Mosquito Repelent

[+TexasGringo]

I bought some Natrapel mosquito repelent that contains no DEET...but uses GERANIOL...a plant extract.

 

Well....This Stuff Stinks. No wonder the Mosquitos stay away...I want to stay away too. My clothes stink...My whole car stinks...my house stinks....everywhere I walked I left a trail of STINK...worse than a skunk.

 

Pros....it worked.

[+edscott]

I bought some Natrapel mosquito repelent that contains no DEET...but uses GERANIOL...a plant extract.

 

Well....This Stuff Stinks. No wonder the Mosquitos stay away...I want to stay away too. My clothes stink...My whole car stinks...my house stinks....everywhere I walked I left a trail of STINK...worse than a skunk.

 

Pros....it worked.

 

The worst .. and the best... as in smelling and effectiveness... that I ever used was called Old Woodsman. Used to use it in the Adirondacks in the 60s and 70s. Six months later my climbing clothes would still smell as if it had been freshly applied. Ingredients were camphor, oil of citronella (sp??), and pine tar. I probably absorbed enough of it to shorten my live span by 5 years, but the deer flies, black flies, and mosquitos kept their distance.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

Avon makes a sunscreen/bug repellant that works ok. Then again, I'm not allergic to most bugs and they rarely bite me anyway.

[+gailois]

I found this stuff at Walmart and it's great! Doesn't smell bad at all and has 98.11% DEET. However, I am OUT of it and so is Walmart right now

 

[+PMaholm]

I found this stuff at Walmart and it's great! Doesn't smell bad at all and has 98.11% DEET. However, I am OUT of it and so is Walmart right now

 

 

Geez with that much deet you could melt all the plastic on a small car! But seriously everyone should know the dangers of getting deet on plastic.. as in it eats it.

 

P.S. wish I had some of that at the GeoBash the bugs were ignoring everything else.

 

-PMaholm

[+Prime Suspect]

I bought some Natrapel mosquito repelent that contains no DEET...but uses GERANIOL...a plant extract.

 

Well....This Stuff Stinks. No wonder the Mosquitos stay away...I want to stay away too. My clothes stink...My whole car stinks...my house stinks....everywhere I walked I left a trail of STINK...worse than a skunk.

 

Pros....it worked.

 

You forgot another con - it attracts BEES! (not kidding)

 

Try something with Picaridin. Works better than Geranoil (works as well as DEET), and has a very light odor that disappears in a few minutes. And it doesn't melt plastic.

Edited August 1, 2006 by Prime Suspect

[+gailois]

Thanls for the tip on Picaridin. I'll look for some!

[+Prime Suspect]

Thanls for the tip on Picaridin. I'll look for some!

Cutter is the first to use it in the US. Look for Cutter Advanced, and Cutter Advanced Outdoors.

[+ROOKIE49]

Avon makes a sunscreen/bug repellant that works ok. Then again, I'm not allergic to most bugs and they rarely bite me anyway.

 

I use a product with eucoliptis sorry cant spell but it works for me and no chemicals

[+briansnat]

Avon makes a sunscreen/bug repellant that works ok. Then again, I'm not allergic to most bugs and they rarely bite me anyway.

 

I use a product with eucoliptis sorry cant spell but it works for me and no chemicals

 

Its great that eucalyptus works for you. Others report good results with things such as lavender oil, Bounce dryer sheets, cintronella oil, soybean oil and Avon Skin So Soft. The odd thing is that scientific tests don't back up those claims. Testing has shown that they provide little more protection than non treated skin.

[+The red-haired witch]

 

Its great that eucalyptus works for you. Others report good results with things such as lavender oil, Bounce dryer sheets, cintronella oil, soybean oil and Avon Skin So Soft. The odd thing is that scientific tests don't back up those claims. Testing has shown that they provide little more protection than non treated skin.

 

Actually, I believe recent tests proved that extract from one particular species of eucalyptus (lemon eucalyptus?) provides protection for a couple of hours, while citronella oil provides protection for about half an hour. I believe those tests were done with at least 25% solution (applied to the skin, obviously, the whole wristband idea is silly... as shown by the table in your link)

 

DEET works better than anything else in the same concentration, of course, but the plastic melting effect can be annoying.

