Chiggers are creatures that are closely related to ticks, they are tiny mites that live in the earth.
Chiggers are hard to see with the naked eye, but they can usually be seen by examining dead grass for any traces of them.
Chiggers are usually found in damp, shady areas near trees or tall grasses. They make themselves known by itching at exposed skin when it comes in contact with their burrows in the ground.
The most effective way to get rid of chiggers is to avoid them all together. It’s best not to hang around these sorts of areas where you might come into contact with the chigger eggs.
If you’ve already been exposed to them, there are a number of ways to get rid of chiggers.
1. Cleaning after exposure: Like ticks and other parasites, direct contact with chiggers should be avoided as much as possible.
The best method for removing them is by cleaning your body thoroughly after exposure to the chiggers, taking special care not to scratch or rub too hard at an infested area.
Baking soda is a great way to dry out and kill chiggers, if you use it as a powder; they will die within minutes of coming into contact with the baking soda.
2. Keeping your skin covered: When hunting or fishing in areas where chiggers might be present, it’s best to wear long sleeved shirts and pants, preferably made out of some sort of synthetic fabric.
This will not only keep you protected from the chiggers, but it will also help to prevent tick bites. The best kind of clothing are those that cause a barrier between your skin and the chigger’s burrows in the ground.
3. Using insect repellent: Another method that works for some people is to apply insect repellent on your exposed skin.
However, this might not be effective in areas where chiggers are more prevalent because they naturally develop resistances to insecticide sprays; it might only help you slightly.
4. Keeping the area around your home clean: Keeping your yard clean of leaves and other debris can also help to keep chiggers away from your home.
By keeping trees trimmed back, you’re reducing the amount of shade around your house where chiggers may be hiding. It’s also a good idea to avoid having mulch or wood chips surrounding any part of your property that might have access to your home.
5. Using more extreme methods of eradicating chiggers: Disturbing or cleaning up an infested area immediately after getting bitten by a chigger has proven effective for more than one person.
Either scrubbing your skin clean with soap and water, rubbing alcohol, nail polish remover, gasoline, etc., will sometimes cause the chigger to detach from your skin and die.
This method is extremely effective, but should only be tried as a last resort because it could cause damaging effects to your skin. The other extreme option would be using bleach or other harsh chemicals which might have a dangerous effect on your skin as well, so try first aid first if you can.
6. The only guaranteed method: After exposure to chiggers the only guaranteed method is to let them attach and feed for a short time, then remove them by gently rolling a piece of gauze or cotton over the bite area and removing the chigger with it.
This process will usually leave you with a small welt that will become increasingly itchy as time goes on. This doesn’t always work because sometimes the chiggers have already burrowed deep into your skin to lay their eggs, so its best to try and get them off as soon as possible.
7. Other helpful tips: If you’re going camping or fishing in areas where chiggers may be, there are a couple helpful tips you can try before exposure.
Once chiggers attach to your skin it’s very difficult to remove them without damaging your skin, so if you catch them early enough try placing clear nail polish over the area where they’ve attached themselves and let it dry.
If you do this, however, make sure that you’re careful not to get any of the nail polish into your skin because it can cause irritation as well. The other alternative is to place a blob of clear piece of spittle or wax that’s been slightly heated between you and the chigger as early as possible, which will somehow make it easy enough to remove them without causing too much damage.
8. If you’ve had exposure to chiggers first aid is your first priority: If you do get infested with chiggers on your skin, immediately apply the first aid tips listed above and try to remove them as soon as possible.
You should also be sure to take a bath or shower when you get home from being outside in order to cleanse your skin of any possible insects, eggs or feces that may be attached.
It might also help to place a generous amount of topical antibiotic ointment on the area before going to bed in order to prevent any secondary infections. Finally, if you see signs of itching after exposure, take an antihistamine or apply hydrocortisone cream to the area in order to relieve any itchy feelings.
9. Intense first aid should be your last resort: Before attempting first aid remedies on chigger bites, try other steps available first because some of them might cause damage or irritation if not done properly.
If you notice that after taking a bath or shower that you’re still getting abnormally itchy, you should consult a doctor in order to make sure that there’s no secondary infection going on.
If your skin is becoming red and easily irritated, or if the bite begins pussing or oozing fluids, you may have developed an infection. Contact a doctor immediately in this situation.
10. If you’ve done everything possible to remove chiggers but are still experiencing itching, applying a small amount of cortizone cream may help.
Only use this if it doesn’t contain any other type of medication in it because otherwise it could possibly cause an allergic reaction.
So this is how you can get rid of chiggers.
