Tick Repellents: How to Choose and Use Them Safely

Repellents for Your Skin

The CDC recommends using insect repellents registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that contain one of these active ingredients:

• DEET
• Picaridin
• IR3535
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
• Para-menthane-diol (PMD)
• 2-undecanone

According to the CDC, EPA-registered repellents are proven safe and effective when used as directed, including for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Not every bug spray protects against ticks. The CDC notes that repellents labeled only for mosquitoes or other insects might not work well against ticks, so check that the label lists ticks.

Comparing Repellent Ingredients

Each recommended ingredient has its own strengths. In general, the CDC notes that higher percentages of an active ingredient provide longer protection.

Permethrin for Clothing and Gear

Permethrin works differently from skin repellents. It’s applied to clothing, shoes, and gear, where it kills and repels ticks on contact. The CDC recommends treating clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin. It remains protective through several washings.

Studies of outdoor workers have found that permethrin-treated clothing can reduce tick bites by more than 80%. You can treat clothing yourself or buy clothing and gear that has been pre-treated with permethrin.

How to Use Permethrin Safely

• Never apply it to skin. It’s for clothing and gear only.
• Treat clothing before you wear it, never while it’s being worn. Spray outdoors, out of the wind.
• Let it dry completely. Product labels typically call for at least 2 hours, or 4 hours in humid conditions.
• Wash treated clothing separately from other laundry.
• Protect cats. Some permethrin product labels warn that it is toxic to cats, so keep cats away until treated items are dry.
• Follow the label on how often to retreat clothing.

How to Choose a Repellent

Look for the EPA Registration Number

Check the label for an EPA registration number, shown as “EPA Reg. No.” According to the CDC, this means the company provided the EPA with technical information on the product’s effectiveness. The EPA also reviews safety information before registering a repellent.

Match Protection Time to Your Activity

Think about how long you’ll be outdoors. A short walk needs less protection than a full day of hiking or yard work. Product labels and the EPA’s free repellent search tool show protection times for ticks, mosquitoes, or both.

Use the EPA Search Tool

The EPA’s Find the Repellent That Is Right for You tool lets you filter registered skin repellents by pest, protection time, and active ingredient. You can also look up a product’s registration number to check it.

Consider Comfort

The best repellent is the one you’ll actually use. Repellents come as sprays, lotions, and wipes, so choose a form you’ll apply consistently every time you head outdoors.

How to Apply Repellent Safely

• Read and follow the label, including how often you can reapply.
• Apply only to exposed skin, not under clothing.
• Avoid eyes, mouth, ears, cuts, and irritated skin.
• Use just enough to cover exposed skin, and avoid over-applying.
• Using sunscreen too? Apply sunscreen first and repellent second. The CDC generally doesn’t recommend combination sunscreen-repellent products, because sunscreen usually needs reapplying more often.
• Reapply as directed. Sweating, swimming, and heat can shorten protection time.
• Wash it off with soap and water when you come back indoors.

Children and Pregnancy

Using Repellent on Children

Children who play outdoors can be protected with repellent, with a few important precautions from the CDC:

• Don’t use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months. Dress them in clothing that covers their arms and legs instead.
• Don’t use products containing OLE or PMD on children under 3.
• Don’t apply repellent to a child’s hands, eyes, mouth, cuts, or irritated skin.
• Adults should apply repellent to their own hands first, then put it on the child. Don’t let young children apply it themselves.
• Wash the child’s skin and clothes with soap and water after coming indoors.

The EPA approves DEET for use on children with no age or concentration restriction, based on the data it has reviewed. Always follow the specific product’s label.

During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

According to the CDC, EPA-registered repellents are proven safe and effective when used as directed, even for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding. If you have questions, ask your healthcare provider.

What About Natural Repellents?

Many products marketed as natural repellents aren’t registered with the EPA. According to the CDC, the EPA hasn’t evaluated the effectiveness of most commonly known natural repellents, so how well they work isn’t known. Examples of ingredients in unregistered repellents include citronella oil, cedar oil, geranium oil, peppermint oil, soybean oil, and pure oil of lemon eucalyptus.

Some of these products are allowed to skip registration because the EPA considers their ingredients to pose minimal risk to health. That’s a safety judgment, not proof that they keep ticks away. If you prefer a plant-based option, EPA-registered OLE or PMD products have been tested for effectiveness.

Repellents Are One Layer of Protection

Repellents work best combined with other simple habits the CDC recommends:

• Avoid tick habitat where you can: grassy, brushy, or wooded areas with leaf litter. Walk in the center of trails.
• Wear long sleeves and pants, tucking pants into socks or boots in tick-prone areas.
• Shower soon after coming indoors to wash off and more easily find crawling ticks.
• Check your body for ticks every day, including under the arms, behind the knees, in the hair, and in the groin.
• Tumble dry clothes on high heat for 10 minutes after coming indoors to kill ticks on dry clothing. Damp clothes may need more time.
• Protect your dog. Ask your veterinarian about tick prevention products, since dogs can bring ticks into your home.

If you do find a tick attached, remove it promptly. Our guide on what to do after a tick bite explains how, and which symptoms to watch for. For more prevention topics, visit our Prevention hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best tick repellent?

There isn’t a single best product for everyone. The CDC recommends EPA-registered repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, OLE, PMD, or 2-undecanone. Choose one labeled for ticks, with a protection time that fits your activity, and consider pairing it with permethrin-treated clothing.

Can I put permethrin on my skin?

No. Permethrin is for clothing, shoes, and gear only. If it gets on your skin, follow the first-aid directions on the product label.

How long does tick repellent last?

It depends on the ingredient and concentration. EPA data show DEET repels ticks for about 2 to 10 hours depending on its percentage. Check the product label and the EPA search tool for protection times, and reapply as the label directs.

Does DEET above 50% work better?

No. According to CDC guidance, DEET concentrations above 50% don’t provide additional protection against ticks. Products with 20% to 30% DEET are considered optimal for most tick species.

Do I still need tick checks if I use repellent?

Yes. The CDC recommends daily tick checks in addition to repellents, so you can find and remove any ticks quickly.

The Takeaway

An EPA-registered skin repellent plus permethrin-treated clothing is one of the most effective, practical ways to prevent tick bites.

Choose a product that lists ticks on the label and carries an EPA registration number, and match its protection time to how long you’ll be outside.

Apply repellent only to exposed skin, never put permethrin on skin, and follow the CDC’s extra precautions for young children.

Combine repellents with long clothing, a shower after being outdoors, and daily tick checks for the best protection.