Our top pick is Off! Active Insect Repellent, which is effective on both the skin and clothes and has a non-greasy formula. If you’re looking for a DEET-free alternative, we recommend EarthKind Stay Away Mosquitoes Insect Repellent.
To find the best mosquito repellents, we tested 15 options and evaluated them based on effectiveness, ease of use, smell, coverage, and value. For each product, we applied a small patch of product on our arm for five minutes to test for any reactions, such as itching or rashes. We took note of how it felt on our skin (like lightweight or greasy), how well it absorbed, and how fast it tried. We also considered the smell of the repellent, as some products can have mild fruity scents while others can be strong and unpleasant.
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Then, we applied the mosquito repellent to our entire arm. Once dry, we sprayed our arm with water and checked to see if the repellent ran or if it stayed put. After those initial tests, we applied the mosquito repellent at least five more times when going outside during the testing period. During use, we evaluated how well the product stayed on our skin and how accurate the listed protection time was. We also considered the portability of each mosquito repellent. (Is the bottle easy to throw in a bag? Does it leak?)
Mosquito repellents can come in many forms or types, such as lotion, sprays, wipes, and oils. In our testing, we evaluated a variety of lotions, aerosols, trigger sprays, and spritz sprays. Choosing the best type for you is based on certain lifestyle factors. For example, applying mosquito repellent on children may be easier with lotion than with a spray. However, sprays are useful because they can often be applied to both skin and clothing (like our top pick, the Off! Active Insect Repellent).
The most common mosquito repellent ingredient is DEET, though IR3535, picaridin, and lemon eucalyptus can also be effective. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, products containing 20 to 30 percent DEET are effective and will protect anywhere between two and 10 hours. However, it’s important to note that products containing more than 50 percent DEET will not work any better for protection.
“DEET was created by the military and has been on the market longer than any other repellent and has an excellent safety record with the exception of occasional and minor skin rashes,” says Jim McHale, president and CEO of JP McHale Pest Management. “By most accounts, it is the best repellent when it comes to fending off ticks, but can leave behind an odor, greasy residue, and may damage some synthetics.”
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Picaridin is another ingredient often found in mosquito repellents. “Picaridin is odorless and synthetically formulated from the same plant that we make table pepper from, and is very effective against weak flying, biting insects. However, it does not have the historical safety data that DEET harbors,” McHale says.
Depending on the type and formulation, some mosquito repellents recommend frequent reapplication or may not work as well with sweat and water. Understanding these variables and establishing your preferences can help you decide which repellent is best for you. For example, the Sawyer Controlled Release Insect Repellent provides 11 hours of steady protection and is sweat-resistant.
“It’s important to research a formulation that fits your planned activity for optimal results,” McHale says. “Both the percentage of the active ingredient and your ability to reapply the product during your outing may factor in your decision.” The Avon Skin-So-Soft Bug Guard Plus SPF 30 Lotion stands out because it doubles as a sunscreen, but it has to be reapplied much more often than the other repellents we tested—every 80 minutes.
Natrapel Tick & Insect Repellent: This picaridin-based mosquito repellent offers up to 12 hours of protection from mosquitoes and ticks. The fine mist aerosol gives a wide-range coverage with no rubbing required. However, we found this repellent’s fragrance to be a little too strong, and we experienced too much liquid releasing after spraying.
Off! Sportsmen Deep Woods Insect Repellent 3: We didn’t enjoy the strong DEET-scent of this repellent, but it provides up to eight hours of protection against mosquitoes and biting flies, including gnats, sand flies, no-see-ums, stable flies, and black files. It also repels ticks, chiggers, and fleas. We found that the spray is released in a thin and somewhat forceful stream, so spreading it thoroughly across your skin is a must for adequate coverage.
With dozens of options and a handful of effective ingredients, it may take some trial and error to find out which mosquito repellent is most effective for you. McHale recommends a product with DEET or picaridin for optimal repellency.
According to the EPA, certain scents, especially in the form of a topical repellent, can help repel mosquitoes and other insects. These include catnip oil, citronella oil, and lemon eucalyptus oil. “Lemon eucalyptus in particular has shown to repel weak flying, biting insects that seek carbon dioxide and lactic acid,” says McHale. “Most repellents interfere with the insects’ olfactory receptors.”
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If you want to take additional preventive measures to avoid mosquitoes, especially around your home, he emphasizes harborage elimination as a safe and effective method. (You can also use a mosquito repellent designed for your yard.)
“Agitators placed in decorative ponds, elimination of standing water, and diverting precipitation away from living areas are essential,” McHale says. “This includes having citronella or lemon eucalyptus candles outdoors; adding mosquito-eating fish to decorative ponds to interrupt breeding cycles; extending bird netting over ponds to capture leaves that elevate mosquitoes’ love of nitrogen; and oscillating fans strategically placed near party areas to deter weak flying biting insects.”
The protection duration, or longevity, of a mosquito repellent will vary depending on a few factors. McHale recommends always checking the percentage of the active ingredient and the application instructions since reapplication usually extends your protection.
“Efficacy is directly correlated to the percentage of the active ingredient,” he says. “Ten percent DEET or seven percent picaridin, applied according to label specifications, can result in two hours of repellency, while 20 percent elevates protection to four hours. According to several studies, however, repellency rates do not elevate significantly above 20 percent.”
This article was written by L. Daniela Alvarez, contributing writer for Real Simple with three years of experience writing about lifestyle content and product reviews. To compile this list, we tested 15 mosquito repellents and evaluated them based on effectiveness, ease of use, smell, coverage, and value. For expert advice, Daniela also consulted Jim McHale, president and CEO of JP McHale Pest Management.
Next to each product on this list, you may have noticed a Real Simple Selects seal of approval. Any product appearing alongside that seal has been vetted by our team—put through tests and graded on its performance to earn a spot on our list. Although we buy most of the products we test, sometimes we do get samples from companies if purchasing a product ourselves isn’t an option. All products go through the same rigorous process, whether they are purchased or sent by the company.
Love our recommendations? Check out more products that have earned the Real Simple Selects, from humidifiers to cordless vacuums.
Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Outdoor
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