The claim: A tick can be safely removed by covering it in a soap-soaked cotton ball
A viral post offering advice on using soap and a cotton ball for tick removal has recently resurfaced on social media.
The March 2014 post, which has been shared over 7,000 times, attributes the information to an alleged nurse who it says "discovered a safe, easy way to remove ticks where they automatically withdraw themselves."
The post explains this way: "Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15-20); the tick will come out on its own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away."