Products containing DEET currently are available to the public in a variety of liquids, lotions, sprays, and impregnated materials (e.g., towelettes, roll on). Formulations registered for direct application to human skin contain from 5 to 99% DEET. Except for a few veterinary uses, DEET is registered for use by consumers, and it is not used on food.
Full Answer
Is DEET harmful to skin?
For some people, when DEET is applied to the skin, especially for an extended period of time, it can cause adverse reactions like redness, rash, swelling and hives. Case studies suggest that some people may be at risk of allergic reactions and even anaphylaxis from exposure to DEET.
Where can I buy DEET?
You can buy repellent in any supermarket or pharmacy with or without deet and it's much cheaper than buying it in the uk and posting it on to him, he can check the can to see the % of deet. 4. Re: Buying deet spray in Thailand
What is DEET made from?
The Dangers of DEET and How to Safely Avoid Summer Pests
- Beware of DEET. Insect repellents with DEET (diethyltoluamide) as the main active ingredient are harmful to humans. ...
- A Difference of Opinion. Still, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) believes that normal use of DEET presents no health concerns.
- Healthier Alternatives are Available. ...
- Resources. ...
What are the disadvantages of DEET?
With DEET ingestion, clinical signs may include:
- drooling
- wobbly gait
- seizures
- vomiting
- loss of appetite
See more
What are DEET products?
DEET is an insect repellent that is used in products to prevent bites from insects such as mosquitoes, biting flies, fleas and small flying insects. DEET is a colorless liquid that has a faint odor and does not dissolve easily in water.
What product has the most DEET?
Repel 100. It contains 98,11% DEET, which is widely considered the most efficient ingredient we know to keep little bloodsuckers at bay. When you are outdoors this repellent not only fights off mosquitoes but also other insects like the Florida deer fly.
Is DEET harmful to humans?
The human health risk assessment concluded that there are no risks of concern because no toxic effects have been identified when used as a dermally applied insect repellent, and there is no dietary or occupational exposure for DEET.
Why did they ban DEET?
DEET-related health problems include skin rashes and scarring in adults and, in a few cases, reports of neurological problems in children. A ban would affect products that are more than 30 percent DEET. New York is the first state to propose such a ban.
What brands use DEET?
DEET Products We Reviewed:Repel 100 Insect Repellent.Repel Sportsmen Max Insect Repellent.Repel Insect Repellent Mosquito Wipes.Sawyer Maxi-DEET.Sawyer Products Ultra Insect Repellent.
What's wrong with DEET?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved DEET for use in people of all ages, including children. Some people experience rashes or irritated skin after using DEET, and it can irritate eyes if you spray it too close. More alarming, there have been rare reports of seizures associated with DEET.
What is the safest insect repellent?
DEET is approved as a safe and effective insect repellent. The concentration of DEET in a product indicates how long the product will be effective—a higher concentration works for a longer time. For example, 10% DEET provides protection for about 2 hours, and 30% DEET protects for about 5 hours.
Can I spray DEET on my clothes?
Using repellents on the skin is not the only way to avoid mosquito bites. Children and adults can wear clothing with long pants and long sleeves while outdoors. DEET or other repellents such as permethrin can also be applied to clothing (don't use permethrin on skin), as mosquitoes may bite through thin fabric.
What is the strongest mosquito repellent?
After testing 20 spray repellents, we've concluded Sawyer Products Premium Insect Repellent is the best. It has a 20% picaridin formula, making it effective against mosquitoes and ticks for up to 12 hours.
Is DEET cancerous?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that DEET in not classifiable as a human carcinogen. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has not classified DEET as to its carcinogenicity.
Why does DEET burn my skin?
Insect repellents (e.g. N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide or DEET) applied to the skin can potentially interfere with sweat production and evaporation, thus increasing physiological strain during exercise-heat stress.
Is picaridin safer than DEET?
Comparing DEET vs Picaridin, Picaridin 20% has been proven to provide equal protection against mosquitos and superior protection against ticks in similar concentrations without the same health concerns.
1. Pros of the best deet spray
The best deet spray in 2022 has good quality. The most crucial point is the material. They need to be solid and unbreakable.
2. Cons of the best deet spray
"Some buyers are hesitant to buy a product because it is too expensive. If you want the best, you have to be willing to pay for it."
Conclusion
We hope this article helped you find the best deet spray for your needs. If not, please feel free to reach out! Our team is always happy to help anyone looking for advice on what products are worth purchasing. Which product did you end up buying? Tell us about it in the comments below! cb24
How experts shop for insect repellents
All the experts we spoke to recommend finding an EPA-registered insect repellent, sharing the same sentiment as David Brown, the technical advisor to the American Mosquito Control Association.
DEET versus DEET-free versus natural insect repellents
Think of insect repellents within three main buckets: DEET, DEET-free and natural — it’s how many are marketed.
