In this post, we are going to go over almost 50 ways to prevent and treat chigger bites. If you’ve ever experienced chigger bites I’m sure you know how horrible they are. I want to give you all the options there are to prevent and treat chigger bites so you can look and find something that will help you.
You know the scene, right? A couple in love, a warm spring day. The sun is shining, a gentle breeze is blowing, the picnic basket is full of goodies. Their pants are short, their feet are bare.
There is no need for a picnic blanket, the grass by the pond is tall and soft…
They eat, drink some wine, roll in the grass… And go home covered in love bites.
Well, I don’t know who came up with this scene, but it ain’t happening where I live. Here is the South, the only bites this couple is going to go home with are chigger bites!
How to Prevent and Treat Chigger Bites…
Oh… How horrible they are! Have you ever had chigger bites? if you think that tick bites are torturous think again. Chigger bites are so itchy and the itch just doesn’t go away.
I mean… for weeks!
My first experience with chigger bites was right after I bought my country home. I came from the city to a property that stood empty for 7 years…
The grass was tall, there was garbage everywhere… Old, rotten buildings, and forgotten paths. I stepped right into chigger heaven.
I didn’t know there was such a thing as chiggers… I grew up in Israel, in a small kibbutz. I was outdoors 90% of my childhood but we don’t have chiggers in Israel.
They need humidity and moist conditions and Israel is too dry. So I stepped into the tall grass without a care in the world. I was ready to bring this property to life.
Finally, I escaped the city and stepped foot on my personal piece of American country heaven!
Only a day later I was in hell!
I didn’t feel anything biting me… But the next day I noticed tiny red bumps on my legs just before the itching started.
And I thought I was going to lose my mind!
I turned to the locals and they said the word… CHIGGERS!
Say what!?
A quick Google search introduced me to the little unseen devils, and some research led to the list that you’ll find below.
I had to claim the property back from the chiggers.
I did, even though it was a hard battle… And the fact that I didn’t lose my mind in the process is a miracle!
What Are Chiggers?
Chiggers are mites from the family of spiders and ticks (arachnids). They are red and so tiny we can’t see them with the naked eye.
Chiggers live in moist areas around lakes, rivers, and ponds, or close to ground level in grassy fields, gardens, and forests because they need humidity in order to survive.
Here is some information from Wikipedia…
Trombiculid mites (chiggers) go through a life cycle of egg, larva, nymph, and adult. The larval mites feed on the skin cells of animals.
The six-legged parasitic larvae feed on a large variety of creatures, including humans, rabbits, toads, box turtles, quail, and even some insects.
After crawling onto their hosts, they inject digestive enzymes into the skin that break down skin cells. They do not actually “bite”, but instead form a hole in the skin called a stylostome and chew up tiny parts of the inner skin, thus causing severe irritation and swelling.
The severe itching is accompanied by red, pimple-like bumps (papules) or hives and skin rash or lesions on a sun-exposed area.
For humans, itching usually occurs after the larvae detach from the skin.
After feeding on their hosts, the larvae drop to the ground and become nymphs, then mature into adults, which have eight legs and are harmless to humans. In the post larval stage, they are not parasitic and feed on plant material.The females lay three to eight eggs in a clutch, usually on a leaf or under the roots of a plant, and die by autumn.
What Do Chigger Bites Look Like?
Chiggers will climb on you even if you wear shoes and long pants or they will climb on your arms as you work in the garden. Then, they will migrate all over the body in search of the perfect spot to feed.
Once they find a juicy spot, they will insert their feeding tube into your skin and inject enzymes that cause destruction to the skin. They then feed on the damaged tissue.
They don’t burrow into the skin as many people think. The itching is horrendous and once you scratch the spot you squish the chigger to death. But the itching stays f.o.r.e.v.e.r.
Most of the time, you’ll see the “bites” behind the knees, in the crotch area, under the arms, or around the ankles. Those are areas of the body where the skin is thin and it’s easier for the chiggers to insert their feeding structures.
But as I write this, I have a few glorious bites (even though they are not really bites I’ll call them that to make it easier…) on my tummy and other areas that are not mentioned above so although areas with thin skin are more common, you can still experience bites in other places.
So how do you know if the itchy red bumps you see on your body are chigger bites or mosquito bites?
Many times, you’ll see a cluster of little red bites in a certain area. They might be small red dots or bigger, like a mosquito bite. But other times you’ll have a bite here and a bite there.
As opposed to a mosquito bite, you won’t feel the chigger bite as it happens. About 1-3 hours after the chigger injected its digestive enzyme the symptoms will occur.
Many times you’ll find the red bumps in areas that were covered with clothes, not exposed areas that mosquitoes can reach.
And the itch of a chigger bite is much worse than that of a mosquito bite. It lasts for a few weeks instead of a few days.
Complications From Chigger Bites…
Chiggers, at least in North America, are not known to carry any diseases, and the bites themselves do not produce any long-term complications.
However, since the itching is so intense, you must be careful not to cause yourself wounds by scratching, those open wounds can sometimes get infected by bacteria.
How to Prevent Chigger Bites…
Before we go down the list of things you can do to prevent chigger bites, let me make sure you understand a couple of things:
The first is that I personally did not try all of these suggestions below. I collected them from country friends that have some experience with chiggers.
I tried a few, and I will note the ones that I did try and worked for me and, in the end, I will tell you our before-you-go-outside routine as it is right now.
The second thing you have to know is that not all the solutions you’ll find here are healthy for you.
For example, to spray yourself with kerosene is obviously not healthy for your skin and is not good for you to inhale.
However, if I must go clear an untouched area of three feet tall vegetation on my property on a summer day, I’ll probably do it.
Maybe if you ever had to deal with a hundred chigger bites on your body at the same time, you’ll do it too. Maybe not. It’s your decision to make.
The third thing you should know is that not all the solutions below might be safe for your other animals, plants, or young children.
Lastly, some of the solutions below are flammable like kerosene or turpentine so make sure that you are aware and take that into consideration.
My goal is to simply give you all the options I know of, it’s your responsibility to make sure they are safe for your situation.
