How to tick-proof your home and garden
Most ticks and fleas are in your home, not on your pet. Where they hide and how to clear them out for good.
In this guide
If you keep finding ticks on your dog despite baths and checks, the problem is probably in your home. The brown dog tick, common across India, is well adapted to living indoors. It lays eggs in cracks, behind furniture and in bedding, so the cycle keeps repeating.
Where ticks and fleas hide
- Cracks in walls, floors and skirting
- Behind and under furniture, especially near where your pet sleeps
- Door and window frames
- Pet bedding, blankets, rugs and sofa cushions
- Kennels, crates and car seats
- Shaded garden corners, long grass, bushes and leaf piles
- Balcony corners and potted plants
Inside the home
- Vacuum every day for two weeks, then a few times a week. Get into corners, along skirting and under sofas. Empty the vacuum outside, straight into a sealed bin bag.
- Wash bedding weekly in hot water: your pet's bed, blankets, and any covers they lie on. Dry in strong sun when possible.
- Mop floors with a pet-safe cleaner and let them dry before pets walk on them.
- Seal cracks in walls and floors with filler or putty where you keep finding ticks.
- Declutter the areas where your pet sleeps; fewer hiding places means fewer ticks.
In the garden and balcony
- Keep grass short and clear leaf litter and debris.
- Trim bushes so sunlight reaches the ground; ticks prefer shade and damp.
- Move pet beds and kennels off soil, onto raised, cleanable surfaces.
- Discourage stray animals and rodents, which can bring ticks in.
Pest control
If you have a heavy infestation, a professional pest control service can treat the home. Tell them you have pets, follow their instructions about keeping pets away and for how long, and ask about pet-safer options. Check with your vet too.
Keep your pet protected at the same time
Cleaning the home without protecting your pet (or the other way round) rarely works. Do both together:
- Daily tick checks
- Baths with an Anti-Tick & Flea Shampoo
- A Tick & Flea Repellent Spray before walks
- Your vet's tick prevention plan
- Treat every pet in the house
Be patient
Tick and flea eggs can hatch over several weeks. Keep up the routine for at least a month or two after you stop seeing them. Read our tick season guide for when to step up again.
Questions pet parents ask
Can ticks live inside my house? +
Yes. The brown dog tick, common in India, can live and breed indoors, hiding in cracks, furniture and bedding.
How long does it take to get rid of ticks in the home? +
Usually several weeks of consistent cleaning, pet protection and, if needed, professional pest control, because eggs keep hatching.
Is pest control safe for pets? +
Ask the pest control service about pet-safer options, follow their instructions on keeping pets away, and check with your vet.
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This guide is general information for pet parents, not veterinary advice. If your pet is unwell, injured or you're unsure, please talk to your vet.
