Hazards of Deet

[MikeK5117]

Over Memorial Day we were caching in a particularly ticky looking spot, so I decided to spray a little extra Deet on my neck and ankles. Couple of minutes later I reached for my Etrex which was cliped to my pack strap and discovered that the clear plastic front of the carry case was completely fogged from the overspray. Thank goodness I had the unit in the case. Luckily none seemed to get on the unit itself, I wiped it immediately with some alcohol-based hand cleaner and it seemed OK.

 

Guess I always knew Deet would do this, just carelessly sprayed it without thinking.

[+Team Shibby]

I can't say I have experienced this but it is a known problem when using deet. It can melt or discolor certain plastics so you must be real careful as to what you spray it on or handle after you use it.

 

Kar

[+briansnat]

DEET will destroy plastic. I cover my GPS display with the protective plastic film used for PDA's. I make a template that fits the GPS's screen, then cut and apply.

 

Some time ago, someone posted a link to a website that made similar items, specifically tailored for most GPS's and they were a lot cheaper.

 

"Au pays des aveugles, les borgnes sont rois"

[Nascat]

Brian that Plastic Film is a great idea, where do you buy it?

 

Take Care, Michael

 

"Deep in the Heart of Jersey"

[+Desert_Warrior]

Absolutely correct. I watched a friend RUIN the windows on his brand-new jeep top when he sprayed OFF-deep woods on his arms, and it over-sprayed to the window plastic. It has been 7 years, and the spots are STILL there.

 

Mike. Desert_Warrior (aka KD9KC).

El Paso, Texas.

 

Citizens of this land may own guns. Not to threaten their neighbors, but to ensure themselves of liberty and freedom.

 

They are not assault weapons anymore... they are HOMELAND DEFENSE WEAPONS!

[+GatoRx]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nascat:

Brian that Plastic Film is a great idea, where do you buy it?

---

 

Best Buy, Circuit City, Target, Wal-Mart, or any similar store should have them. Check around where the other PDA accessories are, and they're bound to have them.

 

----

When in doubt, poke it with a stick.

[+worldtraveler]

There were a few threads in the old forums praising StrongEngineering.com for their reasonable prices, quick service, and good quality screen protectors. I bought some from them, and I've been very satisfied.

 

Worldtraveler

[martmann]

quote:

---

Originally posted by worldtraveler:

There were a few threads in the old forums praising http://www.strongengineering.com/bstrong.htm for their reasonable prices, quick service, and good quality screen protectors. I bought some from them, and I've been very satisfied.

 

Worldtraveler

---

 

That's where I got mine, great deal.

 

_________________________________________________________

If trees could scream, would we still cut them down?

Well, maybe if they screamed all the time, for no reason.

Click here for my Geocaching pictures and Here (newest)

[wanda texas]

quote:

---

Originally posted by MikeK5117:

Over Memorial Day we were caching in a particularly ticky looking spot, so I decided to spray a little extra Deet on my neck and ankles. Couple of minutes later I reached for my Etrex which was cliped to my pack strap and discovered that the clear plastic front of the carry case was completely fogged from the overspray. Thank goodness I had the unit in the case. Luckily none seemed to get on the unit itself, I wiped it immediately with some alcohol-based hand cleaner and it seemed OK.

 

Guess I always knew Deet would do this, just carelessly sprayed it without thinking.

---

 

wow....can u imagine what it does to your body over time???

 

isnt there an alternative for ticks??....i got some to use one time years ago when we were backpacking and put some on my clothes but couldnt wear them they smelled from the deet and i remembered i read somewheres that deet is not good for you???....am i wrong or thinking of another insect poison they wrote about???

 

no likey ticks....

wanda

[+evergreenhiker!]

I don't trust those chemicals. I avoid bug spray like the plague. I'll just cover myself up with clothing and use a mesh hat if necessary. If just a few bugs, I just ride it out.

[+Searching_ut]

Is it the DEET, or is it one of the propellants/carriers in the bug spray that actually dissolves the plastic? I noticed that when the DEET creams were widely available, they didn’t seem to eat the plastic. As for the sprays, watch out for glasses/sunglasses and watch crystals as well.

[+Tsegi Mike and Desert Viking]

Sheesh, I am out of touch. I thought deet was the plural of doot.

 

Sorry, I'll go away quietly now.

[+briansnat]

quote:

---

isnt there an alternative for ticks??....i got some to use one time years ago when we were backpacking and put some on my clothes but couldnt wear them they smelled from the deet and i remembered i read somewheres that deet is not good for you???....am i wrong or thinking of another insect poison they wrote about???

---

 

The dangers of DEET, when used as directed, haven't been proven. I wouldn't bathe in the stuff, but the dangers of insect borne illness, such as West Nile Virus, Rocky Mtn Spotted Fever, Malaria, Lyme, Ehrlichiosis and Babesia are real and far greater than any posed by the use of DEET.

 

You may be thinking about Permethrin, which is an insecticide/repellent, chiefly made to repel ticks. It is applied to the clothing, not the skin. It is also safe when used as directed.