OK, let’s go…
Preventing Chigger Bites…
Wear Pantyhose Under Your Pants – some say that the chiggers can’t bite through the pantyhose. make sure to wash the pantyhose very well in hot water once you take it off.
Keep Grass Cut Short and Your Yard Clean – make sure to cut the grass on your property short from early spring until fall when temperatures rise over 60F.
Dust Diatomaceous Earth on Your Clothes – chiggers don’t like this stuff just like other crawlers. Before you go outside, dust the lower part of your pants and shirt sleeves with some DE.
Spread Diatomaceous Earth on Your Lawn – another way you can use it is by spreading it on your lawn. Use 5 pounds per 1000 sq. ft.
Vinegar – I didn’t try it, but since vinegar can pretty much save the world I am sure this will work. Spray your clothes with vinegar before going to work outside. Here is how to make your own apple cider vinegar.
Insect repellent – some say that just regular insect repellent works for them…
DEET – others say you’ll have to go 98% DEET for it to work.
Turpentine – spray your clothes with turpentine before going outside.
Vick’s VaporRub – apply the ointment on the lower part of your legs and on the arms.
Plant Marigolds – apparently, chiggers don’t like marigolds. You kill two birds at once here, your garden will be both chigger free and pretty.
Plant Horsemint/Bee balm – another beautiful plant that will keep the chiggers away.
Mentholatum Ointment – apply on ankles and lower legs and also on arms.
Spray Kerosene – spray kerosene on clothes before going outside.
Skin so Soft From Avon – this is one of the things I tried that really works. It smells good but bugs in general don’t like it at all. I also put this on my kids.
Bag Balm – apply on lower legs and arms before going outside.
Garlic – just like vinegar, garlic can save the world. Eat one clove of garlic a day and chiggers and mosquitoes will stay away. Your immune system will be very strong too.
Dust Clothes With Sulfur Powder – this seems to be what most people will stand behind when it comes to dealing with chiggers. Dust this powder on your clothes and shoes before going to work outdoors.
Spread Sulfur Pellets – spread pellets on your lawn. use 5pounds per 1000 sq. ft. The suggestion is to do this around the end of May before temperatures get too hot.
Sulfur Supplement – add sulfur to your diet and the bugs won’t like you.
doTERRA Lemongrass Essential Oil – apply topically on the lower part of legs and arms.
doTERRA Lavender Essential Oil – apply topically on the lower part of legs and arms.
doTERRA Geranium Essential Oil – apply topically on the lower part of legs and arms.
doTERRA TerraShield Essential Oils Blend – I love this blend, it works great for mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, and whatever else is out there looking for a taste of your blood.
It’s natural, and I use this for my kids too. We spray it or spread it topically on our bodies before going outside.
If you would like my help in opening a doTERRA account please comment below and I will get back to you via email. Or you can email me at [email protected] I’d love to help.
Rubber Bands – place rubber bands on the ends of your pants by your ankles and the end of your sleeves by your wrists. This will prevent the chiggers from climbing and taking a walk all over your body.
Bug B Gon– Bug B Gon might help control the chigger party on your lawn.
Guinea Hens – this is a controversial topic.
Some people say that chiggers are too small for the guinea to find and eat, others that raise guineas say they don’t have any kind of bug problems on their lawns so maybe the guineas do eat the chiggers or simply scare them away with their non -stop screaming.
Anyway, guineas will take care of ticks, fleas, caterpillars, and so on so. They are a great addition to your homestead… Or… Maybe not. Find out why I don’t keep guineas in this post.
Rub Hands All Over Your Body – before you come inside, rub your hands up and down your body to kill any chiggers that are on you and didn’t bite yet.
How to Treat Chigger Bites…
Let’s say you accidentally fell into a field infested with chiggers.
You rolled around a bit and now you are covered with chigger bites…
You are going out of your mind, swearing you are never going to step outside ever again, and by the end of the first day you are ready to move to heaven, where, most likely, there are no chiggers.
Let’s see how we can keep you with us a bit longer…
Vicks Vaporub – apply on bites.
After Bite – apply on bites as directed.
Ssssting Stop – apply on bites as directed.
Vinegar – use a cotton ball to dab vinegar on bites.
Baking Soda – mix baking soda with a bit of water or coconut oil to make a paste and apply on bites.
Aloe vera – good old aloe vera can help heal the skin. It might help with the itching only a little bit but it will definitely help the skin heal faster.
It’s best to use your homegrown aloe vera, but if you don’t have a plant you can get aloe vera gel.
Comfrey Ointment – comfrey leaf has many skin healing properties. Apply to skin as directed.
Baby Oil – some say applying baby oil on bites helps with the itch.
Nail polish – many people suggest applying nail polish onto the bites.
It is based on the misconception that chiggers burrow into the skin, and so by applying nail polish you suffocate them, but chiggers don’t burrow into the skin..
Still, I’ve tried it and there is something in the nail polish that does help with the itch and also seems to dry the bite rather fast.
All Good Goop Organic Balm – this product was recommended to me and it looks promising even though I haven’t tried it yet.
Calamine Lotion – apply as directed.
Chigg Away – might be a bit more geared towards chigger bites… Apply as directed.
Benadryl – Benadryl tablets for adults and Benadryl liquid for kids. Take as directed.
Benadryl Gel – apply on the skin as directed.
Orajel – apply on bites. This will help with the itch by numbing the area.
Epsom Salt – add Epsom salt to a warm bath as directed and soak for 20 minutes.
Epsom Salt Cream – apply on bites.
Lye Soap – scrub your skin good with old fashion lye soap.
Bleach – add one cup of bleach to the bathtub and soak for 20 minutes. I know, it sounds awful but some people say it really helps. I haven’t tried it yet.
doTERRA Essential Oils – last but not least, my beloved essential oils that I turn to for just about anything.
To support healthy skin you can use frankincense, lavender, melaleuca, immortelle, copaiba, magnolia, rose, and many others.
Treating Chigger Bites…
To handle the first couple of days I use Benadryl.
I could handle the itch but if the kids have “accidentally” rolled around in chiggerville and are covered in bites, I give them kids Benadryl every 5 hours for the first couple of days.
We soak in an Epsom salt bath once or, preferably, twice a day for 20 minutes. This really helps to dry the bites, but it takes around three baths until you feel the difference.
