bug spray for when we go outside.

We are outside alot in the evenings and weekends at my oldest dd's softball games and I have got to get some mosquito spray. What is the best & safest? Any recomendations? I have one LO that is a scratcher. If she gets one bit on her and she can see it she will scratch it until it bleeds. The only way I stop her is band-aids but gosh we would go through a box a day I think. Ok call me weird if you want to but band-aids kind of gross me out :bad:. Thanks in advance.

 

Mosquitoes love my and my girls. I get them so bad that they bruise me and by the end of summer, I look like someone has beaten me (someone actually asked me that one year!) I don't do chemicals and have found that Avon Skin so Soft works great for all 3 of us. It's not full of chemicals and smells okay too.

 

I would try all the non-deet varieties. I think they have to be above a certain age for the deet varieties. Also, you could potentially take a "off" lantern or something with you when you go? Something that will protect the air around you? (I would totally do it!)

 

Well, the Off family care with less than 10% deet did NOTHING for us last year. I also tried a natural variety and that did NOTHING for us. My DD must be alergic, because she gets huge welts that last for weeks, so unfortunately I'm hitting her with the big guns. I just found a different Off that is 15% and a dry formula, so I'm giving that a shot, but if it doesn't work, we go right back to regular Off.

 

Big welts that last for weeks! That sounds like my boys. It's AWFUL! and they are scratchers. Not sure what to get but I'm on the search. Didn't they used to make a bug spray w/ sunscreen?

Hope to see others post if they like or dislike a product.

What do you use to stop the itch once they have the bites?? I did give one a band-aid at his request, but I don't think it really helps stop the itch, and I couldn't cover all the bites...he would look really funny!

TIA

 

ok...I have heard that plain old listerine....HAS to be Listerine and the good old regular yellow one, not one of the fancier tasting ones. You put it into a spray bottle and spray around...apparently the mosquitos HATE it! You can rub some onto your skin and also spray your area, like grass and patio ect. Dont spray directly onto wood though.
....I am going to try it this summer myself and see how it works! Supposedly it can last a day or so as well! GREAT for bbqs and such!

 

we have tried the bug lotion at:

www.rawbotanicals.com

totally natural, good smelling (lemony) and works GREAT! I am allergic to mosquitoes and get severe reactions, so we are VERY good at wearing bug spray. This is wonderful- no DEET!

I'm going to try the new OFF - non-lotion belt clip-on and see how it works as well...we get A LOT of mosquitoes around here and it is hard to get out at dusk/dawn w/o getting eaten

KC

 

Thanks ladies for all the replies. You have given me lot of ideas to try.

 

i just got this recipe, but haven't tried it yet

soak 30 cloves in 1/2 qt rubbing achohol for 15 days, then add 1/2 bottle of baby oil (to keep from drying out your skin).

if you're feeling creative you could give it a go.

 

QUOTE(2blessed @ May 26 2009, 08:52 AM) [snapback]1328101[/snapback]
ok...I have heard that plain old listerine....HAS to be Listerine and the good old regular yellow one, not one of the fancier tasting ones. You put it into a spray bottle and spray around...apparently the mosquitos HATE it! You can rub some onto your skin and also spray your area, like grass and patio ect. Dont spray directly onto wood though.
....I am going to try it this summer myself and see how it works! Supposedly it can last a day or so as well! GREAT for bbqs and such!


I tried this on sunday and it worked great. Brooke is constantly getting mauled by mosquitos, and gets the huge welts that infect. I sprayed her down with listerine, and let her play outside for several hours. She didn't get a single bite. I even used the knock off listerine. hth

 

QUOTE(2blessed @ May 26 2009, 09:52 AM) [snapback]1328101[/snapback]
ok...I have heard that plain old listerine....HAS to be Listerine and the good old regular yellow one, not one of the fancier tasting ones. You put it into a spray bottle and spray around...apparently the mosquitos HATE it! You can rub some onto your skin and also spray your area, like grass and patio ect. Dont spray directly onto wood though.
....I am going to try it this summer myself and see how it works! Supposedly it can last a day or so as well! GREAT for bbqs and such!


We tried this last weekend and it worked wonders! I was VERY surprised. Beats the $9 bottles that I buy at Whole Foods that smells horrible and doesn't worked that great. PP is right, it has to be the plain ol' yellow one.

