Thoughts on Permethrin Mosquito Repellant

[PSBreen]

The mosquitos are nasty in Utah this year. We coated a few sets of clothes (jeans & T-shirts) with Permethrin in the hope of limiting mosquito issues on our next trip. After checking the directions again we noticed that it said that the treated clothing should not contact your skin. Basically sounds like it is to be used with outter wear like jackets or flannel shirts. We were wondering if anyone has more experiance with Permethrin or recommendations for making camping in mosquito infestred areas a little more enjoyable. Note: DEEP Wood OFF and Citronella candles have no effect at all. Thanks.

[ParTaxer]

We have found that Therma Cell works really well. It's like a mini grill that heats a treated material and repells the pests. You can get it with a holster so that you can work in the yard or hike with it.

[Verna]

Vanilla extract -- put in a small spray bottle and spray on exposed skin. Spray onto hands, rub to spread and then rub into hair, face, ears. It even works on dogs. It will also work to keep gnats away.

Imitation vanilla extract seemed to work also. And mixing half water and half vanilla extract seemed to work also.

It worked for 2 to 4 hours on me at the Hoosier Tearjerker Spring gathering at Shakamak SP. Reapply as needed.

If you get it on your clothes, it comes out in the laundry.

And, as an added bonus, you smell good and don't smell like chemicals !!!!

[PSBreen]

We'll have to take a closer look at the Therma Cell. I'm a little leary about the vannilla extract, I've heard that it works. But most of our camping is in bear country and they have already had several issues with bears this year. I can see the headlines now "Campers attacked by bear. Bear commented that they had a tasty hint of vannilla"

[Oldragbaggers]

I thought it was just that it couldn't contact your skin while wet, so you spray the clothes and let them dry, then wear. I'll have to look into it because I bought it for our trip to KY and CRA. And the thermacell would not be the answer for me, because I plan to do some hiking and I am not going to be carrying a thermacell down the trail with me.

[PSBreen]

@Becky, Looks like you read the label more carefully than we did. I went to the manufacture web-site and they had a good FAQ where I found this info

Q. How harmful is the wet permethrin right after applying it to clothing?
A. The directions for applying permethrin from the aerosol can to clothing state that the fabric should be allowed to dry before wear or handling. However, contact with the wet material should pose minimal concern but should be washed off. The amount of permethrin available for skin absorption is very low and is not expected to cause adverse effects.

Q. Is Permethrin dangerous to my skin?
A. The warning labels on the cans or bottles are often misunderstood. Your skin metabolizes, or breaks down Permethrin within fifteen minutes of contact with skin. Therefore, it is of no value to you as a personal protection insect repellent when applied to the skin. In addition, the EPA precautionary statement, "Do Not Apply to Skin" indicates that Permethrin is ineffective when applied to skin; therefore, do not apply to skin.

Also a nice video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH5h0qU4EQ4 .

I plan to give it a try. It would certainly be nice if it works as well as they say.

[aggie79]

In Texas mosquito and West Nile virus country, we use the lemon eucalyptus spray. You do have to re-spray periodically throughout the day though.

[TPMcGinty]

Another vote for ThermaCELL! Mosquitos are bad here in MN too and it works great!

[Shadow Catcher]

My experience with the termacell in Wisconsin last year was that mosquitoes landed right next to it. Dead air so it had no value whatsoever. Our experience up in Lake Superior was they were voracious and even 28% Deet discouraged them only a bit, we went through three cans. My son in-law came back with 180+ bits after 2 1/2 days I was there for 8, we did not count.
One factor is blood type, they Love O and not so much A, I am O and Nancy A.

[jstrubberg]

Permethrin works, although I've found it more effective against ticks than mosquitos.

I LOVE my ThermaCell! I use it constantly when hunting the early seasons. Treestand time can be pretty unbearable without it in September.

[Oldragbaggers]

The Thermacell sounds like just the ticket if you're sitting around the campfire or up in a tree stand, but if you plan hiking, biking, walking and such, something that you can spray on and go is what is needed. I have DEET and also the Permethrin. I plan to use both and hope for the best. I'm going to spray all my clothes and let them dry before I pack them. They say the Permethrin actually lasts through a couple of washings. That sounds unlikely to me.

We have citronella candles for the campsite (2 of the 3-wick buckets that supposedly last 50 hours each. I'll use them both at once.) If they don't work in KY, I'll pick up the Thermacell before we head to the CRA. It's a problem I deal with all summer long as they are pretty bad here where I live.

[Fiferguy]

In Texas mosquito and West Nile virus country, we use the lemon eucalyptus spray. You do have to re-spray periodically throughout the day though.

+1 on this one. It's also fairly effective on the little gnats we get here in the Albuquerque foothills. It's pretty strong, but works really well.

[mulefour]

I have the holster for the Thermacell that I strap on my arm so my hands are free when hunting or out walking.
Bob

[S. Heisley]

Here are some remedies that don't involve bug spray:

1) The forest rangers on the coast swear by Bounce fabric sheets, rubbed on the clothing and skin. Use the original fragrance. (I think it masks human smell.)
2) Don't eat bananas within 24 hours of being near mosquitoes. The smell comes out your pores and lungs and the little nasties go nuts over it.
3) I just found this one and it's for the picnic table: Cut two limes in half and place the 4 halves, cut side up on a plate. Stud the cut sides with cloves. I don't know if this one works or not (they say it does) but it will smell good!

[pmowers]

They say the Permethrin actually lasts through a couple of washings. That sounds unlikely to me.

The military uses Permethrin for treating uniforms. It in not designed for repelling mosquitoes, but is very effective at keeping away ticks, chiggers, fleas et al that attack you when walking through their territory. My personal experience is that really does last through several washes, even when we were sweating through our leather boots. For mosquitoes, we used either DEET liquid or Bullfrog waterproof.