We use the essential oils that I mentioned above, Benadryl cream and Chigg Away for the itch and aloe vera and essential oils to help heal the skin.
The reality is that country living is not always as romantic as it sounds. You get to deal with creatures that you don’t find in the city.
I remember watching an episode of Alaska The Last Frontier a while ago. I was looking at the amazing views and the way of life those people have and I was thinking how amazing it all looks and how I would like to live there, like that, too.
Then, all of a sudden they filmed one of the guys there standing in a swarm of mosquitoes, trying to breathe without them going in his mouth.
He explained how, because everything is so moist in the Summer when the ice is melting, they need to deal with gazillions of mosquitoes.
If there is one kind of bug that I hate just as much as chiggers it’s mosquitoes. Suddenly the view wasn’t that amazing anymore.
But if you are anything like me, you’ll take chiggerville (or mosquitoville) over too-many-peopleville any day. So at least now you have a few things you can do if you happen to live in or visit the village.
Did I forget anything? Tell me in the comment below how you deal with chiggers.
Hi! I’m Lady Lee. I help homesteaders simplify their homesteading journey while still producing a ton of food! I am a single mother of four, I was born in Israel and raised in an agricultural commune called a Kibbutz. Now I homestead in central NC.
Aspirin dissolved in vinegar. Make a paste and dab on with a cotton ball or just dip the aspirin till it starts to dissolve and rub on bites. Apple cider vinegar is best but white will do. I’ve tried all your other remedies and none of them work as well as this. Works on other itchy bites too.
That definitely sounds like something that will work. I’ll try it. Thanks.
After the fact, I researched your blog and found that the Epsom salt bath I took this morning was a good thing. Who knew…only guessed. Thank you for the other suggestions. Regarding Skin so Soft, my husband puts it all over himself before working outside and he rarely has chiggers or other insect bites. As for me, I must have very tender skin, they love me. Love your blog.
Epsom salt is great! I know what you mean… If I sit with my dad in a backyard full of musquitos they’ll all come to me and won’t touch him at all. Frustrating! We just have sweet blood 😉
Have heard that it has to do with your blood type.
we have a place in mid central illinois. This is where I first discovered Chiggers. AHHHHH!!! I will itch myself to death. I don’t know about pantyhose under my long pants on a 90 degree day, but I will try some of the other suggestions. I haven’t tried the skin so soft in a while so I”ll let you know what I have luck with!
Please do. It is interesting to see what works for different people.
Our go to remedy is to make a paste with lye soap and a little water to coat a bite. Another thing that seems to work is denerex shampoo as a lotion.
This helped me out a lot.. My mom has chigger votes on her an I couldn’t figure out what had bit her neither could she but looking at the pictures you posted they look identical to the votes on her arm… An she complained about how had they itched her.. So I brought her son benadryl cream an she said it helped.. I had never seen a chuffed bite untill she was biten… Thanks for the info now I know what I’m looking at an how to help her if she gets bit again.. I pray she doesn’t. .
My phone typed votes instead of bites… Stupid smart phone..
Oh, my phone does this all the time. No worries!
I hope your mom feels better soon.
I have found that rubbing the bites with some peroxide helps with the itch. I am going through this right now. Guess I got them working in my garden.
I am covered in chigger bites too at the moment. We got them under control here around the house, but I went to work on the farm (across the road) a couple of days ago and came back covered. I’ll try the peroxide. Thanks.
Use some liquid nail polish it helps fast in like a day
I live on a chigger (and everything else thorny, venomous or toxic) infested 68 acre farm in Texas. Of course I am one of those people that can find chiggers on a single blade of grass. In December. Forget the pantyhose. They will simply climb the pantyhose like sailors on rigging, until they find succulent flesh, say around your waist. I am a beekeeper and can’t use scented anything around my bees. I wear long pants tucked into rain boots most of the time, with DEET sprayed on my waist and ankles if it’s an all day affair. Powdered sulphur does slow the little fellas down too, but they just cluster at your ankles and have a feast.
Are you able to use Bug-Be-Gon or DE or the sulphur on your land with the bees around, or will it harm them? I am planning for a couple of hives next year so I’ve started researching. I am planning on having chickens and guineas roaming around too so I hope they will take care of the problem for me.
Ummmmm… thats a picture if a flea. 6 legs. Chiggers are arachnids. 8 legs. Might want to change the graphic on your article header.
Oh! You are right. It was listed as a picture of chigger and I didn’t look at it too closely I guess. It’s really hard to find a picture of one to buy. I’ll look for another one. Thanks for pointing it out.
Juvenile chiggers, the ones that bite, do have 6 legs. The adults have 8 legs.
Chiggers have different stages from larva to adult. The young stage bugs have only six legs! Adults have eight. Just google ” Life cycle of chiggers”
Currently enduring a bad allergic reaction to 6 chigger bites from 3 days ago. I have been doing so much research.
Thanks, Mary. I hope you are feeling better. If you’d like information on how essential oils can help you with allergies please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’ll be happy to share.
I use Skin So Soft before I go out but if I get chigger bites nothing helps. I have to scratch til it quits itching.
Thanks for this. Just came back from a short mountain visit in the southeastern part of the US and came back with at least 100 chigger bites per arm. I counted 10 bites in a 2×2 inch area. Soooo miserable. Only spent a few hours in the area and now I’m hesitant to show my arms wherever I go. It looks worse than the chickenpox! I suppose I can wear longsleeves when I’m out and about, but that would only irritate my skin even more especially in this hot weather. I’m currently taking Benadryl and applying Hydrocortisone cream. Applied Lavender essential oil, all to no avail. I will try the other treatment suggestions… again, thank you!
Oh no. I hear your pain. Keep the Benadryl going for a couple of days and if you can I really recommend Epsom salt baths, like three a day if you have time. It really helps healing the skin.
The Epsom salt baths do help some. I spray my legs with vinegar prior to going outside. Also, I spray the dog who is also otchy. We live in a wooded area. The vinegar seems to help his itchiness as well as mine. He doesn’t like being sprayed though.Benedryl helps too. Thank goodness fall is approaching. Seems like chiggers and bugs are really bad this ueat. Good luck to all people like me that bugs love. :/ Spray that vinegar and/or vinegar/water mixture!
