Tea Tree Oil soap and ticks

On another site I frequent a member posted his recent experience with Tea Tree Oil soap and ticks. It seems he enjoys hunting with friends. On his last trip, his friends all had to remove several ticks which he usually had to do also, but this time he didn't. He thought about it and the only change he could think of was a new soap his wife had purchased and he had been using for the prior couple of weeks. He internet-researched the ingredients and found that tea tree oil is a natural tick and insect repellant. Even more important, it was working for him. So I'm thinking that the next time I go shopping for soap its worth a try. I did a little more internet research and it seems rose geranium (different than either rose or geranium individually) is also a good tick repellant, although tea tree oil seems more vesatile as a general antispetic for cuts as well.

He provided the brand and site to order his soap from (don't have it on hand but if anyone is interested I'll find it) but I saw that Dr Bronner's also has a Tea Tree Oil soap of their own and they seem fairly popular with hikers and also readily available locally. This is probably what I'll try.

Anyone else ever try Tea Tree Oil soap? What are your experiences?

I started using Dr Bronners tea tree soap this year. I'll be using it for a while since I bought the big bottle. There's no telling how much tea tree oil is in the soap, and some reviews have voiced their suspicions about vendors diluting Dr Bronners, so I add a little extra tea tree oil.

It smells bad and you can't completely wash away the smell if you use it every day. Fortunately the smell is easily masked.

You can also buy Tea Tree Oil. Smells good. I use it after I shower.

perrymk I have seen similar posts about Tea Tree Oil & Skin so Soft... until you try it in real world conditions... there isn't any studies, science to my knowledge about Tea Tree Oil - vs whatever... What are the lasting effects of this on your skin? etc... What happens when it get's in your eyes?

Skin So Soft let me down in Canada. So now I want to see the real science about repellents against Ticks & Mosquitoes... Lyme Disease & West Nile sucks so bad - I suggest I don't want to read about snake oil, Tea Tree or anything until I see real world testing.

That's not a bad thing... I have been to several seminars with a mosquito scientist that works for a company that manufactures EPA registered products that do work. I am required to do "continuing education" in this area of insects.

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Originally Posted by Wise Old Owl

... until you try it in real world conditions... - I suggest I don't want to read about snake oil, Tea Tree or anything until I see real world testing.

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Which is why I ask for experiences. I read about an actual experience by someone who had nothing to sell. For me that falls somewhere between anecdotal and real world testing. The more I read online the more I think a combination of tea tree oil, rose geranium oil, and eucalyptus oil is the way to go.

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Originally Posted by leaftye

There's no telling how much tea tree oil is in the soap, and some reviews have voiced their suspicions about vendors diluting Dr Bronners, so I add a little extra tea tree oil.

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Apparently they use 2% essential oil.

See the comment dated March 1, 2013
http://lisa.drbronner.com/?p=470

I don't want anyone to have the impression I am pushing Dr Bronners. I only mentioned them because I have heard it is a popular product with hikers and it is readily available. Like the Kindles I post links to, I have no connection financial or otherwise.

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Originally Posted by perrymk

Which is why I ask for experiences. I read about an actual experience by someone who had nothing to sell. For me that falls somewhere between anecdotal and real world testing. The more I read online the more I think a combination of tea tree oil, rose geranium oil, and eucalyptus oil is the way to go.

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OK I understand for asking for experience. You might as well be asking the sewing circle in Ephrata - "Oh it works wonders in my backyard". - Yea but how about down at the swamp? What is efficiency in Maine where skeeters are really bad. Almost, the same thing happened to me on my trip to Canada.

We use a product called IC3 Essentria as a super concentrate repellent containing Peppermint and Rosemary. 2 or 3 ounces mixed down with one gallon of water can repel or kill crawling insects on structures (not skin) appears to work for a week at killing and repelling. Its far too mild and takes longer than other products, it's low risk - but barely works, and takes longer to solve the problem, specifically the company I work for, uses it in zoo's to knock down the roaches in the monkey houses. In an enclosed structure it can cause sinus pressure to humans. It's is somewhat effective at fleas but requires many applications and vacuuming, It depends on the insect.
Most of my other EPA approved concentrated repellants last 6-8 weeks in the field.

In the old days products like this were tested by college students in chemistry, by taking some books and a chair - wearing shorts, short sleeves. They headed down to the swamp and applying the product to be tested and sitting there for 4 hours. if it was less than 10 bites after two hours it was a reasonable repellent. If it was 10 bites after 4 hours - it was a better repellent. This test was explained to me by a scientist that actually did mosquito research. Sometimes a side by side test could be conducted - one product on a arm and leg, and another on the other side.

Please keep in mind I'm keeping this short, its a post folks... there is a lot more too this.