Best insect repellents for mosquitoes and more
As experts recommended finding an EPA-registered insect repellent, we’ve included top-rated ones to consider. The EPA has an online search tool that lets you find registered repellents and we used it to check the registration numbers on each of the products below.
OFF! Active Insect Repellent I
This repellent is formulated with a concentration of 15 percent DEET, which amounts to six hours of protection, and works against mosquitoes, biting flies, gnats, ticks, chiggers, and fleas, the company says. The sweat-resistant spray meant for outdoor activities like running and hiking.
Repel 100 Insect Repellent
It’s a popular pick on Amazon, boasting an average 4.6-star rating over more than 8,200 reviews. The bestselling repellent is made with over 98 percent DEET, which offers protection that lasts for 10 hours. It’s designed to work against mosquitoes, biting flies, gnats, ticks, chiggers, and fleas, the company says.
Cutter Backwoods Insect Repellent
The repellent features 25 percent DEET in its formula, which the company claims protects for upto 10 hours. It’s sweat-resistant, too. Along with mosquitoes, the repellent is meant to ward off ticks, biting flies, gnats, no-see-ums, chiggers and fleas.
Sawyer Products SP533 Premium Ultra DEET Insect Repellent
This repellent is meant to protect against mosquitoes, ticks, and chiggers. It’s a lotion and formulated with 30 percent DEET — the company claims that the liposome (a fat you can find in some cosmetics too) base in the formula works to slowly release the active ingredient to extend the effectiveness of it, with protection lasting up to 11 hours.
When did the EPA review DEET?
In 1998, the EPA did a big review of safety concerns about DEET. It looked at reports that a small percentage of people who had used DEET had experienced seizures (one per 100 million exposures, but they couldn’t be sure whether the exposures were caused by DEET or were coincidental).
What is the best insect repellent?
DEET certainly isn’t the only effective insect repellent out there. Other effective repellents include: 1 Picaridin: This repellent is modeled after a compound in the black pepper plant, and protects against ticks and mosquitoes. 2 IR 3535: The Environmental Working Group suggests that this provides good protection against ticks. While it does protect against mosquitos, the EWG suggests it may offer a bit less protection from these than other repellents do. 3 Oil of lemon eucalyptus: This can repel mosquitoes if formulated into a repellent product—the essential oil on its own won’t do the job, according to the CDC.
Does DEET cause skin rash?
There have also been reports of products contain ing high concentrations of DEET causing skin rashes. In 2014, it conducted another review and concluded that insect repellents containing DEET do not present a health concern when products are used as stated on the label.
Does N,N-Diethyl-Meta-Toluamide kill insects?
It’s a very effective insect repellent, and true to its name as a repellent, it doesn’t kill insects , it just keeps them from landing on you.
Is insect repellent bad for you?
The insect repellent chemical isn't as bad as it sounds. By Marty Munson. May 27, 2020. Chad SpringerGetty Images. Whether you’re in the backwoods or in your back yard, one of the challenges of being in the great outdoors is that biting insects are there, too. Ticks and mosquitos aren’t just a nuisance—they can be vectors for diseases ...
How does DEET work?
DEET was historically believed to work by blocking insect olfactory receptors for 1-octen-3-ol, a volatile substance that is contained in human sweat and breath. The prevailing theory was that DEET effectively "blinds" or "confuses" the insect's senses so that the biting/feeding instinct is not triggered by the chemicals present in the sweat and breath of humans or other animals. DEET does not appear to affect the insect's ability to smell carbon dioxide, as had been suspected earlier.
Where is DEET found?
DEET has been detected at low concentrations in water bodies as a result of production and use, such as in the Mississippi River and its tributaries, where a 1991 study detected levels varying from 5 to 201 ng /L.
What is the most common insect repellent?
N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide, also called DEET ( / diːt /) or diethyltoluamide, is the most common active ingredient in insect repellents. It is a slightly yellow oil intended to be applied to the skin or to clothing and provides protection against mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, chiggers, leeches and many biting insects.
What is the recommended concentration of DEET?
Concentrations. The concentration of DEET in products may range from less than 10 percent to nearly 100 percent. Concentrations of 10 to 30 percent are recommended for infants and children. DEET should not be used on children under 2 months of age.
When was deet first used?
DEET was developed in 1944 by Samuel Gertler of the United States Department of Agriculture for use by the United States Army, following its experience of jungle warfare during World War II. It was originally tested as a pesticide on farm fields, and entered military use in 1946 and civilian use in 1957. It was used in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
Where was bug juice used?
It was used in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. In its original form, known as "bug juice", the application solution was composed of 75% DEET and 25% ethanol. Later, a new version of the repellent was developed by the U.S. Army and the USDA.
Does DEET attract mosquitoes?
By reducing odor volatility, DEET functions to "mask" the ability of volatile odorants on the skin to activate olfactory neurons and attract mosquitoes. A study with adult Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes found no activation of olfactory receptor neurons by DEET.
Is Deet Safe for the Environment?