Itchy not otchy.
I rub baby shampoo on and it takes the itch away and also reduces inflammation.
Thanks Iris. I never heard of this one before, I’ll have to try.
Chiggers love me but won’t touch my wife. The one thing I found that helps, when you have been exposed to a chigger infested area is when you get home get out all your clothes and take a hot shower and scrub down good. When I was going through military dog training in Texas I would spray my fatigues with Deet, some guys used pantyhose. I would still get a few bites. However, on one brutally hot day when I got back to my barracks, instead of stripping and jumping in the shower, I set on the edge of my buck and fell back a sleep. I woke a few hours later with every square inch of my body covered in chigger bites.
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You are welcome!
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All great advice except the bleach. I live in NJ and only discovered these on my property lsdt year sfter having been here 12 years. Tbey must have come in tbe mulch i bought. My husband sprays now because he feels so badly for me. He never gets 1 bite. Tbey are tenacious and won’t come off except with tweezers. And must either crush them wuth the tweezers or drowned them in alcohol. I clean bite with alcohol and try not to scratch because I scar. I get itchy thinking about it.
To stop the itch, use your blow dryer on the hottest setting you can handle for a couple of seconds. Move the blow dryer away when it gets too hot. Do this a few times. I know this sounds ridiculous, but down here in FL it works.
Thanks for the tip, Cathy!
Hot water in the shower does the same thing with poison ivy, but it didn’t work on my chiggers. They always end up in my bra. I only found Vagisil in my medecine chest, but it really helped.
I cut pieces of moleskin and placed them over the bites on my hips and stomach and thighs. It stopped the irritation of clothing touching and the itch actually pretty much stopped. I left those on for about a week. That’s the best thing I’ve tried, in addition to spray on lanicane for arms and exposed bites.
I went out all day to work on the yard and used Lavender essential oils on my ankles and arms in a coconut oil mix. No bites.
Next week pulled some weeds on my way back from the mailbox. Next day I was covered. I’m not checking the mail or picking a weed any longer without my essential oils. 🙂
Aren’t they magic?! I don’t go anywhere without my oils.
I plant Pepppermint, spearmint, lemonbalm, lemongrass and many other herbs. I’ve found this year the chiggers are fierce. I’ve been in the er with severe reactions. Almost superbugs. My experience was horrible so I beg you all to always wear gloves while handling plants. No matter how small the job. Thanks to evolution and mankind we have helped create a hungry resistant world of mites and no see ums.
NEEM OIL… cold pressed virgin neem seed oil. I found a 16 oz bottle on amazon for around 18$(good deal-I swear by DE and Neem oil when it comes to healthier solutions) and I create a scrub using a few teaspoons of DE, capful of neem oil, dash of dawn, dash dr. bronners liquid castile soap, and a dash of coconut oil. I first dust my skin dry in the shower with DE. I then rinse with warm water. Remember your skin is going through so much with the bites and the extra scrubbing, inflammation, scratching and so on so be mindful to not over kill. The DE kills the mites and once they are washed I am sure to use the scrub neck to toe avoiding ladypart. I leave it on for a bit then rinse. Neem will help to repel as well. Do your research. Neem oil has much to offer. I do agree with witchhazel lye soap and apple cigar vinager as well to soothe.
I am a farmers daughter and live in the thick delta. I can’t handle it anymore. These bugs are more abundant than ever it seems. i’ve never experienced skin issues before the last few years and for my and my pets sake I am headed west for a dryer climate.
IMPORTANT….low sugars, eat lots of garlic-raw..must be raw to take full effect. Consider your diet and use your body as defense. Fresh foods, superfoods and fruits. Greens Greens Greens.
Good suggestions! Thank you.
I love love love neem oil. I also buy it from Amazon and I have a post on here about neem oil uses in the garden (look it up, I think you’ll like it.
I did not, however, used it on my skin before. My husband bought me a neem oil mask but I didn’t get to use it yet.
Since our chickens and guinea hens are free ranging in the yard we do not have any chiggers or ticks, but I still always have gloves, long pants, and my essential oils on me when I am working outside.
I grew up in the country outside of Memphis, played in weeds and. never got bitting by chiggers. I now live in the country and spent an hour pulling what I call water grass. Came to rest and omg every inch of my body was itching and I had no clue. Because I am 78 and fighting stage 4 CA and A- Fib I am on blood thinners and many drugs. These bites are as bad as anything I have had yet.. Three days ago and they are better but ……
I tried everything in the house, many that you named and they are better but resulted in many bruises from scratching.
Oh Catharine, I know it’s awful. I’ll be happy to send you some essential oils that might help. If the itching gets really unbearable you can also take Benedryle.
I hope you feel better soon.
could you tell me if chiggers are also found in Australia. I live in the semi-tropics and thought I knew all the things that can make me itch. However recently I have been coming up with what look like little bites that itch like mad.
They are not mossies or anything I am used to but looking at your site they look very similar and very itchy. I haven’t felt anything bite me and they just appear out of nowhere.
Sounds like chiggers. So with chiggers, you don’t feel the bite and then after a few hours, you start itching. Then all those little red bumps show up and it’s going on for about three weeks or so. Have you been walking in long grass somewhere? Are the bites mostly on your legs?
this was a really great article! i think I have a chigger infestation in my bedroom and all the bug spray has not been effective so far. I live in a 100 year old converted building with no lawn but across the street from the river. How do I get rid of the chiggers and how do I keep them away? Please help!
I am not sure you are dealing with chiggers… As far as I know, chiggers only live in nature in tall grass and such. Can it be bed bugs or flees? It makes more sense…
i’ve already checked for bedbugs and sprayed plenty of flea spray, I can’t figure out what it is or how to get rid of it! i’ve been searching the web for months.. 🙁 the symptoms of the bumbs showing up many hours later,itching like crazy anf the locations you wrote in your article match the bites on my skin, and the pictures look very similar. i have some bites on my arms but mostly near my arm pit and base of my back.
do you have an idea of what else it could be? if it is in fact fleas, shouldn’t have the spray taken care of it?
thank you so much for your help!
