Chiggers are nearly microscopic mites found in grassy and wooded areas. Their bites, caused by the larval stage of the mite, can cause intense itching. These pests are most active during warmer months, lurking in vegetation waiting for a host. Understanding how chiggers interact with clothing is necessary for managing an encounter and preventing a painful reaction, as proper handling of exposed items avoids transferring mites to the home.
The Answer: Do Chiggers Stay on Clothes?
Chiggers can remain on clothing for a period, but they do not survive there indefinitely. The parasitic stage is the six-legged larva, which is only about 1/150 of an inch in size, making it nearly invisible. These larvae wait on vegetation, such as tall grass, and grab onto passing hosts, usually where clothing meets the body.
Once on clothing, chiggers crawl until they find a path to the skin, typically where fabric is tight-fitting, such as around socks or waistbands. Chiggers do not burrow into the skin; instead, they attach themselves and inject a digestive enzyme. This enzyme breaks down skin cells, which the chigger then consumes.
Since the chigger’s goal is to find a feeding site, they will not stay on clothing for an extended period without a host. They depend on the warmth and moisture of a host to complete their feeding. Without a host, chiggers generally die or drop off clothing within a few hours to a day, but immediate action is necessary to prevent bites.
Immediate Action Plan for Clothing and Gear
After potential chigger exposure, the most important step is to treat all clothing and gear to eliminate lingering mites. Exposed garments should be removed immediately upon entering the home and handled carefully to avoid shaking chiggers onto other surfaces. The goal is to kill the mites quickly before they migrate off the fabric and onto a person or pet.
Washing exposed clothing in hot water is the recommended first line of defense, as the heat effectively kills the mites. After washing, the clothes must be put through a high-heat drying cycle to ensure complete eradication. The intense heat from the dryer kills any chiggers that survived the wash cycle.
For items that cannot be washed, such as backpacks or shoes, alternative methods are needed. Non-washable items can be placed in a sealed plastic bag and left outside in direct sunlight for several days; the combination of sealing and heat will dehydrate and kill the mites. Alternatively, items can be treated with a permethrin spray, an insecticide designed for use on fabrics and gear, not skin.
Relief and Treatment for Chigger Bites
Treatment focuses on alleviating the intense itching caused by the body’s reaction to the chigger’s digestive enzyme. The first action after exposure should be to take a hot shower and vigorously scrub the skin with soap and a washcloth. This scrubbing action dislodges any newly attached chiggers, potentially reducing the severity of the reaction.
Once the skin is clean, symptomatic relief can be achieved using over-the-counter topical treatments. Applying calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream (1%) directly to the bites helps reduce inflammation and soothe the itching. These anti-itch products calm the skin’s allergic response to the injected enzyme.
Oral antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine or a non-drowsy alternative like cetirizine, can be taken to reduce the body’s overall inflammatory reaction. It is important to resist the urge to scratch the bites, even though the itching can be severe and last for up to two weeks. Excessive scratching can break the skin, leading to open sores and the possibility of a secondary bacterial infection.
How to Prevent Future Exposure
Avoiding chiggers involves a multi-pronged approach combining protective clothing and specialized repellents. When venturing into high-risk habitats like tall grass or wooded edges, wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts is the first layer of defense. Tucking pant legs into socks is an effective technique that prevents chiggers from crawling up the legs and reaching the skin.
For chemical protection, EPA-registered insect repellents are highly effective. Repellents containing DEET can be applied directly to exposed skin and around clothing openings like cuffs and necklines. Another element is treating clothing and gear with permethrin, an insecticide that kills chiggers on contact. Permethrin should never be applied directly to the skin, but once dried on fabric, it provides a long-lasting barrier effective through several washings.
Beyond personal protection, managing the environment can reduce future exposure risks. Chiggers thrive in damp, overgrown areas, so keeping lawns mowed short and removing brush and weeds creates a less hospitable environment around a home or campsite. Sticking to well-maintained trails and avoiding dense vegetation will also minimize the chances of picking up these tiny mites.