Dawn dish soap is a household staple with a multitude of uses. But, Does Dawn Kill Ticks? Keep reading to find out!
Dawn dish soap is a versatile product used for a variety of household tasks, including cleaning kitchen utensils and even killing fleas. But Does Dawn Kill Ticks, or is it just another old wives’ tale? Let’s find out the answer below.
Here are some amazing dawn dish soap uses
What Is a Tick?
Ticks are little parasites that feed on human beings and animals. Their color varies from brown to reddish-brown and black. Ticks are arachnids, meaning they are related to spiders. These tiny bugs have eight legs, and their size varies as per different stages of their life cycle. Ticks mostly thrive in warm and humid climates.
Most of their species are harmless, but Ixodidae (hard ticks) and Argasidae (soft ticks) are known for transmitting diseases. They carry a number of pathogens, such as bacteria, protozoa, helminths, and viruses. Ticks generally prefer to bite warm, moist areas of the body, such as hair, armpits, or genitals.
Symptoms of Tick Bite
You will notice the following symptoms if you are allergic to a tick bite:
- Pain or Swelling
- Itching
- Burning sensation
- Rash at the bite site
- Blisters
But if a disease-carrying tick bites you, then the symptoms can be different. They usually appear within a few weeks.
- Headache
- Weakness
- Fever
- Chills
- Redness at the bite site
- Neck Stiffness
Does Dawn Dish Soap Kill Ticks on Humans and Dogs?
Does Dawn Kill Ticks? Yes, Dawn is an excellent tick killer. However, this remedy is effective when ticks are submerged in the dish soap and water mix for an extended period of time. The idea behind this remedy is that the soap breaks down the tick’s outer layer, causing dehydration and death eventually.
How to Remove a Tick with Dawn Dish Soap?
1. DIY Dawn Soap Tick Remover
Dawn dish soap is a versatile household staple that not only kill ticks but removes them from your and your pet’s skin as well.
Supplies
- Three Tablespoons of Dawn Dish Soap
- 1/2 Cup of Warm Water
- A Bowl
- Cotton Pad
- A Spoon
- Tweezers
Directions
- Pour 3 tablespoons of dawn dish soap along with 1/2 cup of warm water into a bowl and mix them well.
- Soak the cotton pad in the solution.
- Then, put it on the tick and make sure to cover it properly.
- Hold it for 2-3 minutes or until the tick loosens its grip.
- The tick eventually gets stuck into the cotton pad’s threads.
- Now, pull out the tick from the pad using tweezers.
- Throw it into the liquid-filled bowl and let it drown.
- Clean the tick-affected body part with a mild cleanser, followed by a moisturizer.
Other Ways to Remove Ticks
If the dawn dish soap hack doesn’t work for you, check out the below ways to remove ticks.
Use Tweezers
- Â Use tweezers with a fine tip to hold the tick’s mouthparts as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
- Using steady, even pressure, pull the tick upward. Avoid twisting the tick, as this can cause the mouthparts to break off and remain in the skin.
- After removing the tick, make sure that you have removed its head and mouthpart.
- Once you have pulled the tick, clean the bite area with soap and water.
- Place the tick in a sealed bag or container and dispose of it in the trash. Do not crush the tick with your fingers, as this can spread infection.
- After removing the tick, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
Fishing Line
- Gather fishing line, rubbing alcohol, cotton balls, and a sealable plastic bag.
- Clean the area around the tick with rubbing alcohol using a cotton ball.
- Create a loop with the fishing line, making sure the loop is small enough to fit tightly around the tick’s body.
- Gently slide the loop around the tick, positioning it as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
- Slowly tighten the loop around the tick.
- Once the loop is tightened around the tick, apply steady and upward pressure to remove the tick from the skin.
- When the tick is removed, thoroughly clean the area and hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
- Dispose of the tick carefully in a sealable plastic bag.
How to Prevent Ticks Bite?
Follow the below preventive measures to avoid the tick’s bite and possible encounters:
- Avoid going to dense vegetation and leaf clutter areas.
- When you are in a park or hiking, always walk on the concrete road and avoid trailside vegetation.
- Eliminate leaf clutter, grasses, and bushes from your lawn or yard.
- After spending time outdoors, check yourself, your kids, and your pets for ticks. Pay special attention to areas such as the scalp, ears, armpits, groin, and behind the knees.
- Avoid going to potential dwelling areas of the ticks.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, tuck your pants into your socks, and wear closed-toe shoes. This will make it harder for ticks to get to your skin.
- Vacuum your house on a daily basis.
- After coming from outdoors, run a fine-toothed comb through your hair to remove ticks.
Learn how Dawn dish soap removes hair dye here