Fight the Bite: Treating Clothes with Premethrin to Prevent Tick and Mosquito Bites

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- If you've spent time outdoors, you may have found a tick on you or your clothes or been bitten by a mosquito.

Ticks and mosquitoes may carry pathogens that can cause diseases and other conditions.

So how can you protect yourself when you're outside?

While repellents can be effective to reduce tick and mosquito bite risk, remembering to use a repellent can be a challenge.

Some people may not like how a repellent feels or smells.

Either way, there is another option to prevent bites: permethrin-treated clothing.

Permethrin is a synthetic compound that acts like natural extracts from a chrysanthemum flower like the ones the one seen here.

Permethrin can be used to repel and kill mosquitoes and ticks.

Permethrin that binds to clothing was developed to protect U.S. servicemen and women because they're often at risk from tick and mosquito bites.

In fact, permethrin-treated uniforms are now standard issue for many branches of the military.

This technology can be just as effective for civilians.

One study found that people who treated their clothes with permethrin reported three times fewer tick bites compared to those who did not treat their clothing.

Permethrin labeled for treating fabric is sold ready-to-use at sporting goods stores, larger box stores, or online.

The permethrin formulation in these products binds to fibers as it dries, and these permethrin products have been tested and labeled for the purpose of treating fabrics.

Permethrin meant for other applications, like horses or livestock, should not be purchased and diluted to treat clothing.

Not only will this permethrin not bind to your clothes, it may put you at risk for skin or other reactions.

It's also against the law to use a chemical in a way that is inconsistent with its label.

So are you ready to use permethrin?

Let's go through the steps of treating your clothes.

Before spraying, read the product label for application directions.

Put on disposable gloves and attach the spray nozzle.

When you are ready to treat your clothes, take them outside where there's good ventilation.

Lay your clothes flat or hang them up on a hanger or a rack.

When you begin spraying, keep the spray six to eight inches from the fabric making sure to apply an even layer of permethrin on all areas of your clothes.

When done with one side, turn your clothes over and apply permethrin on the other side.

Allow your clothes to dry for at least two hours.

Up to four hours may be needed for drying in more humid conditions.

After the clothes are dry, you are ready to take on the outdoors.

Clothes will remain treated for several washes.

You can then reapply according to label directions.

A few tips to remember as you're spraying permethrin on your clothes: follow the instructions found on the label of the product regarding application, length of effectiveness, and types of clothes or fabric that can be treated.

After you're done applying permethrin to your clothes, remove your gloves and wash your hands with soap and water.

Never apply permethrin directly to your skin.

Make sure you're spraying upwind of your clothes.

If you get permethrin on your skin, wash it off immediately.

Do not spray permethrin around cats.

Permethrin is extremely toxic to cats and can cause illness and even death.

It is safe to wear your clothes around cats once the permethrin has dried.

Finally, while permethrin can kill ticks and mosquitoes, it should not fully replace other methods to protect yourself from tick and mosquito bites.

Continue to use other personal protection measures like wearing light-colored clothes, tucking your shirt into your pants and your pants into your socks, wearing long sleeves and long pants, and conducting tick checks and taking a shower when you get home.

Together, the use of these personal protection methods and permethrin-treated clothes in combination can help reduce your risk of tick and mosquito bites and vector-borne diseases.