Permethrin treating clothing

[Bob Moran]

I was in the woods yesterday and discovered several ticks on me when I got home. Time to treat my clothing!

You can buy treated clothing or do it yourself. I buy 10% permethrin from TSC and make a clothing soak of: 6 3/4 oz of 10% permethrin in 1 gallon of water. This makes a 0.5% solution. Soak the clothing and then hang it up to dry out of the sun.

If you would rather buy ready made stuff, Sawyer has a 0.5% permethrin spray that you can use. Either way, the stuff works and is not toxic to humans (I believe it is the stuff that the military treats clothing).

[Joeabowhunter]

 It's a terrible year for ticks around here.  I like your idea of making the soaker solution.  Probably a lot cheaper than the spray bottles.

[kbetts]

Had a male deer tick on my pants back in Feb.  

I sprayed down before putting up a camera yesterday....not worth risking it.

[frankwright]

Yes, I mix my own also. I spend way too much time in the woods to buy those $5 cans of spray.

I have not had a tick or chigger bite in years and it keeps skeeters away too.

[DEATHMASTER]

Need to find the jug to make my own.

[manitou1]

Yes, the military has us soak our uniforms in Permethrin before deploying to the desert... due to disease carrying vectors.  They say when you soak the clothes, it lasts six months through washings too.  I know just spraying them is supposed to last a couple of weeks.

Good stuff.  If done right, you shouldn't get another tick bite.

There are several brands out there.  It's the same stuff used in the "SPOT" products you put on your dogs, flea dips, and cattle "range" bags to deter bugs.  Some are petroleum based and leave a slight petroleum odor. Some are not are are marketed as "scent free", but do have a little odor until dry.
Some of the solutions are VERY powerful. Be careful to get the 10% and dilute.  You can do an internet search and get dilution ratios.

Good tip Bob.  I almost died from a tick bite some years ago.  I respect them over a poisonous snake any more!  At least I can see the snakes.

[Jakeemt]

I like they Sawyer's stuff been using it for years and it works great.

[Sam McMichael]

I use the spray products because of the convenience. But whether you spray or soak, I think permethrin should be just as much a part of your equipment as your bow.

[CHENRYIV]

Just treated mine, my wife's and daughter's clothing in perpetration for TBG Northern Zone shoot this weekend.  I got diagnosed with the "Alph Gel" meat allergy last August after getting a tick bite & don't want the family to experience it.

[Tall Paul]

As I understand it, there are two (maybe more) formulations of Permethrin.

One is for use on animals; sold at Co-ops,TSC and veterinary supply houses.  This is a different product than the formulation that is used to treat your clothing.

I posted a link on here once that listed all the hazards of using the animal formulation on your clothing. Its a definite no no.

I'll see if I can find that link again.

Trying to save a buck or two and endangering your health is not worth it.  It might be worth buying the formulation meant to treat clothing.

[manitou1]

That is why it is important to follow the dilution ratios.  I think you can get 35%-50% solutions for agri uses and outdoor insect control.  Wayyy too potent.

[Hoyt]

I mix my own home brew using DurationTM Permethrin 10% Concentrate from Amazon which claims to be the only EPA registered permethrin 10% concentrate approved for use on clothing.  It is intended for use as a soak but I delute it to .5% and use it as a spray like Sawyers

[Shaun]

"the stuff works and is not toxic to humans"

Non toxic to humans is a big leap. Anything that can discourage something as primitive as a tick in such minute amounts is a dangerous substance. There is a reason why this stuff can only be used as a clothing treatment and NOT on human skin. Please use as directed.

It used to be sold at Wally World in spray cans called REPEL but the same named product sold there now only contains DEET. I am glad to hear it is still available and am a big fan because it works. I hate tick bites.

[CRS]

I have just bought and used the generic RID spray.  Check the pharmacy section.  It has worked for me on multiple trips to Texas and keeping the ticks off in the Black Hills.

[TRAP]

Originally posted by Shaun:
"the stuff works and is not toxic to humans"

Non toxic to humans is a big leap. Anything that can discourage something as primitive as a tick in such minute amounts is a dangerous substance. There is a reason why this stuff can only be used as a clothing treatment and NOT on human skin. Please use as directed.

It used to be sold at Wally World in spray cans called REPEL but the same named product sold there now only contains DEET. I am glad to hear it is still available and am a big fan
because it works. I hate tick bites.

X2

I treat my clothes with Sawyers brand in the pump sprayer.  It's not that expensive and works very well.  It's funny to drop a tick on your treated pant leg and watch the little boogers ball up, roll around,  fall off and walk on about their merry way.  

I have a friend, a game warden, that urinated blood for about 6 months from misuse of this product. He did say he never had a tick bite though.

Choice is yours

[fireman_3311]

Here's what I use, from your local pet supply store. I mix 1 oz to 12 oz of water to spray on clothes. It works!!!

 

[Tall Paul]

My point was to be careful.  The formulation for animals should not be applied to clothing. No matter how you dilute it.  Its also petroleum based, and smells like it.

There was some poor guy on here a few months ago that was spraying his mattress with it.

Neurotoxins are known carcinogins and have long term consequences.

[Hoyt]

Insecticides are serious business. My uncle was a game warden in Ga. and died from use of some sort of tick or mosquito spray.

[fireman_3311]

Originally posted by Tall Paul:
My point was to be careful.  The formulation for animals should not be applied to clothing. No matter how you dilute it.  Its also petroleum based, and smells like it.

There was some poor guy on here a few months ago that was spraying his mattress with it.

Neurotoxins are known carcinogins and have long term consequences.

I really didn't know there was a difference?!!  I figured Permithrin was Permithrin!
I just ordered the 10% Duration mix from Amazon!!!

[Bob Moran]

Permethrin IS permethrin. There are two grades, pharmaceutical and technical. The pharmaceutical has higher purity and is used for topical treatment of scabies, and head lice, etc. The technical grade is lower purity (about 94%), which is what is used for the animal sprays and is what I used for treating my clothing. Once it has dried, the clothing is not toxic or irritating to humans.

While it is a neurotoxin, it is inactivated by the skin and the EPA does not classify it as a carcinogen.

It does have a strong odor when first applied, but it dissipates (I don't know about deer, however).

As far as spraying a mattress, it is commonly used for treating for bed bugs.