Bug season is back, and let’s face it - nobody wants to be a mosquito’s dinner.
Consumer Reports just released its latest insect repellent ratings, so before you head outside, here’s what you need to know to keep the bites at bay.
To find the best bug sprays, Consumer Reports put repellents to the ultimate test–having real people stick their arms into cages full of hungry mosquitoes.
After testing lotions, sprays and wipes, the results are in—and some products worked much better than others.
“Testing more than 50 products, we recommend 20 of them, with products containing 25 to 30 percent DEET consistently outperforming most of the competition,” said Kevin Loria, with Consumer Reports.
Among the standouts are Ben’s Tick & Insect Repellent Wipes and Wilderness Formula Pump. Both earned top marks in offering excellent protection against mosquitoes and ticks.
“We currently test most of our repellents against only mosquitoes,” Loria said. “In past years, we found that repellents that worked well against mosquitoes also tended to work well against ticks, and in a small recent test we ran, repellents with DEET worked well against ticks.”
Not a fan of the chemical DEET? Don’t worry. Repel Lemon Eucalyptus was the best-performing deet-free option. It uses something called OLE, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
“Our tests found that products that contain 30% OLE, or 20% picaridin, worked effectively, though not all work as well as the best DEET products,” Loria explained. “But we do recommend staying away from ‘natural’ repellents, as they earned dismal scores in our tests.”
A safety note about DEET: The EPA says when used as directed, it’s considered safe.
No matter what type of repellent you choose, how you apply it makes a big difference. Apply after sunscreen, use a thin layer on exposed skin—never underneath clothing. It’s okay to spray it on top of clothes, test it on a small area first to make sure it doesn’t damage fabric, and adults should apply repellent on kids.
And be sure to wash it off once you’re back indoors for the day.