Prevention (personal): permethrin-treated clothing

01

Permethrin is an EPA-registered acaricide applied to clothing, boots, and gear - never to bare skin. EPA-registered consumer sprays are 0.5% permethrin.

02

Hang the garment outdoors on a hanger or laid flat on a tarp.

03

Spray each side of the fabric until lightly damp - typically about 30 seconds per side for a shirt. Treat collars, cuffs, and sock tops in particular.

04

Let the garment dry fully (about 2 hours) before wearing.

05

Home-applied treatments survive roughly 4-6 launderings or 6 weeks of regular use. Factory-treated apparel can last 70 washes or more.

06

Permethrin works by contact: ticks that walk on treated fabric become disoriented and fall off or die before biting. It is effective against blacklegged, American dog, lone star, and Asian longhorned ticks. Do not apply to skin and keep treated clothing away from cats while still wet - they are highly sensitive to permethrin.