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How Do You Prevent and Treat Chigger Bites?

image of a tiny chigger on a finger

Chiggers are a summertime scourge. Here is helpful advice for how to treat itchy chigger bites, and expert tips for preventing and avoiding these annoying red bugs.

When you’re in the outdoors, you might also want to know how to avoid mosquitoes, ticks, stinging caterpillars and other itchy hazards.

WHAT ARE CHIGGERS?

Red bugs, chiggers, berry bugs, scrub-itch mites and harvest mites are all terms used to describe members of the family of insects known as Trombiculidae. These reddish-orange mites can be found worldwide, but they really enjoy hanging out in damp, grassy and wooded areas, especially at the edges of forests.

In the United States, chiggers are mostly found in the southeast, south and midwest. They are most active from early spring to early autumn, until the first frost.

HOW DO CHIGGERS BITE US?

chigger under a microscopeChigger larvae infest humans by crawling up our shoes and legs as we make our way through the scrub.

What’s kind of cool is that chiggers do not actually bite us. Likewise, they do not burrow into our skin, and they do not suck our blood. Instead, chiggers use their mouths to drill tiny holes into our skin through which they secrete specialized salivary enzymes designed to break down our skin cells from the inside. Then, the chiggers slurp up the mixture through a tube formed by hardened skin cells called a stylosome.

Basically, it’s like drinking a big “YOU” protein shake!

Your skin does not take too kindly to all of this drilling and parasitic digestion by chiggers. Consequently, humans typically develop intensely itchy, bright red pimple-like bumps or hives or a generalized skin rash in the areas where the mites were attached, even up to 24 to 48 hours after exposure.

Chiggers prefer to attach to skin at areas where the clothing fits tightly against the body, such as at the tops of socks or around the elastic edges of underwear, so a rash in these areas may be a clue to the specific cause.

HOW DO YOU TREAT CHIGGER BITES?

So, what can you do for a chigger bites or rashes? First, forget the old myth of applying fingernail polish to the affected areas. Chiggers do NOT burrow into the skin, so trying to suffocate the chiggers with polish makes no sense at all. Second, chiggers do not lay eggs in the skin, so stop worrying about that.

hand in tall chigger infested grassChigger bites or wounds are a complex mixture of mechanical damage to the skin (the drilling), enzymatic disruption of the skin (the digestion), and your body’s own attempt to get rid of the parasite. Consequently, the most important thing to do is to prevent chigger infestation.

HOW DO YOU AVOID CHIGGERS?

Avoid camping in warm, moist temperate climates of high mammal density, including livestock pastures, with tall grass.

If the area is infested, get out of there quickly and wash your skin vigorously with soap and water. Itching is best alleviated through the use of topical corticosteroids (either over-the-counter hydrocortisone 1% ointment or prescription strength from your physician) and anti-histamines like Benadryl.

Watch out for severe chigger rashes that can become secondarily infected with bacteria; in these cases, consult a doctor immediately.

Now you know a “mitey” bit more about chiggers than you did before!

443 Comments on How Do You Prevent and Treat Chigger Bites?

  1. I’m going to try the bleach wipe down method. That’s before you come back inside.
    Current itching… just a reminder to not, forget…
    Prevent bringing home undesirable’s.
    8 legs or 2 legs…keep clear.
    Seriously, I like the HOT power wash…It’s like scratching an itch without scratching yourself.

  2. I used pure Heinz or any NAME Brand white distilled vinegar or 90% rubbing alcohol, spray for the itching. The cheaper brands don’t work

  3. I have used 1 part sulfur powder and 9 parts baby powder and mix together. Then put dust your skin at ankles and around your waist….. I have never gotten any chiggers sense I”ve done this.

  4. What is difference between chiggers and cabbies ?

  5. Are there any long term affects from chiggars?One month after a bout with chiggars I got a mild case of shingles on my face. Between the time of the bites and shingles my lymph glands were tender in my neck. Maybe they caused an immune reaction?

  6. Grew up in the deep South and chiggers were always a problem. We found that taking a good bath (after a day in the woods) and pouring about 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol in the bath water took care of the problem. It killed them before they could do their damage. We never had to worry about chiggers again.

  7. What i would like to know is once they feed where do they go?
    Do they re bite again ???

  8. Witch hazel soak sites good with it

    Drench a cloth with it and Lay on areas
    Cortisone helped as well
    Immediately! shower and scrub skin

  9. Nobiteshere // May 10, 2022 at 9:58 pm // Reply

    For chiggers bites: drip something like Bactine with pain relief on each or spray area. When dry put cortisone cream on. Best prevention: spray clothes with permethrin including socks: flip over when dry, repeat on other side. It will last thru a couple washes.

  10. Chig b gone // May 1, 2022 at 10:28 am // Reply

    Try diaper rash ointment it works for me,I get chiggers really bad

  11. “If the area is infested, get out of there quickly” … LOL. It seems the recommendation is to never leave the house.

  12. This didn’t tell me how to treat chiggar bites, it just told me why to treat chiggars.

  13. Old scouting trick: wear knee-high pantyhose over your socks and then over the opening of your trouser, denying these little bastards an opening to get to your skin.

  14. Yes. Nail polish seals the tiny holes and the chigger suffocates and dies–no “belief” needed. Creams did absolutely nothing.

    • that’s a myth. but sealing the bite from the air does help with the itching, as well as the acetone in the polish. You’re better off using Benadryl topical cream.

      • Yes, I put clear nail polish on the “bites” and the itching went from 10 to 1 or 2 quickly. Before that I thought “this will be a sleepless night!”

  15. Best treatment for a bite is a hairdryer set on high. Blast the bite with as much heat as you can. 8 hours of relief…enough for a good night’s sleep.

  16. The best we have found in Louisiana to stop red bug itching is to add 1 oz. of bleach to the bath water. A small amount of bleach does the deal!

  17. Probably not chiggers if they are in your bed and your dogs are itching also. Sounds like a flea infestation which can be miserable. Either invest in fleacollars for your dog or visit your vet for flea prevention meds. Wash all of your bed lines and spray your mattress with a good flea spray. Also treat ant carpet in your house with flea powder or have an exterminator spray. This should eliminate the problem.

  18. Rub on petroleum jelly, it certainly has given me some relief.

  19. Chiggerin my bed from dogs how do i kill thy are biting all of us????

  20. Never heard of this bug before but I took my 4 year old to er thinking that these red marks were chicken pox due to her being in school sure enough they said it was chiggers bites she was playing outside in sand and pulling weeds in yard going to spray her down Everytime she plays outside my daughter is miserable 😱

  21. Do they get under your skin around your fingers and toes

  22. Kerosene rub on let sit till dry wash off cured

  23. mountaingirl // August 7, 2019 at 5:41 am // Reply

    I do not use fingernail polish to try and kill a chigger, but guess what? For me once it dries I no longer itch! That’s a plus.

  24. Well they got me again. I tried hot shower with Dawn. Applied mint mouth wash and a topical with 1 percent. As good as it gets. Absolutely little beasts.

  25. Hates Bugbites // August 2, 2019 at 9:17 am // Reply

    Try solid deodorant for itch relief. Dont understand why it helps but it seems to stop itching.

  26. How do you kill chiggers in your couch I can not sit on my couch without get them on me

  27. smithtowndad // July 29, 2019 at 1:00 am // Reply

    Meat tenderizer and absorbine Jr seems to be doing the trick for me.

  28. Oh, please do stop with the sulfur!! After showering, apply rubbing alcohol liberally, to the affected areas and take two Benedryl. Apply rubbing alcohol as needed and take Benedryl per dosage instructions.

  29. i have about 200 bites.. serious.. count them! i am miserable! how didi this happen.. i did not see any bugs on me and i check for them regularly .. can you SEE a chigger?
    what do i do now?

    • I just picked some up apparently a couple days ago. WHen the itching started, I showered, applied a lot of rubbing alcohol to the affected areas and took 2 benedryl. That combo appears to keep the itching at bay. Good luck!

      • They are about half the size of a pinhead and are red in color. They move frequently and drive you crazy. Very hard to see them. They are in the pitbull family lool

    • They are horrible little buggers. Seriously get some toothache medicine mix it in with some other topical, personally I used vicks (it burned a little) and put that on your bites. The stuff that numbs in the toothache medicine does the same for your skin it helps.

