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 lee@ladyleeshome.com. 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.
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!
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.
Witch Hazel is my fave for stopping bug bite itch.
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.
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.
Mix the sulfur powder with baby powder for easy application
That sounds like a very good solution! Thanks.
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.
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.
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?
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?
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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.