Does Deet work ?

[rgood]

I see another thread talks about using Deet and my question is Does it work for anyone?

I went duck hunting with some friends a couple years ago - We practically sprayed the whole can on us and I had mosquito bites on top of mosquito bites!

 

[Ductape]

AFAIK, Deet is the only thing known to repell mosquitos. Check your fine print before you buy, as some are very low on the Deet percentage. The higher the percentage, the better it will work. Unfortunately, like everything else in life, Deet has been found to be harmful to humans, so use at your own risk.

 

[medic1050]

You need at least 25-30% DEET to really repel the mosquitoes. In northern Ontario we also have to deal with black-flies in the spring which can be so thick they drive moose insane and they will charge out on to roads to escape. They also can make a moose anemic due to blood loss!

In the military we had 99% DEET which worked fantastic but would melt plastic and rubber including your weapon system. It disappeared when links to cancer were published. DEET works. So do thermacells, though I sometimes questions what the smoke I'm breathing is doing to me I can remain motionless while turkey hunting in the worst of black-fly season.

 

[s219]

If you're talking about applying over clothing, permethrin will be much more effective. You just need to treat the clothing ahead of time, to let the permethrin dry. It will last a long time, even through washes. You can also use it to treat tents, backpacks, and other gear. It works very well.

http://doh.sd.gov/WestNile/Permethrin.aspx

 

[Western]

If you're talking about applying over clothing, permethrin will be much more effective. You just need to treat the clothing ahead of time, to let the permethrin dry. It will last a long time, even through washes. You can also use it to treat tents, backpacks, and other gear. It works very well.

SD Health Dept - Permethrin facts

I use 40% DEET, works good made by repel, I was going to mention what S219 said since I was reading that is what the military is now using (Permethrin) I would be cautious about washing in my clothes washer though, supposed to be extremely toxic to water ways, not sure if you'd want that in the water.

 

[Jstpssng]

You need at least 25-30% DEET to really repel the mosquitoes. In northern Ontario we also have to deal with black-flies in the spring which can be so thick they drive moose insane and they will charge out on to roads to escape. They also can make a moose anemic due to blood loss!

In the military we had 99% DEET which worked fantastic but would melt plastic and rubber including your weapon system. It disappeared when links to cancer were published. DEET works. So do thermacells, though I sometimes questions what the smoke I'm breathing is doing to me I can remain motionless while turkey hunting in the worst of black-fly season.

On your side of the border you have Muskol... it used to be 100 percent but I'm not sure now.
Muskol Insect Repellent Mosquito Repellant

Over here we have Ben's 100
bens100.com
It's 98.11% Deet and yes, it will dissolve plastic and take paint off your pencil, back when we used paper tally sheets. On the other hand so will avon skin so soft, which was a big item for bugs some years ago.

It supposedly will last up to 8 hours; but if you are active and sweating a lot it will run off.
(especially off your forehead & into your eyes... a sensation I'm way too familiar with. )

I use it sparingly, spraying it onto my hands and then rubbing it on bare skin. A little 1,25oz spray bottle will normally last me 3 years, and I'm out in the bugs all day 7 days a week.

They're brutal this year though, so I'm using a lot more.

If you're talking about applying over clothing, permethrin will be much more effective. You just need to treat the clothing ahead of time, to let the permethrin dry. It will last a long time, even through washes. You can also use it to treat tents, backpacks, and other gear. It works very well.

SD Health Dept - Permethrin facts

Permithrin is a plant based insecticide, not a repellant; I have seed which I'm going to try to grow this summer. However the bottle I'm looking at right now, which I bought to use on my dog says "Not for human use."



Also, it is harmful to fish; so I'm careful about when I use it on my dog. If he is apt to go swimming soon, he just have to suffer like I do.

 

[Western]

Permethrin Treated Clothing

This stuff may work, Like I said I use the 40% DEET, and for where I am that seems to be "enough" ,But up North, 40% may only be a nuisance to the mosquitoes.

 

[dmccarty]

I use both Permithrin and DEET. As others have said, DEET has to be in a high enough concentration to work.

DEET gives me a rash so I don't apply it to my skin just to clothes. Flying biting bugs are not much of a problem here, it is the ticks and chiggers. I do have camo gear from Florida that made of mesh to keep off flying biting bugs. It has a hood that can cover the face. It does warm you up though. If you are sitting it is not bad. Walking and moving around in the suit will get you hot if it is warm outside.

Avon Skin so soft did not work at all for me and others that used it in the Everglades. But we smelled girly while we swatted squeeters.

Later,
Dan

 

[QRTRHRS]

Late seventies I was at a post yard a little north of Prescott, Ontario which is not to far away from the St Lawerence River. Still pretty bad for black flies and no-see-ums though. We were loading cedar "grape stakes", ie; vineyard posts, loose which could take 4-6 hours.

No one had any repellant so we looked around for alternatives. Only thing we had was diesel fuel. Worked pretty good but I had to take an extra long shower to half way get rid of the smell before I left the yard.

After that I made sure I always had some kind of repellant with me. Besides, today's diesel probably would not work as well since they took the sulfer out, lol...

 

[Mousefield]

On your side of the border you have Muskol... it used to be 100 percent but I'm not sure now.
Muskol Insect Repellent Mosquito Repellant

Muskol with 23.5% DEET is what I use and it works for me. We have a marshy creek next to the house and is of course prime breeding ground for mosquitoes.