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Permethrin,

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While I am on the cost savings tricks, I may as well treat some of our oft used summer gear with Permethrin while I have stuff out. Mostly for ticks, but for other nasties too.

Sawyer 0.5% Permethrin runs $16 for 24 ounces. I have some Sawyer left in the spray bottle.

https://www.rei.com/product/768970/sawyer-permethrin-pump-spray-24-oz

Martins 1% Permethrin runs $23 for 32 ounces and is similarly not-sheep-dip low odor. Cut with 50% water (?) that will make 64 ounces.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00061MSS...ccd8942c970c&ie=UTF8&qid=1529001371&sr=1&th=1

$16 for 24 ounces, or $23 for 64 ounces?
2.5 X cost savings to DIY a 1% solution.

Thanks Joel.
 
Sheet, 10% cut down to a Sawyer-ish 0.5 % messes up my cost delta math something fierce.

Anyone who DIYs Permethrin have advice about what to cut it with? Water? Channel #5?
 
I use 10% Permethrin that I get at the farm store and cut it to .5% with water. I usually mix up a quart at a time, but I don't recall the quantities. The exception is socks. I buy treated socks when I can find them on sale and wear them during flea, tick and chigger weather. The factory treatment seems to hold up all summer. I once tried wearing last years socks, but got chigger bitten almost immediately. Retreating these socks doesn't seem to make sense because the socks are usually getting pretty thin by the time that the treatment wears out.
 
It's available cheaper from tractor supply as horse bug spray. You can get it in spray bottles or concentrated to dilute and really save money. I spray all my canoe clothes outside and my hat, great stuff--seems to keep many bugs away.
 
Every spring I put Permethrin on socks, bottom of my pants as well as the inside of my tent fly and around the entrance.
I just use a 20 ounce spray bottle. One ounce of the farm store 10% and then fill with water. A perfect 0.5%
Spray liberally then hang to dry. Keep all pets away from your working area as when wet, this stuff can kill them. Once dry, no problem.
 
Older thread but a worth subject. Having been an infantryman for 29 years and as we live in an area with a lot of active ticks and chiggers I've used permethrin for at least 30 years. It is worth noting is that 36.8% permethrin can be had on Amazon for less than $30 a quart. The stuff I use is currently $28.44 with "free" Prime shipping.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0048EY6KY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

There is a dilution table in the enclosed directions. If memory serves, to make a .05% solution from 36.8% permethrin, add 1.6 fluid ounces to a gallon of water or 0.4 fluid ounces to a quart of water. We treat several changes of backpacking/hiking/paddling clothes and socks at one time and hang them on a clothesline to dry. 2 or 2-1/2 gallon zipper lock bags work well for pouring the solution over clothes and letting them sit for a few hours for them to evenly dampen. The clothes can be washed several times and still be insect repellent. I also keep some .05% solution in a pump garden sprayer for quick applications.

The dilution table is on page 5 here: https://www.domyown.com/msds/permethrin_sfr_label.pdf

A quart of 36.8% permethrin makes roughly 20 gallons of .05% solution. If kept in a cool place it will last for years either diluted or in the bottle.

The directions that come with the bottle (or the above link, pg 19) show how to use it on various animals. Apparently it can be diluted quite a bit more (to I think I remember a .005% solution) and used on dogs but I haven't tried it for that yet and be sure to read the section carefully as it list some exceptions.

BTW, current production US military battle dress (regardless of service and camo pattern) is permanently permethrin treated for the life of the garment as they are manufactured. The life is presumed to be 50 washings.

Best regards to all,


Lance
 
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