DIY Tick Tube Trick: A Simple Way to Help Reduce Lyme Risk

If you’ve never had Lyme disease, consider yourself lucky. If you have, you know exactly why I’m so passionate about sharing this.

I struggled with Lyme disease for years. It didn’t just affect my body; it affected my energy, my mood, my ability to show up for the life I wanted to live. Getting through it took time, persistence, and a whole lot of learning. And now that I’m on the other side, one of my biggest missions is helping people over 50 protect themselves, because the last thing any of us needs is a tiny bug derailing the life we’ve worked so hard to build.

So, when I learned about this simple, inexpensive DIY tick prevention trick, I had to share it with you right away.

The Toilet Paper Roll Trick (Yes, Really!)

Here’s what you do:

• Collect cardboard toilet paper rolls — save them up over a few weeks

• Stuff them loosely with shredded paper or cotton balls — (more on why in a second)

• Lightly spray the stuffing with permethrin — a widely available chemical that kills ticks on contact. You can find it at most garden centers or online.

• Place the rolls around your yard — near woodpiles, along fences, at the edges of your lawn where mice tend to travel

That’s it!

Why Does This Work?

Here’s the clever part. Mice are one of the primary carriers of the ticks that spread Lyme disease. When mice find these cozy little rolls, they take the nesting material back to their burrows. The permethrin then kills any ticks living on the mice, right at the source.

It’s essentially outsourcing your tick control to the mice themselves.

Why Paper or Cotton — Not Dryer Lint?

You might think dryer lint would work just as well, but here’s why it doesn’t: dryer lint contains residue from laundry detergents and fabric softeners that can actually be harmful to small animals and may interfere with how the permethrin works. Shredded paper or cotton balls absorb the permethrin better, break down naturally in the environment, and are much safer overall.

A Few Tips Before You Start

• Use permethrin safely — spray outdoors, let it dry completely before handling, and keep pets away until dry

• Place rolls in shaded, hidden spots where mice naturally travel — not out in the open

• Refresh them every 6-8 weeks — through tick season (spring through fall)

• This is not a complete solution — still do regular yard checks, wear protective clothing, tape socks outside your pants when in long grass and use tick repellent when hiking or in wooded areas

Small Steps, Big Protection

Living your best life after 50 means being proactive about your health, not just reactive. This little trick costs almost nothing, takes 20 minutes to set up, and could make a real difference in your yard this season.

I wish I had known about it years ago. Now you do. 💛

Have you tried anything like this before? Drop a comment below — I’d love to hear what’s worked for you!

✨| 50 Set Go

Always consult your healthcare provider for medical advice. This post is for informational purposes only.