Suggestions on how to repell ticks?

[+Har_D]

'Tis the season for ticks!!! I am wondering if anyone has any good methods for repelling ticks. The last couple times my kids and I have had to do some bushwhacking we have come out with ticks crawling on us and we have had several bites. This was after spaying ourselves liberally with OFF! With the risk of Lyme disease I don't want to take any chances. Does anyone have any suggestions on how keep the ticks away?

[Little Miss Muffet]

I'll be watching this closely. Last summer my 5 year old daughter got a tick in her hair while out caching. For some reason her immune system went into overdrive at the tick bite location (in her hair on her head), and she now has a bald patch approx 2"x2". The dermatologist gave us some gel to use (a steroid cream) to make the hair grow back and its working. (Alopecia Aereata). And this year I had one in my cleavage (YIKES!). Ticks just creep me out.

 

Hope there are some good answers.

[+IBcrashen]

I use a Permethrin soak kit on a set of clothes which is good for 6 washings or 6 weeks. Permethrin is a contact insecticide. Girlfriend hasn't used it yet and we pick ticks off of her all the time. Kits run about $6.00 per kit.

[+briansnat]

Permethrin treated clothing and DEET treated skin. I also wear light clothing so I can see if any are hitchhiking, but if I'm using Permethrin it usually takes care of that.

 

If you don't mind the high geek factor look you can also tuck your pants into your socks for additional protection.

[+IBcrashen]

MNGCA member ArcticAbn wrote a good article on ticks;

http://mngca.org/node/370

Edited April 6, 2011 by IBcrashen

[+wimseyguy]

I apply DEET to my ankles, backs of the knees, upper arms, back of the next and anywhere else those little buggers might try to grab me even before getting dressed. I keep a small non-aerosol bottle in the bathroom for easy access. I also keep one of those small travel sprayers in the map pocket of my drivers side door so I can dose myself on impulse caching runs into the woods.

 

Since I started this regimen 3-4 years ago I have never found one on me during the TSA home inspection after being out in the woods all day. And I know I have been through infested areas. I have even flicked 1-2 out the window after feeling them crawling on me, but they didn't get a chance to dig in.

 

I've never treated my cloths as Brian suggests, but have heard good things about that.

[+IBcrashen]

I don't remember if the article mentions that permethrin, while wet is highly toxic to cats, causing nerve damage which is reversible if the cat is treated in a few hours. My vet didn't know if after clothing was dry if it still was but advised to keep treated articles away from them.

Edited April 7, 2011 by IBcrashen

[+A & J Tooling]

Flea/tick collars around the ankles will do the trick. I'll just agree to disagree with the article above.

Edited April 6, 2011 by A & J Tooling

[+Jennifer&Dean]

Nice article above.

We use Premethrin on a set of clothes that we wear for hiking, and have deet along for the repellent. The clothes tend to work for 6-7 washes and we always try to re-treat when we reach the 7th wash just to make sure we are covered.

 

Tick checks are also valuable. Take the time after a hike if you aren't going straight home to stop into a restroom and strip. Shake out and examine your clothes and shoes. Have a partner check your hair. Be sure to look or have someone look at all the warm and hard to reach spots. We try to change out of our hiking clothes and do tick checks when we are done for the day but not heading straight home.

 

If you go from the trail to your car without checking you may bring ticks into the vehicle. Finding them the next day is an unexpected way to start a workday. Even normal parks and small walks can get you ticks so always be on the lookout.

 

Don't forget to check your backpacks and purses before putting them in the car or storing them at the house.

 

When you get home, try not to bring any ticks into the house with you- they will spread to pets and children that didn't go out. If you have a garage, do your tick check there and be sure to check all the items you are taking into the house with you. Tick check before moving into the main living areas.

 

We usually get home and go straight to the bathroom to do our tick checks if we haven't already done them. Being sure that any backpacks get dropped outside until we are ready to check them.

 

We've brought ticks home and later found them on our cats. That was back when we first got into hiking. We haven't had any latch onto us because we are paranoid. My hair is really thick so it takes some time to check it but the safety is well worth the effort.

 

Once while hiking we counted 20+ ticks on our pants in a walk across a field. The premethrin works great and none made it farther than the pant legs.

