I live near the woods. My children are always pulling me through to look at their latest find. It’s a beautiful part of childhood. But finding a tick in the house from one of these trips- it is horrifying due to Tick Borne Illnesses like Lyme Disease. (Ticks in Ohio)
Long Clothes are important when walking through the woods or forest- as they keep ticks away from your body.
But what about the ticks that land on your clothes looking for a meal?
The Journal of Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases published an article earlier this year regarding some testing that they did. (Article Abstract)
Ticks and their nymphal young can survive being run through a washing machine (warm or cold wash is nothing to a tick!)
They can survive less than a 50 minute ride through a clothes dryer with wet clothes.
But they cannot survive a 6-minute ride in your hot dryer without wet clothes.
(95% die in that amount of time)
Ticks and their nymphal young need moisture to survive- if you deprive them moisture, they die.
So, suck it up, and throw you dirty explorer clothes into the dryer and burn off the bugs.
This is by far the most important thing I have learned today. Share with your friends- you might save them from a horrible bout with Lyme disease.