[+briansnat]

 

Its great that eucalyptus works for you. Others report good results with things such as lavender oil, Bounce dryer sheets, cintronella oil, soybean oil and Avon Skin So Soft. The odd thing is that scientific tests don't back up those claims. Testing has shown that they provide little more protection than non treated skin.

 

Actually, I believe recent tests proved that extract from one particular species of eucalyptus (lemon eucalyptus?) provides protection for a couple of hours, while citronella oil provides protection for about half an hour. I believe those tests were done with at least 25% solution (applied to the skin, obviously, the whole wristband idea is silly... as shown by the table in your link)

 

DEET works better than anything else in the same concentration, of course, but the plastic melting effect can be annoying.

 

That's true. Some of the so-called natural repellents do work for short periods of time. The problem is that they have to be frequently re-applied to be effective. The only other repellent one that has proven to be about as effective as DEET is Picaridin.

[+Sean Connery]

It's odd then isn't it that all the DEET products come in plastic containers.

[Dosido]

I've become a fan of the Deep Woods Off wipes - got 'em at Walmart - in a large box of single wipe packs. I originally got them for trade items, but after using one on a hike, they worked well, and actually smell pretty decent.

[+gailois]

It's odd then isn't it that all the DEET products come in plastic containers.

 

OK...I did a test. Sprayed my Sawyer Maxi Deet 98.11% on the red plastic lid, (I did have a little left in there, contrary to my previous post) let it sit for maybe 15 minutes and wiped it off. None of the red plastic came off on my tissue and there is no pitting of the lid. Should I have let it sit longer? Maybe it only eats a different kind of plastic? Anyway, it has never bothered my skin and I am allergic to Ivory soap!

 

p.s. I'm still going to look for that Advanced Cutter though.

Edited August 2, 2006 by gailois

[+GreyingJay]

DEET based spray will also dissolve Sharpie marker writing very readily.

 

Anyone ever use a Permethrin based spray (Repel Permanone available at US WalMarts)? It doesn't just repel the mosquitos... it KILLS them! (Not for use on skin, but spray onto your clothing, jacket, hat, pack, etc.)

[+Henki]

DEET based spray will also dissolve Sharpie marker writing very readily.

 

Anyone ever use a Permethrin based spray (Repel Permanone available at US WalMarts)? It doesn't just repel the mosquitos... it KILLS them! (Not for use on skin, but spray onto your clothing, jacket, hat, pack, etc.)

 

A local cacher just posted about Permethrin on our LA caching site. He's trying it out on his Boy Scout troop's tents.

 

He also swears by taking Vitamin B1 to prevent bites, something he got out of Robert S. Wood's "The 2 Oz. Backpacker" - “A dosage of 200 milligrams/day of vitamin B-1 taken orally will make your perspiration repellent to mosquitoes and thus keep them away. So will the heavy consumption of garlic.”

 

I haven't tried it yet, but I intend to.

[+Prime Suspect]

DEET based spray will also dissolve Sharpie marker writing very readily.

 

Anyone ever use a Permethrin based spray (Repel Permanone available at US WalMarts)? It doesn't just repel the mosquitos... it KILLS them! (Not for use on skin, but spray onto your clothing, jacket, hat, pack, etc.)

 

A local cacher just posted about Permethrin on our LA caching site. He's trying it out on his Boy Scout troop's tents.

 

He also swears by taking Vitamin B1 to prevent bites, something he got out of Robert S. Wood's "The 2 Oz. Backpacker" - “A dosage of 200 milligrams/day of vitamin B-1 taken orally will make your perspiration repellent to mosquitoes and thus keep them away. So will the heavy consumption of garlic.”

 

I haven't tried it yet, but I intend to.

 

Mosquito Control Tips

 

There has been quite a bit of discussion about the role of Vitamin B in mosquito avoidance. Taking large quantities of vitamin B unfortunately does not decrease the number of mosquito bites you get. Such an apparently simple solution to mosquito avoidance is appealing, but careful scientific trials have failed to show any mosquito repelling effects as a result of taking oral vitamin B, including B1.

 

*There is some evidence that the use of B1 will make any bites feel less itchy, but it does not reduce the risk of diseases spread by biting mosquitoes.