 

Earliest we have seen ticks here in Montana was a caching hike on March 18 a few years ago.

[+Team Dennis]

I use Repel Sportsman MAX. It has 40% deet and is about the strongest spray I've been able to find. It works really well for ticks AND flying insects, although you need to keep it away from your eyes, nose and mouth. I accidently got some on my lips and they went numb for about 15 minutes.

 

Don't forget about pets! We put Frontline on our dog from March through November. That stuff really works well.

[+A & J Tooling]

Permethrin treated clothing and DEET treated skin. I also wear light clothing so I can see if any are hitchhiking, but if I'm using Permethrin it usually takes care of that.

 

If you don't mind the high geek factor look you can also tuck your pants into your socks for additional protection.

 

If it's stupid/silly but it works, it ain't stupid/silly.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Permethrin treated clothing and DEET treated skin. I also wear light clothing so I can see if any are hitchhiking, but if I'm using Permethrin it usually takes care of that.

 

If you don't mind the high geek factor look you can also tuck your pants into your socks for additional protection.

 

If it's stupid/silly but it works, it ain't stupid/silly.

 

I also used the permethrin soak kits for a week long trip to Costa Rica. My wife was a bit concerned about the mosquitoes and potential for Malaria and Denge Fever though I would have been fine with the Ben's Deet I've used in Africa. I got one bite during the entire week and that was because I was out early in the morning in shorts. The clothes I've treated still have 5 washings before they're supposed to lose their effectiveness so I know what I'll be wearing when I go geocaching in the woods as things warm up around here (not yet, it snowed quite a bit yesterday).

[+cerberus1]

We use Sawyer permethrin on all clothes and our packs.

I even spray my hats and socks with it. I haven't used DEET since.

I kept melting all by gizmo screen protectors with the stuff ! Deet and rubber/plastic don't get along.

My other 2/3rds doesn't spray her socks and worries about her head/neck (won't wear a hat), so we have lots of Deep Woods Off for her. It was rated well with Consumer Reports.

[mtbikernate]

I use Permethrin soaks/sprays on my clothes and gear.

 

I don't find "repellents" all that effective on ticks, to be honest. I wear long pants in the woods. Always. Even when it's 105 outside. I immediately take a shower when I get back home. Tick checks occur in the shower and immediately afterwards.

 

I haven't had a tick attach to me in a few years now.

 

I have seen ticks active on ANY day over about 45F. Even as far north as Pennsylvania and even in the middle of winter.

[+briansnat]

We use Sawyer permethrin on all clothes and our packs.

I even spray my hats and socks with it. I haven't used DEET since.

I kept melting all by gizmo screen protectors with the stuff ! Deet and rubber/plastic don't get along.

My other 2/3rds doesn't spray her socks and worries about her head/neck (won't wear a hat), so we have lots of Deep Woods Off for her. It was rated well with Consumer Reports.

 

That's a good point, don't forget to treat your pack. I had been doing trail work in a tick infested area and I was loaded with DEET and Permethrin. Even did a tick check when I got home. When I walked into the house I threw my pack on the couch. Later that night I fell asleep on the couch while reading. Woke up the next morning and a tick was imbedded in my chest. I suspect that he came in on my pack then jumped off onto the couch, then had a nice meal when I laid down to read.

Edited April 7, 2011 by briansnat

[+LukeTrocity]

Get the deep woods off and do your legs VERY well. Also I've been using rose essence as an all natural deterrent for my dog. So far its worked very well!

[nobody137]

Not sure how effective this is, but the property owner where my cache is located on swears that putting Skin So Soft on keeps them off your body. He says he even will put it on his clothing sometimes, and he's never had a problem, and he goes through the woods all the time.

 

Not sure the science behind it, but he swears by it.

[+dfx]

Just stay at home

[+dfx]

Not sure how effective this is, but the property owner where my cache is located on swears that putting Skin So Soft on keeps them off your body. He says he even will put it on his clothing sometimes, and he's never had a problem, and he goes through the woods all the time.

 

Not sure the science behind it, but he swears by it.

 

The explanation is quite simple: ticks don't jump from trees. It doesn't matter how much you're in the woods, as long as you stick to wide enough trails, you're perfectly safe. The biggest danger is from bushwhacking and tall grass.

