Permethrin Qs

[Starvin Marvin]

So you buy a bottle of Permethrin to treat your clothes. In liquid form, it's toxic. Once it dries, it's not toxic. You treat your clothes and let them dry. You go backpacking when its hot n humid. Your Permethrin treated shirt gets completely soaked from sweat. Q1. Is the treatment against bugs just as effective while the shirt is wet? Q2. Is the soaked shirt back to toxic form, while wet? Q3. Once the shirt dries, does that count as one of your washings? Thanks

[no-name]

The bottle said it is safe. I tried permethrin for the first time about 10 days ago. It works. In swampy Jersey, the treated clothes and my can of deet made bugs smell me and turn around. Hikers I passed asked me how the bugs were staying away from me. The treatment did make my hiking clothes feel more closed in around me, but I would rather have the bug protection.

[Todd Oyen]

I heard this suggested at a Boy Scout meeting a couple of years ago. Since then I've soaked my tent, tarp, hammock, and a lot of clothing. It seems to work wonderfully. The military has been using it for a while now without any apparent affects. I recommend it, even on the clothes I get sweaty. I've never had a rash or any ill feelings. I may grow a third arm in a few years, but for now it seems safe.

[Shonryu]

Ive been using it for awhile and lime the fact that I can spray down my hammock, TQ, clothes, and trail runners. I usually treath my gear and clothing with it and still use deet on exposed areas. Mosquitoe bites piss me off lol so I try to avoid the blood suckers by any means necessary.

[Zipper]

Permethrin is good for six washings. I used it on all my clothes on my thru and it made a huge difference. I reapplied it after about 500 miles and then again after about 1500 miles, and then the weather was too cold for bugs (I was a flipflopper) No ticks when others were covered with them. I don't think it's a problem when it gets wet after the initial application, since you can wash the treated clothes.

[Chair-man]

Is the soaked shirt back to toxic form, while wet?

No, what's toxic is the inert ingredients (99.5 o/o) which is used as a carrier to apply the permethrin (.05 to 10 o/o) to the clothes. Once the carrier evaporates, it's gone. Thus the clothes can not become re-toxic.

[TrippLite]

We used this on our horses to keep flies away.. you can buy it at feed stores or you can buy it off Amazon in the 32oz container for less than $20, comes in liquid form. It needs to be diluted 20:1... 20 parts water to 1 part permethrin. If using to dip clothing, use a 5 gallon bucket lined with a plastic bag and soak clothing, gear, whatever you are treating. Wear protective clothing, rubber gloves, etc.. and do outdoors
I soak and treat my clothes using this method, then hang to dry.
For my gear, I make up some solution and pour into a spray bottle for spray usage
Cheaper this way, just saying...

[chiefduffy]

We used this on our horses to keep flies away.. you can buy it at feed stores or you can buy it off Amazon in the 32oz container for less than $20, comes in liquid form. It needs to be diluted 20:1... 20 parts water to 1 part permethrin. If using to dip clothing, use a 5 gallon bucket lined with a plastic bag and soak clothing, gear, whatever you are treating. Wear protective clothing, rubber gloves, etc.. and do outdoors
I soak and treat my clothes using this method, then hang to dry.
For my gear, I make up some solution and pour into a spray bottle for spray usage
Cheaper this way, just saying...

I did this and one of my rubber gloves split open while I was wringing everything out. Expected to get sick, but I didn't. No reaction what so ever. Reckon it's not real toxic to humans. Worked great for bugs on a summer hike/camp in Florida, btw! No mosquito bites, chiggers or ticks.

[ChinMusic]

No, what's toxic is the inert ingredients (99.5 o/o) which is used as a carrier to apply the permethrin (.05 to 10 o/o) to the clothes. Once the carrier evaporates, it's gone. Thus the clothes can not become re-toxic.

This........

[Wise Old Owl]

disposable gloves and mask when applying... sweat does not count as a washing. Go with Sawyer Spray