    • Big eddie // May 29, 2022 at 3:51 am // Reply

      Sulphur powder applied liberally to boots, socks and lower pant legs is a proven prevention. You should duct tape the bottom rim of pant legs too. Get a large vitamin bottle & poke lots of holes in metal lid to make a sulphur shaker. Why do you bemoan something that works so well. You must be an ignoramus or anti-social to write what you did against it.

  30. Logic Seeker // July 4, 2019 at 10:31 am // Reply

    Okay…. so do chiggers attach themselves or not? Are they a sort of microscopic tick, then, if they do? And if they are attached, then why would nail polish not work? They are sitting there attached to the skin! This article begs a few questions.
    Logic Seeker

  31. Powdered sulfur works, but it’s also toxic. Use a Permethrin-based spray and get your clothes damp, then let them dry. The permethrin will remain and kill chiggers on contact and is safe for humans. You can even soak your clothes in Permethrin and it will remain through several washes.

    Once you notice the rash from the chigger bite, the chigger is long gone already. There is nothing you can do to “suffocate” the chigger and kill it because it’s no longer there. All you can do is treat the symptoms. 10 % Hydrocortisone from Wal Mart, $2.50 for a tube. Apply as needed.

    • Sulfer doesn’t work worth a darn. I believed that fable and used powdered sulfer on shoes and pant legs. Vot really bad case of chiggers. Next time I’m sticking to deep woods off spray. And tuck in the pants legs.

      • Vinegar. Rinse after bathing. I spray vinegar water on me before I go out.

      • Forester // July 16, 2019 at 10:07 am //

        You have to put the sulfer on the skin under the areas such as socks, waste bands, and bras. Use this all the time and NEVER get chiggers. I also use quite a bit of deet too.

      • Birder Girl // October 7, 2019 at 12:45 pm //

        Well sulphur sure worked for me in south Texas. I bought it at the pharmacy in powdered form, dumped it into a sock and “puffed” it on the exterior of my long pants and socks.

  32. I bought a spray from Walmart called Repel and it seems to work for chigger bites.

  33. Thank you very much for your help

  34. Do chiggars come from the Spanish Moss hanging in the trees. We live in Florida and these redbugs are biting our chickens, our dogs, and us when we go outside if chiggars are redbugs, would they not also fall from the trees where the moss is.

  35. Dusting your ankles and waistband and groin with powdered sulfur, which you can get from your pharmacist, before walking or camping in areas with chiggers, along with tucking the end of your pants legs into your socks, will greatly reduce chigger bites.

  36. chgger exterminator // October 14, 2018 at 12:44 am // Reply

    chiggers in underwear, you boil clothing with a dash of bleach.. That method will get rid of them best..

  37. The fortnite dude // October 13, 2018 at 9:26 pm // Reply

    People, calm down. Chiggers are the basic stuff. Ticks are the ones you have to worry about.

  38. Let me start by saying I am 42 years old. All my mother used when we were kids was fingernail polish and that is what I still use. It works every time never had it fail me yet.

    • I’ve used fingernail polish a few times before and it has never worked for me.

      • Fingernail polish does NOTHING. The chigger is already long gone by the time you notice the welt. All the polish does is remind you not to scratch the area.

      • Outdoorsgirl // July 27, 2019 at 12:21 pm //

        When we get a Chigger bite ( can differentiate from mosquito bite by location) it will not quit swelling and itching until nail polish is used, several applications with hair dryer between) I cant believe there is not a culpret inside the bite, because, if the polish doesnt dry fast enough, a Airhole will appear, and more applications are required. Once you get the bug killed, with a few layers, the redness around, snd itching instanly stops!! Thishas been proved to my husband and me, many times!

      • Use liquid skin

    • Fingernail polish has never worked for me. two (2) Benadryl and cortisone cream provided my only relief.

      • Anonymous // April 17, 2022 at 7:44 pm //

        Never thought of this. I grew up in the Ozarks and whether they burrow or not, nail polish always worked. I’m going to give liquid skin a try. Thanks!

  39. Can the chiggers get in your bed and on furniture even if you have showered?

  40. Dab the bite with the hottest water you can bear (without scalding yourself). I use metal tongs dipped in very hot water. This gets rid of the itch for several hours. And it’s free.

  41. Bleach kills them if a lot may need to put bleach on skin..wait few min the shower right away may need to use bleach in shower again..my mother in law taught me this when I got into them…Bleach works better than alcohol on them…honey pure honey works on burns and insect bites! Stops itching and heals…just a small bit! Yep it’s sticky but it don’t rich! You can even delude honey with small amount of water so not so sticky..

  42. HEY GUYS, I TRIED CAMPHO-PHENIQUE AND IT WORKS. IN ONE DAY THE ITCH WAS GONE.

  43. YoteMaster2000 // July 26, 2018 at 12:16 am // Reply

    these are so annoying

  44. Permethrin treated socks and clothes. Once you have the bites all these silly home remedies stink. Not much you can do. I used oral Benadryl, topical prescription steroid cream and ice. Still miserable. Avoid camping in marshes in the Spring.

  45. CHIGGER X from the pharmacy works the best for me

    d

  46. While working at camp an old scouter gave me the best treatment. It sounds odd, but meat tenderizer the spice from the grocery store. It decreases the hard inflammation and itching.

  47. We use Bounce to rub over ankles and all exposed body. Even put sheet in pockets, anywhere on you. I use eucerin calming lotion and Benedryl on the bite. I even rubbed Bounce on our little dog.

  48. Putting Sulfur powder in a sock and then Dusting your ankles and crotch area and waste has always kept them off

  49. We just figured out that I am getting them from our apt porch that backs up to woods. Any suggestions on what I can use out there to kill them (besides not ever enjoying outside again)? Thanks.

    • Common Since // June 13, 2018 at 10:42 am // Reply

      Finger nail polish remover works great. Summer is all about camping !!! Please dont quit living and enjoying the out door life. Simply keep the nail polish remover on hand with some cotton balls.

  50. Grew up in the country and never had them like I do now from sitting on bales of hay at a cook out!!! Miserable

  51. I use iodine, straight away when I feel the slightest bite. It kills the bugger instantly. The problem for me now is – how to stop them from being attracted by my body. I can not go to my garden any more, not just for a minute! Are they fly or what? I don’t go around, I just stand on the patio, and they still manage to get me !

    • Anonymous // May 31, 2018 at 2:18 am // Reply

      Try taking sulphur tablets. It will ward off ticks chiggers even mosquitos. Had to use these when working clearing land..it does definetly help

  52. The following works best for me. Put a cup of pine sol in your bath water and soak for 5-10 minutes. Works for me every time.

  53. Bacon grease.

  54. yourwelcome // August 13, 2017 at 5:58 pm // Reply

    LAST CRAWL, guys is the best and ony 100% effective and easiest and fastest way to GET RID of chiggers instead of just treating the bite for itching. Its sold just about everywhere and is safe for humans and pets and can even be consumed its so safe but it works!!

  55. Nook from Alaska // August 7, 2017 at 3:59 pm // Reply

    After reading all the comments and since I have so many bites I decided to try a few.
    Liquid bandaid stopped the itch but is tightening the skin.
    Vicks and salt stopped the itch but the area where I applied it is cold.
    Turmeric did not stop the itch.
    Witch Hazel worked the best. It soothed the skin and the itch is gone.

  56. Ozark woods // August 3, 2017 at 9:29 pm // Reply

    When you come in from outdoors, immediately soap up your feet, legs, arms and hands and don’t rinse it off. Let the soap lather dry on your skin. Change clothes. Just leave the dry soap lather for about half an hour. Then you can rinse the soap off. Really works. Hardly ever get any chiggers.

  57. I went camping this weekend came back with bites all over my legs just tried the bleach rub some on my legs the itching stopped

  58. Ewwchiggers // July 21, 2017 at 5:34 am // Reply

    Mixing alcohol and vinegar helps with the itching within minutes

  59. When you first notice that red bugs have gotten on you, take a bath with about 1/2 cup Clorox in a bathtub full of water. Soak in the tub for about 5 minutes — if there is any place on your body that the water doesn’t cover, use a cup to pour water over the area. Usually, you will feel the first “itch” within an hour or two of getting the red bugs on you. If you get a Clorox Bath soon after you notice the problem, the Clorox will kill the little buggers before they have had time to do much damage.

