These ingredients have been tested and approved for safety by the EPA , but were not tested for effectiveness. According to Dr. Now that you know the general guidelines for insect repellent, here are some of the best buy sprays to add to your outdoor packing list. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. She recommends the Skin So Soft skin repellent for its added aloe and vitamin E, which give the skin an extra boost of moisture.
A bug spray is only useful when you actually use it—and that means finding travel-size options for certain trips. The heavy duty repellent protects against mosquitoes, gnats, ticks, biting flies, fleas, and chiggers for up to 10 hours. A more comprehensive spray that she recommends is Natrapel Eco Spray, which covers mosquitos, chiggers, gnats, and black flies for up to 12 hours.
The aerosol spray also allows for easy and thorough application. Instead, Conlon told us, the coronavirus is actually digested by the mosquito. This is in no way unique: Ebola, HIV, rabies, and other viruses are not transmitted by mosquitoes. But even though mosquitoes and ticks are not direct vectors of the coronavirus, they can play a role in its severity. The heart of any bottle of bug spray is the repellent chemical, so we started there before digging into specific products.
To cut to the chase, our research led us to picaridin, a repellent chemical endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. But we began our search considering all options, using expert guidance to determine what mattered most when seeking a formula to recommend.
To meet EPA approval, a chemical must undergo extensive testing and evaluation for efficacy, safety, and the potential for environmental hazards. Because these chemicals are classified as pesticides, the EPA not only approves each repellent chemical for use but also each specific product that includes that chemical. This approval extends all the way to the specific labeling on the bottle, including efficacy times, application procedures, and storage and handling.
Store shelves are loaded with repellents that are not approved by the EPA. Most of these are based on essential oils, including cedar oil, lemongrass oil, peppermint oil, and citronella oil. The fact is, essential oils make terrible bug repellents. Conlon told us that many of these have some effectiveness, but that it lasts for a very limited time.
Yes, it is. Is it a good repellent? But like DEET, picaridin does have a proven track record of safety. It appears that after a certain concentration, a maximum effectiveness is reached and additional concentration only leads to a longer protection time.
Minimal drawbacks: Aside from picaridin, the other EPA-approved repellents that we considered have at least one major drawback. Oil of lemon eucalyptus PDF also available as the synthetic PMD is an extract of the eucalyptus tree and not approved for use on anyone under the age of 3 picaridin and DEET are both approved for babies as young as 2 months of age.
After testing, we realized that the biggest drawback to OLE-based repellents is that they smell really, really, really bad. We also evaluated a number of products containing permethrin , which is particularly useful against ticks and is also EPA-approved. Unlike the others, permethrin is meant to be used on clothing and gear like a backpack or tent , but not directly on skin.
Permethrin should be used in addition to a skin-applied repellent, not in lieu of one. Once properly applied to clothing, permethrin remains effective for roughly six washings. When used correctly, permethrin is extremely effective. A decent spray bottle: A good repellent is wasted in a bad bottle. The best ones apply repellent in an even coat with limited overspray. Kids are squirmy, so getting repellent on them takes precision, as does applying spray to the neck and shoulder area.
Locking caps are also a plus, prohibiting an accidental spray and providing one more barrier for a curious child to overcome.
We looked at both pump sprays and aerosols. Some manufacturers offer repellent lotions. We have more thoughts on these below. We did not test for efficacy of the individual repellents for a few reasons. First, there are simply too many variables to account for in order for us to make sweeping statements on repellency.
Is the spray nice and even? Does the repellent bottle have any safety features? Is it likely to activate when stuffed into a backpack? Are there any overwhelming odors? Compared with the other picaridin-based repellents we looked at, the Sawyer pump spray applies repellent the most evenly, with the least amount of overspray.
As we outlined above , this chemical has the most positives and the fewest negatives of any EPA-approved repellent. Compared with other pump sprays, the Sawyer offers the most even cloud of repellent. With the Sawyer repellent, it was easiest to get even coverage on an arm or a leg. Aerosol sprays are much harder to control and result in a lot more overspray. They also make it difficult to spray areas near the face, like the shoulders.
This is much harder with an aerosol can. As a pump spray, this repellent is sold in 3-ounce and 4-ounce sizes. You might find a twin pack for a per-unit discount—retailers tend to rearrange the configurations, so poke around.
It is also available in a 6-ounce aerosol twin pack , which offers a continuous spray. We found it harder to use than the pump spray, but it offers the same protection if the pump spray is out of stock or if you simply prefer the aerosol format. The only real downside to the Sawyer picaridin repellent is that it had a slight off-smell to it when we first applied it.
Best for Ticks:. Offers extra protection for camping and outdoor trips by covering clothes, shoes, and tents with a permethrin-based formula. Best for Mosquitoes:.
Well-known brand with a reputation for highly-effective bug spray, especially against biting bugs. Best for Sensitive Skin:.
A long-lasting picaridin option for those with sensitive skin, less likely to cause skin irritation or leave behind residue. Best Overall: Bullfrog Mosquito Coast. View On EBay. Cons The sunscreen is only water-repellant for 80 minutes Some people may not feel as protected as they do with a repellent containing DEET.
Cons Only lasts one to three hours. Pros Long-lasting protection Fragrance-free Non-greasy. Cons Spray bottle can malfunction. The 10 Best Sunscreens of Best for Kids: OFF! Family Care Picaridin Aerosol. View On Amazon. Cons Can wear off after 90 minutes, but says to only reapply every six hours.
Pros Offers some protection against deer ticks Long-lasting bottle. Cons Some may find the smell to be strong The EPA cautions against using some oil of lemon eucalyptus products in children under the age of three. Pros Very effective for ticks, mosquitoes, chiggers, spiders, mites, and other insects One treatment lasts six weeks or six washings.
Cons Have to treat before use and let dry Only can be used to treat clothing and gear—not directly applied on skin. The 7 Best First Aid Kits of Best for Mosquitoes: OFF! Cons Can stain synthetic clothing and shoes. Pros Fragrance-free Long-lasting. Cons Can leave skin feeling oily or sticky. Active Ingredients: Picaridin Form: Spray.
Frequently Asked Questions How often should you reapply bug spray? What is DEET in bug spray? Can you use bug spray while pregnant? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. What are your concerns? Related Articles. How to Treat and Prevent Chigger Bites. The 9 Best Arthritis Creams of The 8 Best Toothpastes to Buy in How to Prevent Lyme Disease.
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