Safest bug repellent
The safest bug repellent can be hard to find, especially because there are so many. Can use a natural product to keep bugs away?
Good Bugs, Bad Bugs!
Bugs are everywhere and they are a natural part of life. We know that bugs can be beneficial. In fact, I use preying mantis’s in my organic garden to keep pests away. They search for and eat any bugs they can find. I initially started to use them when I didn’t want to spray my raspberry bushes with chemicals.
The problem was that I wasn’t getting very much yield from the bushes and I realized it was because I had a Japanese Beetle problem. These beetles were causing the bush to become weak because they were eating the leaves. So, in came the preying mantis’s to control the population without chemicals. And, it worked! It was a very natural way to keep these beetles from eating my raspberries!
The other bug I needed to be concerned with are ticks. These bugs can cause lyme disease in humans so it would be prudent to make sure ticks don’t attach themselves to our bodies. Lyme disease is treatable but it can start an auto-immune response giving you more symptoms. Finding a bug repellent that can keep these guys away is a good idea but sometimes finding the safest bug repellent can be hard.
The safest bug repellent
According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), there are 3 ingredients that they believe are safe:
- Picaridin
- DEET
- IR3535
These are all chemical repellents but are they the safest bug repellent? They can cause skin rashes. They’re chemicals, so there is always that risk of skin problems.
I always try to choose non-chemical (i.e. natural) but sometimes that’s not always possible and I get that. If you’re looking for a more natural bug repellent, the EWG does offer some suggestions that they say are effective and safe bug repellents. Of course, there are some cautions, especially for young children. There are other options that I think should be used along with whatever bug repellent you choose.
Other options for the safest bug repellent
In addition to choosing a bug repellent, natural or not, you’ll want to take other precautions such as wearing long sleeves and long pants. Make sure you are wearing socks, too! When we’re hiking, it’s tempting to wear shorts and short sleeved shirts. Don’t do it! Wear proper clothing to cover up your skin.
Another important thing to know is that ticks and other bugs hang out in the brush so try to stay away from these areas. If you do go through the brush, do a thorough inspection of your body to make sure one hasn’t latched onto your clothes (or skin).
In addition, wash your hands after application of any bug repellent and don’t breathe the chemicals in. Also, be careful of products that are both sunscreen and bug repellent because you may be applying too much over the course of the day. Lastly, shower after being outdoors so that you remove the repellent AND always inspect your body for ticks. Check your armpits, inner elbow, behind the knee and near the groin. Ticks will find the warmest places to hide. Not pleasant to think about, but necessary to do in order to have the safest bug repellent!
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