  60. Put sulfur powder on your shoes and socks and it will repel the nasty critters.

  61. Spelled it wrong. It’s Chigarid.

  62. Chiggarid is the best!! Eight of our scouts had them all over their bodies at summer camp.

  63. Monkey.D.Kirito // June 23, 2017 at 11:21 am // Reply

    this can help so much thank you for making this article now I don’t need to do the way I was dong before.

  64. Oregano oil works great for chigger bites!

  65. Salicylic acid (Brand name Scalpicin) a clear liquid applied with a Q-tip works best for me.
    CAUTION: Scalpicin maximum strength hydrocortisone Anti-itch liquid does NOT allevciate chigger itch.

  66. Stop the Itch // June 16, 2017 at 7:31 am // Reply

    I seem to get them all the time and they itch forever plus scar. I take kosher salt or sea salt and mix it with my shower gel and not only does the itching stop but the scars also go away.

  67. Me and my little baby’s dog and brother have them had them for weeks my poor kids I’ve tried nail polish technic live shampoo you name it nothing has worked

    • If you have had them for weeks, then they are not chiggers. It could be scabies. Go see a doctor or dermatologist quickly.

      • Anonymous // July 26, 2017 at 2:05 pm //

        Applying acne wash containing Benzoyl Peroxide to the area with the bites immediately took away the itch!

  68. MrsItchyBod // June 7, 2017 at 6:47 pm // Reply

    Took 3 days to figure out not mosquito or nosee’em bites and my 82 yr old Southern mom identified the bites for me. Hydrocortisone and Benadryl cream not working and have applied both all over my body for 2 days. Tried a little bit of hand sanitizer while at work today (was desparate cuz of itching) and it seemed to calm dawn the itching (probably the alcohol content). I’m going to buy try the nail polish and calamine lotion tonight.

  69. Just wanted to say thanks to all ideas . I hope they work,cause they are driving me crazy.

  70. Anonymous // May 27, 2017 at 9:20 pm // Reply

    As long as you use a insect repellant BEFORE you venture into yards, woods, or any other place they tend to show up..pine trees seem to be a hotspot..spray around the tops of socks and underwear…good luck!

  71. chiggers be gone // May 19, 2017 at 5:10 pm // Reply

    Finger nail polish remover (Acetone) is the quickest way that I have found to get relief. The enzyme has got to be killed to stop the melting of the skin. Stings like fire for a short time (minute or two), but well worth not having the prolonged itch for a week.

  72. My guys swear by Calamine lotion, the pink stuff. Worked better then all the other remedies they tried.

  73. Turmeric works great. Even just dusting on some of the culinary stuff from trader joes.

  74. Had them once really bad had no idea what they were as I live in the north and had never seen nor heard of them my doctor recommended kwell!!!Killed them on contact and no more itch.

  75. Witch Hazel! It is sold in a bottle and is also the active ingredient in Preparation H. Witch hazel on a cotton ball immediately calms the itch and helps speed up the healing process.

  76. Help Me !!!!!! // March 7, 2017 at 6:01 am // Reply

    I’m tired of this crap !!!!

  77. Help Me !!!!!! // March 6, 2017 at 10:04 pm // Reply

    I don’t know what this is the doctor told me that no one can catch it but my mother called it and she’s 90 years old I am so pissed at the doctor now I’m here trying to save everybody in the house if anyone knows anything I could do please write and tell me

  78. I use CHIGGEREX after they get me and “OFF” to help keep them off. Both seem to work.

  79. I had them all around my waist. I applied a OTC products made to get rid of them, much like fingernail polish. A friend applied it to places I couldn’t reach. When it dried I discovered that I had glued my underwear to my skin all around my waist! Ouch! It sure got rid of the red bugs along with patches of my skin! 😀

  80. chigger eaten // October 21, 2016 at 7:52 am // Reply

    just got some! uggg… really itchy. does the clear polish really work?

  81. nobugsallowed // October 19, 2016 at 7:30 am // Reply

    i think they are coming in on my dogs and then they are laying on furniture and beds and i found them in my bed…is there anything safe for the dogs to use as a preventative?

  82. I have made a homemade spray. It really works! Use 1 gal. of distilled water or boil 1 gal. of tap water for 5 minutes. Add 8 tsp of table salt. Mix solution well until salt is dissolved. Add 1 Tbl spoon of household bleach and mix well before using. This solution can be stored for 1 month at room temperature. (Be sure storage container and mixing utensils are clean and sterile).

  83. Use SULFER. They leave within a few hours after applying it.

  84. I have been putting alot of rubbing alcohol (90 proof) and has helped to dry the spots which stopped most of the itching.never had them in my life.

  85. I have them in my back yard woods. We scrape them off with green pads in the shower right after going in the woods. Then we put on young living thieves oil and lavendar to stop the itch each day. Takes a few days for the bites to go away.

  86. Chigger Infested Texan // September 7, 2016 at 6:31 pm // Reply

    The clear fingernail polish for sure stops the itch!! I’ve used Benadryl cream, Allegra cream, Benadryl orally and I have literally clawed my skin into infection. I put the nail polish on every bite and BAM, it stopped the itch. When I shower and the polish comes off, the itch is back. I really the polish and the itch stops until my next shower. I highly recommend the polish to stop the itch, just to keep your sanity

  87. Milk of magnesia!!

  88. had them 4 times..ugh this last time was awful..liquid bandage helps a lot if you touch up every bite but turns white and crusty.. pain to get off..also believe it or not the best relief is windex with ammonia..put it in a fine spray bottle and every time they itch spray the area .. really helps..sounds insane but works the best out of anything ive tried and ive tried them all.

  89. augh!! why dosent itch cream work?!

  90. i hAVE TRIED EVERYTHING I HAVE THEM SINCE MAY , AND THEY KEEP POPPING UP IN THE SAME PLACE, HOW DOES THAT WORK? REPLY pLEASE

  91. I stopped the itching, not the chiggers all I did was run warm to hot water on the area and it worked

  92. Chieggerex from Walgreens works great. Only have a few bites, but they are enough to wake you up in the middle of the night with intense itching!

  93. After bite stick from the chemist is a good solution to the problem.

  94. I heard that Absorbine Jr works for chigger bites. They say it burns badly when you first apply it, but after that no more itching!! You might be able to get it at Walgreens or Rite Aid.

  95. Soak in tub of water with Epson salt, baking soda, and a few drops of essential lemon oil. Then using cotton ball, drop of lemon oil applied, dab on rash. Worked for me.

  96. Happy Harry // August 11, 2016 at 8:16 am // Reply

    Acetone. When I scratch them slightly open, I soak it with acetone for a minute or 2. Never itches again. Acetone is finger nail polish remover.

    • How long did you soak and did you soak in cold water or hot

    • I am cover all over from these Red Devils. Even have huge knots on my buttocks. Some have come infected and have drainage. I have took rubbing alcohol and rub my whole body down. Gave some relief for short period. Not sleeping at night tormented. Will soaking in a tub of water with Epsom salt work or what about Clorox in a tub of water? Does the water need to be hot or cold

  97. I have tried anything from anti itch cream but that won’t work I tried aloe Vera that used to help but now I have no idea how to get rid of them

  98. Wasmiserable. // August 7, 2016 at 10:18 pm // Reply

    Do not bath in hot or warm water.
    Cold water stopped the itching temporarily.

  99. Got these ‘bites’ over a week ago. Some places are as big as a dime, some small but all itch INSANELY bad! Thought they were mosquito bites initially. But realize now they are not. WHAT is the best thing to stop the itching, I am loosing sleep?

  100. Benzocaine 10 percent helps

  101. Deerhunter // August 5, 2016 at 7:46 am // Reply

    Biofreeze!roll on..

