To get rid of chiggers effectively, you can follow these steps focused on personal care, yard management, and use of repellents or insecticides:

On Your Body and Clothing

• Take a hot shower or bath immediately after being outdoors in chigger-prone areas. Scrub your skin with soap and a washcloth to remove any chiggers still on your body

• Wash your clothes, towels, and bedding in hot water to kill any chiggers clinging to fabric

• Treat chigger bites with over-the-counter anti-itch creams such as calamine lotion, hydrocortisone, or ointments containing menthol or camphor. Taking antihistamines can reduce itching and allergic reactions

• Use insect repellents containing DEET or Picaridin on exposed skin and treat clothing with permethrin for protection when outdoors

• Wear protective clothing: long sleeves, long pants tucked into socks, and gloves when working in tall grass or brush

Yard and Environment Control

• Maintain your yard by mowing frequently and removing weeds, brush, and debris where chiggers hide. Prune trees and shrubs to increase sunlight and reduce humidity

• Remove or relocate small mammals and rodents that serve as chigger hosts by eliminating their nests, food, and water sources

• Apply EPA-approved insecticides labeled for mite or chigger control, such as diazinon, carbaryl (Sevin), malathion, bifenthrin, or permethrin, especially in shaded, moist, and overgrown areas. Retreatment may be necessary after 2-3 weeks

• Use natural repellents like essential oils (citronella, tea tree, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint) on skin or in the yard to help deter chiggers, though these may be less effective than chemical options

• Sprinkle diatomaceous earth in infested yard areas to kill chiggers naturally

Additional Tips

• Avoid walking in tall grass or dense vegetation during peak chigger seasons (late spring and summer), especially in early morning or late afternoon

• After outdoor exposure, shower promptly to wash off chiggers before they attach and bite

By combining personal hygiene, protective clothing, yard maintenance, and appropriate use of repellents or insecticides, you can effectively get rid of chiggers and reduce the risk of bites