Having reliable pest management in place is a must, whether it is for your residential or commercial property. This is because pests can cause property damages and affect the health of the occupants. In fact, one pest type that you mustn’t ignore at home is a tick—a tiny, blood-sucking bug. The problem is that these small arachnids can easily and quickly invade your home even without you knowing about it. While their bites are generally harmless, they often carry diseases that may get transmitted to you and your family. For this reason, getting rid of these ticks at home becomes imperative!

In this article, we will share more about the dangers of ticks and how to protect yourself from these tiny critters.

The dangers of ticks

The truth is that not all ticks are dangerous. The majority of them are generally harmless, and you won’t need medical treatment even if they bite you. However, some ticks like deer and wood ticks can carry germs and cause diseases, such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease. If you have tick-related conditions, you may encounter the following symptoms:

• Lyme disease: You’ll see a red bump ringed by an expanding red rash—as if it’s a bull’s-eye. 
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever: You’ll have red dots around the ankles and wrists.
• Other common symptoms: In most cases, you’ll experience flu-like signs, such as headache, fever, vomiting, tiredness, as well as joint and muscle pain.

How to protect yourself from ticks

As it is often said, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, and this applies to tick prevention as well. With that being said, here’s how to protect yourself from ticks:

• Apply insect repellent containing DEET to your exposed skin.
• Spray insect repellent Permethrin on your clothes and shoes.
• Always have a tick check on yourself, your children, and your pets.
• Be sure to take a shower immediately after being outdoors in a high-risk area.
• Throw your clothes in the dryer, as the dry heat can kill any tick on your clothes.
• Keep your house clean with pest prevention and management in place.

Here at Clean & Green Pest, we provide tick control in Sydney with both our internal and exterior pest treatments with the use of generally safe, sustainable, and non-toxic solutions as well as child-safe and pet-friendly pest control methods. Keep in mind that it’s best to have a pest control service for your residential property from time to time!

What to do when bitten by ticks

If a tick bites you, you have to consider two things—how long it is attached and whether or not it is engorged (meaning that it has a blood meal). Take note of the following details:

• If not engorged and not there for over 24 hours: You’ll most likely have no risk for common tick-borne disease transmission, so you have nothing to worry about.

• If engorged and ticks stayed for more than 24 hours: Be sure to see your doctor immediately. Your physician will most likely recommend an antibiotic to prevent Lyme infection.

Conclusion

At this point, you now realise that pest control is a necessity in any residential property, and this also applies to a tick infestation due to the potential health dangers they pose. As such, be sure to consider all the valuable information discussed above, particularly how to protect yourself and what to do when bitten. Ultimately, your family’s health is and should always be your top priority—so get rid of those ticks at all costs!

As a pest control company in Sydney, we handle all types of pests, from ticks and fleas to rodents down to wasps and bees. If you need green pest control in Sydney to get rid of ticks at home, get in touch with us today to request a quote!