Each spring I Permethrine my trip clothes - it usually lasts the 6 +washings and the season. This year I will be out in the woods much more than usual and will need to do more clothes and maybe multiple times. I have been using the pre-mix spray from Sawyer but it might not be good for "bulk" loads. I want to dilute some of the stronger products and soaking clothes before line drying them. Any good products you have used? dilution of those products? Advice please.

Been using Duration 10% soak both as a soak and a diluted spray. Just follow the directions.

butthead

I usually just go to Farm and Fleet or Fleet/Farm and get some of the permethrin for animals that is water based, not oil based. I then dilute it down to the 0.5% solution similar to what Sawyer sells and spray it on with a pump garden sprayer. I saturate the clothes well.

I do the same thing as OldFingers57. I dilute my mix just a little heavier, hang the clothes on the close line and use a garden hand pump. After they hang a few days the smell is almost gone, mayhaps a slight diesel fuel smell, but I smell diesel fuel all the time , I have got several diesel tractors so it's no big deal for me. I buy the oil based you can use on livestock. If you extra left over do not let it freeze or it will ruin it, same thing with Round Up. FRED

I use the Fleet & Farm mix, spray it on, stuff it all in a plastic trash bag and let is soak in awhile then hang outside to dry. Rubber gloves and good ventilation are important. And a reminder to cat lovers, permethrine is toxic to cats.

+1 on dilute and spray.

I also spray the rainfly of tent and our largest tarp. For clothes, I run them through the dryer on a short, light cycle...AFTER they dry to the touch.

Thanks Butthead, just ordered some.
I was spoiled living in AK the last few years since we didn't have ticks there.
Figured I'd better be prepared now that I'm back in MN.

One time I bought the oil based stuff....clothes smelled for months. Made me nauseated. D Don't do that one. Also, permethrin will break down and be less effective, washing or not. So at the end of the 6 weeks, you will be at increased risk. the water based concentrate is so cheap, just retreat.

Wear rubber gloves and stay away from breathing the spray. This stuff is nasty if you get on your skin or breath it.

I get the good stuff from fleet farm,mix with water at whatever ratio ( I forget) into a 5 gallon pale,soak,squeeze out excess and hang outside. Use rubber gloves. I do put some into a large yard pump spray jug and soak my hammock and fly,boots,etc. Its cheaper to buy the concentrate. I also spray my yard since I have a fence and not neighboring animals can access it.

jeremylynn21: "I get the good stuff from fleet farm,mix with water at whatever ratio ( I forget) into a 5 gallon pale,soak,squeeze out excess and hang outside. Use rubber gloves. I do put some into a large yard pump spray jug and soak my hammock and fly,boots,etc. Its cheaper to buy the concentrate. I also spray my yard since I have a fence and not neighboring animals can access it. "

Grandma

Does the permethrin compromise the integrity of the tarp?

Hang in a shaded area till dry. Avoid full rays of sun while it's setting/drying.

whitecedar, I don't think it will do any harm but neither will it do good. Will not stick to rainproof tarps & like-treated material--because it won't saturate the fabric. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe I saw a posting to that effect last year.

OldFingers57: "I usually just go to Farm and Fleet or Fleet/Farm and get some of the permethrin for animals that is water based, not oil based. I then dilute it down to the 0.5% solution similar to what Sawyer sells and spray it on with a pump garden sprayer. I saturate the clothes well. "

I use the same liquid from Fleet Farm and soak my clothes in a solution in a bucket. It works well.

jeremylynn21: "

jeremylynn21: "I get the good stuff from fleet farm,mix with water at whatever ratio ( I forget) into a 5 gallon pale,soak,squeeze out excess and hang outside. Use rubber gloves. I do put some into a large yard pump spray jug and soak my hammock and fly,boots,etc. Its cheaper to buy the concentrate. I also spray my yard since I have a fence and not neighboring animals can access it. "

Grandma "

Hey, thanks - I have a Fleet Farm close to home.

I soak my clothes a week or so before my trip. While wet, put them in a garbage bag and seal for a day. Then hang dry or use a clothes dryer on low heat.

call me a purist, i just have a hard time applying that chemical to my clothing. never have had a problem with bugs bad enough to do it. at 62, i doubt if i will change :)

bwcasolo: "call me a purist, i just have a hard time applying that chemical to my clothing. never have had a problem with bugs bad enough to do it. at 62, i doubt if i will change :)"

Well ya do sleep strung between trees and consider using an evil double blade paddle. "Purist" may be a stretch!
Curt ya can always associate with chemical users for their bug free zones, most will not mind at all!

butthead

While I do treat the outside of my clothes, I hesitate to soak them. I know they say it is safe once it is dry, but I still don't like the idea of those chemicals against my skin all day. I have been told I worry too much.

I worry more about Limes - ask Nctry and a few other who have battled that bad health risk! I usually treat light outer layers and wear untreated under, next to my skin. I treat sock tops and tuck slacks into the socks. I have a bunch of brush clearing to do and I don't want to risk a bad tick bite!!

Advice? Do not overthink it. Do what you have always done unless something has gone wrong.

