUTION: Puppies under ten weeks old, fragile senior dogs, and pregnant dogs should be monitored extra closely. Toy breeds should have their spray diluted an additional 30% for safety. Smaller dogs do not need nearly as much essential oil coverage as a large dog.
2. DILUTE: Always dilute essential oils for dogs. Some of the items on this list are 100% effective at 100% concentration. You need to settle for less than 100% repelling because it is harmful for dogs to have too high of a concentration of these oils. Again, you should have at least one cup of water for every twenty to thirty drops of essential oils.
3. AVOID: Stay away from eyes, nose, genital, and anal area with the homemade tick repellent spray with essential oil for dogs. The oils can really can burn sensitive areas, so stay away from them with the spray bottle.
4. MONITOR: Closely monitor your pet after applying homemade tick repellent for dogs, especially the first few times you use essential oils or vinegar. Pay close attention to their eyes, noses, and general behavior. Look for signs of stress, lethargy, or discomfort too. If the oils seem to affect your pet in any way, find another tick repellent.
   

You may also be interested in natural mosquito repellent plants.

Contributions from the Community

One reader says that Avon’s Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus Picaridin works well for ticks, and Consumer Reports agrees that is an adequate bug repellent.

What About Essential Oils for Cats?

While this is an article on essential oils for dogs, many people bring up concerns about cats and essential oils, so we’re sharing this bit of information from the Iowa Veterinary Wellness Center.

It’s always advisable to check with your vet first, but here are some general guidelines for essential oils for cats:

“In general, the essential oils you should AVOID using with your cat include oils that are high in salicylates or phenols.”

Essential Oils Toxic for Cats – Avoid These:

• Basil
• Cinnamon Bark
• Clove
• Laurus Nobilis
• Melaleuca Quinquenervia
• Mountain Savory
• Oregano
• Tea Tree
• Thyme
• Wintergreen

SOURCE: Iowa Veterinary Wellness Center.^[18]https://apvet.com/feline-care/essential-oils-cats/

“A few common essential oils that are SAFE to use for your cat include lavender, copaiba, helichrysum, and frankincense.”

SOURCE: Iowa Veterinary Wellness Center.^[19]https://apvet.com/feline-care/essential-oils-cats/