Wardrobe Tips: Tick Repellent Clothing

One of the worst feelings by far is coming back inside from a hike in the grass or a relaxing day spent outside and finding a tick crawling up your leg. The only thing worse would be finding a tick attached to you… especially if it's been a couple of days since you last went outside! Tick prevention starts with your wardrobe, and making smart choices about what to wear before going outside can directly impact whether you'll find ticks on you.

Wearing Long Clothes

No one loves wearing long clothes when it's warm outside, but the more skin you can protect from being exposed, the less likely you are to be bitten by ticks. Ticks wait on long grass for people to brush past, and after latching onto our clothing, they climb as high as they can until they find a crevice to hide in and bite us. The more covered up you are outside, the harder it is for ticks to find skin to bite. 

Avoid Mesh Clothing

While wearing long sleeves and long pants prevents tick bites, mesh and loose clothing do not provide the same level of protection as durable, fitted clothing. This doesn't mean you can't be comfortable while you're outdoors. It just means that mesh or fishnet clothing, especially if it has holes, will make it easier for ticks to bite than clothing that fully covers your body.

Tucking in Your Socks

It may not seem fashionable, but ticks don’t care about fashion. Tucking your pants into your socks prevents ticks from sneaking up your ankles or crawling up your legs under your pants. Wearing long socks when you go out makes it easier to tuck your long pants in. It also makes it easier to spot ticks crawling on you. 

Repellent Treated Garments

The best way to repel ticks and ultimately prevent them from biting you is to wear clothes that have been treated with an EPA-registered repellent or insecticide. Permethrin is a synthetic insecticide that binds tightly to fabric, and it’s the leading insecticide for repelling ticks. Permethrin-treated clothing, especially socks, shoes, and pants, is a highly effective layer of protection in tick-prone environments. You can pre-treat your clothing yourself with an EPA-registered permethrin spray, or you can purchase pre-treated clothing designed to remain repellent for a long time and withstand multiple washes.

If synthetic options are not your preference, there are a few naturally derived products you can try. Oil of lemon eucalyptus has strong tick repellency, though it does not remain on fabric and is recommended only for skin. Additionally, several essential oils, such as cedar, clove, and geranium, may repel ticks, though they evaporate quickly and may not provide long-term protection.