 

Also,

 

There is no scientific evidence that eating garlic onions, or any other food will help a person repel mosquitoes. In fact, in order for the ingestion of these things to be effective, one would have to eat an enormous amount (a lot more than one might consider appetizing).

[+Munin]

It's odd then isn't it that all the DEET products come in plastic containers.

Keep in mind that there's many different formulas of "plastic" - DEET reacts with some types, but by no means all of them. On one business trip I was running low on DEET, and picked up a spare 1-ounce bottle of 100% DEET at a store. Didn't end up needing it that trip, so I packed it away in my luggage. It leaked a bit on the flight back - the bottle it came in was, of course, unharmed, but the leaked DEET had started to melt the plastic "blister pack" that the bottle was packaged in. (Note to Cutter/Off/etc marketing departments: test your product on its packaging. ) I normally keep the DEET bottle wrapped in a sandwich baggie when it's inside my caching bag - leaks don't exactly melt the baggie, but it'll develop an odd texture. I had a brain malfunction one day and doused my old Foretrex 201 with 100% DEET - forgot to take it off my arm before spraying myself, didn't even think about it until I got home that evening - resulted in a few extremely tiny pits on the casing, although the display was unharmed. (I think the display is glass.) On the other hand, my largely plastic watch, the plastic fittings on my bike helmet, assorted plastic buckles on clothes/packs, and a number of other plastic widgets that I've directly or indirectly subjected to contact with DEET have been completely unharmed, and that's even with the high concentrations (95-100%) that I normally use if I'll be out in the woods all day.

[+Colorado Cacher]

Garlic pills are also supposed to work.

[+Prime Suspect]

Garlic pills are also supposed to work.

Look about 3 post previous.

[Pythagoras6(MM)]

To those who are going out and looking for their 100% DEET repellents, you may want to have a look at the following links. They explain the hazards of using DEET based repellents.

 

In brief, too much DEET is bad for you. It is an unclassified carcinogen (causes cancer) and can also cause brain damage. It is highly toxic when absorbed into the body in any way, and more so when combined with things like rubbing alcohol, which many repellents use as a liquifier to allow the repellent to be easily applied.

 

For more information:

 

http://www.environmentalhealth.ca/spring03hazards.html

 

http://www.checnet.org/healthehouse/chemic...asp?Main_ID=345

[+Colorado Cacher]

Garlic supposed to prevent blindness, and stupidity also I believe. I'll have to try some.

[+Teach2Learn]

To those who are going out and looking for their 100% DEET repellents, you may want to have a look at the following links. They explain the hazards of using DEET based repellents.

 

In brief, too much DEET is bad for you. It is an unclassified carcinogen (causes cancer) and can also cause brain damage. It is highly toxic when absorbed into the body in any way, and more so when combined with things like rubbing alcohol, which many repellents use as a liquifier to allow the repellent to be easily applied.

 

For more information:

 

http://www.environmentalhealth.ca/spring03hazards.html

 

http://www.checnet.org/healthehouse/chemic...asp?Main_ID=345

 

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has conducted DEET safety tests for decades, far more extensive than those organizations (unless more info can be provided) and came up with decidedly different conclusions, as did the New England Journal of Medicine.

 

EPA's testing results have consistently provided the same results concerning DEET.

Here's the link: facts on DEET provided by EPA.

 

The New England Journal of Medicine's stance and testing concurs with the EPA. The NEJM provided 40 references in relation to their study. The testing link provided earlier in the thread is also a result of the study.

 

Related quotes from the NEJM study:

 

--Despite the substantial attention paid by the lay press every year to the safety of DEET, this repellent has been subjected to more scientific and toxicologic scrutiny than any other repellent substance.

 

--DEET has a remarkable safety profile after 40 years of use and nearly 8 billion human applications.

 

--No correlation has been found between the concentration of DEET used and the risk of toxic effects.

 

--As part of the Reregistration Eligibility Decision on DEET, released in 1998, the Environmental Protection Agency reviewed the accumulated data on the toxicity of DEET and concluded that "normal use of DEET does not present a health concern to the general U.S. population."

 

--When applied with common sense, DEET-based repellents can be expected to provide a safe as well as a long-lasting repellent effect.

 

--Until a better repellent becomes available, DEET-based repellents remain the gold standard of protection under circumstances in which it is crucial to be protected against arthropod bites that might transmit disease."

