NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — With the warmer weather here, you're probably spending a lot more time outside enjoying maybe your backyard.
Other than staying inside you can use insect repellent. It's a great way to stop mosquitoes and ticks from biting. But not all bug sprays are created equal, which is why Consumer Reports put 53 repellents to the test to find the best ones.
How does sticking your arm in a cage filled with hundreds of hungry mosquitos sound? That’s exactly what Consumer Reports has brave volunteers do. A standard dose of repellent is applied to test subjects’ arms.
After 30 minutes, they stick their arms into cages of 200 disease-free mosquitoes for five minutes and testers count every time a mosquito lands on their arm or bites. The process is then repeated until the repellent fails or until 8 hours have passed.
“A repellent fails our test if a mosquito bites twice in one 5-minute session," said Catherine Roberts. "Or if there’s one bite in each of two consecutive 5-minute sessions.”
Now, while the mosquitoes in these tests are disease-free, the ones you’ll encounter might not be.
“Mosquitoes and ticks can spread serious bug-borne diseases like Lyme disease and West Nile virus, and using an effective insect repellent is one really good way of reducing your risk of contracting those diseases,” she added.
Key word there is “effective.” Consumer Reports tests found that many of the most effective repellents in fighting against mosquitoes and ticks contained 25 to 30 percent Deet as its active ingredient.
Two repellents Consumer Reports recommends: 3M Ultrathon Insect Repellent8, and Ben’s Tick and Insect Repellent Wilderness Formula Pump. Both excelled in protection.
Properly applying the repellent is just as important as the kind you use. Follow the directions on the label, and use a thin coat on all exposed skin. You can also spray on top of your clothes but don’t apply it under your clothing.
If you’re wary of Deet, look for repellents that contain 20 percent picaridin or 30 percent oil of lemon eucalyptus. Consumer Reports tests found they were effective as well.
