Ticks are resilient arachnids that often hitch a ride on clothing after time spent outdoors, presenting a risk of transmitting various diseases. Because these pests are small and can easily hide in fabric folds, people frequently rely on household laundry appliances to eliminate them. Understanding how ticks respond to the water, detergent, and heat exposure of standard washing and drying cycles is important for protecting personal health.
Tick Resilience in Water and Detergent
Ticks demonstrate a remarkable ability to survive the turbulent and wet environment of a washing machine, making the wash cycle alone an unreliable method for eradication. Standard household detergents are generally ineffective as a direct killer because ticks are highly resilient to drowning. Some species can survive hours of submersion in fresh water by trapping air in tiny, hydrophobic hairs on their bodies.
The water temperature of the wash cycle plays the largest role in tick survival, yet most common settings are insufficient. All ticks tested survived cold water washes, and about 94% survived warm water washes (80 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit). The mechanical agitation of the washing machine is often not enough to dislodge the pests, as they latch firmly onto clothing fibers and shelter deep within seams and pockets.
To achieve a 100% kill rate on blacklegged ticks using water alone, the wash temperature must be at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54 degrees Celsius). Many residential washing machines do not consistently reach and maintain this high heat threshold. If the water temperature falls even slightly below that mark, approximately half of the ticks can still survive the cycle.
The Lethality of Heat Exposure
The clothes dryer is the most effective tool for eliminating ticks from clothing, primarily due to the combined effect of high temperatures and desiccation. Ticks are sensitive to low humidity and will rapidly dry out and die when exposed to sustained heat. This drying process is a more reliable killer than simple immersion in water.
For clothing that is already dry, placing it directly into the dryer on a high heat setting is the quickest and most effective course of action. Studies show that a minimum of six minutes on high heat is sufficient to kill all blacklegged ticks. The current recommendation is to use a high heat setting for at least ten minutes to ensure the elimination of more robust species, such as the Lone Star tick and the American dog tick.
If clothing is washed first and comes to the dryer damp or wet, the duration of the high-heat cycle must be significantly increased. The presence of moisture requires a longer period of sustained heat to achieve the necessary desiccation. To ensure all ticks are killed on a load of damp clothing, the dryer should be run on a high-heat setting for a minimum of 50 minutes.
The temperature threshold for this lethality is achieved on a dryer’s high setting, which usually reaches temperatures between 129 and 185 degrees Fahrenheit. Because the heat is delivered in a dry environment, it removes the pests’ ability to regulate their internal moisture, leading to rapid death. Placing clothes directly into the dryer before washing bypasses the unreliable wash cycle and shortens the necessary high-heat exposure time.
Immediate Steps for Removing Ticks from Clothing
Handling clothes immediately after potential exposure is important for preventing ticks from migrating to other surfaces or people. As soon as you come inside, clothing should be removed and handled with care to limit the chance of a tick falling off and seeking a new host.
The quickest way to neutralize any ticks is to immediately place the clothing into the dryer on a high-heat cycle. This action is effective even if the clothes are not soiled and do not require washing. For items that cannot withstand high heat, or if the dryer is unavailable, the clothing should be vigorously shaken outdoors to dislodge any loosely clinging pests.
Any clothing that cannot be immediately laundered should be stored in a sealed plastic bag until it can be processed. This containment measure prevents hitchhiking ticks from escaping and hiding within the home environment. By addressing potentially infested clothing with these steps, the overall risk of tick exposure is lowered.