We may get a commission if you buy something through our links. Yeah, ticks are pretty gross to look at, but here’s the thing – they’re actually way worse than just being creepy crawlies. These little arachnids can spread some nasty stuff like viruses, parasites, and bacteria through their bites. Lyme disease is probably the most common tick-borne illness you’ll find in the U.S., and even though it’s treatable if you catch it early, it can still leave you dealing with long-term symptoms if you don’t get it treated. The smartest move? Just don’t get bitten in the first place. While nothing’s guaranteed to work 100% of the time, there’s a pretty powerful chemical called permethrin that does a great job of keeping ticks away when you spray it on your clothes and shoes. Permethrin is a human-made chemical that’s based on stuff found in chrysanthemum plants. It’s basically poison for insects – it messes with their nervous system. So when a tick tries to crawl across something treated with permethrin, it’s going to get knocked out and fall right off. If you’re always out camping or hiking, you can even buy clothes that already come treated with this stuff. And get this – it’s the only insecticide that factories use to treat clothes for bug protection. If your backyard is where the tick problem is, not some hiking trail, you might want to check out some other options or think about getting some gear too.
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Keep Ticks Away With A Strong Chemical Solution
How to safely use permethrin to help prevent tick bites
Crisp0022/Shutterstock There are tons of ways to protect yourself from ticks, and if you’re always hanging out in areas where ticks love to party, permethrin should definitely be on your radar. You’ve got two choices: grab some clothes that already come treated with permethrin, or do it yourself. If you’re going the DIY route, the pros say you’ll want to grab a product with 0.5% permethrin. You can pick these sprays up at hardware stores, camping shops, big retailers – you name it. Heck, you can even order them from Amazon. The highly-rated options are easy to find. Basically, you spray your clothes and shoes while they’re off your body and let them dry completely. Just make sure you follow whatever the instructions say on the bottle you buy.
Now, permethrin is seriously good at keeping ticks away and stopping bites, but you do need to be smart about it. First up – and this is important – this stuff can be toxic to cats when it’s wet, so keep your feline buddies away from it. Once it dries though, your treated clothes are usually safe to wear around your cats. Just double-check the label on whatever product you grab to be sure. Second, remember this is just for your clothes and gear. Don’t spray it directly on your skin, ever.
