Why You Should Spray Your Shoes With Permethrin This Summer
If the thought of getting bitten by a tick this year puts you off (and frankly, the chances are high), now is the time to pick up a bottle of permethrin spray. Treating your shoes and pants with permethrin is one of the easiest ways to create a barrier between hungry ticks and your delicious, blood-filled skin.
Ticks need to spend time in the soil or leaf litter to keep warm, so they live close to the ground. They find us by climbing up blades of grass and extending their tiny legs as we pass by. (They’ll settle for deer, rabbits, and mice, but not humans—they’re not picky.) Finding a warm body, they crawl upward.
So, if you want to avoid tick bites, the most important areas for protection are from about the knees down. You probably only have one or two pairs of shoes that you typically wear in tall grass (hiking boots, sneakers, maybe work boots), so applying a durable layer of permethrin to your shoes will significantly increase your protection all summer long.
For additional protection, use permethrin on socks, pants, and other clothing and gear—for example, tents and backpacks if you’re going hiking. Skin insect repellent spray (containing an effective active ingredient like DEET) is a separate product, but it also provides effective protection. Bonus: permethrin and DEET also repel mosquitoes.
What is permethrin and how does it work?
Permethrin is an insecticide originally derived from the chrysanthemum flower, but the product sold today is a synthetic version. It is safe for humans and animals unless you ingest, inhale, or absorb large amounts . Note that permethrin spray is intended for use on clothing and objects, not skin. It can irritate skin, and our skin can break down the chemicals in the repellent, rendering it useless.
However, permethrin is very effective on shoes and clothing. When exposed to ticks, even for a very short time, they become unable to walk or move, and they are likely unable to bite. Laboratory tests show that ticks, which are usually good tree climbers, tend to fall off clothing treated with permethrin. Similarly, permethrin on clothing can kill or immobilize mosquitoes.
Permethrin shouldn’t be your only defense against ticks (or mosquitoes); repellent spray on your skin is an important second layer of protection. But it’s incredibly helpful, especially when you’re just going out into the backyard or forget to wash your skin for insects until you’re deep in the woods.
How to apply permethrin to shoes, clothing, and camping gear
One of the most convenient properties of permethrin is its ability to remain on clothing for weeks or even months, despite repeated washing. It’s also possible to purchase clothing already treated with permethrin; just look for it at outdoor gear retailers.
But you can also do it yourself. Buy a bottle of permethrin spray containing 0.5% permethrin. It’s an EPA-registered pesticide, and the label will have detailed instructions. Here are some options:
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If you only need to treat one or two pairs of shoes: Repel Clothing and Gear Spray with Permethrin , 6.5 oz. aerosol can.
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If you have a lot of camping gear that needs to be treated: Sawyer Premium Permethrin-Based Insect Repellent , 24 oz, with Sprayer.
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To save you from having to spray everything: BugsAway hiking socks, treated with permethrin (protection lasts up to 70 washes).
Basically, you need to go outside (or to a well-ventilated area) and lay out your clothes on a flat surface. As for shoes, remove the laces and stretch them out as much as possible. Then, spray enough permethrin to make the fabric noticeably damp, and let it dry completely before wearing. In addition to shoes and clothing, you can also treat tents, backpacks, hats, and other items.
Pay attention to the duration of protection. The label may indicate, for example, six weeks or six washes, whichever comes first. Remember to reapply the product when the time is up.