 

quote:

---

Brian that Plastic Film is a great idea, where do you buy it?

---

 

Any place that sells PDA's (Palm, etc...).

 

Strong engineering is the place I was thinking of that makes them specifically to fit certain GPS models.

[Nascat]

Brian & GatoRx Thanks, I'll have to pick up some of that film, Cathy is always getting on me about taking off the film that comes on items when first purchased, Her moto is: 'If it ain't broke don't fix it'.

 

Take Care, Michael

 

"Deep in the Heart of Jersey"

[+yumitori]

quote:

---

Originally posted by wanda texas:

 

wow....can u imagine what it does to your body over time???

---

 

Nothing. At least nothing that can be documented, and there's literally decades of use for the researchers to investigate. While I can certainly understand the concern folks feel around chemical agents like Deet, there truly seems little cause to worry.

 

Ron/yumitori

[millerx4]

For the same price they charge for the PDA protectors, you can go to your local hardware store and buy the heavy duty platic used to cover windows in the winter. Just make sure you don't get the kind that you shrink wrap with a hair dryer. I use it and it works great!

[+sbell111]

quote:

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Originally posted by wanda texas:

wow....can u imagine what it does to your body over time???

---

Luckily, we're not made out of plastic.

[claypigeon58]

I almost ruined my shotgun with the stuff. Put it all over my hands, grabbed the gun, and melted my handprints into the laquer finish of the stock and forestock. Fortunately I was able to sand and refinish both to better than new condition, but it got my attention.

[+clearpath]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tsegi Mike and Desert Viking:

 

Sheesh, I am out of touch. I thought deet was the plural of doot.

 

Sorry, I'll go away quietly now.

---

 

That is hilarious!!! LOL. Thanks to you, I am racking my brain for the plural of doot. How bout 'dootie doot'?

 

"heck, that scares me and I'm fearless"

[+DustyJacket]

When I was a young boy in Italy, periodically they would drive "the DDT truck" around the neighborhood and fog everything. I got caught in this fog several times, fighting my way out of it choking and gasping for breath. (late 1950s).

 

Ever since then DDT and wet permethrin and DEET give me headaches when I use them, but I'd not go caching in warm weather without the DEET and permethrin.

 

That one trip ending with me pulling more than 12 ticks off my skin (previously under my clothes) and one boring deeply into some really tender private parts totally freaked me out.

 

If I didn't have DEET and permethrin, I wouldn't cache except for winter.

 

DustyJacket

Not all those that wander are lost. But in my case...

[+phantom4099]

I see walmart in my area is selling a 12 pack of belkin (?) screen protectors for $5. I bought a couple packs for my ipaq, gps, camera, and any other thing I need protected. I then use an exacto knife to trim them down to size.

 

Wyatt W

 

The probability of someone watching you is directly proportional to the stupidity of your actions.

[+evergreenhiker!]

I'm on a budget these days so I'm trying clear box tape. Seems to work just fine so far! Though the price that the last poster listed seems pretty dadgum good. I may try that route if necessary.

[+briansnat]

quote:

---

For the same price they charge for the PDA protectors, you can go to your local hardware store and buy the heavy duty platic used to cover windows in the winter. Just make sure you don't get the kind that you shrink wrap with a hair dryer. I use it and it works great!

---

 

How do you get it to stick to the screen?

 

quote:

---

I'm on a budget these days so I'm trying clear box tape. Seems to work just fine so far!

---

 

Never tried this. Doesn't the glue on the tape leave a residue behind when you peel it off?

[+sbell111]

quote:

---

Originally posted by phantom4099:

I see walmart in my area is selling a 12 pack of belkin (?) screen protectors for $5...

---

Occasionally, WalMart and Office Depot (and I'm sure many other stores) will put screen protectors for older PDAs on sale for a buck. I recently bought half a dozen packs for Cathy's IIIc. I liberated a few sheets to cut down for my 3+.

 

[This message was edited by sbell111 on May 30, 2003 at 07:45 AM.]

[Aronius]

I had a similar experience with DEET back in 1996. I carried my mosquito repellent (extra strength), my Buck swiss army knife and other things in a pouch on the belt of my fire pack back when I was on a firecrew. One day, I opened the pouch and found that my extra strength mosquito repellent had leaked all over the bag. When I pulled my knife out the repellent had melted the plastic handle almost all the way to the metal. The melted plastic had rubbed off on to my hands and became like dried super glue on my hands. It was a mess.

 

If DEET can do that to plastic imagine what it does to your skin!!! Needless to say I don't use DEET based repellents. Risking sounding like a hippie, I now use a hemp based repellent that I feel safe using on me and also my dog. I find it to work as good as regular repellents if not better. The brand is THC - The Tahoe Hemp Company. They have a website (just type it in to Google). If the page doesn't list the product e-mail the guy. Hope this helps. Later.

 

Aronius

 

Farewell Mother Hips....for now.

[+briansnat]

quote:

---

If DEET can do that to plastic imagine what it does to your skin!!!

