Issues

• If you have ticks living in your home, they'll constantly be a problem for your family and your pets unless you remove them. Waiting for them to die is not an option. A tick can survive more than a year between blood meals. A female can lay more than 5,000 eggs during her lifetime.
  
  

Removal

• Vacuum problem areas and in and around pets' sleeping quarters. Also, sprinkle diatomaceous earth into cracks and crevices in your home. This powdery rock dehydrates insects such as ticks and kills them. Look over pets and children daily to see if any ticks have latched onto them. Clean your home with citrus-oil-based products, which will kill the ticks. While working, wear white pants and socks so it's easier to spot any ticks crawling on you.
  
  

Prevention

• You can prevent ticks from returning to your home by looking over pets carefully after they've been outside, so no ticks can hitch a ride inside. Spray your doorjambs and windowsills with citrus oil to deter fleas from entering your home, and plant rose geraniums around your home to repel ticks.