  102. Try pepto bismal. No joke
    Think about digestive enzymes dab on with cotton ball

  103. Just soak a cotton ball with alcohol and rub it over the affected area. It really works.

  104. Sulfur dust to prevent on shoes and pants.jewel weed juice for relief

    • Yesterday I took your tip and put some rubbing alcohol on chigger bites and it worked far better than anything I ever tried. Within minutes the itching disappeared and a few hours later the redness was greatly reduced. I didn’t have to use the alchhol again for at least 6 hours. So glad you posted that and that I read it ! Aug 31, 2016

  105. Chigger bitten // July 29, 2016 at 2:51 am // Reply

    Yikes. I can’t get rid of them. Do they live in doors? And if so how do I get rid of them?

  106. I tried everything blue star ointment, triple antibiotic ointment, Benadryl, oatmeal bath, hydrocortisone, prednisone, hydroxyzine, calamine lotion, clear nail polish nothing worked. I tried Vicks vapor rub and salt finally no itching.

    • I got chiggers last summer and tried all the over the counter products. I got them again this summer and saw the Vicks and Salt concoction on another site. Finally some relief from the intense itching!! Best homemade remedy out there!

  107. Mouth wash especially Listerine, pour it over bites in the tub, and less scary than bleach

  108. Neosporene helps the itch for me.

  109. How long do they last? I need them gone.

    • I’ve had them three times since moving to Idaho a year ago. I’m only bite at dark and if I stand in one stop on out property, happen on our
      drive way twice and then in our weeds which was mowed the day before. They last for four weeks I’ve tried everything, so I don’t go out at dark and wear flip flops 24/7
      Good luck

  110. RUBBING ALCOHOL DABBED WITH A COTTON BALL WORK’S GREAT, DONE THE TRICK FOR ME.

  111. I have chigger bites and I need relief I was camping and I was playing football and I was in the grass. I have them in my armpit and on the side of my hips and lungs. Please some one help me.

  112. how long do red bugs last

    • nail polish really does work, if you leave it on for a while and sleep with it on and just keep putting it on until it’s better

  113. Please listen very closely.Chiggarid.Walgreens pharmacy.I have horrible scars from these creatures.This is the only relief I have found.

  114. The best thing for the bumps is to cleanse the skin to get as much of their secretion gone as possible, which is what is making you itch. Hybacleanse is the best anti-bacteria soap out there. Wash 2x a day with it for up to 3 days. Also, exfoliating the dead skin is good on the third day.

  115. Chigger hater in FL // June 18, 2016 at 3:26 am // Reply

    I’ve been itching for over two weeks. It is miserable. Tried so many things that did not work. The best relief I get is taking benadryl, soaking in Epsom salt bath and applying witch hazel every few hours. I’m going to Dr. to get Rx creme and possibly steroids because the itching is so intense. Also, the welts are still huge, it has been 16 days since the itching started. I am in North Florida Gainesville area. I got them in swampy area by the river.

  116. Anyone heard of putting WD-40 on the bites? Supposedly QD-40 is fish oil? Soakes in the skin and helps.. Didn’t try it but kinda made sense.

  117. Some of you should pause for a moment before commenting and read the article. It prevents you from posting advice that the article demonstrates to be nonsense. Also prevents you from looking foolish. Temporarily.

  118. Can chiggerex or calaclear be applied in groin area

  119. PepperCake // June 10, 2016 at 8:09 am // Reply

    I had chigger bites for 3 days putting benadril cream on it – didn’t work. So I went back to a childhood remedy of putting nail polish on the bites. The next day they were 70% gone. My husband couldn’t believe it. The swelling and redness gone.

  120. bleach applied to the area with cotton ball, let sit for a few minutes.
    Also, Benadryl makes a “Children’s Itch Cooling Gel” that works superbly to cur the itch. I use it all the time for itches, and I’m over 60. I guess they call it “Children’s” sot that it is obviously safe for all.
    Get stuff and hard to keep in the drugstore shelves cause it is so effective. So I order it online!

  121. Vinegar and baking soda paste. Apply

  122. Slick Rick // May 22, 2016 at 10:00 pm // Reply

    Anti-itch 2% at Family Dollar and After-Bite stick at local Walgreens will help. Yes they are annoying….I live in Georgia and seem to get bit everyday.

  123. Hope this help // May 15, 2016 at 8:28 pm // Reply

    Put clear nail polish on the red spot 3 time a day for 2 day and 2 time a day after that it going away I get them 2to3 time a year

  124. Get you some lye soap it’s the best

  125. One cap of bleach in bath tub and submerge in mixture

  126. Was itching so bad every time I moved. Then I put vaporizing ointment on all my bites 😃now I don’t itch just smell. I can now heal. Chiggers were in my climbing roses which are on my front porch railing.

  127. Nail polish does not smother them since they don’t attach to you. By the time you feel the itch they have fallen off and moved on. You just have to relieve the itch and treat for possible infection.

  128. Then why in Kenya the people have very big ones & could get infection & die

  129. Nail polish, it smothers them, I promise it works.

  130. Try deodorant on you chigger bites while in the woods! It stops the itch instantly but it comes back…

  131. I’m thinking I have either chiggers or bird mites..How do you kill them?

  132. Soak in pinesoil for 30 minutes

  133. My child has bites on him he was in the woods could it be red bugs

  134. Jeff me name is // November 6, 2015 at 9:34 pm // Reply

    Chigger bites are very annoying

  135. Kentucky girl // October 15, 2015 at 4:31 pm // Reply

    There is an awesome product available at most pharmacies. I found mine at Wal-Mart. It’s called Chiggerex. It contains aloe and chamomile to soothe irritated skin and it also contains Benzocaine to help temporarily numb the awful itch. This stuff also works on a number of other pesky & itchy insect bites.

  136. Try witch hazel gel

  137. I used witch hazel on bites took inflammation and itch out

  138. I need to know how to make the itch stop when you are bit by a red bug. Please reply back.

  139. Pinkandblavki // September 24, 2015 at 3:02 pm // Reply

    I have chigger bites I need help???

    • Rub a lemon on the bites it will stop the itch for about 12 hours, sorry to say it will come back , but just get another lemon for another 12 hours of relief , hope this helps

    • I’ve tryed everything under the sun. Now someone told me about calaclear loction been using for the third day it’s a pain 3 to 4 times aday. I do have like holes in my leg (burrows). Ugly, the itching stoped, hope it workes. Other than that I hope this helps the both of us. One last thing it stoped itching waiting to heal. I hate red bugs.

  140. Stop the chipper bite itch. One medium cotton ball soaked in hydrogen peroxide. Let it soak-in until it burns.

  141. I have over two hundred bites. i was wearing long jeans socks and shoes. i went to pick grapes but the deer had already got the ones that were reachable. i left the area within. five mintues. . I am miserable .

  142. how can you get them out of your mattress and clothes?

  143. Preparation-H ointment

  144. Any kind of toothpaste works and I had chiggers on me and I put toothpaste on and it was cold and soothing and I guess it’s froze Em off

  145. Mix gumbo file’ and olive oil and mix well to make a black paste. It will draw out the poison. Cover infected areas.

  146. Itchy O'Malley // September 1, 2015 at 4:09 pm // Reply

    Take a warm bath with a cup of bleach in it.
    Soak for 30 min then rinse in shower with cool water and soap.

  147. chigger hater // August 27, 2015 at 10:28 pm // Reply

    I got chiggers walking through tall grass. I am sitting here now with Crest toothpaste on the bites and it works. It helps to stop the pain, plus the red areas do not have a chance to spread. I showered and washed all linen and clothing. If they don’t stop, I will be getting into the pool in hopes that the chlorine will at last prevent them from biting.

  148. Growing up and even now with working outdoors all the time I get red bugs every now and then. To get rid of them I’d take a bath with just a small amount of bleach and that’d kill them all.

  149. Yeah but how do you get rid of the bumps, I’m going to the beach in five days

  150. Add a little bleach to your bath, not a lot or it will burn your skin and use blue star onitment afterwards on affected areas

  151. time to get rid // August 7, 2015 at 11:26 pm // Reply

    red bugs and chiggers

  152. I have red bugs

  153. Soak in hot/ warm bath. Pour bottle rubbing alcohol,they die….die die . Nasty critters. All mouth!!!

  154. Sounds like scabies.

  155. Raised in the South, we always had red bug bites in the summer! Vicks vapo-rub
    always stopped the itching for us kids! I have some now from a trip to the woods two days ago! Getting the Vicks ready to apply after my bath!

