# You Bite It, We Fight It--Ticks **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 5, 2007, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-bite-it-we-fight-it-ticks/398890 "2007-04-05T19:43:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-bite-it-we-fight-it-ticks/398890/1 "2007-04-05T19:43:59Z")
What home remedies have you used or seen for removing ticks? My dad always used to light a kitchen match, blow it out, then touch the hot tip to the tick’s body to get it to die and relax its grip. NOTE: THIS IS NOT A MEDICAL ADVICE THREAD. [CLICK HERE](http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/general/body/tick_removal.html) FOR THE PROPER WAY TO REMOVE A TICK. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-bite-it-we-fight-it-ticks/398890/2 "2007-04-05T19:46:25Z")
When I was a Girl Scout camp counselor (in the early 1980s), we used to put clear nail polish on ticks and chiggers. I’ve since learned that this isn’t recommended. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-bite-it-we-fight-it-ticks/398890/3 "2007-04-05T21:12:04Z")
[QUOTE=neuroman] My dad always used to light a kitchen match, blow it out, then touch the hot tip to the tick’s body to get it to die and relax its grip. [/QUOTE] This is what my mom used to do to my brother. Worked every time, and he got tonnes of ticks on him. In fact, the tick would start backing out, and sort of stick to the end of the hot match. Disgustingly good fun. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-bite-it-we-fight-it-ticks/398890/4 "2007-04-06T14:25:25Z")
Soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol. Apply ball to tick. Tick gets suffocated, poisoned, and drunk all at the same time and loosens grip. Remove tick. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-bite-it-we-fight-it-ticks/398890/5 "2007-04-06T15:16:45Z")
Why don’t they make Frontline for humans? I know there’s insect repellant, but that has to be reapplied and isn’t terribly effective. Isn’t there even a dog spot-on that repels mosquitos? StG ---
**Author:** ![THespos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@THespos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/THespos)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-bite-it-we-fight-it-ticks/398890/6 "2007-04-06T15:27:25Z")
When I was a kid I used to suffocate them in a blob of Vaseline. They’d usually back out within 10 minutes or so before suffocating. Since then, I’ve learned a much simpler way - grab them by the head with a tweezer and pull gently but firmly back from the skin. Hold them in this position and count to 10. They’ll let go. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-bite-it-we-fight-it-ticks/398890/7 "2007-04-06T22:01:05Z")
When I smoked cigarettes, the glowing tip was lightly applied to a tick’s posterior to make them back off of a kitty. Nine extra hands were required to hold the kitty, mind you. 😉