4keys: "While I do treat the outside of my clothes, I hesitate to soak them. I know they say it is safe once it is dry, but I still don't like the idea of those chemicals against my skin all day. I have been told I worry too much. "

Spent almost 40 years working in a warehouse fogged weekly with Permethrin (common industry insecticide used since the early 1970's). Nothin' wrong wit me----wrong wit me---wrong wit me---------wrong wit me----------------

butthead

butthead: "

bwcasolo: "call me a purist, i just have a hard time applying that chemical to my clothing. never have had a problem with bugs bad enough to do it. at 62, i doubt if i will change :)"

Well ya do sleep strung between trees and consider using an evil double blade paddle. "Purist" may be a stretch!
Curt ya can always associate with chemical users for their bug free zones, most will not mind at all!


butthead"

so true, my chemical minded friend, not sure where the interest of the yak paddle popped in my head? i must have been bored? needed some reading.
i just read the sawyer bottle warnings-proceed with caution :(

I soak my turkey hunting clothes with the diluted water based product as many have said here. I dry them differently though. I lay the pants and shirt out flat on a sheet of plastic in the garage out of direct sun, turning them over every few hours until they are fairly dry. I then hang them as usual on a hanger to completely dry them. This allows the permethrin to dry evenly distributed on the clothes. Hanging while wet will allow gravity to pull the permethrin to the bottom of the clothes while starving the tops.

I have always used the sawyer spray according to directions paying closer attention to bottoms of pantlegs,cuffs,etc. Hang to air dry well, THEN seal in a giant ziplock bag until just pre-trip. This ensures my skeptical mind that the "stink" stays fresh until trip time. It is usually done a month ahead. Nary a tick one and works for me.

We use this professional service at work, and have had great success with it. You will have all season protection with this treatment, I highly recommend it.


https://www.insectshield.com/

I use permethrin primarily to protect against ticks while turkey hunting. I started using it when I started taking my kids with me. Permethrin 5% cream is used for scabies treatment and is deemed safe for children 2 months and older. After some research into it, my kids getting Lyme disease worries me more than the use of permethrin does.

I have used the Sawyer spray until now, but am wanting to dip this year, so this thread has been helpful.

New to this, so 2 questions...
1. For those that buy it at Fleet Farm, is this what you're buying and deluting with water?



2. I use a down filled underquilt (Costco double black diamond down throw) under my hammock...since it's down, not sure I want to completely soak that in a 5 gallon bucket. Would it be better to spray it using a hand/garden sprayer, or maybe even using a premixed aerosol can of Permethrin? Permethrin, Fleet Farm link

SkiYee: "New to this, so 2 questions...
1. For those that buy it at Fleet Farm, is this what you're buying and deluting with water?




2. I use a down filled underquilt (Costco double black diamond down throw) under my hammock...since it's down, not sure I want to completely soak that in a 5 gallon bucket. Would it be better to spray it using a hand/garden sprayer, or maybe even using a premixed aerosol can of Permethrin? Permethrin, Fleet Farm link "

Is there a specific issue with down getting wet in a controlled environment, so long as you completely dry it after the fact?

sylvesterii: "

SkiYee: "New to this, so 2 questions...
1. For those that buy it at Fleet Farm, is this what you're buying and deluting with water?




2. I use a down filled underquilt (Costco double black diamond down throw) under my hammock...since it's down, not sure I want to completely soak that in a 5 gallon bucket. Would it be better to spray it using a hand/garden sprayer, or maybe even using a premixed aerosol can of Permethrin? Permethrin, Fleet Farm link "

Is there a specific issue with down getting wet in a controlled environment, so long as you completely dry it after the fact? "

I have no idea...if someone with more knowledge says "no, you're good soaking it" then I'll go ahead and soak it like everything else.

Grandma L: "I worry more about Limes - ask Nctry and a few other who have battled that bad health risk! I usually treat light outer layers and wear untreated under, next to my skin. I treat sock tops and tuck slacks into the socks. I have a bunch of brush clearing to do and I don't want to risk a bad tick bite!!"

Any interest in making a big batch and and doing a group permethrine soak?

I am doing a group soak - my family.
That would be my household (2), kids and grandkids (8), sister in for (2), in-laws for (4). So yup, group of 16 = lot so clothes! Oh, and I do a couple of extra shirts, baseball caps and socks for company to borrow. If they will help me clear trail or do wood, the least I can do is offer some bug-free clothes!
So if you sign up to work, I will do clothes.

I've used both of these from Amazon:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B002TMB4DE/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1L0J6J9ZYHA6P&psc=1

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0048EY6KY/ref=psdc_3737951_t2_B002TMB4DE

The Martin's 10% doesn't go as far, but doesn't really have a smell. The 36% SFR lasts for a lot of mixtures considering its concentration. It does have a petroleum smell when you apply it, but after the clothes dry and air out a bit, I don't notice it. I mix both in a garden sprayer and go to town with the clothes hung up outside.

SkiYee:
2. I use a down filled underquilt (Costco double black diamond down throw) under my hammock...since it's down, not sure I want to completely soak that in a 5 gallon bucket. Would it be better to spray it using a hand/garden sprayer, or maybe even using a premixed aerosol can of Permethrin?

I don't see a good reason to treat any insulated underquilt for use with a hammock. It's thick enough that mosquitoes won't be able to bite through it and since you are suspended off of the ground, ticks won't be an issue. Save the permethrin for clothing and bug netting.

I have used the Sawyer a few times. Spray the clothes, hang to dry and bag them until you are ready to suit up. Socks, pants, long sleeve shirt and wide brim hat. I would like to spray my dog but I think she would not like that.

One year I sprayed my clothes and my brother in law did not. He found a dozen ticks on himself during the trip and I found none on me. My small data sample says the stuff works for ticks. I also thinks it helps with the mosquitos but that was just based on a measurement of his complaints about them versus mine.