Keep it on the tick for at least 20 seconds. The tick will cease biting, back out, and will remain stuck to the cotton ball when it's pulled away. If the tick has been embedded for awhile, keep it in a jar so you can test it for Lyme disease.[source: Budget101]Note that there is debate on whether this actually works. Here's a testimonial that says it does, but there's no scientific evidence to back it up, so try at your own risk and keep a pair of tweezers in your first aid kit.