All you need to know about mosquito repellents work. Discover powerful sprays and natural alternatives that protect you from itchy bites. Imagine you go to a place where hundreds of mosquitoes are buzzing – and you don’t get bitten by them.
Over-itching itching and burning does not bother you. This guide is going to show you a remarkable way to stop the flock of mosquitoes:
- Mosquito repellents spray protect you and your family from dangerous diseases.
- Whether you are in the woods or just have a BBQ in the yard, they are an unbeatable tool to ward off small critters.
While the best way to avoid bug bites is to stay out of areas that are not always possible. All 50 states of the United States have mosquitoes, especially near lakes and standing water. Fortunately, there are many types of repellents available to prevent diseases like West Nile or Zika.
They are often sold as sprays or lotions that are applied to exposed skin.
- Contrary to popular belief, these products do not kill mosquitoes, but they make you unattractive to their sensory system.
- So they’re still on your arm, but they won’t bite you.
Which mosquito repellents work best?
I categorized all the items working in three groups. Feel free to click the button for each of them directly. Jump or just keep reading if you want to know which one is the best.
Sprays with DEET
Ever since it was invented DEET has become the number one choice for Americans who want to protect themselves from bug bites. Nowadays around 30% of the population uses this active ingredient to prevent dangerous diseases caused by mosquitoes and other dirty insects.
Several scientific studies have proven that mosquito repellents with DEET are very effective for individual mosquito control. Once applied to exposed skin it keeps small blood donors and other carriers of diseases at bay. Depending on the concentration, protection lasts for 10 hours. This is enough for hiking trips or camping with family.
Safety for adults and children
Although DEET can cause some side effects like skin reactions, it is widely considered safe by scientists and the EPA. It can also be used for children. Read more about this: Is it harmful to humans?
As long as you apply correctly, it is not nearly as harmful as insect bites are a potential risk. DEET can be used on skin and non-synthetic fabrics such as cotton T-shirts. If you try it once, you will find that this stuff only works. Period.
I regularly use the spray with DEET myself for outdoor activities as well as trips to other countries and I have not yet found an option that can beat these products. Even during a safari in Africa, he helped repel all kinds of harmful insects.
In my opinion you should stick to this type of spray as it is considered the best remedy against mosquito bites currently available.
What should you use to Repel Mosquitoes
- Repellents typically contain 5% to 98% DEET. Concentrations above 20% are not necessarily better, but provide longer-term protection.
- The low amount of active ingredient DEET can only last 90 minutes while 100% stays for 10 hours.
Highly concentrated repellents can however increase the risk of side effects, so you should generally avoid them if you are only visiting low-risk vectors.
Tip: Don’t forget that the exact safety time depends on many things. Apart from the amount of DEET, it is also affected by your sweat, air temperature, activity and many other factors.
From my experience you don’t need more than 20-30% DEET spray for a normal trip like hiking.
- They last around 5h so that you can reapply the spray in most situations before impact.
- If you want to be on the safe side when visiting high risk areas then you can go with high concentration.
The desire control center also recommends 5 repellents in the 20% to 50% range.
Natural Mosquito Repellents
If you are reading this I think it means that you still do not know that mosquito repellent is the best for you. Here is a short summary of my recommendations so far to give you some orientation:
In my opinion DEET is the safest bet regarding mosquito repellents. If you are suffering from side effects, you can also consider other synthetic compounds such as picaridin.
If you are in doubt, I suggest you try one of the sprays given above because in my experience they work best. They are all great options and protect you in a scientifically proven way.
As mentioned before synthetic repellents generally work more reliably and for a longer period of time than natural mosquito repellents. That said, there is still an option for all those who want to stick to natural solutions.