 

QUOTE(2blessed @ May 26 2009, 09:52 AM) [snapback]1328101[/snapback]
ok...I have heard that plain old listerine....HAS to be Listerine and the good old regular yellow one, not one of the fancier tasting ones. You put it into a spray bottle and spray around...apparently the mosquitos HATE it! You can rub some onto your skin and also spray your area, like grass and patio ect. Dont spray directly onto wood though.
....I am going to try it this summer myself and see how it works! Supposedly it can last a day or so as well! GREAT for bbqs and such!

Interesting I may have to try this especially since a few PP's said it worked! :good:

 

Thankyou for this post! Mosquitos LOVE me and my kids and my 2 1/2 yr DS scratches BAD and has the big huge welt looking bites... so I will definitely be trying the Listerine method! We've been using OFF but even that doesnt really do the trick for us.

Thanks again.

 

I'd like to try the Listerine although I was skeptical when reading about it. I'm actually glad to hear that it works.

My question is...is the alcohol in the Listerine absorbed into the skin? I am thinking it would be, but maybe it's no worse for them than the chemicals such as DEET.

Any thoughts on this?

 

QUOTE(Faith00 @ May 27 2009, 08:51 PM) [snapback]1330319[/snapback]
I'd like to try the Listerine although I was skeptical when reading about it. I'm actually glad to hear that it works.

My question is...is the alcohol in the Listerine absorbed into the skin? I am thinking it would be, but maybe it's no worse for them than the chemicals such as DEET.

Any thoughts on this?



It may be but I assume it is no worse than the alcohol in the hand sanitizers we all use like crazy.

 

i think last year on a similar thread someone suggested putting bounce dryer sheets in your pockets - that TOTALLY worked for us last summer as well. love that and the listerine solution.

 

Yup- I've heard of rubbing dryer sheets on your skin/clothes. I like the listerine suggestion!!! Way to share good info mamas!!!

 

Mosquitoes love me and the boys - DH apparently has sour blood. We use deet. I'm not scared of it and don't fear any adverse reactions.

As for Listerine, snopes says it's false.
As for dryer sheets, snopes also says it's false.

For a proven, non-deet repellent, use something with eucalyptus. Warning: this stuff stinks. The CDC says it works. Don't rely on old wives' tales.

 

QUOTE(Mellizos @ May 29 2009, 08:39 PM) [snapback]1333554[/snapback]
Mosquitoes love me and the boys - DH apparently has sour blood. We use deet. I'm not scared of it and don't fear any adverse reactions.

As for Listerine, snopes says it's false.
As for dryer sheets, snopes also says it's false.

For a proven, non-deet repellent, use something with eucalyptus. Warning: this stuff stinks. The CDC says it works. Don't rely on old wives' tales.



Thanks for all the great information ladies.

 

Tried the Listerine last weekend. It worked better than nothing, and smelled a lot less than OFF or other deet products. DD still had a few bites though, and I was less concerned about washing it off and changing their clothes than I am with the bug sprays.

Vicks on feet is an "old wives tale" too, but it also works for us some of the time. Snopes has great information, but on things like this, I figure it can't hurt to try.

 

Thank you for this post, Lily gets terrible huge welts. She gets bit all of the time, 5 or 6 bites a day and she has huge reactions to the bites. I have never seen a bite on Jack...weird! I read somewhere that putting roll-on anti-perspirant on the bites helps calm down the reaction. I have not tried it yet but I think that I read it in Parents magazine. It has to be anti-perspirant, not deoderant.

 

QUOTE(ahmerl @ Jun 2 2009, 03:21 PM) [snapback]1338168[/snapback]
Thank you for this post, Lily gets terrible huge welts. She gets bit all of the time, 5 or 6 bites a day and she has huge reactions to the bites. I have never seen a bite on Jack...weird! I read somewhere that putting roll-on anti-perspirant on the bites helps calm down the reaction. I have not tried it yet but I think that I read it in Parents magazine. It has to be anti-perspirant, not deoderant.



I read that recently too (about the roll on anti-perspirant). There is something in the roll on that takes the swelling out of bites. I am game for trying anything. I get horrible welts and bruises from mosquitos and it looks like DD is going to take after me. I am going to give the Listerine a try too.