  156. The itch is real // August 3, 2015 at 3:02 pm // Reply

    These are the worst thing I have ever incountered. Nothing has worked including prednasone beneydrel anti itch creams dermablast the list goes on. I would never wish this on anyoneđŸ˜©đŸ˜©đŸ˜©đŸ˜©đŸ˜©

  157. A good scratch followed by antiseptic cream is best!

  158. vicks vapor rub the best itch relief

  159. How to get rid of them

  160. I PUT A DROP OF SUPER GLUE ON EACH ONE. IT SEEMS TO KILL THEM ALMOST INSTANTLY. THE ITCH STILL COMES BUT YOU STOP THAT WITH BENZOCAINE UNTIL IT HEALS.

  161. Wear boots and tuck your pants in.

    • Bleach, super-glue (gel), sea salt, Vicks/mentholatom, are the only things that’ve worked for me in 15yrs of living between Lake and woods. Hands down.

  162. frankentad // July 24, 2015 at 8:15 am // Reply

    The problem is no-one knows they have been bitten until after the fact. So if you don’t get to the shower and watch it off, same thing with poison ivy, then your back to being a scratch addict. Finger nail polish does help with the itch and it’s the only thing that helped me when I sat on a colony of chiggers while fishing. It wasn’t until
    half way home from fishing I was itching!

  163. southernhiker // July 22, 2015 at 9:52 pm // Reply

    Apply the deet before going in, EVERY TIME!

  164. xpressgirl // July 22, 2015 at 6:34 pm // Reply

    Mom always painted chiggers with finger nail polish remover, it suffocates them and they heal.

  165. I used nail polish and it has worked everytime.

  166. As a kid my grandmother put one cup of rubbing alchohol in my bath………worked everytime

  167. Paint with clear nail polish. It works

  168. A bleach bath will clear everything up within 48 hours

  169. Peppermint oil works great as well. A good preventative is sulfur. You can buy Home Depot or other stores like it. After you buy it come home get an old sock, fill it with the sulfur tie a knot in the top and your ready to use it. When going out in tall grass you bang the sock around your ankles waist or any other place one of these nasty bugs can get.

  170. Clear fingernail polish isn’t to kill them. I grew up using it to stop the itching. Also, a good way to check for chiggers is to place a white paper plate in the weeds or grass where you intend to camp. If it’s infested, you’ll see them on the plate gathering. They move pretty quick. And by the time you feel the itching, their gone.

  171. scoutmomma // July 22, 2015 at 12:19 pm // Reply

    Used Chigarid. There is also Chiggerex, but it doesn’t work as well. Ask your pharmacist to show you where to find these in the drugstore.

  172. On them and poison ivy I like to wash area then dry with a hot hair dryer. Don’t burn yourself but it’s more wonderful than scratching. Then put on an ointment. Won’t itch for a couple of hours.

  173. One capful of bleach in your bath water will stop the itch. We’ve used this successfully for over 50 years. It works!

  174. For prevention use a mixture of baby powder & sulfur power. Mix together & sprinkle in underwear. For relief make a paste with Vaseline & sulfur powder, treat affected spots.

  175. tomahawk patrol man // July 21, 2015 at 2:58 pm // Reply

    The boy scout book says calamine lotion or clear finger nail polish

  176. Very hot water provided intense relief and one week into this torture I used Biofreeze gel and it worked great!!!!

  177. All I can say is they are the worst little creachers out there. What eats them anything?

  178. Vicks or any other ointment containing menthol helps relieve the itch almost immediately. Just be cautious where you apply because it can sting sensitive areas.

  179. Put bleach on a paper towel let it dry of course don’t use it on certain places might not want to use it on the kids

  180. foxtrot 4511 // July 11, 2015 at 8:06 pm // Reply

    i light the end of a spoon with heat and put it on the wound and it helps.

  181. A Dr. told me a few years ago that the cheapest way to go was clear nail polish. That is what we have been using every since then. But, is a chigger also called a Red Bug.

  182. Clorox will kill chigers!

  183. Hot showers help too

  184. I know they say chiggers don’t embed into your body but thats not entirely true. I have had one embedded in my leg for at least 2months-waiting to get into a doctors office to help me with it. I finally found what it was on the internet and have it with me to take to the doctor tonight.

  185. Pinesol, my grandma taught me this. Put pinesol straight on a wash cloth put it head to toe avoid eyes etc in about a couple minutes take a shower use hot water and soap on the pinesol cloth and scrub up good. repeat with a clean washcloth just the soap and rinse. It works and it works on the itching!!!! Yes I use this on the dog also!!!!! Use common sense and not get in their eyes or yours when they shake…

    • Hi I hope it works I just put it on a friend from head to toe he is covered in redbugs he went down on motorcyle and landed in the woods thank you

  186. Quick relief // July 5, 2015 at 10:59 pm // Reply

    For immediate relief: best I’ve found is Carmex lip balm.
    For larger area: Witch Hazel has a cooling effect which may restore sanity long enough to buy Carmex.

  187. đŸ’•đŸ’đŸŒđŸ’• // July 5, 2015 at 2:52 pm // Reply

    Hydrocortisone 10.

  188. What I did I used hydrocortisone 10 on mine it worked for me.đŸ’đŸŒ

  189. I heat up the side of a lighter and touch it several times on the red area. Stops itching. Works on the smaller ones, but the big angry areas not so
    Much.

  190. rubbing alcohol helps

  191. baking soda and water paste

  192. So Im askin how long do they stay on u

  193. I used Nutrogena shampoo as a salve, it worked!

  194. I used Nutrogena shampoo as a salve in desperation, it worked very well, as i was about to cut my skin off from the intense itching.

  195. I am experiencing chigger bites on the bottoms of my feet and on my ankles and have wanted to rip the flesh off it is itching so badly! NOTHING worked UNTIL I ran across this old remedy and within minutes I felt relief……..it’s very simple…..
    1 tablespoon of Vick’s Vapor Rub (I assume any Menthylatum will work)
    3 tablespoons of salt
    Mix together well. Put directly onto the bites.
    I applied mine to the entire area just to cover any chance there may of something I may miss.
    This mix can be stored in a container for years, just stir and apply.

  196. I have used listerin an scope mouth wash they both work good just soak a rag an rub down with it there’s a sting for a moment but no more itching

  197. I was picking blackberries and the next day my stomach area was covered in little red bites, some looked like tiny pimples. I called my Dr. And was advised to buy prid drawing salve and apply it twice a day to clean dry skin. I have done that today and it hurts really bad to apply the salve but does help stop the itching.

  198. Soak in oatmeal baths or Epsom salt and apply itching creams. Try to avoid scratching as much as u can!

  199. Not sure how I got my welts and itchy chiggers .but did pull weeds in garden and flowerbeds 2 days ago. No sign then .had a few fire ant bites this worse. Large welts and burning itchy red hives. Used chiggers cream from phsrmacy and took benedryl not much help.

  200. It says in the information above NOT to use nail polish. I’m sure bleach isn’t good for the skin either. I would go with the info above and use some hydrocortisone cream or maybe even some calamine lotion.

  201. i am loaded with bites everywhere!! I got them from. My chihuahua!! He walked into the long wet grass. I was scratching one on my wrist and it looked like something caught inside the center of the bite. I took tweezers and pulled out something that looked like a minute bug leg!! There is an open wound where it came out of so they must burrow into the skin. It’s just a matter of how long they stay there! I have been scratching for 2 days, using hydrogen peroxide when they flare up!!!

  202. I rinse rubbing alcohol on bites, do a small bleach rinse and put an anti itch cream on.

  203. tyes_baby12 // June 18, 2015 at 7:56 am // Reply

    I have red bug bites and the best way to get rid of the itches is anti itch cream and sit in a tub of bleach

  204. Fenwickmike // June 18, 2015 at 6:26 am // Reply

    Clear nail polish works 100% of the time. No itching. Been there many times

  205. how do you get rid of chiggers or Trombiculidae. weve tried everything

  206. awesome sauce // June 17, 2015 at 8:35 pm // Reply

    My brother had chiggers and I came here to look for treatment but I can’t find it can any one tell me?????😊

  207. I have chiggers and they itch really bad

  208. Superwatermelon // June 10, 2015 at 8:25 am // Reply

    I HATE CHIGGERS

  209. Nail polish

  210. bumblebee the transfomer // June 6, 2015 at 12:25 pm // Reply

    not sure if my sis has them looks like it. how small are they any way???

