My dog was snoozing on the living room floor when I glimpsed movement on his coat. Upon closer inspection, and much to my horror, dozens of ticks were crawling off of him and onto the carpet. They must have hitched a ride on our hike earlier that day when he was running through tall grass. For weeks afterward, the thought of ticks in my home and car tormented me.

If you’ve got these unwanted visitors, here’s how to get ticks out of your home and prevent them from ever getting in again.

What do ticks look like?

Ticks are small, oval-shaped bugs with a flat back and no wings or antennae. They vary in color from reddish to brown and black. Lone star ticks, common in the Southeast U.S., have a white dot on their backs.

Ticks are classified as arachnids, which means they have eight legs and are more closely related to mites and spiders than insects (but some newly emerged ticks have only six legs). Tick egg clusters, or nests, look like fish eggs or masses of brown orbs along the forest floor.

“Unfed ticks are tiny, resembling freckles or moles on the skin, while fully fed ticks can swell up from the size of a poppy seed to the size of a raisin,” says Emma Grace Crumbley, an entomologist with Mosquito Squad.

What do tick bites look like?

Tick bites often look like a small red bump. However, you’ll probably notice the tick while it is still attached. While the bites usually aren’t painful, they can swell and be sore for days. Ticks transmitting Lyme disease can leave behind a bullseye mark, and those with Rocky Mountain spotted fever can cause a speckled rash (localized or full-body).

How to Remove Ticks From Pets

Use fine-tipped tweezers held close to the skin (or a tick removal stick) and pull up slowly with a steady motion. The CDC also has a Tick Bite Bot to walk you through the process and determine what further care might be needed. If the head breaks off inside, remove that, too, to prevent infection. Next, clean the bite with soap and water.

How to Get Rid of Ticks in Your Home

If you find a tick in your home, check your clothing and pets for more loose ticks. Then: Vacuum and Clean, Wash Linens and Pet Bedding, Treat Outdoor Areas.