12 Best Mosquito Repellents to Protect Against Mosquito-Borne Diseases

Review

Among the best products that also is one of the most used ones is the Repel Lemon Eucalyptus. This repellent is completely natural, so it doesn’t contain DEET or any of the other chemicals, and it will last for up to 6 whole hours, meaning that you will only need to reapply every 6 or so hours to prolong its efficiency.

The active ingredient in this product that works is Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus which is the natural equivalent to DEET. And although not everyone is convinced that this oil really is as good as its chemical equivalent, it works wonderfully at least in this Repel spray and it is approved by the CDC as the only natural insect repellent you should use. So spray it on your exposed skin, clothes and gear and keep away not only mosquitoes that can carry different mosquito-borne diseases, but also other pests like deer ticks, that also can carry diseases and be harmful to your health if one manages to bite you.

On top of being efficient, fairly long-lasting and overall good against mosquito, this bug spray also has a refreshing scent, that will make using this spray much more enjoyable, it won’t leave any residue, like some other repellents tend to do and the 4 ounce bottle with a pump spray will let you not only easily use it and apply it even to the harder-to-reach areas of your body like your back, but it will also let you easily pack it whenever you go on vacation or on a trip and use it to keep yourself and your family safe from mosquitoes.

Specifications:

• Type: Pump spray
• Active ingredients: Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus
• Target pests: Mosquitoes, Deer ticks, Other biting insects
• Repels mosquitoes for: 6 hours
• Kid safe: Yes
• Scent: Cool, refreshing scent

Review

If you are going on a vacation to an exotic tropical place where you know that there are going to be a lot of mosquitoes, then you might want to consider buying a repellent that doubles as sunscreen, because in this case you want to not only avoid the bugs but also protect your skin from the sun. And a good option, that has received praises from a lot of beauty and skin experts is this Avon Skin-So-Soft Bug Guard Plus.

Because this product is primarily a moisturizing sunscreen lotion, it will be sure to keep your skin protected from those sun rays. But, since it also contains an ingredient called Ethyl butylacetylaminopropionateI or IR3535 (Insect Repellent 3535) for short it also serves and quite a powerful mosquito repellent. It will protect you from mosquitoes, deer ticks, gnats, black flies, biting midges and some other insects, that tend to ruin our time outdoors.

In terms of efficiency this moisturizing lotion with SPF 30 will guard your skin against the sun and bugs, even in the water, because as long as you aren’t in the water longer than 80 minutes, you should be fully protected. However, I would advise to still reapply the lotion after you dry off since that will provide better protection and the aloe and vitamin E combination that this lotion contains also will leave your skin soft and moisturized. Use this lotion on the beach, by the lake or simply while hiking or working out, and you should be free from bug bites and sunburns.

Specifications:

• Type: Lotion
• Active ingredients: IR3535
• Target pests: Mosquitoes, Deer ticks, Black flies, Gnats, No-see-ums, Biting Midges
• Repels mosquitoes for: 2 hours
• Kid safe: Yes
• Scent: fresh scent

Review

And one more lotion based insect repellent that is made with DEET and that was developed by the US Military to provide their troops protection against mosquitoes and ticks and all the diseases they carry like Lyme Disease, West Nile Virus and so on is this 3M Ultrathon.

Like I already mentioned, this product is made with DEET, however, since the manufacturers of this lotion use innovative 3M Polymer Technology, they also have optimized the efficiency of DEET, so that it can provide soldiers with a time controlled DEET release, meaning that once the lotion is applied even water, sweat and other possible outdoors conditions won’t lessen the lotions ability to repel insects, since DEET is released gradually over a 12-hour time period, which also is the rated time, for how long the lotion can repel mosquitoes without being reapplied.

So if you want the answer to the question – what is the best mosquito repellent – you might find that this lotion will get the job done, because it has been rated as the best insect repellent for years now. On top of that, the manufacturer also provides 5-year guarantee and the product even can easily handle the most extreme conditions from freezing to thaw to scorching heat, and it will be as efficient as you first purchased it.

Specifications:

• Type: Lotion
• Active ingredients: DEET
• Target pests: Mosquitoes, Ticks, Biting flies, Chiggers, Gnats, Fleas, Deerflies
• Repels mosquitoes for: 12 hours
• Kid safe: Yes
• Scent: Mild scent

Review

And last on this list is this Cutter Skindations spray that is a unique product merging the convenience of a sprayable mosquito repellent with the skin benefits of a lotion type bug spray.

This is a great product because it will repel different biting insects like mosquitoes, biting flies, no-see-ums, gnats, and even fleas since it consists of 7% DEET solution that is known to be the most efficient mosquito repelling substance. It will also protect you from different diseases that these insects and more specifically mosquitoes can carry like Zika and West Nile viruses. But since this bug spray is specially formulated so it has added Aloe and vitamin E in it, it will also not only make your skin mosquito-proof but also will make it softer.

Moreover, the repelling solution also has a fresh and clean scent, that won’t bother you even if you need to apply it many times a day and most importantly the effects of it will last several hours, so you won’t have to think about your mosquito protection every second of your day, letting you enjoy outdoor time with your friends and family.

Specifications

• Type: Pump spray
• Active ingredients: DEET
• Target pests: Mosquitoes, Gnats, Chiggers, Fleas, No-see-ums
• Kid safe: Yes
• Scent: Clean, fresh scent

Review

A mosquito repellent that every parent should know about is this California Baby bug spray because it is natural, it is healthy, but most importantly it is efficient against multiple different insects from mosquitoes to ticks to even fleas.