  211. I am going nuts with whatever is biting me. All i see is the result…the whelp or bite and the itch. I see no bug. We do have lots of woods and vegetation around our house. I trimmed my gardenias by hand on saturday and think i must hsve gotten into someyhing then. However, four days later i am still getting new bites….but see absolutely no bug. Is this red bugs?

  212. Does the rash or hives spread from chiggers because it’s gone from my right leg, to my right arm to my left..

    • cloak and daggers // June 18, 2015 at 1:12 am // Reply

      they probably fell off and are in your carpets and bedding and are biting you at night. that why new bites. best thing you can do is try washing all your bedding multiple times and shampoo your carpets. steam clean your mattress and carpets. then if you are still getting bit repeat the process and call and exterminator. you have a bad infestation in your house.

  213. I new it

  214. It talks more bout what happens more then how to treat em

  215. when I go into the house I go straight to the shower and pore alcohol all over me before I shower….. Because I get them really bad… It has worked for me really well….

  216. I use to see these crawling all over the concrete stairs when i was little. I use to squish them cause they made red marks on the pavement. And i thought they were just really tiny spiders.

  217. Southern boy // May 27, 2015 at 12:33 pm // Reply

    In the deep woods of Alabama where the “red bugs” live in our spanish moss down around our rivers and swamp, waiting on you to camp and hunt around them. You only need two things…. put some WD-40 on it and top it off with a small piece of duct tape. Thats the remedy.

  218. Hydrogen peroxide and Vinegar!!

  219. I’ve tried everything over the counter and prescription hydrocortisone. Nothing works but the clear fingernail polish and all my boys and family will attest to that. We live on a bayou and they get them all the time.

  220. Don’t know why but used to get red bugs bad in woods and had to use turpintine or finger nail polish to kill them. Now guess I’m immune to them. Get them usually don’t scratch or put anything on them and they gone in day or two. Wonder why?

  221. Baby bleach // May 6, 2015 at 6:53 pm // Reply

    Bathe in bleach and water and it will stop itching! At least it worked for me anyway!

  222. I asked a pharmacist and he said alcohol would”by help. Instead I found an old remedy using vices vapour rub and salt. It’s on wiki how and its great! Stopped the itching almost immediately and dried out the wounds. Highly recommended, B

  223. Lighter fluid

  224. southcamper // April 27, 2015 at 6:16 pm // Reply

    I guess I have to deal with chiggers. Since where I live the humidity is either 100, 99, or in the winter 98. Also on a cool day it’s only 86 degrees out. :/

  225. My son gets them all the time and the nail polish really helps take his itching and swelling away!

  226. Fingernail polish has never worked for me personally nor my family. However, what has worked to alieve the itching is a product called, After Bite. It comes in a slender hard tube. It’s main ingredient of only two is, ammonia. Try applying before you scratch the area and it becomes exposed. It will sting a little if so.
    This has worked for us and those darn things LOVE us!

  227. Triple antibiotic cream and they’re gone in 3 days, fingernail polish will sting if the skin has been scratched,

  228. My 5 year old daughter has them what’s safe

  229. TaylorSwiftie // March 25, 2015 at 9:29 pm // Reply

    I used alcohol and it’s gone! After about 2-4 days or more. BY THE WAY nail polish remover works too. ( it has alcohol.) Also if you do use alcohol imedietly was it with cool water. This may sting but oh, it kills chiggers alright

  230. gasoilne

  231. cup of bleach in your bath water works wonders…

  232. I ran a tree service for 11 years .I found that kerosene works well but you need to wash with dish detergent or something like shortly after

  233. Appreciate your article but I want to know – how long does this itch last? Do they bite just once & then fall off or have they “camped out” for a while? I have scratched sores on my body! Also, does wearing an insect spray (such as Off) help deter the bugs before they get on you?

  234. Thank you – very informative. Saved me from the finger nail polish – I was ready to try it.

  235. I found taking a bleach bath works really well

  236. I have been bitten by a red bug with a flat back and it looks like it has a little black spots not to sure though but the bites looked similar to mosquito bites then it spread I was in bed and it happened around 5 am not sure if it’s this chiggers bug or a bed bug if so how do they get in how do you get rid of them???? So far I saw only two.

  237. I used apple cider vintages. It buns at first but stopped the itch.

  238. actually I have used regular apple cider vinegar seemed to work for me relieved the itching

  239. muratic acid gets em’ GUARATEED !!!!!
    may leave a permanent scar.

  240. Make a baking soda paste. It works wonders. Just put enough water with baking soda to make it pasty then apply with hands of washcloth to bites.

  241. Variety of things such as hydrocortisone cream, aloe vera, vicks vapor rub, extremely hot baths work well. I happened to come across a cream called chiggerex at walmrt which does wonders.

  242. What about in the house? Can they stay on your furniture or in your bed?!

  243. Apply either rubbing alcohol/ bleach
    Allow to dry then apply Vicks vapor.
    Repeat 2x a day…best after initial shower

    • Apply witch hazel with cittin ball, it instantly stops the itching!!! You can buy it from Walmart or dollar stores for less than $4.00! It dies work!!!

      Then either go swimming for a long time in a chlorinated pool, or soak in tub with vinegar or bleach, followed by a long shower to rinse off! I hear that yellow mouthwash on a cotton ball dabbed on your skin also works!

  244. I have it all over my body its like itches real badand it keeps spreading what should I do

  245. thanks I will rilly try this out because I have red bugs I went to the pond and got them I did”t even no I had them ontil 2 days later they itched rely bad.

  246. The ONLY thing that has worked in Vicks Vapor rub with salt!

  247. South Georgian // July 31, 2014 at 10:03 pm // Reply

    Washing the infected areas with rubbing alcohol works. It gets rid of the itching and the bugs

  248. I have red bug bites and I do not like them how do I get rid of them

  249. ChiggaChiggaYeahYeah // July 25, 2014 at 10:41 pm // Reply

    Those chiggaz got me so bad I wuz perscribed antibiotics.

  250. I was at summer camp and I got 70 chigger bites on my stomach. I still have scars from itching them

  251. I think I have an infestation of chiggers….itches bad and bumps are very uncomfortable

  252. Clorox on a q-tip helps. Bug spray applied before exposure helps. Take a scrubby hot shower with soap immediately after coming inside will prevent many of the crawling critters from attaching. Chiggerex works for the itching.

  253. Just got chigger bites about a week ago, bout ready to scratch my ankles off. Read about Vicks rub and salt. It totally works.
    Mix together Vicks rub or any generic mentholatum ointment and ordinary salt until the salt is well in the ointment. Dab or spread over all the bites making sure to have salt granules on each bite. the menthol feels cool and the salt (to me) helps dry them up and stop itching!

  254. I got chiggers bad one year camping and on the way home we stopped at a hotel….we got in the pool and the chlorine killed them dead!

  255. Thanks

  256. Anti-itch lotion works great
    🙂

  257. To keep them from biting in the first place, apply some Vick’s Vapor Rub on your legs and ankles before you go out.

  258. An old trick to avoid getting chiggers, is apply a light dusting of powdered sulfur (Walgreens) in your socks or shoes before going out in woods. Remembering this trick is the next problem.

  259. I have more than 50 chigger bites on my chest, shoulders, and back. I thought they were mosquito bites, but when Hydrocortisone wasn’t working, my mom said it might be chiggers. I showered in warm water (heavenly relief for the intense itch), and have applied calamine. Tomorrow, I think I will try bathing in baking soda water.

    • I have over 125 chigger bites. I believe I got them picking cucumbers in my garden.I went to Dr. because I did not know what they were. I have had them for three days and they are not going away. I keep breaking out. now on my face and neckline. I am using benedryl and calamine as per my Dr. Can you get poisoned from so many? HELP!

  260. To avoid the monsters, wear long pants and tuck them into your boots when working outside. If you do get them, take a bath in a weak bleach solution to kill them. Then use cortizone cram on the affected areas.

