Permethrin long term technique

[edward b]

If it is patented, you should be able to get enough information to do it from the patent.  Do you know the patent number?

 

[Bob Moulder]

Do you know the patent number?

Maybe this?

The difference between a patent and a trade secret is that a patent is good for 20 years while a trade secret is good forever or until somebody blabs, whichever comes first.

[edward b]

Lots of information in that link.

A couple of thoughts based on a quick scan:

1. They may have different processes for different fabrics.
2. The patents cover, among other things,  the use of various dye fixatives.

Dye fixatives are something we can easily buy off the shelf and they may improve results.

 

[obx hiker]

Regarding ticks and chiggers: I’ve not had one of either come through clothing or up an arm sleeve or in at the collar.  They both apparently wait on the tips of limbs/leaves and tall grasses and hitch a ride when you brush past. Probably most get on your lower legs and work their way up but occasionally there’s the bite right on the waistband that probably means they came in that way; or improbably but possibly made it up that far and were stopped?  In light of this I devised a minimal system to cover the entry points (legs/ankles and waist)

I do the permethrin treatment on old calf length gym socks and cut out the feet; and then on a waistband from a cheap pair of gym shorts (again cutting off the “shorts” and leaving the waistband). The sock tops go over whatever socks I’m wearing down to the shoe/boot tops and the waistband obviously over your waist.

This way; even though permethrin is “safe” you avoid contact to skin. This has worked for me for @ 10-12 years. I suppose a hitch-hiking bug might come home on your clothing but hasn’t happened so far, and this is basically a daily year ’round requirement walking in southern coastal or maritime forests. Really a lot of chiggers around here and chigger bites really suck! Spring when the cursed blood sucking arachnids are really swarming I may go to the completely treated garments.

2 of my brothers have had tick borne infections. Oldest brother got the rare variety that causes you to not be able to eat mammal meat. No more steak, bacon, barbeque……. My nieces and nephews still talk about the day he had a little meltdown reading the menu in Chick-Fil-A. ” I’m so sick of chicken! I hope I never see another blankety-blank chicken!” something like that… poor guy….

I read somewhere that running the line dried garments in the dryer for awhile helps set the permethrin so I do that.

You can buy a higher concentration from Walmart or probably Amazon as horse dip and cut it to the required %. I’ve always done the .5% but after reading James comments may try 1%

For mosquitoes and treated garments James seems to really have that worked out.

What are you supposed to do with polyester (pet?) fabric?

 

 

[James Marco]

Well, poly garments are a problem. I would try some of the dye fixers like vinegar, light sulfuric acid, salt, but I think that a special solvent is needed that will carry the permethrin into the fabric. It seems to me that a light solute of white gas and permethrin would work. Nylons will already pick it up because they soak water. Everything I have tried means recoating fleece and poly plastics every 4-5 wash cycles. One of the reasons I stick to nylon and wool, mostly. I cannot seem to get enough on a poly shirt, for example.

[Ben Pearre]

Does this look like the right one?

https://patents.google.com/patent/US7625411B2

(Edit: whoops, sorry, I see that Bob Moulder already posted this.)

[Anonymous]

Wouldn’t be surprised if it was a combo of heat and pressure–that might be replicated to some effect with a simple iron and parchment paper combo (in a very well ventilated area and/or with a good respirator)?

Also, there are some solvents out there that degrade different kinds of materials.
But that could be used to good effect to bond things if you know what you’re doing. If you lightly spray it on the surface, then quickly dry it, it will etch into the actual material some, but without degrading (weakening) it noticeably.  (Leave on too long, and it will basically start to melt it into a gooey mess).

[Peter8]

Any comments on the use and effectiveness of the Permethrin spray treatments?

[Jerry Adams]

I’ve been getting more tick bites in recent years so I’m uping my game

Sawyer

Spray it on outside of shoes and pants, both sides of gaiters.  2 or 3 times per year.  Let dry a couple days.

I saw a tick crawling on my shirt the other day, I should probably do outside of shirt sleeves.

Where I go in oregon, Washington, northern California, there aren’t that many ticks, I can’t imagine northeast u.s.

[Eric Blanche]

I’ve had ticks get on my shoes, socks, ankles, and I have found that when I take my shoes off after my hike or whatever, there are often dead ticks on my permethrin (spray treatment) treated socks. Has anyone else had this experience?

 

I’ve had good luck treating most all fabrics/materials. Of course, the difference is that some last a lot longer (adhere better) than others as discussed. I’ve sprayed my polycryo groundsheets and it does stick to them (im pretty sure) just doesn’t last very long. Especially with all the abrasion a groundsheet experiences.

[Brad W]

I would soak the permethrin rather than spray-better coverage and absorption. Drain unused liquid back into container-hang dry clothes.

[Brad Rogers]

I’m not sure how far that 24oz bottle of Permethrin would go soaking clothes in it.

[Brad W]

Depending on the clothes you would be surprised. Wring the excess back into the container. You can also buy the concentrated permethrin and make much more than the Sawyer 24oz bottles.

[Eric Blanche]

Diluting the concentrated stuff is the way to go, imo. A single bottle of sawyers though will get you through a full set of clothing/gear (solo) with some to spare.

[Jerry Adams]

spraying a 12 ounce sawyer bottle lasts a couple years

just as well to use up and get new about that often, I don’t know how long it lasts before expiring

that stuff seems nasty, I want to minimize exposure to my skin.  In the course of spraying a couple garments I get a little of the spray on my hand.  Quickly wash off.

I could use gloves.  One thing I don’t like about gloves is if there’s a pinhole, then the chemical will be between the glove and my hand and optimally absorb into my skin

[Todd T]

Spraying has the added benefit of keeping skeeters out of your lungs, too!

(Hence, I soak.)

[obx hiker]

^^ I needed a laugh. Thanks!

[Sam Farrington]

“that stuff seems nasty, I want to minimize exposure to my skin”

Agree, and fortunately with just spraying the outside of my boot, sox and lower clothing, I’ve not had tickbites, though picked a couple off my pants this year, as the initial posts on this thread suggest can happen.  Have also had tick bites in the past when forgot to spray the permethrin.  It is a hassle taking the Doxycycline whenever this happens, as I’ve developed a bad reaction to that.

The ticks get worse here every year.  Years ago, there were none evident.

But do not spray it on my skin, per the warnings on the labels.

In Walmart this year, they’ve sold Sawyer products labelled for treating fabrics.  But I’ve not seen >0.5% as was suggested.

Hope it will be a few more years before always have to change into treated clothing before taking a hike in the woods.

[Jerry Adams]

If you spray, do it from upwind : )

The last tick bite my arm swelled up some, it seems like I might be developing more of a reaction over time.

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