Ingredients that are used to make this particular product that mainly is intended for children, are a simple blend of lemongrass, cedar and citronella oils, however don’t let the ingredient count or the fact that there is no DEET among those ingredients fool you, because it still is highly efficient at keeping mosquito, flea and tick bites at bay. On top of that, this spray also will last for a couple of your, so you won’t need to reapply it every 10 minutes.

The bug repellent spray comes in a 6.5-ounce bottle, which is a bit bigger than traditional mosquito sprays and will make sure that you can use for a longer time. The spray itself won’t irritate your kid’s skin, in fact, it will moisturize it and make it appear healthier. And it has a nice citrusy, fresh scent that your kids will lake, making it easier to get them to let you apply it.

Specifications

• Type: Spray
• Active ingredients: Citronella oil, Lemongrass oil, Cedar oil
• Target pests: Mosquitoes, fleas, Ticks
• Kid safe: Yes
• Scent: Slight citronella scent

Review

An anti-bug spray that you must check out is this one by US Organic because it not only stands out in terms of packaging but it also is long lasting and made with natural ingredients.

Speaking of ingredients, the active ones in this spray are different essential oils that each is added to this spray in different amounts. This bug spray is made up from 40% soybean oil, 10% castor oil, 3.65% lemongrass oil, 3.40 % Citronella oil, 1.30 % cedar oil, 1.25% Rosemary oil, 1% Peppermint oil. 0.2% Geranium oil and 39% deionized water an 0.2% lavender oil, from which the last two ingredients are the inactive ones, that add scent and the consistency to the spray more than the mosquito repelling qualities.

From this array of active ingredients, we can conclude that not only this spray will be efficient at repelling mosquitoes and other biting pests, because all of those active ingredients are known to be good mosquito repellents, but the spray will also smell very good and you won’t be able to smell any of the unpleasant chemical aroma, that often can be attributed to products containing DEET.

The efficiency of this product is several hours, so once you apply the bug spray, you will be able to go without reapplying it for quite some time. The 4-ounce bottle with a fine mist spray nozzle will allow you to precisely apply the repellent to areas where you need it, and once you have done it there won’t be any residue or lingering scent, only mosquito-free air around you.

Specifications:

• Type: Spray
• Active ingredients: Soybean oil, Lemongrass oil, Cedar oil, Peppermint oil, Castor oil, Citronella oil, Rosemary oil, Geranium oil
• Target pests: Mosquitoes,
• Kid safe: Yes
• Scent: Refreshing Herbal Scent

Review

If you are looking for an all-natural solution that still provides fairly long protection against mosquitoes yet not irritating your skin or doing harm to the environment, then you should check out this Eco Defense spray.

The active ingredient in this particular product is Geraniol, alcohol and monoterpenoid combination, which is proven to be quite efficient plant-based mosquito repellent. So this bug spray will be able to keep these bugs as well as insects like chiggers, ticks, fire ants, gnats and so on away from you and your family. On top of that, because the active ingredient isn’t a chemical, it is totally safe to use this product on children and even pets, to keep them safe from insects as well.

Eco Defense comes in a 4-ounce bottle with a spray applicator, that will allow you to easily spray it all over your body, anywhere there is exposed skin and even on your clothing, so all of you is protected from mosquitoes. Thanks to the natural ingredients the spray will have light citrus and menthol scent, that will make the application more favorable and the formulation of this bug spray will last for a couple of hours and only then you will have to reapply it to prolong its efficiency.

Specifications

• Type: Spray
• Active ingredients: Geraniol
• Target pests: Mosquitoes, Ticks, Chiggers, No-see-ums, Fire ants, Gnats, Flies
• Kid safe: Yes
• Scent: Light citrus and menthol scent

Review

Another contestant for the best mosquito repellent title is this Gardencense mosquito spray because it is an organic insect deterrent which is not only efficient but also kid-safe and will keep away most biting insects.

This spray consists of only 5 ingredients – 89% water which is the inactive ingredient and 5% soybean oil, 4% citronella oil, 1% lemongrass oil and 1% cedar oil which all have proven to have mosquito repelling capabilities, so it is not only natural but also quite organic and mild. However, that doesn’t mean that it won’t provide great and long-lasting protection against not only mosquitoes but also ticks, flies, chiggers, gnats, and other insect annoyances, that tend to ruin our outdoors time.

The essential oil combination also provides that this product has a pleasant aroma and that it is free of things like toxins, DEET, parabens, and sulfates, that often can be found in repellents made with chemical insect-repelling substances. And the natural protection against insects will last you a couple of hours. Use it on your skin, clothing, or even your kids and pets, and make sure all those closest to you are protected against mosquitoes.

Specifications:

• Type: Spray
• Active ingredients: Soy Bean oil, Citronella oil, Lemongrass oil, Cedar oil
• Target pests: Mosquitoes, No-See-Ums, other pests
• Kid safe: Yes
• Scent: Slight scent

Review

Lastly, there is this Greeneral PRO spray that is natural, DEET-free, efficient and made to protect you from different pests repelling mosquitoes, ants, ticks, sand flies, gnats, chiggers, and fleas.

This new generation insect repellent is meant especially for people with sensitive skin, because the active ingredient here is Geraniol, which is a natural substance. Apply this to your exposed skin, and in seconds you will be protected against mosquitoes without any skin irritation, sticky residue on your skin or any other problems.

On top of that this product is long-lasting, providing several hour protection, it has a nice, fresh scent, that will leave you refreshed rather than not wanting to ever use the repellent ever again, and it is also completely organic. In addition, when purchasing this product you get a free book – “20 fun facts about mosquitoes” with your purchase.

Specifications:

• Type: Spray
• Active ingredients: Geraniol
• Target pests: Mosquitoes, Ticks, Flies, Chiggers, No-see-ums, Fire ants, Gnats
• Kid safe: Yes
• Scent: Heavy rose and citronella scent