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How to Dispose of a Tick

Along with all the fun of summer comes the potential for ticks. These nasty little buggers are commonly found attached to our animals and, in some cases, to our own skin. It is important to remove a tick properly in order to ensure that no portion of the tick's body is left in the host. After removing the tick, you should dispose of the tick properly. Ticks can be difficult to kill. Therefore, if you do not dispose of the tick correctly, it may just find its way right back where it started.

Things You'll Need

Tweezers
Alcohol
Toilet
Lighter or Matches

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the tick from the host with a pair of tweezers by grasping the tick just behind the point of attachment. Do not twist the tick off. Simply lift straight out.
- 2
  Burn the tick while it is still grasped in the tweezers. This is a quick way to destroy the tick. Make sure that if you remove the tick in this manner, that you do it outside, as it can be a messy, depending on the size of the tick.
- 3
  Immerse the tick in alcohol. This is the preferred method of disposing of ticks by doctors. This is because it allows them to identify the tick in cases where a diagnosis is necessary. The alcohol will kill the tick, yet keep it intact for identification.
- 4
  Flush the tick down the toilet for the easiest, quickest way of tick disposal. Make sure that the tick does go down, however, or you will find yourself with a tick in a really bad place. They are capable climbers.
- 5
  Avoid handling the tick with your bare skin as ticks are infamous for disease. The old tradition of squishing a tick with your fingers is not a good idea for this reason.

Insects & Science