[+Shaved Ewok]

What you need to get is a bottle or two of Ben's 100! You can find it at REI. When you wear this stuff nothing will bite you. I've been using this stuff for years on fishing trips. I also used this during my two summers of archeological field work in Central America and not one bite.

[+ocklawahaboy]

 

The explanation is quite simple: ticks don't jump from trees. It doesn't matter how much you're in the woods, as long as you stick to wide enough trails, you're perfectly safe. The biggest danger is from bushwhacking and tall grass.

 

They may not jump sideways but they sure do drop from the tree canopies. We set up a white tarp each year at our FL Folk Festival campsite and you can hear the things falling on it all day. We'll have dozens of the boogers crawling around up there until the afternoon thunderstorms come wash them away.

[AZcachemeister]

Turbo-torch.

100% effective.

[+Har_D]

Just stay at home

 

Now you are starting sound like my wife. She is totally anti-outdoors.

[N4AOF]

Permethrin treated clothing and DEET treated skin. I also wear light clothing so I can see if any are hitchhiking, but if I'm using Permethrin it usually takes care of that.

 

If you don't mind the high geek factor look you can also tuck your pants into your socks for additional protection.

 

Permethrin and DEET are the foundation of stopping ticks. Even if you treat your clothes, take along a can of some spray with a high DEET percentage and spray it on your pants/socks/shoes right before going into the woods. Spray at least from the knees down to the feet -- higher if the grass/brush is taller - and around the waist band.

 

If you really think tucking pants into socks looks too 'geeky' when in tick country, the consider using an elastic or velcro band to hold the pant legs snug - it isn't nearly as effective, but better than nothing.

 

Pantyhose or tights are effective (even for guys!) Likewise a long sleeve t-shirt can help.

[+Mick-n-Nick]

What you need to get is a bottle or two of Ben's 100! You can find it at REI. When you wear this stuff nothing will bite you. I've been using this stuff for years on fishing trips. I also used this during my two summers of archeological field work in Central America and not one bite.

 

Anyone else have any experience with this stuff? I"m not familiar with anything besides DEET and Permethrin...DEET's not so great by itself, IMO...and permethrin is hard to find in any truly effective percentage (even at army surplus stores it's hard to find anything more than a 2% or something like that.) I'm interested in how effective this stuff is before I pay for shipping, esp living on the Gulf Coast when you go outside and are immediately swarmed.

 

Edit: Just read the ingredients list closer and realized this stuff IS DEET...I'm guessing it's more effective because it's 95% DEET? I'm not convinced...deep woods off is fairly worthless around here so not sure upping the percentage would really help much. Any other opinions on it?

Edited April 8, 2011 by Mick-n-Nick

[+wimseyguy]

Not sure how effective this is, but the property owner where my cache is located on swears that putting Skin So Soft on keeps them off your body. He says he even will put it on his clothing sometimes, and he's never had a problem, and he goes through the woods all the time.

 

Not sure the science behind it, but he swears by it.

 

The explanation is quite simple: ticks don't jump from trees. It doesn't matter how much you're in the woods, as long as you stick to wide enough trails, you're perfectly safe. The biggest danger is from bushwhacking and tall grass.

 

SSS is worthless and makes you smell like a french hooker.

Ticks also like rotting logs, so don't set your pack or butt on them when you find the cache.

[+nittanycopa]

Yeah, ticks don't discriminate on "wide" trails.

 

I had one stuck to the back of my leg after a half marathon in a state park over the weekend. Capri length spandex...didn't cover my legs all the way. I'm sure the event was probably a heyday for all the ticks there. Mmmmmm fresh pumping runner blood!

 

In all seriousness, though, I use OFF Deep woods, wear long pants, thin l/s shirt, boots when hiking. Haven't had a problem (until last weekend, obviously), but I may consider other solutions in addition. The tick population is thriving here in Eastern PA.

[+KDotBlueDot]

Ok, I'm sold. So where can I get Permethrin spray in Ontario, Canada?

[+nittanycopa]

Ok, I'm sold. So where can I get Permethrin spray in Ontario, Canada?

