How a Shower Can Help

Taking a shower after being outdoors is a smart habit, especially during tick season. It can help reduce your chances of getting bitten by a tick, but it’s important to know that a shower won’t remove a tick that has already attached to your skin.

Once a tick bites, it uses strong mouthparts to latch on firmly. Water and soap alone aren’t enough to dislodge it. However, a shower still plays a useful role in early detection and prevention.

Even though an embedded tick won’t come off in the shower, there are still several good reasons to rinse off soon after being outside:

Washes Away Unattached Ticks

Ticks don’t always bite immediately. Some crawl around for a while before choosing a spot. Showering can help wash off any that haven’t attached yet, especially those on your legs, arms, or back.

Encourages a Full-Body Tick Check

Taking a shower gives you the opportunity to check your body more carefully. Ticks often hide in areas that are warm, moist, or harder to see. While showering, pay attention to:

• Behind the ears

• Under the arms

• Around the waistband

• Behind the knees

• Between the legs and in the groin area

• Around the belly button

• In the hairline or on the scalp

Using a mirror or asking someone to help you check hard-to-see areas can make a difference.

How to Remove a Tick That’s Attached

If you find a tick during your shower or tick check, don’t try to wash or scrub it off. You’ll need to remove it carefully using the right method:

1. Use fine-tipped tweezers to grab the tick as close to the skin as possible
2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick.
3. After removal, clean the bite area with soap and water, then apply antiseptic
4. Dispose of the tick by sealing it in a bag, submerging it in alcohol, or flushing it
5. Watch for any signs of illness—such as a rash, fatigue, joint pain, or fever—in the days or weeks after a bite

Additional Prevention Tips

Taking a shower is just one piece of prevention. To further lower your risk:

• Check your clothes and gear after being outside—ticks can cling to fabric and attach later
• Dry clothing on high heat for 10–15 minutes to kill any ticks you might have missed
• Use insect repellent on skin and clothing, or wear clothing treated with permethrin
• Check pets for ticks, especially around their ears, neck, belly, and paws

Bottom Line

A shower can help rinse off ticks that haven’t bitten yet and is a great chance to do a full-body check. But once a tick is attached, it won’t wash off. The key is to stay alert, check your body carefully, and remove ticks right away if you find them.