  261. wanddrama // June 7, 2014 at 2:57 am // Reply

    aloe vera works great

  262. big fergie // June 5, 2014 at 4:48 pm // Reply

    Try mint flavored mouthwash. It works and smells minty fresh, but sticky to the touch.

  263. country girl // June 5, 2014 at 4:19 pm // Reply

    I have tried a little of everything and decided to use a tea bag. My mom always used tea bags for everything. Well, it worked! The itching stopped and the redness started to fade. I just made tea for me. Then used the warm tea bag on my worst spots. I only held it on the bite for a minute or two. Hope this helps.

  264. jojo21381 // June 3, 2014 at 8:49 pm // Reply

    Use to get chigger bites regularly. Best thing I found was clear nail polish. Because once places are painted u can see the little dot. After places dry scratch off the nail polish and bug with it.

    • Did you read the article. It said bugs did not burrow. I thought the same. I could not understand why the nail polish was not working. Then I found this article, now I know why its not working.

  265. In the Scratch of time // June 1, 2014 at 10:09 pm // Reply

    Try using Avon Skin So Soft, Original Scent. We have used the oil version and it cuts down ALL bug interaction. It also helps dogs with their itchy hot spots.

  266. Anonymous // June 1, 2014 at 7:28 am // Reply

    Finger nail polish works better than anything else it is not just a myth !!!

  267. Take a long bath in Epsom Salt!

  268. redbugdead // May 30, 2014 at 8:47 pm // Reply

    Hairspray gets rid of them but burns real bad

  269. Chigger magnet // May 24, 2014 at 10:06 pm // Reply

    I’ve been fighting this for years. Nail polish doesn’t help much, joint meds like icy hot works pretty well, preparation H helps. I also have tubes of cortisone cream within reach at all times. I really just want to know how to avoid the bites because there is really nothing that instantly cures the itch. I’ve tried it all. I ant even step into grass I have to stay on sidewalks at all times. Why me?

    • For a good chigger repellent, get sulfur at Vitamin Shoppe (call ahead for Walgreen’s or CVS — they may not carry). Sprinkle sulfur liberally inside socks and shoes and on your legs.

    • Have you ever had an allergy test? Sounds like you may be experiencing an allergic reaction to grass.

  270. I was cutting tree limbs in my back yard and felt something biting me but thought nothing of it, now that I’m reading this website I understand what it was. It itches like crazy. Scratch scratch scratch!!!! Thanx for info. Itchy

  271. There’s a liquid benedryl and also a spray that works pretty well.

  272. clear nail polish works great

  273. If they get on your dogs and in the house how do u treat them?

    • Well,,, I was cleaning a yard that hadn’t been kept up with ln a while when I contacted the villians, and I soaked in epsomes salt and used lotion with tea tree oil mixed in it, also I put a blow dryer on the bites on the hot setting and it felt great and dried them up quick! Not recommended for young children.

    • I would like to know the same thing. My lap dog lays all over me. Also, how long do the bite spots stay itchy?

  274. wow that is alot of work

  275. Walkin in the woods // November 7, 2013 at 5:05 pm // Reply

    Benadryl works ok but it makes me sleepy. I rub deodorant/ antiperspirant on the itch. It takes the edge off 🙂

  276. Thanks for the info

  277. Red bugs are orange

  278. itchy princess // September 24, 2013 at 11:28 pm // Reply

    i slept over to my sister’s house who has a cat and I am itching like crazy because she let the cat out side and ut came back in with flees and other stuff so now I have flee bites and other itchy red bites that itch and hurt and they also made my ankles swollen.

  279. My doctor (allergist) thought they were spider bites but when my daughter got them around her waistband also a few days later I knew it was something else. We have used the maximum strength hydrocortisone crĂšme with a bandaid over to keep the crĂšme in place. This has helped some but I am trying some of these other remedies. Thanks!

  280. Scratch the scale off and put fingernail polish or spray whith hair spray

  281. hmmm i might have chiggers need to thry this tea tree oil, lavender oil and cedarwood oil or euclyptus oil. lol

  282. Tooth paste actually does help!!!

  283. Hiker Fanatic // September 3, 2013 at 9:38 am // Reply

    Prevention is the key. Powder sulfur on shoes, socks and pants. Along with insect repellent liberally sprayed all over your body. Once out of the woods hot shower vigorously scrubbing every inch of your anatomy with soap and repeat. Immediately wash clothes in HOT water. Do this regimen every time your in the woods and it can save days of misery.

  284. I take extremely hot showers – pat your body dry – then swab the bites with rubbing alcohol. Repeat in 12 hours. Do this for 2 or 3 days. When the hot showers stop giving feelings in the bite areas, the bites should heal. Be prepared for the bites to look bad for up to 3 weeks.

  285. DieChiggers! // August 31, 2013 at 7:52 pm // Reply

    I’m suffering from chigger bites. The only thing that stops the intense itching is something very simple: toothpaste. I don’t know why, but it works. Hope this tip helps someone else.

  286. I did not know it was chiggers. I thought bed bugs. mite infection.
    Mostly I had never felt anything like it since chickenpox.

  287. Baking soda baths help neutralize the sting of them as well. I took 4 tbsp baking soda and 4 tbsp cornstarch and whisked it into coconut oil (in its liquid state- warm) , then put it in fridge a while to turn solid. Rub that on bites and it works! Great relief… I later added a drop of tea tree oil — even better!!! Use powdered sulfer from garden center dusted on shoes and socks to prevent them

  288. where do you buy all these oils? I purchased some teatree oil and have been using it on my daughters hair to eliminate lice. Now we need your help on where to buy the other four oils. Thank.

  289. itchy-scratchy // August 18, 2013 at 7:51 am // Reply

    Neem oil diluted in hot water. Let the water cool down.Then add cedarwood oil, eucalyptus oil, teatree oil and lavender oil. Put it all in a spray bottle and spray on yourself. If the cedarwood oil doesnt kill it then neem oil will make it lose Interest in food, mating and it’ll die of starvation! Goodluck!

  290. hot shower and goldbond cream have helped
    also change your clothes in case they are on or in your socks , pants, etc

  291. I squeeze the bites and apply neat tea tree oil,usually works.

  292. Ammonia stops the stinging and itching immediately.
    Works on wasp,bee,yellow jacket,fly, mosquito,chigger,tic,flea, etc…..
    Learned this from a man that mows/bush-hogs transmission line right of ways.
    A man in contact with Millions of Biteing Insects Daily.

  293. ok did the Clorox bath not shower with the scrubby and put vicks vapor rub on all the chigger bumps I have finally found relief for itching tried the Benadryl cream only helps for a few minutes thank you just me

  294. Montana Grandma // August 1, 2013 at 6:20 pm // Reply

    Thought the bugs were limited to southern states..not so! Got four bites and spent four miserable days until I found this on the internet. Can function again and thanks to all who described effective treatment!

  295. Heerzjohnny // August 1, 2013 at 1:02 am // Reply

    This is gonna sound crazy and off the wall, but Preparation H works unbelievably!!! Not only did it kill the itch, but it killed the welts to little red dots for a day and cleared out to dry skin. Like I said, sounds crazy, but talking from experience when all hotel had to offer.

  296. Bathe (not shower) in suddsy bath, scrub with abrasive side of wash cloth, dry, & treat bites with Calodryll lotion or Ivarest Medicated Cream. Try to resist scratching…

  297. my son works outdoors in wooded and grassy areas got chiggrers, take luke warm shower and wash well, then put baking soda on all bites let sit a bit then rinse. Should be cool on bite marks and takes away itching.

  298. I have a bunch around ankles and washed with a finger nail brush with hot hot water and dawn dish soap and then put nix head lice shampoo for ten minutes already got relief will see if it last all night

  299. So Im pretty positive I have chiggers, and my brother told me to take a bleach bath and that will help well the next day I woke up and had this little bumps all over my fourhead and aroundy jaw line and nose? Is this from the bleach, maybe a delayed reaction or do you get a rash sometimes from the chiggers?

    • Why are you putting bleach on your skin? Those red bumps were probably a chemical burn. Bleach can be very harmful if it comes into contact with your skin, so you probably wouldn’t want to bathe in it!