Will fleas spray take care of bed bugs? I never had a situation like that so I am not sure. Can you see any bugs in your bedroom? Is it only in that room? The only other thing I can think about is allergy although in this case, the area will look more like rush instead of individual bites.
Diatomaceous earth works for fleas. Dust the area with it.
It does sound like bed bugs I would have a professional look. My cousin had them and they like to bit the kids in crevices. If it’s fleas we once sprinkled garden 7 and left it for a couple days then came back and cleaned it up. Never had them again. Unfortunately I went out to a nature center 2 days ago and me and my family are covered with chigger bites… Worst ever. Calamine lotion is helping.
Could you maybe have bedbugs?
I live north of Toronto, Ontario Canada and I had heard of the “strawberry bugs” but didn’t realize what they can do until I was out blowing leaves the other day. After being inside for a couple of hours, I experienced extreme itching and all these red bumps showed up on my back and hip. My daughter took one look and said they were chiggers bites because her boyfriend gets them after haying. I took a shower and used Benadryl cream, but after reading this article, I’ve got a few more remedies to try now! Thank you!!!!
You are welcome, Tamara! I hope you’ll have some relief soon.
You can mix sulphur powder with baby powder for easy application. We used it in our ankles and lower legs to keep them from climbing us.
Mix the sulfur powder with baby powder for easy application
That sounds like a very good solution! Thanks.
I live in CA but I just recently got a kitty from Oregon (way out in the woods) and ever since my mom and I have been getting mysterious bites. I am pretty sure they are chigger bites as they seem to fit everything described here and they itch for weeks! I’ve never dealt with this before so I am assuming that it’s from being up there. I keep getting eaten alive IN OUR HOME! Have you ever heard of this before? HOW do you get RID of them from in your home? I wear neem oil to bed every night, vacuumed my bed, under the bed, washing all the linens and curtains and dusting everything. I’ve placed natural bug repellent bracelets under my sheets but I still get bit at night mainly but also during the day. The neem oil seems to work if you absolutely bathe in it but I absolutely hate the smell! So does my husband who is not getting bit somehow?!? I’ve been washing everything. Just gave kitty a bath. I’m at my wits end and and my mom and I are going insane! I read that they can live inside for 50-70 days without feeding. But they have been feeding lots and I think they must be multiplying because it’s been almost 6 months! Please help in letting me know how to get them out of our house!
I’ve never heard of chiggers living inside. They are usually outside in the tall grass. When it comes to indoors, it’s usually fleas or bed bugs. Can you see the bugs? If you can see them, their actions might help you figure out what is it.
Consider a few things…
First, if it is bugs of some sort and the situation is that bad, you might have to turn to chemicals. I hate saying it, but sometimes the natural stuff is just not strong enough.
Second, whatever treatment you do, do it on a cycle. For example, once every 10 days 3 or four times. All of those bugs lay a bazillion eggs every day and you might kill the adults but a ton of babies are on their way to hatching. So repeat on a cycle.
Third, can you actually see bites on your skin? Since your husband don’t have any problem, can it be that you and your mom have an allergy to something? Can you be allergic to the cat? Look at the pattern on your skin, is it a bite here a bite there or do you itch everywhere?
I am getting the same bites as what looks like in this article. I checked my couch and beds etc. I see absolutely nothing. How to check if it’s actually chiggers or figure out something else it may be???
I don’t think there is a way to check if they are really chiggers. Chiggers are very very small. They also usually live outdoors… Can this be bed bugs? Are they bites or can it maybe be an ellergic reaction to something? I think the only thing you can do if you think it came from somewhere in your house is a deep clean. Just remember to repeat it three times every ten days to kill the baby bugs that are hatching.
I thought I had bed bugs too, or scabies, or whatever. It’s really easy to bring chiggers into the home on your clothes. They love to hold on to cotton fibers and travel to other fibers in the home like furniture coverings.
What worked for me is a bottle of bug spray next to the door, spray when I go out, spray when I come in. The picaridin versions smell much better than DEET and work just as well for chiggers.
Believe me, I thought I was going bed bug crazy until I realized what an itchy nuisance chiggers are. They can be SORT OF controlled with regular bug spray and making sure to wash whatever you just wore outside, but I still get a bite or two.
A couple times during the summer I will spray down my bed, cloth furniture and office chairs and I get no bites for days. Somehow they always come back to me for another bite.
I’ve been bitten for several weeks now,1st i thought fleas,then i went to chiggers cause i let my grass go cause i have a phobia of wasp so its hard for me to mow or weedeat til either at dusk ot early morning, anyway chiggers can and will envade your house,get in your furniture,your clothes,I’ve never ever felt this before,they crawl in my hair,on my head,around my eyebrows,sometimes they get in my nose,sometimes i want to say:do i have all these critters here like chiggers,fleas,and what else,oh lice,i just smacked one and its like a little dark brown to black with what looks like a tail but its wings probrably folded up retracting,ive read hot,hot water,clean your house daily,use borax,for me im grabbing anything and everything,vinegar works,1 night i used cortisone-10 and spray on calamine it worked,next night i did same thing,didnt work so i can’t ever see it bite cause its a larvae,i just want the biting to go away,i can deal with itching but biting noway,3 showers a day just to feel better,I’ll try epsom salt baths tomorrow and I’ll check back with any new ingredients
Actually you and your pets can bring them in, however you may also be dealing with another type of mite (chicken, bird, spider…). They bite and their bites itch so badly! I use pest sprays containing Deet, and have found that showering in Lice Prevention shampoos (as body wash) after being outside helps remove all of those pesky things. As for inside my home, I found that moping or (my favorite) steaming your floors, furniture, and curtains with liquid menthol (the kind you put in humidifiers) works great! Double stick tape window seals, and vacuum often. Also, if you’re dealing with bird mites, you’ll need to look for their (old or even new bird) nest and remove it. Check attics, gutters above windows, trees close to your home. Before coming back into your home, Remove clothing and place into garbage bags until you can wash them in hot water. Good luck! I too, never had any type of problems with bug bites until roughly 2 years ago, and I love when my hands are in the dirt. Oh! Keep your yard clear of any brush, dead trees, and piles of grass clippings because they thrive in rotting vegetation.
