Permethrin Spray for Clothes: Ticks, Chiggers, Mosquitoes and More
Permethrin spray for ticks. It has worked well for me. It’s for spraying on clothes. I’ve been successfully using permethrin spray on my outdoor working clothes for years. It works very well for ticks, and mosquitoes, chiggers, biting flies, and over 55 other kinds of insects (according to Sawyer).
Yes, permethrin spray is one of the better options for treating clothing against chiggers, ticks, mosquitoes, and other biting insects. It is not a skin repellent. Use an EPA-registered permethrin product made for clothing and gear, apply it outdoors before wearing the clothing, let it dry completely, and follow the product label.
I live in the northeast. Lots of ticks here. Some seasons are worse than others. Not sure if other parts of the country have lots of ticks (leave a comment and let me know). But this was the main reason for how I discovered permethrin.
Permethrin is a synthetic pesticide. It’s similar to natural compounds in chrysanthemums. It can actually kill ticks. Mosquitoes don’t like it either.
When a tick comes in contact with clothes (or whatever fabric) sprayed with Permethrin, it quickly becomes incapacitated, unable to bite. Typically within seconds, it will fall off. If it remains, it will die.
Here’s a photo of my summer shelf of insect repellents and such. Front and center is my Permethrin spray.
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→ Sawyer Products Premium Permethrin
Permethrin Spray on Clothes, Shoes, Socks, Hat, Shirt, Etc.. for Ticks, Mosquitoes and Other Pesky Insects
Permethrin spray for clothing is great! I mean, really, it has worked very well for me. Repelling those pesky insects. Particularly those that bite! They don’t like it!
Ticks. Mosquitoes. Biting Flies (Deer flies, Horse flies, whatever you call those nasty vampire flying biting things in your locale). Chiggers (thankfully that’s not a big thing where I live, but I know it’s quite nasty in the south). ‘No-See-Ums’. Mites, and other nasties.
I live on rural property of forest and fields. I’m out on the land a good bit. I know Permethrin spray works. Here’s what I do..
How to use Permethrin Spray
It’s simple! I just spray it on clothes that I will be wearing outside! Lightly (or moderately) moisten the fabric with a slow sweeping motion, keeping the bottle about 6 to 8 inches away. Spray until damp. It will dry quickly and bonds with the fabric fibers.
The simple rule is this: treat the clothing while you are not wearing it, keep the spray mist away from your face, let everything dry completely, and then wear the clothing. Once dry, the Permethrin is bound to the fabric and is used as a clothing treatment, not a skin repellent.
What Can I Treat with Permethrin?
It’s safe and compatible with almost all fabrics, and it has an easier time bonding to soft fabrics like cottons, wools, and synthetic blends.
Spray on Hats
I spray my hats with Permethrin, inside and out. This has helped keep mosquitoes and biting flies from getting at my head and face. Just let it dry first, before wearing it. Although I do also typically spray a squirt of normal insect repellent on the back of my neck if I’ll be out for awhile. Ugh, I hate mosquitoes!
Spray on Boots / Shoes
I spray whatever boot or shoes I’m wearing for working outside. Usually it’s my favorite pair of Belleville lightweight summer boots. They’re 8″ tall, which helps provide a good surface area of Permethrin kill zone.
Socks. I will wear tall socks which extend higher than the boot. So I spray that exposed part too, just in case a tick manages to crawl up or attach higher than the boot.
Spray on Pants
Spray Permethrin on your long pants or shorts. Summertime tends to be pretty warm or hot outside. However I will suffer through it while wearing long pants depending on what I’m doing outside or the environment I’ll be in. That’s great protection from ticks and other biting nasty insects so long as you’ve sprayed them with Permethrin.
Spray on Shirts
I will spray whatever shirt I’m wearing out there. Sometimes it’s a lightweight long sleeve breathable summer shirt – to help protect the arms. Other times just a short sleeve. Regardless, I’ll give it a good spray of Permethrin.
Other uses include jackets, sleeping bags, tents, netting..
More about Permethrin Spray
- EPA-registered for use on clothing and gear when used according to the label.
- It’s ideal for any outdoor activity like hiking, fishing, hunting, working outside, camping, you name it..
- One treatment will last up to six wash cycles. With that said, I will typically apply some spray each time I go out there to work.
- It works on gear and tents too.
- It will not stain or damage clothing, fabrics, plastics, finished surfaces, or outdoor gear.
- Permethrin is completely odorless after drying. Applying Permethrin is pretty much standard operating procedure for me while outside during the summer months.
- Permethrin has been exclusively treating uniforms for the U.S. and Canadian military for 30 years.
- It is safe for dogs too. See note below regarding cat caution.
When I say “Permethrin clothing treatment,” I’m referring to applying Permethrin to clothing or gear according to the product label. That may be done with a spray-on product, while some clothing is factory-treated. Either way, Permethrin is for clothing and gear, not direct application to skin.
(more about Permethrin on wikipedia)
Permethrin does not work when applied to skin
Because your skin breaks down Permethrin within fifteen minutes of contact, it’s not useful as a personal protection insect repellent when applied to the skin.
Instead, for skin, consider the following insect repellent that works great too!
Picardin
→ Sawyer Products Picardin Pump Spray(Amazon)
→ Sawyer Products Picardin Continuous Spray
Permethrin for Dogs (not for Cats)
Permethrin is safe for humans and dogs. But not so much for cats.
“Sawyer Permethrin Insect Repellent can be applied to dogs and help control fleas and lice for 35 days and ticks for 6 weeks.” says Sawyer Products.
Regarding cats, I did some research on this, and here’s what I believe to be reliable information.
Permethrin can be dangerous to cats, especially while it is still wet. Cats are much more sensitive to Permethrin than dogs, and exposure can cause serious symptoms such as drooling, twitching, tremors, seizures, trouble walking, or worse.
To avoid the danger, never spray Permethrin near cats, never apply it to a cat, and keep cats away from treated clothing, shoes, gear, and the spray area until everything is completely dry.
I treat clothing outdoors, let it dry fully, and store the bottle where pets cannot get to it. Once the treated fabric is fully dry, Permethrin-treated clothing is generally considered safe to wear around cats, but always follow the product label.
Although I read this article when it was first posted I did not buy it because of the cost. I just recently recovered from an infected tick bite and Lyme disease that came to a little under $4,000 in medical costs. Fortunately insurance covered all but a couple of hundred. So now, remembering this article, I have purchased this (very affordable) product (plus a non-DEET repellent for skin). In addition to the directions given here it states that it will last 6 washings OR 6 weeks (42 days) and that it should not be used on clothing while it is being worn or on underclothing or hats. I assume that would mean to avoid having it on a fabric that is in continual contact with your skin.
It is interesting that the lab results found that I had Lyme disease at least several times and only because this last one got infected was it discovered. The 12 day dual antibiotic medication knocked the stuffing out of me. It has taken me that same amount of time to recover and am loading up on probiotic foods. So for about a month this summer my eyes and skin are super sensitive to the sun due to the medication. This product is so incredibly inexpensive anyone who goes outside should invest in it now.
Thanks again for more survival information to the Modern Survival Blog.