I'll ditto callemin's caution not to use techniques that will cause the tick to re-gurgitate - heat, soap, chemicals, etc - I have read that warning many times. One trick I use at home is to have a piece ofscotch tape handy when I pull a tick off (fingernails work for me) - it's pretty easy to transfer the tick to the tape. I then fold the tape over on itselfto immobilize the tick for the rest of its wretched life...
-fsh