Beating ticks this season with Sawyer Permethrin (and why I didn't go with DEET or cedar oil)
News stories about this year's heavy tick infestation had us worried — our toddler goes to the park constantly. I needed something to spray on her clothes that would last, and after comparing DEET, cedar oil, and permethrin, the 42,000-plus reviews on Sawyer made the choice easy.
Permethrin is the gold standard for tick prevention on clothing, and Sawyer's 24-ounce trigger spray gives you enough to treat the whole family's gear for a season. 42,000 reviews and 4.6 stars tell the story.
42,000+ reviews can't be wrong
Bonds to fabric for 6 weeks or 6 washes
Odorless once dry
One spray treats multiple outfits
Costs half what the natural alternatives do
Can't spray directly on skin (gear and clothes only)
Need to plan ahead — requires dry time before wearing
The 24-ounce bottle — enough to treat the whole family's outdoor gear for a season.
Why ticks suddenly mattered
Every spring the news runs the "bad tick season" story, but this year felt different. Between the mild winter and the exploding deer tick population in our area, the warnings were louder than ever. Lyme disease is no joke, and with a toddler who wants to be outside every waking moment, we needed a real plan.
Not a spray-and-hope plan. A real plan.
The contenders
I narrowed it down to three approaches:
OFF! Deep Woods ($9.49) — The classic. DEET-based, cheap, and everywhere. But the more I read, the more I learned that DEET resistance is becoming a real problem. Mosquitoes and ticks are adapting, and DEET requires reapplication every few hours. Fine for adults on a hike, but for a toddler who's outside all afternoon? I'd be respraying constantly.
Sunday Nix Ticks ($39.96) — Cedar oil sounds great on paper. Natural, plant-based, smells nice. But at $40 for two bottles and only 316 reviews, I wasn't convinced. The science on cedar oil as a tick repellent exists, but it's not as battle-tested as the alternatives.
Sawyer Permethrin ($19.60) — Permethrin is the secret weapon that outdoor professionals have used for years. You spray it on clothes and gear (not skin), let it dry, and it bonds to the fabric. It stays effective through 6 washes or 6 weeks — whichever comes first. And unlike DEET, insects don't seem to build resistance to it.
What sold me
Three things:
42,057 reviews. That's not a fluke. When 42,000 people agree on something, I pay attention.
The "set it and forget it" factor. Spray once, let dry, and you're protected for weeks. For a toddler who goes through three outfit changes a day, this is huge — I spray her park clothes and they stay protected.
The price. At $19.60, it's cheaper than the "natural" Sunday option and competitive with DEET.
A month in
I've been using it for about a month now. One afternoon, I sprayed a few outfits, let them dry on the line, and tossed them in her drawer. Every time she goes to the park, she wears treated clothes. No fuss, no daily spraying, no worrying about reapplying.
The spray itself is odorless once it dries, which matters — nobody wants to smell like chemicals at the playground. And I've been using the same bottle for the whole family's gear and haven't made a dent in it yet.
OFF! Deep Woods — the DEET-based contender at $9.49.
The bottom line
If you're dealing with ticks and want something that works without costing a fortune or requiring constant reapplication, Sawyer Permethrin is the answer. The 42,000 reviews aren't wrong — this is the gold standard for a reason.
Skip the DEET (resistance is real), and skip the premium natural options (too expensive for unproven results). Permethrin is where it's at.
