When it comes to preventing bug bites, insect repellents are your first line of defense.
Testing by Consumer Reports finds that a good product, one with deet as the active ingredient, can keep bugs at bay for hours.
“Insect repellents that have deet in concentrations of 25% to 30% really make up most of our recommended repellents,” said Catherine Roberts, a health and science journalist at Consumer Reports. “It’s really the most reliable ingredient that we found in our tests.”
For those who are concerned about safety, Roberts says deet, when used as directed, “poses very little risk.” In fact, the CDC says deet is a safe option for adults and children older than 2 months, even people who are pregnant.
“You want to cover all your exposed skin. Mosquitoes are really good at finding those patches that don’t have any repellent on them,” Roberts told me. “If you’re applying insect repellent to kids or you want to cover your own face, spray it into your hand first and then rub it onto your face or onto your kids’ skin.”
You can also spray insect repellents on the outside of your clothes, but not underneath your clothing. Reapply according to the label directions, and wash it off when you get back inside.
Consumer Reports named three deet products as a CR Best Buy: 3M Ultrathon Insect repellent8 Aerosol, Ben’s Tick & Insect Repellent Wilderness Formula Aerosol, and Repel Insect Repellent Sportsman Formula Dry Aerosol.
More Info: CR Insect Repellent Buying Guide
