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While most ticks like to live and breed outdoors, a select few will take up residence in your home, happily laying their eggs and raising their young. One tick that is notorious for this is the brown dog tick, identifiable by the lack of white markings on its body. Unfortunately, all it takes for an infestation to take root is for one or a few of these bloodsuckers to get in your home. And, unfortunately, they are very good at hitching a ride on your pet or on your shoes. If you suspect that you have a tick infestation in your home, do the following four things. 

Vacuum like Mad

Since they are so small, it can be difficult for you to locate individual ticks. You can, however, suck them up with your vacuum if they're not attached to anything. To remove as many as you can, be sure to vacuum your house thoroughly, getting every crack and crevice. Once you're done cleaning, remove the bag from your vacuum and seal it in a plastic bag. Dispose of it outside of your home immediately. If you have a canister vacuum, empty the canister and dispose of the contents.

Seal Up Cracks

Once inside your home, ticks like to hide and breed in cracks and crevices. For this reason, you should seal up all gaps along your floorboards, around your windows, and anywhere else they may be. You can use caulk or a sealing foam agent to close off any potential hiding spots for the critters.

Treat your Home

Ticks are rather tricky to treat and they won't respond to conventional do-it-yourself treatments, such as those used for killing fleas. Since they are difficult to deal with, you should always have a professional exterminator address a tick infestation. If you want to help, be sure to keep your grass cut short and continue to vacuum your home regularly. 

Stay Alert for Illness

Ticks transmit an array of nasty illnesses, such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Some illnesses that are transmitted by ticks can become very serious if they are not treated properly. If you have ticks, stay on the alert for signs of illness, which include fever, chills, aches, headache, fatigue, and rash. 

Tick infestations in the home are never pleasant. Fortunately, though, ticks can be eradicated with professional pest control. To make sure the treatment is successful, be sure to clean your home thoroughly, seal up all cracks, and keep your grass cut short.