 

I believe you may have to make a run across the border and bring it across OR have it shipped via standard mail - not by UPS or Fedex as it may get halted at the border. If I remember correctly, a Canadian colleague of mine had to do this last year due to regulations in Canada preventing the sale of the stuff.

 

I could be wrong, though.

[+Har_D]

I bought some REPEL MAX from walmart. I also got REPEL in the travel pen size to keep in my pack. It's 100% DEET so hopefully that will help. Can I get promethrin at outdoors stores our do I need to order it?

[+nittanycopa]

I bought some REPEL MAX from walmart. I also got REPEL in the travel pen size to keep in my pack. It's 100% DEET so hopefully that will help. Can I get promethrin at outdoors stores our do I need to order it?

 

Amazon.com has a pretty good deal on a 24 ounce bottle - 15.89. Just bought some today.

[mtbikernate]

The only thing a higher concentration of DEET does is last longer before you need to reapply. It does not make the repellent more effective.

 

I personally HATE DEET. I don't own it. I don't use it. DEET dissolves plastics and synthetic fabrics. It smells bad.

 

I use Picaridin repellents. They're relatively new in the US (within the past 10yrs or so). The brand I've used is Cutter Advanced. Lower concentrations of the active ingredient are just as effective as a higher concentration of DEET. The stuff doesn't dissolve my gear or clothing, and it doesn't smell as bad.

[+jmw61]

 

The explanation is quite simple: ticks don't jump from trees. It doesn't matter how much you're in the woods, as long as you stick to wide enough trails, you're perfectly safe. The biggest danger is from bushwhacking and tall grass.

 

SSS is worthless and makes you smell like a french hooker.

Ticks also like rotting logs, so don't set your pack or butt on them when you find the cache.

 

Worthless on ticks. Works great for noseeums and skeeters.

 

On edit, I see where you can get a SSS with Picaridin now. Might be good for ticks too.

 

And on second edit, you say "French Hooker" like it's a bad thing..

Edited April 8, 2011 by jmw61

[+geodarts]

I generally rely on finding them before they bite. My record while caching is 59 off of me, not to nention the ones I pulled from the dog. And if any do bite, then the western fence lizard gives me better odds against lyme disease than is true in some areas. But my wife is interested in crdarcide. Has anybody used this to guard against ticks?

[+Chokecherry]

The skin so soft bug sprays aren't like the oils. They're just branded bug sprays basically. Never worked for me with the skeeters and sand flies. I'm even an Avon lady and don't endorse the oil for bug repellent either. I do the permethrin on clothes and deet on my body. Two ticks last year from two times going out un treated.

[+Mr. Wilson & a Mt. Goat]

cedar oil?

[mtbikernate]

I generally rely on finding them before they bite. My record while caching is 59 off of me, not to nention the ones I pulled from the dog. And if any do bite, then the western fence lizard gives me better odds against lyme disease than is true in some areas. But my wife is interested in crdarcide. Has anybody used this to guard against ticks?

 

Do you mean cedarcide?

 

I looked the stuff up, and IMO, the company is FULL OF IT. They make an awful lot of claims, but don't back anything up. Looks like a waste of money to me.

[+Don_J]

Picaridin

 

I have Googled through three dozen websites and I can't find anything about the harm of bringing this into your pets environment. After learning that Permethrin is pretty much deadly to cats, I refuse to use it. I'm trying to figure out if Picaridin can have such an effect on an organism it was not designed for. All I can see is that extremely high levels may effect fish.

 

The Skin so Soft product now has Picaridin in it. I can not find a single web page that quantifies the percentage of Picaridin present in their product. Cutter offers 7% and 15%. It seems that the 7% repels ticks, but only for a few hours. It is almost ineffective against certain malaria carrying mosquitoes. 15% can protect you from ticks and mosquitoes for up to eight hours. The price looks to be lower than high level DEET, and Permethrin, I plan on checking it out.

 

One thing I did learn. DEET and Picaridin are repellents, Permethrin is an insecticide.

 

Last Saturday, my friend and I took a mile RT hike so he could grab a challenge cache. No protection involved. He stopped about ten times to flick the 50 some ticks off of his jeans. I had a total of three on mine. I don't know if he was attracting them or I was repelling them. I offered to go ahead, but they still ignored me and hopped on him

[+cerberus1]

I use permethrin on all clothes/gear and I have a cat.