[+oldsoldier]

Iused a permethrin wash in (military), and it worked awesome. KEpt ticks off too. We used to eat matchheads when I was in the desert, to keep the sandticks off. Cant really say if it worked or not, as we had bigger things to worry about. Some medic told us that eating one a day, for no longer than two weeks, will repel them (and any biting bugs). Just want to do it in short durations. PErsonally, I'll stick with DEET now. Especially since EEE is becoming prevalent in my area.

[+hummingbirdkiss]

I know there is no science behind it but when I eat a lot of curry ...and that is all the time ..the mosquitos stay away from me ..so do my coworkers but that is not really always a bad thing

Edited August 4, 2006 by hummingbirdkiss

[BRTango]

Garlic supposed to prevent blindness, and stupidity also I believe. I'll have to try some.

 

It's also supposed to prevent Vampires, which I think can be proven. I eat a lot of garlic and have not encountered any, so therefore it must be working!!

 

[+briansnat]

To those who are going out and looking for their 100% DEET repellents, you may want to have a look at the following links. They explain the hazards of using DEET based repellents.

 

In brief, too much DEET is bad for you. It is an unclassified carcinogen (causes cancer) and can also cause brain damage. It is highly toxic when absorbed into the body in any way, and more so when combined with things like rubbing alcohol, which many repellents use as a liquifier to allow the repellent to be easily applied.

 

For more information:

 

http://www.environmentalhealth.ca/spring03hazards.html

 

http://www.checnet.org/healthehouse/chemic...asp?Main_ID=345

 

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has conducted DEET safety tests for decades, far more extensive than those organizations (unless more info can be provided) and came up with decidedly different conclusions, as did the New England Journal of Medicine.

 

EPA's testing results have consistently provided the same results concerning DEET.

Here's the link: facts on DEET provided by EPA.

 

The New England Journal of Medicine's stance and testing concurs with the EPA. The NEJM provided 40 references in relation to their study. The testing link provided earlier in the thread is also a result of the study.

 

Related quotes from the NEJM study:

 

--Despite the substantial attention paid by the lay press every year to the safety of DEET, this repellent has been subjected to more scientific and toxicologic scrutiny than any other repellent substance.

 

--DEET has a remarkable safety profile after 40 years of use and nearly 8 billion human applications.

 

--No correlation has been found between the concentration of DEET used and the risk of toxic effects.

 

--As part of the Reregistration Eligibility Decision on DEET, released in 1998, the Environmental Protection Agency reviewed the accumulated data on the toxicity of DEET and concluded that "normal use of DEET does not present a health concern to the general U.S. population."

 

--When applied with common sense, DEET-based repellents can be expected to provide a safe as well as a long-lasting repellent effect.

 

--Until a better repellent becomes available, DEET-based repellents remain the gold standard of protection under circumstances in which it is crucial to be protected against arthropod bites that might transmit disease."

 

Used as directed DEET based repellents are far safer than common items such as aspirin, ibuprofin, chlorine bleach, peanunts, beer, shellfish, steak knives, automobiles and bicycles.

 

The very rare cases of adverse reactions to DEET have come mostly in the following instances:

 

1. Drinking it

2. Daily application of high concentrations over an extended period of time

 

Pythagoras6 said DEET causes cancer and provided a link to the Chenet website to back it up, but if you actually read that link it says that DEET "is considered a Unclassifiable Carcinogen by the World Health Organization, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or another agency". Hmmm, scary until you follow the link to see what "Unclassifiable Carcinogen " means. It basically means that it has never proven to be a carcinogen. There are 5 groups. Group A (known human carcinogen), Group B (probable human carcinogen), Group C (possible human carcinogen), Group D (unclassifiable human carcinogen), Group E (not a likely human carcinogen). DEET is in group D. Fried chicken and potato chips are in Group C.

 

I've used DEET for many years without adverse affect. I have to go now, I'm having blurred vision in my third eye.

Edited August 4, 2006 by briansnat

[+Munin]

Fried chicken and potato chips are in Group C.

It should be noted, however, that despite claims made in a recently-published study funded by KFC and Frito-Lay, neither fried chicken nor potato chips have been proven effective under laboratory conditions in preventing mosquito bites.