What to do if ticks are found in the house?

What to do if ticks are found in the house?

Don't panic if you find ticks indoors. Follow these systematic steps. Ticks do not reproduce rapidly indoors like bed bugs or cockroaches, so prompt treatment can eliminate them.

Step 1: Check people and pets

1. Check all family members for attached ticks — focus on armpits, waist, groin, and scalp.
2. Check pets — especially dogs; carefully feel behind ears, neck, armpits, and groin.
3. If an attached tick is found, use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull upward with steady, even pressure. Do not twist or crush the tick.

Step 2: Vacuum the entire house

4. Vacuum all floors, paying special attention to corners, floor cracks, and baseboards.
5. Vacuum pet bedding and surrounding areas thoroughly.
6. Vacuum sofa crevices, under beds, and under furniture.
7. After use, seal the vacuum bag and discard it in an outdoor trash bin.

Step 3: Chemical control

5. Spray permethrin-containing household insecticide along door edges, window sills, corners, baseboards, and floor cracks.
6. Focus on a 1-meter radius around pet bedding.
7. Once dry, the insecticide forms a film; ticks that crawl over it die.
8. Residual effect lasts about 2-4 weeks.

Step 4: Seal entry points

5. Check and seal gaps around doors, windows, and air conditioner pipe openings.
6. Fill wall cracks and damaged flooring.
7. Repair torn screens promptly.

Step 5: Continue monitoring

Observe for 1-2 weeks after treatment. If new ticks are found, reapply spray. Also reduce pets' access to weedy areas.