Common Mistakes People Make When Using Outdoor Repellents

Outdoors, DEET-based repellents are very effective when applied correctly, but misconceptions can diminish the protection they offer. One common mistake is to use not enough repellent or to overlook bare parts of the skin. Also apply to hands, arms, ankles, and neck to completely cover your skin for maximum protection.

Another blunder is to overlook the social environment. Wind, rain or heavy sweating can decrease the effectiveness of sprays or creams within minutes. If you don't reapply repellents following swimming or sweating, you'll have holes in your protection and skeeters will still bite, even if you've used repellent properly.

But using only repellents without integrating other prevention strategies reduces overall efficacy. It helps repellents work even better when you are wearing protective clothing, mosquito nets and have removed areas of standing water around the yard or patio. By steering clear of these typical pitfalls, outdoor mosquito control is more efficient and successful.