Mosquitoes are the most annoying and dangerous insects as they carry diseases and their bites will leave you scratching for hours. There is no way that you can stop mosquitoes from coming near you, but there are things that you can do to avoid mosquito bites.
Mosquito repellent comes as a handy solution for people who want to avoid mosquito bites.
In this article, we will understand our enemy (the mosquito) and more about mosquito repellents.
How to Avoid Mosquito Bites Using Mosquito Repellent
The most important factor that you need to be aware of when using a mosquito repellent is safety. It doesn’t matter whether your goal is to prevent bites or protect from diseases, you must use mosquito repellents with DEET or Picaridin.
All-natural oils have their limitations and don’t work as well on mosquitoes compared to DEET oil, so make sure you’re getting something safe for yourself before applying any mosquito product.
Mosquitoes are attracted by carbon dioxide, which means they’ll always find us no matter what we do, but some things can help keep them away (for example, wearing long clothes).
- Some people believe in using mosquito coils, essential oils, and citronella candles.
- When it comes to repellents use ones with DEET oil or a natural plant extract such as lemon eucalyptus, garlic and peppermint. This will help keep mosquitoes away while you’re sleeping (or enjoying the outdoors). The key is applying them regularly so they don’t get hungry enough to bite you.
- There are lots of brands that make good products such as Coleman, Cutter’s Outdoor Products Inc., Sawyer Family Farms Lotion in Child Proof Bottle) – these all have various levels of effectiveness against mosquitos but they all work well!
- Some people also like using Avon Skin So Soft which has been recommended by many others who have used it.
- Other remedies to use are natural ones such as citronella, eucalyptus oil and lavender extract which can be found at health food stores or specialty shops.
- A good way to keep mosquitoes away is by using a mosquito net while you sleep.
- There’s also the option of wearing long sleeves and pants but this has been known not to work for some people who have sensitive skins so make sure beforehand that they’re suitable before buying them.
- You can also find repellent patches on Amazon like Avon Skin So Soft Patches which will help prevent insects from biting during the daytime.
- You can also put on your skin repellent creams before heading out.
- We recommend using these as an alternative to sprays if possible because they’re more gentle when it comes to application and have less harsh ingredients.
Some of our favorite mosquito repellents include: Off! Deep Woods, Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Spray, Thermacell Mosquito Repellent Patches and OFF Clip Ons for Kids.
What is the Best Time To Apply Mosquito Repellent
During summer afternoons and times when mosquitos are most active (usually around dusk) apply a good amount of insect repellant – this will help deter them from landing.
- If you’re living in elevations of at least 5000 feet ensure that your mosquito repellent is designed for high altitudes. This will help increase the effectiveness and decrease the risk of skin irritation, which happens more often when people are exposed to higher altitudes.
- Apply cream a few hours before going outside – this helps it soak into your skin better so mosquitoes have less opportunity to bite through any sort of barrier on your surface layer.
- After traveling back home make sure you reapply as soon as possible because mosquitos can still be active even if there aren’t very many around or they’ve flown away. You may want to use an extra coat over areas where mosquitos were previously feeding off blood and you want to make sure they don’t come back.
- Travelers without a mosquito problem should also be aware that mosquitos are opportunistic and will go for any blood meal, even if it is not theirs. They’re very good at finding people who aren’t as well protected by the repellent so keep them away with light clothing that covers your skin or use an extra layer of product on exposed areas like your neck, face, hands and arms.
- Wear a mosquito repellent that is suited for the environment you’re in. For example, if mosquitos are prevalent on land and water bug spray can be used to cover your skin while an insect repellant lotion should work great for kids who have sensitive or irritated skin when not using DEET protection.
Which Mosquito Repellent Should You Buy
Make sure it has been evaluated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as effective against mosquitoes specifically because there’s no point wasting money on a product that doesn’t do anything!
The EPA will evaluate products sent in by manufacturers but companies must submit their own tests before they get approved to sell them too so always read labels carefully looking at what insects each product protects against! If there are any warnings about pregnant women or children under three years old using a product, it should be avoided.
Types of Mosquito Repellent
There are two basic types of mosquito repellent: DEET and Picaridin.
DEET was created for the military during World War II, which is why you’ll see an abbreviation like “N, N-diethylmetatoluamide” on most labels because it’s used so often in insect bites prevention! It can cause skin irritation or other problems with kids who have sensitive or irritated skin when not using DEET protection but adults will typically tolerate it just fine as long as they avoid getting any in their eyes (you might want to use your index finger instead of your thumb when applying it to the skin).
Picaridin is a newer, greener alternative that doesn’t need to be applied as often and has shown some promise in repelling mosquitoes for up to eight hours! It’s also not usually irritating or drying. Will you get bitten if using Picaridin? Possibly… but less than if you go without any repellent at all. And because only one application lasts so long, it will typically cost less over time too–though there are other considerations like what type of clothing/gear can you use with Picaridin-based products that could make DEET more economical overall (i.e., certain synthetic fibers may absorb picaridin into their fabric faster).
How does mosquito repellent work?
Mosquito repellents are traditionally either chemical or natural. Chemical repellents work by masking the human host’s emanations with a more unpleasant smell, taste, or irritant such as DEET (N, N-diethylmetatoluamide). Natural repellents use ingredients that are found in nature like citronella oil from lemongrass to ward off mosquitoes and other biting insects.
Mosquitoes can be attracted to many different types of scents including sweat and body heat so it is important not only to apply mosquito spray but also to cover up any skin exposed areas with clothing when possible. Mosquito bites tend to occur most often on unprotected parts of the arms and legs which is why it’s important to protect these areas with repellents.
No matter what type of mosquito repellent one uses, it is always best to reapply every couple hours or after taking a dip in the water. It is also recommended that adults use products containing DEET for their children and vice versa as this can provide added protection against mosquitoes while being used on young kids who are not yet old enough to apply their own bug spray effectively.
While there are many different brands of mosquito sprays available at local retailers, you may find that some work better than others depending on where you a located such as near an ocean shoreline which will attract more flying insects due to salt-rich marshes or forested campgrounds typically found in mountainous regions.