Thanks for the info, Erica!
If you suspect indoor fleas or similar, dust likely areas (at bottom of baseboards, carpets, etc) with diatomaceous earth.
No, I can’t see the bugs, and the bites swell up like mosquito bites, but they have a little tiny blister in the middle unlike mosquitoes and last for weeks. then they scab over from all the scratching which is impossible not to. The only thing that helps the itching is Neem oil, but only a little bit. All the info I’ve read with my symptoms seem to add up to chiggers. I don’t know for sure, as I can find nothing – or not that I can see with a naked eye. My mom started getting them first, as she is home all day with the cat and I only started getting them about a month ago. They are terrible. I had a siamese cat years before, and never had an issue so I don’t think I’m allergic to the cat. The bites are random but more clustered in the areas you mention, with thinner skin. I had vacuumed the bed, under the bed and everything in the room and it seemed to stop for a week or two but now they are biting again. I’ll take your advice and just keep cleaning and spraying stuff. Im trying really hard not to use chemicals but we will see. Thanks for your reply.
If they go away for a week it’s a good sign. When they come back it’s probably more eggs hatching. If you see that it takes a week then I will do a deep clean every 5 or 6 day. If it takes two weeks, do a deep clean on day 11 or 12. I know it’s a pain but the bites are probably worse. Consider getting a cleaning lady to help you with it if it’s too much to do by yourself, I think it will be a good investment. I hope this goes away soon.
I found out what they were: Rat Mites. We had a rat infestation in our attic, they had eaten holes in the AC vents and made nests in them. The mites were getting blown in when the AC came on. We had pest control come in and clean sweep the attic, replace the insulation and seal up any holes they were using to come in. Problem solved. Expensive! They must have come out of the hills when we had some bad fires last October. Goodness those were the most miserable few months ever!! But so relieved to have them gone and under control. Maybe some others on here experiencing bites in their home without seeing any bugs also have rat mites. They are almost invisible.
Oh my god!!!
I have never heard of rat mice before.
Thank you so much for coming back to write this. I really appreciate it. Hopeful it will help someone else.
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Witch Hazel is my fave for stopping bug bite itch.
Hello Lady Lee. I just read your article on chiggers and people’s responses. I had always heard to cover the bites in nail polish, but that doesn’t really work either. I was recently given a bottle of PURE CBD EXTRACT / CBD Hemp Oil Peppermint Drops, and I use it topically on areas on my joints for pain relief as well as take it internally to stay stress-free. So I thought : Why not try it out on my chigger bites (since the itching was driving me crazy ) and I applied 2 to 3 drops on each one, rubbed it in really good, and the itching completely stopped in 30 seconds. I applied it one time after my shower last night and went to work today and didn’t even have one single urge to itch all day, and I work a 12 hour shift. Don’t know if it will work on anyone else, but it sure did for me. And the CBD oil is fully legal. There’s No THC in it.
I have just a little bit of experience with it but not one bites. I am not surprised it stopped the itching. It’s a great oil. Thanks for sharing this.
I didn’t see our family’s favorite anti itch remedy… Windex! Works best and almost painlessly if sprayed on the bites before you scratch too much. Kills the itch almost instantly from mosquito, chigger, midges, etc… Growing up, we spent almost every single summer day at Camp Fire camps or family camping and used a lot of Skin So Soft, ChiggerX, and After bite until Mom read the ingredients… Blammo… Windex had a lot of the same and came in a squirt bottle to ‘shoot’ wiggly kids ?
Really!? That’s the first time I hear Windex for bites. Interesting. Thanks for sharing!
Bleach works! A good old bath in Clorox will kick some chiggers but I do use more than a cup. It is what we in east Texas have done my whole 42 years for chigger treatment and it is right on. Also chiggerex works too!!!
I live next to a creek and chiggers are a yearly occurrence. I keep a bottle of insect spray next to the door to spray on my legs and waist when I go out, and then spray again when I come in. Sort of a hassle, but after years of bites I found it works.
When I DO get a bite, I apply ammonia as soon as I see it. Ammonia is in many “after bite” remedies and sort of spreads the toxins a little. The next day after I get the itchy boil, I put some of that liquid skin protectant that is used for small cuts. It doesn’t do much more than remind me not to scratch it, but after a week or two it has healed.
I’ve tried everything else on your list. After years of chiggers this is what works for me!
Thanks for sharing your experience! What kind of insect spray are you using? Just a regular one from the store or are you making it yourself?
How could you not mention ” Chigarid “, in my opinion, a very effective after bite product I’ve been using for 40 years ? If your local drug store doesn’t have it, try going on line to search. It really takes the sting out of all kinds of bug bites. I like the suggestion you displayed about wearing rubber boots, but instead of tucking pants inside, how about duct taping each pants leg securely to the outside of each boot, smoothing the tape firmly against the rubber boot with no gaps for crawly critters. Go one step better and apply three bands of tape ( Gorilla brand has the stickiest adhesive) around your rubber boot shank, with the top and bottum bands having the adhesive against the boot and capturing the pants leg and the middle band with the adhesive facing outward to catch and hold the creepy creatures. You could try substituting highly adhesive fly paper for the middle tape band. Sounds pretty elaborate….. its practicalness depends on how much you hate being bitten. Could also work for bedbugs also if you wrapped fly paper around each bed leg and didn’t let your bedding drape onto the floor. If you sleep in a sleeping bag, your bedding will not likely touch the floor.
Great tips! Thanks for taking the time to write this. I never saw Chigarid in our local drug store. I’ll definitely look it up!
The only thing I’ve found to relieve chigger itching is baking soda combined with vinegar. You have to put it on frequently or the itching comes back. I do wonder if the stinging of the solution isn’t better than the itch tho.
Thanks for the tip, Beth. I also find that sometimes it’s easier to handle one kind of pain than another.
The worst chigger bites I ever had came after I followed a friend out to do gravestone rubbings in old cemeteries out on dirt roads in the country. Of course the grass was waist high. I hadn’t thought about chiggers since I was a kid. Boy, did I get them bad! After a couple of days, they were driving me crazy and I couldn’t even get to sleep at night. What worked? Absorbine Jr. It cooled the skin and calmed the bites. I’d get a couple of hours sleep and have to get up and do it again, but SO worth it!