---

 

I've been using DEET based products for nearly 40 years and my skin has yet to melt. I have been having some difficulty seeing out of my 3rd eye lately though

 

I don't know the specifics about the THC repellent, but I've read a number of studies that show DEET to be the only fully effective repellent. Certain other "natural" repellents like Naturepel provided only slightly more protection than untreated skin.

 

Check

this current thread. It has several informative links.

[+Terrapin Flyer]

My fathers hand prints were permanently added to the steering wheel of our Midas motorhome after the application of a DEET product while camping in northern Ontario. It was actually kind of cool looking, although he didn't think so!

 

Usual Suspects - Terrapin & Bug

"Sure don't know what I'm goin' for, but I'm gonna go for it for sure!"

[+Renegade Knight]

I've still got some 100% deet in a bottle. It's a plastic bottle. Go figure.

 

=====================

Wherever you go there you are.

[+Spzzmoose]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Renegade Knight:

I've still got some 100% deet in a bottle. It's a plastic bottle. Go figure.

 

=====================

Wherever you go there you are.

---

 

Too funny! Must be some "space aged" plastic!

 

Spzzmoose & "the monsters"

[Aronius]

I'm sure that had to find a form of plastic that wouldn't melt to the plastic.

 

The hemp mosquito repellant was a gift so I decided to try it and it works as good as DEET based repellant, it doesn't smell as bad, and feel that it is safe enough to put on my dog. I don't have to feel like my stuff is going to melt in my pack. Plus it doesn't smell as bad. I like it better. Why put a man made chemical that melts plastic on your skin when this stuff works just as good and it's more natural? Trust me I'm no hippie, I drive an SUV, I don't recycle as much as I should, but if there is a good alternative to DEET it only makes sense to me to use the "not so invasive" repellant.

 

Aronius

 

Farewell Mother Hips....for now.

[Commander X]

Do you get a good buzz from the hemp based stuff. Of course you'd have to pack extra snacks for the munchies.

 

Just Kidding.

 

The People's Front for the Liberation of Caches

[+timberlane74 & pumpkin]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Searching_ut:

Is it the DEET, or is it one of the propellants/carriers in the bug spray that actually dissolves the plastic? I noticed that when the DEET creams were widely available, they didn’t seem to eat the plastic. As for the sprays, watch out for glasses/sunglasses and watch crystals as well.

---

 

Most of the insect killers use alcohol as an evaporative agent...it is usually this that damages plastic etc. That is why lotions are generally OK! My local golf course had a funny story about a golfer spraying OFF on his legs standing on the green...the alcohol killed all the grass...except where his feet were

 

Never say Never...Never say Always!

[+Alan2]

I think Deet causing plastic to melt means about as much danger to my skin per se as my coffee causing sugar to melt in my cup means that coffee is dissolving my stomach. However mixing glycerine with hydrocloric acid (creating nitroglycerine) would prove to be a more interesting mixture dangerous to ticks and all others nearby.

 

It all depends on the chemicals and the mix.

 

Now mixing Lyme infected ticks with skin is a definite "bad" mix, certainly more dangerous than any Deet solution used according to directions.

 

The only limit I've read about is for children under the age of two or three - that it should be limited to dosages with low concentrations. Parents with youngsters ought to check out the internet and read up on this so they're aware.

 

Alan

[+GeoGryffindor]

I agree with the last post. I would rather take my chances with the Deet than Lyme Disease and Spotted Tick Fever. We were out this weekend and used a "low %" of Deet and we were cover in ticks. They were so tiny that even three days later we found some attached to us. I took our oldest daughter to the doctor because of infection from the ticks on her head

(she has an allergy to ticks and mosquitos). Now we wait it out to make sure nothing else comes up. We went and bought some 100% Deet and will make sure we use nothing else. Also, I must add, I did ask her pediatrician and she said as long as it is used sparingly it wouldn't be a problem for my daughter to have it on. But as for my youngest daughter, I will hold off on using it and just let her go on the "tick free" caches. It is a very scary situation with the ticks and even more so when you know of someone that died from the Spotted tick fever.

 

Better to be safe than sorry. Oh, I must add, the 100% Deet we bought is in a plastic bottle with a plastic pump sprayer. Go figure.

 

"Nice find! I must go tell Harry, Ron and Hermione."

[M15a4spr]

quote:

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Originally posted by wanda texas:wow....can u imagine what it does to your body over time???

---

Ever seen what salt and water do to metal? Now try living without either in your diet. What harms other things may be benificial to others.

 

I'm not sayin chew deet gum, but sheez apply it properly an you'll be just fine.

 

quote:

---

isnt there an alternative for ticks??

---

Sure, let 'em snack on you

 

quote:

---

i remembered i read somewheres that deet is not good for you???....am i wrong or thinking of another insect poison they wrote about???

---

Remember the alar apple scare? There are always the paranoids among us attempting to tell ya that *ItemDejur* will kill ya dead. Take 'em with a grain of salt.