They BITE you long time. 

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Asian ticks are coming.  Sounds like they have already overwintered in New Jersey, so it's only a matter of time before the move west.  I guess I'll order more Permethrin in preparation.

I take the view that I rather worry a little too much than not enough when it comes to health and safety.

ALL the major outdoor clothing MFGS offer clothes treated with some form of Permethrin.

Insect Shielded is a proprietary mix but they are all based on Permethrin. The clothes you buy are said to be good thru 70 washing's and are at the .5% solution which is what you want for clothing.

As long as you don't go above that percentage I have to think you'll be okay. All those companies wouldn't risk major lawsuits if they didn't think it was safe at that percentage.

I know a few people that had Lyme disease and it is not something to take lightly. Even if you only use Permethrin self-treated garments a few weeks of the year on canoe trips, I have to believe any potential risks from that limited exposure is far less than getting Lyme disease?

solotripper wrote on May 2^nd, 2018 at 1:00pm:


Another viewpoint:
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I treated my tent and some clothing with Permethrin last year, seemed to work.  I bought a bottle off Amazon, mixed with some water in a labeled spray bottle, spray and let dry.  I do worry about overusing it though as even though it is natural, doesn't mean it is good for you.  Lyme disease is not good either, so I try to find a balance.

Another use, I spray the soffit of my house under the eaves at the gable peaks where wasps like to make nests and it keeps them away.

By the way, I spray my clothes with the Permethrin mix and let them air dry.  Still works great.
......Mike

I use Permethrin on my clothes.  I have a woodlot in central WI which may be the tick capital of the world, especially this time of the  year.  This stuff just plain works.
I use deet based stuff on exposed skin but will be looking into that other stuff you're talking about.
Thanks for the tip..........Mike

  Something to consider if you're on the fence about treating your clothes with Permethrin?

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Jim J Solo wrote on Apr 23^rd, 2018 at 6:08pm:


In a perfect world, we wouldn't put ANY chemicals into the environment.

I didn't see anything about proper disposal, but I didn't look either.

Not trying to minimize your concern, but there are people and golf course all over my area that spray fertilizer/bug killer on the lawns and all that runs into the sewers and then waste treatment plants before going back into lakes.

I don't think a few gallons of clothing soak is going to tip the tide one way or the other.

Like everything you have to decide where your comfort zone is and do what you feel is best.

I would think it wouldn't be good pouring a wet solution down the drain into a sewer system, yes/no? Does the packaging say anything about deposal?

I'm thinking of how they tell us not to dispose of extra meds down the toilet. I think they burn them.

One of the reasons I soak my clothes is that it is MUCH cheaper to DILUTE a stronger concentration of Permethrin down to the percentage needed for treating clothes.

This link shows you the amount you need per gallon of treatment based on 2 different solutions of Permethrin.

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I used the 36.8% formula. I got in on AMAZON.

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32oz diluted in 18 gallons (large washer load)
enabled me to treat ALL my clothes far cheaper than using spray bottles.

Soaked clothes overnight, put on SPIN cycle a couple of times to get all the water out, then dried on LOW heat in the dryer.

Permethrin is ONLY toxic to cats when it's WET.
Once your clothes are dry kitty is safe.

I've always had a cat until this year and have soaked my clothes since I read about the treatment.

However, you decide to do it, it works to keep the bugs away.