A great tip, thanks!
I have found that Tecnu works to sooth the painful bites of these little Chigger devils.
Thank you for this. Never heard of this so I’ll have to research.
Found on line recipe to stop chigger pain. Mix baking soda and ammonia apply to skin and get relief from the itching.
Also had dr give me cream used for scabies. She believed I did not have scabies . Never heard of chiggers before it worked cleared it up.
Thanks for sharing this!
Just a note about putting DE in your yard…..Ihave read that while this may help with the chiggers, it also kills the good / beneficial bugs as well.
For prevention, we haven’t found great stuff…but definitely wear long pants and boots with the pants tucked in them. When we don’t, the bites are SO much worse. I am going to try the lavender oil though. We try to spray deet but it only helps so so.
Treatment after: We get them pretty bad around here. My husband likes to soak his feet and legs in rubbing alcohol (91%) he says it dries the bites up faster. I put something similar to Vick’s or vapor rub on my legs (called Unkers).
Thanks, Bobbi. That’s right, DE is like antibiotics… It doesn’t know which bug is good and which is bad… It just kills them all.
Great job on the info. I moved from NY to TN and man, talk about bugs! I grew up on a farm upstate NY then moved to Long Island. Never had bugs like this. First – a wicked bout with poison ivy/oak then ticks then mosquitoes, and finally chiggers (god, is there anything else?) Oh, I forgot to mention the poisonous snakes. My love of gardening has unfortunately gone bye-bye.
The South in humid, wet, and hot and the bugs LOVE it. I think up north the winter is so cold they all die and they can’t really recover the population in the short months of summer. But here? They just go to sleep and show up again a few months later!
We have tried to keep Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium around for natural bug deterrent.
For campinf, hiking, working outside we treat with pyrethrin (concentrated) form of the plant. On clothing it will last 6-10 washes. All shoes get sprayed, too.
My son spent 2 hot weeks at camp in humid temps and one had one bite on him. No smell or odor.
And we are red heads with fair sensitive skin.
Amanda, where do you buy those?
Thank you so much. I can’t afford the doctor bill right now. I will try these remedies.
I hope you feel better soon!
Yes the Dr gave me steroids n a prespriction itch medicine pillthat helped with my 100 bites
You are a good writer! I was educated and entertained at the same time. Keep up the great writing!!! By the way I am a proud new owner of 27 plus filled chiggers bites ! I think it happened a few days ago and yes there were days I wanted to cut my legs off or go visit heaven! Lol. Esp. Day 2!
I hear you! The itching can really drive you insane! You’ll have to love on your body a lot but it will get better.
Personally after getting covered in chigger myself, the only thing I recommend is to be placed in a medically induced coma until the bites are healed…
LOL! I should have included that. I totally agree, just need to find a doctor that will agree to induce the coma 😉
Hi Lee, I moved to KS from ME over 4 years ago and had never experienced chiggers or oak mites till I got here. After years of suffering, this is the best solution I’ve learned so far (trial and error). We keep our lawn cut short as I’ve learned that chiggers’ preferred prey are those reptiles and amphibians that live close to the ground, i.e., frogs and snakes. Whenever I have to go into grassy areas or my garden, I wear long pants tucked into my socks, long-sleeved shirts preferably turtle necks, garden gloves and on the outside of all of that I spray the Avon’s Skin So Soft (and yes, I’m HOT! but that heat is so better than being bitten!). When I come into the house, I shed everything, clothes go in the washer and I go into the shower immediately. If I have a new bite, I shower using a Japanese washcloth which is rough but not too rough, and scrub the crap out of my bites! After drying off, I apply Extra Strength Benadryl cream to each bite. When the itch begins again, I redo the same procedure. For my grandkids, I’ve found what works is a warm baking soda bath where each bite is rubbed with a normal cloth and after the fun bath, application of the Benadryl cream. Kids don’t scratch like us big kids, right? I tell them don’t scratch and if it itches, tell me and I’ll put more cream on it. The less a bite is scratched, the faster it will heal. Mine went from 3 weeks of torture to one week of bliss. The DE on the grass does help I’ve found as well by the way. Then I go out into it all as soon as the temps have been 60 F or below for a week or so and love the outdoors as I did in Maine. Hope this helps!
Thanks for sharing! But, do you still have them? Even when you keep the grass short? And in the garden? We only had them around when we moved here and the grass was long and the place had no one living in it for a while. Once we cut the grass we never had them again and I don’t have them in the garden. Now I just have to pay attention if I go for a hike with the kids… I try to stay on the trail and not go in tall grass.
Hello. So I read your article last night as I was itching myself to death.
Usually I eat garlic and the bugs stay away, but I have not had garlic in more then a month and found my self in a situation I did not plan on. Trying some of your ideas. I did do several things with a little relief. Just wanted to share. I put on degree deodorant and noticed my under arms were not itching so I started putting it all over and it helped to stop the itch. Yeah yeah..
Vinegar and epson salt and an ointment I had helped as well, but I would have never in a million years thought about deodorant.
Thanks for your article
Deodorant! That’s a new one, ha! Thanks for sharing this. I hope you feel better soon.
Hi Lee, It seems that chiggers prefer some people over others and me, they love me! As do the oak mites. So for me, I do not walk on any grass or any other growth that is natural. I stay confined to cement, tar, etc. I frankly do not go outside if it’s windy or over 60 ° F. The rare times I do go into my garden, I am fully clothed as described before plus my tall garden boots. 🙁
Hi. I was wondering how long it takes chigger bites to go away. My son was bitten by something and the bites look like chiggers. They no longer itch but he has about 30 spots on his body that look like chigger bites… A bit like chickenpox with a centre. It’s been 2 weeks and they are still there. Is this normal? Thanks.
It might not be chiggers. Chigger bites usually are still itching after three and even four weeks. It takes them forever to heal. If you just leave them alone it might be six weeks or so before the skin heals. If you are consistent in helping it with oils and creams it will probably heal a bit faster.