  300. florida surveyor // July 12, 2013 at 7:07 pm // Reply

    I work in the woods all the time. The only thing that I’ve had any luck with is washing the area with sudsy ammonia and leave it on for a couple of minutes. You must do this outside or the smell will mess you up.

    Trust me, after working outdoors for more than 30 years, I’ve tried everything. This works

  301. it reay buys // July 11, 2013 at 2:55 am // Reply

    White vingear

  302. I’ve seen sites where it recommends nail polish to prevent yourself from scratching, so it’s still a good idea.

  303. anastazia // July 7, 2013 at 9:08 pm // Reply

    Scrub your legs with a rough towel that you exfoliate your skin with in a tub of shallow water and bleach it worked for me then apply some itch cream for extra relief those little mf’s were gone two days later.

  304. Anonymous // July 7, 2013 at 1:43 pm // Reply

    Ahhh!!! Can’t stop scratching!!! Tried it all…

  305. Deadeye_RS // July 7, 2013 at 8:39 am // Reply

    This seems to work to prevent getting them on you in the first place. Take dryer sheets, rub them on your socks and pant-legs, then stick the sheets in your shoes before you put them on.

  306. Lye soap helps immediately

  307. I’ve been itching like crazy, and I’m from Mississippi, where the red bugs are bad!! I’ve bathed in bleach, used every itching cream imaginable, and nothing has worked!! I keep having new bites come up every day!! Help!!!

    • Just camped in Mississippi, Red Bugs/chiggers what ever you want to call them..Bites all over areas that I want go into detail. Like Karen I get new ones even after bathing, scrubbing areas, etc. Why are new red bumps popping up? Are these bugs still on me somewhere? I don’t see them? What’s going on? I’m so stinging, itching, painful hurting miserable. Help!

    • mississippi boy // August 7, 2013 at 8:36 pm // Reply

      Try Blue Star Ointment. It really works

  308. I have the chiggers, got them from picking black berries on vacation in Tenn . Nothing works been six days.

  309. went to the dr. he gave the premetherin cream…maybe I need to go back for seconds!

  310. Nothing works !Just wait it out!

  311. Yea just saying the finger nail polish doesn’t work I had chiggeers and it
    Didn’t work but rubbing alcohol works!!!

  312. Besides washing with soap and water what is the best way to ensure one is completely rid of the chiggers?

  313. Country boy 3:16 // June 28, 2013 at 7:12 pm // Reply

    Rubbing alcohol works with a day

  314. The Caretaker // June 24, 2013 at 2:51 pm // Reply

    Epsom Salt Bath

  315. I heard it helps to pee on the little critters….

    • soak in a bleach bath for thirty minutes then put cortizone on the bumps

      • Pee works // June 30, 2016 at 12:44 am //

        I was bitten by chiggers in Tuscany and the itch was unbearable. The cortisone creams did nothing to alleviate the itch. Finally out of desperation I peed on it — it worked! No more itch. Just be sure to sanitize and dress the area properly afterwards..

  316. I had a bump on my leg awhile ago and it looked like a really bad pimple so I didn’t think much about it but it hurt and the skin was hardened around it. Then a week ago I got the same bump on my hip. Puss and blood came out when I accidentally scratched it. It hurts a lot! But it’s going away. Now that I know how they start off I think I’m developing a 3rd and 4th bump on my left leg. In the center of them all it’s a tiny hole.. What could it be?

  317. barbiedoll // June 16, 2013 at 5:46 pm // Reply

    I was looking for information for my dogs. Have been bathing them in the Shampoo required to get rid of mites, fleas, ticks and biting lice even took pets to vet to see if he could figure out what was going on neither of us thought about red bugs! While looking them over one more time I saw the tiny red dots that mean “red bugs” is there anything I can give them to help with the itching??? My dog is pulling out her hair to get to them! help

    • Have you tried original Dawn dish soap? That’s what I have always used to bathe my dog. It controls ticks, and just might work for your situation as well; also keeps her coat beautiful and shiny.

      • Anonymous // June 10, 2015 at 1:19 pm //

        Use Fels Nappa on dogs or when coming in from hunting /woods – fleas and ticks can’t survive the lather and less harsh than Dawn.

  318. Rubbing alcohol does the trick.

  319. Being in the yard is what I love but the chiggers keep me from my passion. They are the most miserable bites and take at least a week to completely stop itching and then they still leave a bruise-like spot. Benadryl stick helps the itching but has to be applied every few hours. I have yet to find a spray to rid my garden of them. Has anyone found anything that works but doesn’t kill plants and flowers. Oh, and roundup doesn’t do it either!

    • knowledgeable One // July 7, 2013 at 9:44 pm // Reply

      Spraying the yard with Malathion will rid it of all insects including chiggers. Be careful to let it dry before letting animals out. Just follow directions on bottle and apply with a sprayer.

      • Hi, just been reading your recommendation of Melathion for treatment to lawns, etc. I am from Scotland and my dog and has been treated 3 times for the paracites and I am covered in bites. Your reply would be appreciated. J x

    • I sprayed with Malathion and Sevin and it seemed to help.

    • Dermovate for humans takes away the itching, but for dogs, its another matter. I have had mine at the vets 3 times now to be treated and still can’t get the little blitters!

  320. 70% rubbing alcohol. Constantly rub alcohol on the areaand I’m from Mississippi in the deep South and we have them bad especially in the woods

  321. Grogan child // June 5, 2013 at 3:24 pm // Reply

    I was scared but since I researched it and found out how to fix it thanks guys

  322. use pine oil works in one day!!!!!

  323. Medicated Chapstick works within a day or so if applied early

  324. Berry Picker // June 1, 2013 at 9:02 am // Reply

    My grandmother made sure we wore long pants and tennis shoes if we were going out in the “scrub”. She would dust us with sulfur. The red bugs got on the grandkids who refused the sulfur treatment. The sulfur washed off in the bath tub. The red bug bites didn’t. I personally prefer to use Off on my kids. It’s not quite as effective as the sulfur was, though.

  325. Anonymous // May 30, 2013 at 7:22 am // Reply

    I got them in the woods. They got on me (could not see them) Sunday, Memorial weekend. I am still fighting them , itching like crazy !!!!!Took a bath and scrubbed them and put itch cream on the bites. When , I got home Monday I put bleach on a Q-tip and dabbed the scratched areas really well. That seemed to help a little on most of the bites. I notices that some of them didn’t come up until Tuesday.

  326. Vicks Salve, or Vicks Vap O Rub as some call it. Believe me it works……

  327. firsttime // May 1, 2013 at 7:59 am // Reply

    diluted clorox bath

  328. Good pirate // April 14, 2013 at 9:00 am // Reply

    Premetherin Cream, you need a prescription for it.

  329. ice !!!! they hate cold

  330. red bugs are red

  331. Since last thursday I’ve been getting bitten I don’t know if its chiggers or not at night I feel things on my legs feet and round the crotch they itch like mad can any tell me if its chiggers that are biteing me

    • calledtoscouting // June 7, 2013 at 5:35 pm // Reply

      You might want to check for bed bugs.

    • Yes,chiggers. They are maddening! Wash all bedding with clorox.hot showers make them raise up ,so itch madly. I try cooler water. Alcohol after drying off.every time they itch they get alcohol.Dries that sticky oozz.

  332. I have chigger bites right now,I was told to use clear nail polish and it’s not working

    • Try a little baking soda an water make a paste like substance an put it on it for about 30 min then go wash it off

  333. I have these bumps on my leg and i thought tht it was chigger but i got all over my both my legs and is now on my stomach and spreading so i guess it’s not chiggers

  334. Nothing works.

  335. i usually use nail polish but this time it isnt workin an there all over my husband:(

  336. bugging out // June 1, 2012 at 2:00 pm // Reply

    I’m so releived

  337. coolman360 // May 24, 2012 at 4:25 pm // Reply

    I thought I had chigger bites but from what you said it sounds like I had extremly severe hives.

  338. yeah I always thought they burrowed in to the skin!

  339. Baby_Wallaby // April 24, 2012 at 3:56 pm // Reply

    I usually put clear nailpolish on it and it does the trick — even though I see you are saying it does’nt.

    • Actually the author didn’t say that. They explained what nailpolish DOESN’T do.

      It’ll work if you believe it works.

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