I spray everything outdoors (who wouldn't?) and when dry, place everything treated into the same corner that all my hiking stuff's in.

 

My cat's notorious for laying on clothes when left out (maybe a "miss daddy" thing), but she steers clear of my hiking corner as if she knows it's not part of her free range .

Using permethrin only for well over three years now and if it was as bad as some claim, you'd think the cat'd be croaked by now.

[+cerberus1]

I tried picaridin for a while and found it didn't protect me from anything lasting more than a hour hike (once I started sweating a bit) and did nothing for ticks.

 

After a multi-year bout with Lymes disease, suffering flu-like symtoms and more than your standard artritis bouts, I decided to ask Doctors, outdoor professionals and tree cutting crews what they recommend - all said permethrin in clothing, followed by Deet on bare skin.

 

All those cutesy big-name outdoors clothiers who have "bug off", "insect shield", etc., have their clothes soaked in permethrin. Supposedly bug-free for the "life" of the garment.

Our military uses the same, but I believe in a higher dosage than .05% for the BDU uniforms.

[+Chokecherry]

I treat my clothes outside as well and let them dry and then those clothes go where the cats don't typically go. Have two healthy cats still. Although it is toxic to cats so it's something to consider when treating your clothes and where you store them. Permethrin is a poison after all. It's also not good for fish.

 

Picaridin didn't work for me. I tried both the Avon bug sprays with it in it and then some other (OFF or Cutter or something) with it in it and found it really was not good for repelling the bugs in my case. Too many bugs, not enough repellent qualities I think was the problem there.

 

Deet works ok but I wouldn't rely solely on it with the amount of bushwhacking I end up doing once I get out and going. For the me the combo method works great with the permethrin on the clothes and the deet on the skin.

[+briansnat]

The only thing a higher concentration of DEET does is last longer before you need to reapply. It does not make the repellent more effective.

 

I personally HATE DEET. I don't own it. I don't use it. DEET dissolves plastics and synthetic fabrics. It smells bad.

 

I use Picaridin repellents. They're relatively new in the US (within the past 10yrs or so). The brand I've used is Cutter Advanced. Lower concentrations of the active ingredient are just as effective as a higher concentration of DEET. The stuff doesn't dissolve my gear or clothing, and it doesn't smell as bad.

 

I'll have to disagree with you on the odor of Picaridin, I think it smells absolutely awful. I don't mind the smell of DEET, I kind of like it in a way, probably because my mind always associates it with the outdoors.

 

I also found that Picaridin had to be reapplied way too frequently to remain effective.

 

As far as DEET and plastics, I make sure I don't apply it to plastics and wash my hands before I touch plastics. Never had an issue with it on synthetics, as I've sprayed synthetic pants and shirts hundreds of times with DEET repellents with no ill effect.

[+edscott]

Flea/tick collars around the ankles will do the trick. I'll just agree to disagree with the article above.

 

This is especially cool when you use the flea collar to hold your socks up over your pleated pants legs.

[+IBcrashen]

Our military uses the same, but I believe in a higher dosage than .05% for the BDU uniforms.

the military uses .05% strength also. The difference between the 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and military stuff is the bonding agent used.

[+SaDiZTiKStyLeZ]

Great now my skin is crawling now.

[+Shop99er]

Flamethrower before you go after that cache maybe?

[+Tuena]

I use Bushmans 80% DEET (Australian product). Prefer the tube over the spray as very strong & will cause numbness to your lips. Should one attach itself I have a tick removing tool which is very easy to use. I also wear a long sleeve shirt, fly veil, broad rimmed hat & long trousers when traipsing around the bush.

[+walkingmax]

Here's a good video on ticks and how to get them off with a special tool.

They show more about the problems of pulling them off and other methods ~2min in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnD6x0svOJE

[+walkingmax]

I didn't buy one from the website named in the video.

I found the manufacturer site online (only way I could buy one in the US)

I don't have it yet so I can't say if it works well or not.

Here's the website I used: http://www.otom.com/how-to-remove-a-tick

[+Capt. Bob]

 

I carry a highly sophisticated, precision engineered but slightly modified yogurt lid. Smooth and Creamy works the best.