I feel that oatmeal baths also work..i had about 100 bites n taking these baths everyday in warm water with Benadryl n allying calamine lotion on them ..dried them up fast
Great tip. Thanks!
U can get ’em in short grass too
I love your article. I’m a Chicago city girl who moved to very rural Missouri. The first week I was there the dog and I sat in them while resting and having our picture taken while on a hike. I had never heard of such things and had no idea what to do I suffered from August to April. Bleach didn’t work. Hydrocortisone cream did. The good news – they kept my new marriage from lasting too long! Thank you for taking the time to share your insights. I’ve been too afraid to sit down in the woods for over two decades now. LOL
LOL! I love that you are able to see the good in the suffering! I was stuck for 15 years in a bad relationship, would have been happy to get some help from chiggers and get out of it sooner 😉
I’m currently coved in bites all up and down on my legs. I bet I’ve got over 30 bites on my poor legs. I’ve been taking benedryl round the clock and found this stuff “Chigger Relief Ointment” by Evra Labs. It’s been a miracle! You can find another brand like it at CVS or your grocery store (that’s where I got mine). It has benzocaine in it, so it just numbs the bites and works instantly. Also has aloe Vera, chamomile, cloves, and is aimed at a variety of bugs, but definitely helps with the chiggers. I recommend this to everyone who has been bitten by these damn pests!
Thanks Caitlin! I’ve never heard of that ointment. Thanks for letting us know about it.
OMG-chiggers! this makes me break out itching with the thought. we inherited a neglected property full of blueberrys, fruit trees and CHIGGERS! i tried everything and got them probably at least 50 times until i came up with a system–they WILL go through clothing to get to you!!
1.Purchase a pyrmetherine spray in the hunting department–outside, spray 2 complete set of loose clothes and socks–hang the them to dry on the porch. dress completely with socks and then OVER this layer put on a dry set of sprayed clothing.
2. when done outside strip on the porch–never walk into the house with outside clothing on where you have been workingin tall grass. do not allow others to go in the house who have been in tall grass without stripping clothes outside. also brush the dog outside before letting them in if they have been out there too.
3. immediately shower and lather up from head to toe with bath scrub and leave it on as long as you can without rinsing it off.
4. My husband and dog were bringing them in the house and they were on my couch!!!! They don’t bite my husband but he was bringing them in on his clothing and the dog’s fur.
So routinely spray all soft surfaces in the house with lice spray.
5. DO NOT go all day clearing property without showering and changing clothes–half way through, strip, shower and scrub, and then redress in clean clothes and the second outer layer that was sprayed and finish.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this!
At least you got the blueberry bushes though!!
Your article is the best I have read yet. For past 2 weeks I have been dealing with these welt that turn into little sores that I scratch the heck out of and they bleed for a while too, now I have welts ,scratches and the itch I can’t begin to describe. I live in British Columbia Canada and this is my first time experiencing this. Under my armpits, arms, wrist and stomach. I just spent 2 years battling bone cancer leaving me now at 78 pounds so these critters aren’t getting much from me. The itch is worse than my chemo was. Can you help me to be sure this is what they are. I took pictures. Thank you so much and I wish you good health and safety during the world’s crisis
It sounds like those are chigger bites. Did you spend some time in tall grass before you got them? Definitely try some of the remedies in the post and look over the comments, readers added a lot more from their experience.
3rd day on vinegar and I can see its slowly going away
Oh good. I’m happy that you are feeling better!
“Vibrant Life Itch Wipes” with Aloe for dogs & cats-Witch Hazel*Aloe Vera Gel*Oatmeal* Vitamin E Bitter Taste so be sure to wash your hands with soap after applying! Found in Walmart Pet supplies. These wipes are truly soothing & takes about 24 hrs to 2 days to End the Itch -Combine with evening soaks in equal parts of Epsom Salt-SeaSalt and Baking Soda-about 1/2 cup to bath water. Still can’t keep them off ?
I had never experienced a chigger bite until last year. I live in southern Ontario, Canada. I found that an ice pack helps.
Yes I would definitely like your help.
Fabulous advice. Thank you for easing my suffering!
My MIL – a Virginia farm girl from generations back – told me to take a shower as soon as I came inside – and to scrub myself with Tide. It took me a little while to figure out what she meant by Tahhd. Eventually I realized she meant Tide brand powdered laundry detergent. She said that it takes a while for the chiggers (“chiggahs”) to dig in, and the Tide powder will scrub them off before they did. That sounded a bit intense to me, so I tried simply scrubbing down with a terry cloth wash cloth. It works! Every time! I know this because if I ever forget or get lazy (I’ll shower in the morning!) I wake up covered in the little devils.
never heard the Tide suggestion before! But yes, I think that they are tiny enough that just scrubbing with a cloth will get rid of them.
My husband and I are so on board with your experiences of trial and error. During an extended stay in Missouri, after an especially wet winter and spring followed by a quick moist warm up, we were like you thrust into the search for relief, from hundreds of wounds over our bodies. We Sought the advice of locals and even medical advice nurse in the Ozark area, only to be left writhing in unsoothable itching for days, before we were steered to a product called Chigarid, which is sold at Walmart and Walgreen. It works like many of the products you mentioned combined, especially noting, nail polish or maybe more like liquid bandaid products it causes a crustation on top of the wound area that keeps air out and incapulels the critter. Relief is the result. Yes we still woke during the nights to doctor each others wounds as they began to itch again after 4-6 hours after applications, enabling us to resume the romantic interlude. Ssshhh don’t share this last part with our eight grandsons.
Thank you for sharing this. I’ve come across and tried it before. It worked well for us too.
Hi Lee! I’m from the south and boy do the chiggars drive us crazy! Just an extra tip if you have the availability……I use my pool from the first warm day to the last. I don’t jump in except in summer, but I do stand on the steps and wash my legs and arms before going inside. I have also used a bucket with water and a little Clorox in it. Both work well and keep the bites down to just a few! Hope this helps with those nasty critters!
Thanks for the tip! At least it’s possible to wash them off. There are Southern creatures like ticks for example that won’t wash off. I don’t have a pool, but it’s a good idea to put a fresh bucket of water by the door each mornig.