Recovering from DEET (1 Viewer)

[Alexis Powell]

I live in an area with tremendous numbers of chiggers, ticks (with many diseases, including Lyme, Rocky Mtn Spotted Fever, plus potential for Alpha-gal Syndrome), mosquitos, deer flies, and oak leaf itch mites. In a few minutes, it is possible to acquire enough chiggers or ticks or itch mites to generate hundreds of bites (that can last many weeks). The magic solution, which I find provides 100% protection from all of the above, is permethrin treated clothing (long pants, long sleeve shirt, socks, hat) and wearing knee-high rubber boots (LaCrosse Burly 18 inch Air Grip). By the way, the gallon jugs of permethrin from JB Eaton (to spray on) are much cheaper than Sawyer and other brands that are available from REI and other places. I've been doing this for a dozen years with no bites and no ticks ever on my body. If mosquitos and deer flies are ultra intense, I will apply some encapsulated DEET to exposed skin (hands and face). It is much more gentle (regular DEET makes me flush) and it lasts a long time.

Amazon.com : JT Eaton 209-W1G Kills Bedbugs, Ticks and Mosquitoes Water Based Spray with Sprayer Attachment, 1-Gallon : Insect Repellents : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Amazon.com : JT Eaton 209-W1G Kills Bedbugs, Ticks and Mosquitoes Water Based Spray with Sprayer Attachment, 1-Gallon : Insect Repellents : Patio, Lawn & Garden

www.amazon.com

Amazon.com: Sawyer Products SP5332 Ultra 30 Insect Repellent, 30% DEET Lotion, 3-Ounce, Twin Pack : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Buy Sawyer Products SP5332 Ultra 30 Insect Repellent, 30% DEET Lotion, 3-Ounce, Twin Pack: Repellents - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

I'm not kidding about the potential for hundreds of bites in minutes, but since I started using the above, I've not had a single bite (At this point, for the past 18 years!). Meanwhile, some of my friends and colleagues and students who don't follow my advice still get hundreds of bites and act as if they have no choice. I know differently, so I consider them to be masochists.

--AP

 

[DuckNorris]

Thanks for the tip on the cheaper permethrin!

 

[THE_FERN]

Amazon.com : JT Eaton 209-W1G Kills Bedbugs, Ticks and Mosquitoes Water Based Spray with Sprayer Attachment, 1-Gallon : Insect Repellents : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Amazon.com : JT Eaton 209-W1G Kills Bedbugs, Ticks and Mosquitoes Water Based Spray with Sprayer Attachment, 1-Gallon : Insect Repellents : Patio, Lawn & Garden

www.amazon.com

Amazon.com: Sawyer Products SP5332 Ultra 30 Insect Repellent, 30% DEET Lotion, 3-Ounce, Twin Pack : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Buy Sawyer Products SP5332 Ultra 30 Insect Repellent, 30% DEET Lotion, 3-Ounce, Twin Pack: Repellents - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

Thanks. those links suggest products are unavailable. What do you use now / instead?

 

[Mike Crawley]

A word a caution w.r.t. permethrin, a work colleague had a seve reaction to this chemical when inadvertently getting some on her skin.
Additionally, I am aware of its ability as an insecticide but never heard of it being used as a repellent (unless I misunderstood comments above)

 

[Brink]

After getting tired of paying a lot for the ready-to-use permethrin, I also bought in bulk. I use Martin's 10% permethrin, which I dilute into a spray bottle and apply to clothing. I find that it is extremely effective against ticks, but I still get some mosquito bites (not sure if it is better or worse than DEET). It looks like you can get Martin's at some Pet Stores and Tractor Supply, I have been using the same bottle for years.

I've always been careful to apply only to clothing and gear and wait until it is dry to use and have never had any acute issues. My wife hates the way it smells, though it seems nearly odorless to me.

 

[DuckNorris]

Thanks. those links suggest products are unavailable. What do you use now / instead?

The products appear to be available on the US Amazon site.

 

[Alexis Powell]

Thanks. those links suggest products are unavailable. What do you use now / instead?

Sorry, the links only work for Amazon USA. I only included them as examples. I assume the same products are available elsewhere at similar pricing but since I've never had to purchase them while abroad, I haven't looked into it.

--AP

 

[Alexis Powell]

A word a caution w.r.t. permethrin, a work colleague had a seve reaction to this chemical when inadvertently getting some on her skin.
Additionally, I am aware of its ability as an insecticide but never heard of it being used as a repellent (unless I misunderstood comments above)

Different formulations are used as insecticides for house or yard treatment, but you are right that permethrin is not just a repellent--it can kill insects and other arthropods that are exposed long enough. Buy the type for spraying on clothes, tents, backpacks, shoes, and other cloth items. Don't get it on you while it is wet. Should be safe to wear and have skin contact once dry.

Bonus value of treating travel clothes w/permethrin: it will kill any bedbugs, fleas, lice etc in your suitcase that might try to hitch a ride back to your home.

--AP

 

[Mike Crawley]

Thanks Alexis, as a retired chemical analyst I’m familiar with the uses of this material as an insecticide having worked with it extensively since the 80s.
As above, I was unaware that it was licensed as a repellent.

 

[Maljunulo]

Don't get it on you while it is wet. Should be safe to wear and have skin contact once dry.

Why, is it in a carrier which permeates the skin? (guessing)

 

[Alexis Powell]

Thanks Alexis, as a retired chemical analyst I’m familiar with the uses of this material as an insecticide having worked with it extensively since the 80s.
As above, I was unaware that it was licensed as a repellent.

Yep, it's been available since ~1980 to consumers in the USA and has also been used to treat US military clothing for a long time. Pre-treated clothing (labeled BugOff, Insect Shield, BugsAway, No Fly Zone...), which lasts through many more washings (50+) than self-treated clothes are increasingly available as well.

--AP

 

[Alexis Powell]

Why, is it in a carrier which permeates the skin? (guessing)

Yes.

--AP

 

[Ignatius]

We have a spray called 'NoBite' to be sprayed on clothing ca. 2 hrs before use. The label says an application on cotton lasts about 2 months or 4 washes. On synthetics it lasts about half that time. It contains 4% permethrin.

PS. Here ...

 

[THE_FERN]

Thanks for. I've seen elsewhere suggestions for buying in bulk: much cheaper. I think it was stuff sold for domestic pets (in some water-based solution).

I noticed that it really has a great deterrent effect although maybe this is undesirable for entomologists...

 

[dorubird]

About a month ago, I really stupidly got deet insect repellent on the armor of my bins (Celestron Nature DX 8x42).

The stickiness is gone, and the armor feels normal in the air conditioning.

But after a few minutes of outdoor use in the summer heat, the right barrel (which got much more deet on it than the left barrel) feels like it's "sweating".

The "sweat" doesn't seem to be a liquid that's coming off on my hand. My hand feels sweaty after holding them, but neither my hand nor the bins are actually wet.

I think it's getting better, but it seems as though the rate of improvement is slowing down (like an asymptotic process).

Does anybody know something I can do to make this sweatiness go away or speed up the process? Should I leave them out in the heat or put them in the fridge or put some chemical on them?

I'm plan to upgrade, but probably not until Christmas.

Put silicone on the binos rubber armor. It will rehydrate it and return it to its original texture. I did the same with the rubber of a photo lens and solved the problem.

 

[DuckNorris]

I ended up doing nothing. I didn't touch the bins for a couple of weeks, and when I tried them out again yesterday, they didn't have the sweaty feeling.

I think now I couldn't tell they ever were damage by deet without looking at them.

The problem basically resolved itself after six weeks or so.