All,
I found the info below on the web and am sharing it because I've used this method and it works. Saved me and my buddies a bunch of money and time/hassle instead of buying Sawyer spray.
One spray bottle of Sawyer's premixed .5% (1/2 of 1%) Permethrin Spray costs about $16-20, it will treat pants/jacket a few times and you'll run out.
OR- You can make you own for pennies per gallon.
Buy a bottle of Permethrin Concentrate on the internet or at your local feed store, agricultural/garden supply store for about $20 and then dilute it to mix your own soak or spray and create a life-time supply, literally gallons of spray or soak mix you can use or share with hunting buddies for a cost that will be well under $2 per gallon, so about 50 cents per quart vs. $16/quart of Sawyer spray. Literally, pennies per bottle.
Below are directions on how to mix Permethrin concentrate to properly dilute it based on two different levels of starting concentrate percentage. Make sure you start with the same level of concentrate so the ratios work out correctly. Or, if you don't have the same starting concentration percentage then you'll have to adjust the ratios to work properly:
Tick-proofing clothes using .5% permethrin
================================
After mixing, you will want to end up with a .5% permethrin solution for soaking or spraying your clothes. NOTE: that is "point five percent" (one half percent) NOT "five percent"! Also, don't be shocked by the solvent smell of the Permethrin when you spray it or soak your clothes in it because once it's dry it won't smell. BE CERTAIN TO ONLY SPRAY OR APPLY THIS OUTSIDE, THEN HANG YOUR CLOTHES TO DRY.
Recipes to make 1 gallon (or 4 liters) of .5% solution:
================================
Using 36.8% permethrin starting concentrate:
Note: it may say "Permethrin SFR" on the bottle.
1 gallon = 4 quarts = 128 ounces
1 gallon water + 2 ounces 36.8% permethrin = 130 ounces of .51% concentration
NOTE COST approx $.85 per ounce of starting concentrate x 2 oz used to mix a gallon = $1.70 to create an entire Gallon of spray mix
If Metric:
4 liters water + 20 ml 36.8% permethrin = 4 liters of .5% permethrin (1/2%
concentration)
================================
Using 10% permethrin starting concentrate:
1 gallon water + 6.75 oz 10% Permethrin = 124.75 oz at .5% concentration
Metric
4 liters water + 200 ml 10% permethrin = 4.2 liters at .5% concentration
COST of 10% concentrate is approximately $.75 per ounce x 6.75 oz used to make a gallon of spray = $5.06, to make a gallon of spray, so a little over $2 per quart of spray. Still much cheaper than Sawyer's spray
================================
Link on where to buy concentrate and how to apply diluted product to clothes:
click this link: HOW TO BUY & APPLY PERMETHRIN
Instructions for use
Mix it up (as per the above recipes). Soak your clothes for two hours in a ziploc bag, a
plastic bin or a 5 gallon bucket. Your choice.
Wring out the clothes. Leave them wet but not dripping.
Hang them on the line and let them dry.
Laundry
General consensus is treatment will remain effective through 6 washings or 6 weeks. Hand washing is recommended. Machine washing and drying should be on the gentle settings. You can always re-apply the .5% permethrin after washing if you are in any
doubt. (Personally, I am always in doubt and re-treat mine every two weeks during tick season)
Cats and fish
Permethrin is toxic for cats and fish. So don't let your cats near it when it's wet (it can be
fatal for cats). Your clothes are SAFE once they're dry.
Storage
Do not pour out the leftover in a pond or near any waterway (it kills fish). If you can, just
let the extra evaporate or store it in a bottle or put it in a spray bottle for later use.
Sunlight deteriorates permethrin, so store the bottle in a dark place such as in a
cabinet.
Caution
Please read the cautions on the bottle and follow them. I am just describing what I did
for myself. Use your brains and make up your own mind what you want to do. Nuff
said.
I found the info below on the web and am sharing it because I've used this method and it works. Saved me and my buddies a bunch of money and time/hassle instead of buying Sawyer spray.
One spray bottle of Sawyer's premixed .5% (1/2 of 1%) Permethrin Spray costs about $16-20, it will treat pants/jacket a few times and you'll run out.
OR- You can make you own for pennies per gallon.
Buy a bottle of Permethrin Concentrate on the internet or at your local feed store, agricultural/garden supply store for about $20 and then dilute it to mix your own soak or spray and create a life-time supply, literally gallons of spray or soak mix you can use or share with hunting buddies for a cost that will be well under $2 per gallon, so about 50 cents per quart vs. $16/quart of Sawyer spray. Literally, pennies per bottle.
Below are directions on how to mix Permethrin concentrate to properly dilute it based on two different levels of starting concentrate percentage. Make sure you start with the same level of concentrate so the ratios work out correctly. Or, if you don't have the same starting concentration percentage then you'll have to adjust the ratios to work properly:
Tick-proofing clothes using .5% permethrin
================================
After mixing, you will want to end up with a .5% permethrin solution for soaking or spraying your clothes. NOTE: that is "point five percent" (one half percent) NOT "five percent"! Also, don't be shocked by the solvent smell of the Permethrin when you spray it or soak your clothes in it because once it's dry it won't smell. BE CERTAIN TO ONLY SPRAY OR APPLY THIS OUTSIDE, THEN HANG YOUR CLOTHES TO DRY.
Recipes to make 1 gallon (or 4 liters) of .5% solution:
================================
Using 36.8% permethrin starting concentrate:
Note: it may say "Permethrin SFR" on the bottle.
1 gallon = 4 quarts = 128 ounces
1 gallon water + 2 ounces 36.8% permethrin = 130 ounces of .51% concentration
NOTE COST approx $.85 per ounce of starting concentrate x 2 oz used to mix a gallon = $1.70 to create an entire Gallon of spray mix
If Metric:
4 liters water + 20 ml 36.8% permethrin = 4 liters of .5% permethrin (1/2%
concentration)
================================
Using 10% permethrin starting concentrate:
1 gallon water + 6.75 oz 10% Permethrin = 124.75 oz at .5% concentration
Metric
4 liters water + 200 ml 10% permethrin = 4.2 liters at .5% concentration
COST of 10% concentrate is approximately $.75 per ounce x 6.75 oz used to make a gallon of spray = $5.06, to make a gallon of spray, so a little over $2 per quart of spray. Still much cheaper than Sawyer's spray
================================
Link on where to buy concentrate and how to apply diluted product to clothes:
click this link: HOW TO BUY & APPLY PERMETHRIN
Instructions for use
Mix it up (as per the above recipes). Soak your clothes for two hours in a ziploc bag, a
plastic bin or a 5 gallon bucket. Your choice.
Wring out the clothes. Leave them wet but not dripping.
Hang them on the line and let them dry.
Laundry
General consensus is treatment will remain effective through 6 washings or 6 weeks. Hand washing is recommended. Machine washing and drying should be on the gentle settings. You can always re-apply the .5% permethrin after washing if you are in any
doubt. (Personally, I am always in doubt and re-treat mine every two weeks during tick season)
Cats and fish
Permethrin is toxic for cats and fish. So don't let your cats near it when it's wet (it can be
fatal for cats). Your clothes are SAFE once they're dry.
Storage
Do not pour out the leftover in a pond or near any waterway (it kills fish). If you can, just
let the extra evaporate or store it in a bottle or put it in a spray bottle for later use.
Sunlight deteriorates permethrin, so store the bottle in a dark place such as in a
cabinet.
Caution
Please read the cautions on the bottle and follow them. I am just describing what I did
for myself. Use your brains and make up your own mind what you want to do. Nuff
said.
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