Shopping
We only recommend products we love and that we think you will, too. We may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was written by our Commerce team.
Not only are ticks a nuisance, but they are responsible for transmitting harmful diseases, like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. That's why, along with keeping your grass short and chopping down any tall weeds, spraying your home's outdoor areas with the best tick sprays for yards can keep these tiny parasites away from you and your family when you're outside. Because front and back yards are often big spaces to cover, top-rated tick sprays easily attach to your garden hose and can reach large areas spanning up to 5,000 square feet. When looking for a tick spray, keep your eyes out for formulas that also eliminate insects like ants, mosquitoes, and spiders — these will prevent against all kinds of unwanted pests.
What Is The Best Thing To Spray In Your Yard For Ticks?
Tick sprays can use a number of substances, including synthetic insecticides like pyrethroids and pyriproxyfen. When applied properly, these can be incredibly effective ways to kill ticks and prevent them from setting up camp in your yard (and on your body). However, if you have pets or kids who spend a lot of time in the yard, or if you have other reasons to feel wary of spraying chemicals in your yard, a natural tick spray might be a better choice for you. Natural tick sprays use ingredients like cedarwood oil, sesame oil, and plant-based sodium lauryl sulfate to repel and kill ticks. They might not be quite as heavy-hitting as sprays with synthetic pesticides, but you may find it’s worth it for the peace of mind — and you can always pair them with a child- or dog-safe tick repellent for some extra oomph.
How You Treat A Yard For Ticks
How most tick sprays work: Simply attach the bottle to a garden hose and use your hose to dispense the pesticide treatment. Unlike bug sprays designed for inside the home, there's no need to pre-mix these yard sprays or painstakingly cover every inch with a squirt bottle by hand.
But before purchasing or using any sort of chemical spray, it's always best to read up on the CDC guidelines and check with any local officials about the best and safest time to spray in your area. Most experts recommend that you spray targeted areas of your yard to eliminate the spread of any chemicals potentially dangerous to wildlife.
Keep in mind you should wear a long-sleeved shirt, pants, gloves, and protective eyewear while applying any pesticide to your yard to avoid the chemicals coming into contact with your skin or eyes. Also, while most tick sprays should be safe around children and pets after the spray has dried, make sure to keep your pets and kids away from just-treated areas until the spray is fully dry to avoid accidental ingestion and poisoning.
How Often Should You Spray Your Yard For Ticks?
Tick sprays vary significantly when it comes to how often they need to be reapplied. You might need to spray some products monthly while others can last up to six months. It’s always best to read the manufacturer’s instructions to learn the best way to apply a specific tick spray, including how often you’ll need to reapply.
Shop The Best Tick Sprays For Yards
In a hurry? Here are the best tick sprays for yards:
- The Overall Best: Ortho BugClear Insect Killer For Lawns & Gardens
- The Runner-Up: Black Flag Flea & Tick Killer Yard Treatment Spray
- The Most Eco-Friendly: Wondercide Natural Yard Flea, Tick, & Mosquito Spray
Ready to rid your yard of ticks? These are three tick sprays that can make that happen!
1
The Overall Best Tick Spray For Yards
Ortho’s BugClear insect killer for lawns and gardens is a one-stop solution to keep ticks and other pests out of your yard for up to six months. Not only does it work on ticks, it also kills 235 different types of insects in total, including species of fleas, mosquitoes, ants, and spiders. This pesticide treats large areas up to 5,300 square feet and starts working immediately. Just attach the bottle directly to a garden hose and spray. Best yet, it's also safe to use around fruit trees, roses, and vegetable gardens.
According to one reviewer: “We recently discovered that our yard was being infested by ticks coming from our neighbors fence. [...] I needed something that could spray our whole yard and home perimeter fast! This was so great! I just hooked it up to my hose and covered the whole yard, fence, sides of the house, and anywhere I knew my dogs or myself might be. It’s only been a day and I haven’t seen a single tick since.”
Coverage area: Up to 5,300 square feet | Lasts for: Up to 6 months
2
The Runner-Up
Although it treats a slightly smaller amount of square footage (5,000 compared to the previous pick’s 5,300 square feet), this Black Flag flea and tick killer yard treatment spray is another solid option for killing ticks and a few other types of insects in your yard. To use it, connect the bottle to a hose and flip the included switch to activate and begin dispensing the spray. The manufacturer even claims that it'll keep your yard flea-free for up to 12 weeks.
According to one reviewer: “Easy to use and inexpensive. I sprayed it on my yard mid-summer after finding a few ticks on my dogs. Haven’t found any ticks or fleas since.”
Coverage area: 5,000 square feet | Lasts for: Up to 12 weeks
Also available on: Home Depot, $16, Lowe’s, $16, and Walmart, $22
3
The Most Eco-Friendly
While other pesticide sprays may be toxic or semi-toxic to birds, fish, and butterflies, this Wondercide natural yard flea, tick, and mosquito spray utilizes cedarwood oil as its active ingredient to repel insects and kill ticks and fleas on contact without risking harm to animals or other beneficial insects. Plus, it attaches to a garden hose, is easy to apply, and covers yards up to 4,000 square feet (some reviewers say this number is closer to 5,000 square feet). While it's a bit more expensive than other sprays on this list, hundreds of Amazon fans say it's worth the price. One note: According to the manufacturer, this one will need to be reapplied every 30 to 45 days.
According to one reviewer: “I am so thrilled to write this review that this product actually WORKED on my yard. We have tried nearly EVERYTHING before this to keep the ticks out of our yard. Every time our dog went in the yard, she came back with ticks (even while being on tick preventative AND the natural dog spray and wipes). This product was the ONLY thing that worked. It was very easy to use. While I thought it was a bit pricey, the amount in the bottle lasted for the entire yard with some leftover. It was worth it.”
Coverage area: Up to 4,000 square feet | Lasts for: Up to 45 days
Also available on: Wondercide, $35, and Chewy, $35
This article was originally published on
