Mosquito Repellent

What's your method of choice? I slathered on lavender hand moisturizer. Not one bite while mowing, trimming or blowing today.

Deet

It depends....If you are in a zone free of malaria,then most of the deet products will work well.The U.S. CDC warns against "natural" remedies,they just are not effective.If I am going to a malaria zone ,I want Picaridin lotion and spray.Picaridin is an improvement over deet.It is less toxic,you can wear it with synthetic fibre clothing,whereas deet will "melt" fabrics like polyester etc.,making it even more toxic.And,as a general warning,if you do enter a malarial zone you absolutely want to use a "no see-um" treated net to sleep under,this is more important than skin sprays and lotions,you are most vulnerable while sleeping.

I am a mosquito magnet. It's my pure spring water blood. Off and anything like it just turns me off.

I spray our backyard with a malathion or similar product then when the season gets going good we burn pinion wood. Smells great and it's a natural mosquito repellant and the smoke keeps them far away. I've done this for 3 years and I might get 3-5 bites a year.

They also sell citronella plants. Beautiful plant that looks great in gardens and on tables.

This works for me, for all pesky insects:

http://www.badgerbalm.com/p-21-natural-mosquito-repellent-anti-bug-balm.aspx

Shiloh said:

This works for me, for all pesky insects:

http://www.badgerbalm.com/p-21-natural-mosquito-repellent-anti-bug-balm.aspx

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This would fit in great with B&B.

Now they need to make a soap.

Nothing. There is no scientific evidence that will prove I'm immune but there also is none to the contrary.

No really, I typically don't use anything. I just deal with it. Although I can't say that I "get bit up" much.

Deet sometimes. Avon Skin so soft others. Sometimes, like Toothpick, I just grin and bear it.

Toothpick said:

Nothing. There is no scientific evidence that will prove I'm immune but there also is none to the contrary.

No really, I typically don't use anything. I just deal with it. Although I can't say that I "get bit up" much.

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Thats because you're standing next to me. Lol

DoctorShavegood said:

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This would fit in great with B&B.

Now they need to make a soap.

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I'm a big fan of all Badger products...foot balm, hand balm (the classic Badger Balm for Hardworking Hands), after sun balm, cuticle balm, to name a few.

They do have a line of "man products":
http://www.badgerbalm.com/c-52-organic-mens-grooming-products.aspx

I've sees some reviews of their shaving soap, and it's not particularly well-regarded IIRC.

But ya just gotta love their little mascot!

I think that CDC lists deet, picaridin, IR3535, and oil of lemon eucalyptus. And CO2 gas emitting devices.

If lavender works, that's awesome . . . I haven't tried that. Citronella doesn't do much for me.

I use one of those Off Clip On fan thingies.

The only time I bother is if I'll be sitting with the telescope, in which case you really don't want to be flinching and moving. All I do is rub a bounce sheet everywhere right before I leave, and then I take a couple of those coffee 'to go' trays, the pulp things, and burn one beside me. They burn for over an hour, and seem more than twice effective as those coil bug repellents.

BSAGuy said:

Deet sometimes. Avon Skin so soft others. Sometimes, like Toothpick, I just grin and bear it.

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+1 on the skin so soft from Avon, I've used Deet too, but prefer the skin so soft. Other than that I suggest a Level A hazmat suit.

Thermacell when I'm not moving, DEET when I am, citronella when fly fishing (DEET and expensive fly lines don't play nice).

Tom

+1 for Avon Skin So Soft, black flies, Skeets and tics won't bother with you, rub it on your face, neck behind your ears arms waist band and socks. I have watched dear ticks jump off, Skeets land and fly off, works great.

This does look promising. What dies it smell like?

I don't get bit up much but my wife and daughters' blood must be made of Oreo cookies. We are trying planting some lavender and rosemary in our gardens to see if they can keep the mosquitoes at bay. We have used Skin So Soft in the past with good results.

Here is your awnser per consumer reports.

Consumer reports just came out with there rankings on this matter. The winner is Sawyer's Fisherman Formula and second was some sort of eucalyptus stuff. None contain Deet but that was not part of the equation as far as I know. The non-deet formula simply works better. Sawyer also offers spray for your clothes and gear.

I don't know or care about about the health risks with deet. I do know that deet will damage gear like sleeping bags, tents etc..


Good luck finding the stuff at a brick and mortar store. Since consumer reports, everyone is sold out. I just ordered mine directly from Sawyer. $15 shipping.

The shipping cost is small price to pay to protect my new copper spur tent from getting damaged or having to battle Lyme disease.

Sawyer's Fisherman formula can also be found as Sawyer's with (20?) Picardin.