For the most part, yes. Plenty of deet gets into the air when you spray it (especially if you’re using an aerosol). But according to the CDC, the chemical is broken down by sunlight and by other chemicals in the air. In 5 hours time, one-half of the deet released into the atmosphere will disappear this way.
The Lowdown on Insect Repellents
Bug bites are not only annoying, they can also transmit diseases. On the ' Consumer 101 ' TV show, host Jack Rico goes inside Consumer Reports' labs to find out how CR tests insect repellents to make sure you are getting the most protection.
Dangers of DEET , Why Never to Use Products with DEET
Are you one of those whom mosquitoes love? According to many studies there are reasons for that and protecting yourself from bugs is important because of all the diseases they could carry. The synthetic bug repellants are full of toxic chemicals, including DEET.
DEET Alternatives
There are many different varieties of bug sprays. There are chemically made ones that are loaded with toxic ingredients including the pesticide, DEET. There are also plant based bug sprays that are usually made up of essential oils that repel bugs.
What is off insect repellent?
One of the leading insect repellent brands, Off offers a variety of insect-protection products, including a clip-on repellent, a mosquito coil, a mosquito lamp, and citronella candles. The brand makes insect repellent that is deet-based and priced toward the low end of the range. Repel.
What are the ingredients in insect repellent?
The top-performing products in our tests contained one of these three active ingredients: deet, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or picaridin.
What is the best insect repellent for Zika?
Several makers of “natural” insect repellents (which typically contain essential plant oils such as cedar, citronella, clove, lemongrass, peppermint, and rosemary) claim that their products can help ward off mosquitoes, including those that carry the Zika virus.
What diseases can you catch from mosquitoes?
The list of diseases you can catch from mosquitoes and ticks has grown in recent decades. Zika, transmitted by mosquitoes, and Powassan, transmitted by ticks, are two distressing examples. And even the number of people every year coming down with more familiar diseases like Lyme is increasing. Our insect repellent ratings identify which products ...
What is all terrain?
Marketed as a natural personal-care brand, All Terrain makes deet-free insect repellent under its Herbal Armor line. The brand’s prices tend to be in the middle range; it also offers repellents for kids.
How to keep ticks out of my yard?
Ticks prefer tall grass and shade, so keep your lawn mowed, remove leaves and debris, and let as much sun into your yard as possible. Consider fencing your property to keep out deer and other animals that carry ticks. Your Pets. Don’t forget to check your cats and dogs for ticks, and use approved repellents for pets.
How to get rid of ticks in clothes?
Wear socks with close-toe shoes and loose, long sleeves and pants (mosquitoes can bite through tight clothes), and light colors (light-colored clothes make it easier to spot ticks). Tuck your shirt into your pants and your pants into your socks. When you get home, shower, then inspect your skin and use tweezers to remove attached ticks. For extra safety, toss clothes into a dryer on high heat to kill stragglers.
Use
- DEET (chemical name, N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) is the active ingredient in many repellent products. It is widely used to repel biting pests such as mosquitoes and ticks. Every year, an estimated one-third of the U.S. population use DEET to protect them from mosquito-borne illnes…
Function
- DEET is designed for direct application to peoples skin to repel insects. Rather than killing them, DEET works by making it hard for these biting bugs to smell us. After it was developed by the U.S. Army in 1946, DEET was registered for use by the general public in 1957. Approximately 120 products containing DEET are currently registered with EPA by about 30 different companies.
Health
- After completing a comprehensive re-assessment of DEET, we concluded that insect repellents containing DEET do not present a health concern. Consumers are advised to read and follow label directions when using any pesticide product, including insect repellents. Based on extensive toxicity testing, we believe that the normal use of DEET does not present a health concern to th…
Safety
- In 2014, we completed an interim review of DEET under the Registration Review Program to ensure that it continues to meet safety standards based on current scientific knowledge. The Agency has not identified any risks of concern to human health, non-target species or the environment. View this interim registration review decision (www.regulations.gov, docket numb…
Benefits
- DEET's most significant benefit is its ability to repel potentially disease-carrying insects and ticks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) receives more than 30,000 reports of Lyme disease (transmitted by deer ticks) and 80-100 reports of La Crosse encephalitis virus (transmitted by mosquitoes) annually. A total of 48 states and the District of Columbia have rep…
Risks
- Each of these diseases can cause serious health problems or even death in the case of encephalitis. Where these diseases are prevalent, the CDC recommends use of insect repellents when out-of-doors. Studies in EPAs database indicate that DEET repels ticks for about two to ten hours, and mosquitoes from two to twelve hours depending on the percentage of DEET in the pr…
Variations
- The following additional statements will appear on the labels of all aerosol and pump spray formulation labels:
Prevention
- EPA continues to believe that the normal use of DEET does not present a health concern to the general population, including children. As always, consumers are advised to read and follow label directions in using any pesticide product, including insect repellents. If you suspect that you or your child is having an adverse reaction to a DEET product, discontinue use of the product, was…