Tickpedia
Removal · field guidance

Eating onions or sulfur-rich foods to repel ticks

There is no evidence that dietary sulfur compounds from onions or other foods make skin unattractive to ticks.

Steps

schema.org/HowTo
  1. 01
    DO NOT count on a diet heavy in onions, garlic, or other sulfur-rich foods to keep ticks off.
  2. 02
    The theory that sulfur compounds excreted in sweat repel arthropods has been tested for decades and has not produced consistent positive results.
  3. 03
    In the meantime, you walk into tick habitat with no real protection.
  4. 04
    Instead, apply an EPA-registered repellent (DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus) before going outside.
  5. 05
    Wear long pants tucked into socks and treat clothing with 0.5% permethrin.

Wild facts

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