How to Do a Tick Check: Full-Body Checklist (Ontario)

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Why the Tick Check Matters So Much

A tick check is the last and most reliable line of defence against tick-borne illness. In Ontario the tick that matters most is the blacklegged tick (also called the deer tick), the species that can carry the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease. What makes the check so powerful is timing: a blacklegged tick generally has to stay attached for roughly 24 to 36 hours before it can transmit anything. A tick you find and remove the same day has almost always not fed long enough to pass on disease. In other words, a two-minute check tonight can prevent months of illness.

The challenge is size. Adult ticks are about the size of a sesame seed, but the nymphs responsible for most Lyme cases are only as big as a poppy seed. That is why a good tick check is done as much by touch as by sight — you are feeling for a tiny bump that was not there this morning.

Step-by-Step: The Full-Body Tick Check

Do this within two hours of coming inside, ideally right before or during a shower:

1. Toss your clothes in a hot dryer. Ten minutes on high heat kills any ticks still on your clothing before they find you.
2. Undress in a well-lit room and grab a full-length mirror plus a hand mirror for the spots you cannot see.
3. Start at the head. Run your fingers through your hair and over your scalp and hairline, then check behind and inside the ears and the back of the neck.
4. Work downward. Underarms, belly button, waistband and beltline, then the groin and between the legs — the warm, hidden folds ticks prefer.
5. Finish at the legs and feet. Behind the knees, down the shins, around the ankles and sock line, and between the toes.
6. Shower. A shower within two hours rinses off unattached ticks and gives you a natural moment to feel for anything new.

Step one is deliberately first. It is the dryer, not the washer, that kills a tick on fabric: dry heat desiccates them within about ten minutes, while an ordinary wash cycle frequently leaves them alive to crawl out later. The tested temperatures behind that are in our guide to do ticks die in the washing machine.

Checking Kids

Children are closer to the ground and often the first in the household to pick up a tick, so make the check part of the after-outdoors routine. Look over the whole body, but spend extra time on the scalp and hairline, behind and inside the ears, the back of the neck, the armpits, the belly button, and behind the knees — the areas a tick reaches quickest on a smaller frame. Keeping it light (a quick “tick patrol”) helps kids stay calm while you get a thorough look. Use your fingertips and a bright light, since a nymph can look like nothing more than a new freckle.

Checking Dogs and Cats

Pets bring ticks indoors, so they need a check too. Slowly run your hands over the whole animal, pressing gently to feel for bumps under the fur. Concentrate on the ears and inside the ear flaps, around the eyes and muzzle, under the collar, the armpits and groin, between the toes, and under the tail. Part thick coats to see the skin. Talk to your veterinarian about tick-prevention products made for pets — and never apply human repellents to animals.

Your After-Hike Routine (In Order)

1. Before you go: tuck pants into socks, wear light colours so ticks show up, and treat footwear and pant legs with permethrin. Use a DEET or icaridin (picaridin) repellent on exposed skin.
2. Leaving the trail: do a quick visual sweep of your lower legs, waistband, and each other in the group.
3. Reaching the car: brush off pants and check the seats — do not carry a hitchhiker home.
4. Within two hours home: clothes in the hot dryer, then a shower and the full-body check above.
5. Check your gear and pets: backpacks, blankets, and the dog all catch ticks that later crawl onto people.

What to Do If You Find a Tick Attached

Do not panic and do not use old folk remedies (petroleum jelly, nail polish, or a lit match) — those can make the tick release more saliva and raise your risk. Instead, remove it promptly and cleanly:

1. Grip the tick as close to the skin as possible with fine-tipped tweezers or a dedicated tick-removal tool.
2. Pull straight up with steady, even pressure. Do not twist or jerk — that can leave mouthparts behind.
3. Clean the bite area and your hands with soap and water or rubbing alcohol.
4. Note the date. If you can, save the tick in a sealed bag or take a clear photo — it helps if symptoms appear.
5. Watch the bite for 30 days. See a doctor if you develop an expanding (often bull’s-eye) rash, fever, fatigue, or joint aches.

Keeping a proper tool by the door makes removal quick and clean when it counts. Check tick-removal tools on Amazon.ca →

Related Reading

• Tick Removal Tool Guide — Best Tools + How to Use Them
• How to Keep Ticks Out of Your Yard (Ontario)
• What Ticks Look Like in Ontario
• Tick Season in Ontario — When Ticks Are Active
• Are Ticks Dangerous in Ontario?
• BuzzSkito Tick Control Service