What is the best DEET free insect repellant?

Question

I'm going to a camp that requires me to bring insect repellant with no DEET. It also can't be in an aerosol can. I haven't had much experience with DEET free repellants so I need to know what is the most effective.

Answer 1

Skin-So-Soft by Avon.  It's a liquid, but it sure does work.  I have two small children, and have been afraid to use bug spray on either of them.  You can buy it online, too.

Answer 2

Hi.

The question is what is safe. Even Natural Repellents still have some form of chemicals in them.

In the last 2 years many repellents have been introduced with Picaridin which is said to work as well as deet but with out harmful side effects.

Cutter has introduced several products under the trade name of Cutter Advanced seen here

http://www.vtarmynavy.com/picaridin_inse...

A quick search did not yield any published hazardous side effects:

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=na...

Citronella and other natural repellents have been around for years. How they perform depends on the person. I have never had much success with them. Ingredients include Cactus Juice, Citronella, Eucalyptus and more:

http://www.vtarmynavy.com/natural_insect...

Answer 3

use Vanilla .  rub it on bares skin.  Also vitum B12 keeps the bugs away.  Take one day

Answer 4

I'm not sure when you are going camping, but I have some non-DEET ideas for you that should keep the mosquitos away. Black flies, however, not so much. You will be hard pressed to find an actual insect spray without DEET nowadays.

A week or two before going start either eating garlic or taking a garlic tablet. While you wont be able to smell it, it seems to keep the mosquitos away.

Vicks Vapor Rub is another product that is supposed to work, but I've never tried it myself.

Also, bring some sheets of Bounce (anti-static laundry sheets) and tie a couple to your backback and maybe one a day to the strap of your hat or whatever. This will keep them away pretty good as well. I found it also seems to keep deer flies away from your hair.

Also, there is a homemade recipe I know of, but again, I have not tried it:

20 drops Eucalyptus oil

20 drops Cedarwood oil

10 drops Tea Tree oil

10 drops Geranium oil

2 oz. carrier oil ( such as Jojoba )

Mix together in a 4 oz. container

The only other thing I can reccomend to you is to wear a scentless deodorant, use scentless soap, wear white and other light colored clothing, and use a bug net.

Answer 5

I'm not sure when you are going camping, but I have some non-DEET ideas for you that should keep the mosquitos away. Black flies, however, not so much. You will be hard pressed to find an actual insect spray without DEET nowadays.

A week or two before going start either eating garlic or taking a garlic tablet. While you wont be able to smell it, it seems to keep the mosquitos away.

Vicks Vapor Rub is another product that is supposed to work, but I've never tried it myself.

Also, bring some sheets of Bounce (anti-static laundry sheets) and tie a couple to your backback and maybe one a day to the strap of your hat or whatever. This will keep them away pretty good as well. I found it also seems to keep deer flies away from your hair.

Also, there is a homemade recipe I know of, but again, I have not tried it:

20 drops Eucalyptus oil

20 drops Cedarwood oil

10 drops Tea Tree oil

10 drops Geranium oil

2 oz. carrier oil ( such as Jojoba )

Mix together in a 4 oz. container

Some say vanilla works, but I found it doesn't work too well and it is sticky. Skin-so-soft by Avon apparently works for some, but I've tried it and I still got bit.  

You can also use citronella candles or OFF burning spirals. They don't work great, but if you are going to be sitting around, and not by a fire, they might keep the mosquitos away from the general area.

The only other thing I can reccomend to you is to wear a scentless deodorant, use scentless soap, wear white and other light colored clothing, and use a bug net.

Hope that helped :)

EDIT: Uh... why did Climbador completely copy my answer? What a dork.