Mosquito Repellent Recommendation

[sclough]

Wanting recommendations please for Mozzi repellents (that work). TIA.

I often travel to family in tropical areas. The only thing that stops me getting eaten is as follows:

Anything with same ingredients/ratios of DEET as Jungle Formula 4 - this includes tesco, Wilko, Superdruge, Sainsbury's own "max" products (they are just cheaper than JF unless its on offer)

If it's really bad, I also use the electric plug in overnight AND buy a can of bug spray locally and fumigate the bedroom about 15mins before bedtime (spray liberally under bed and furniture and shut the door)

And I wear leggings/long sleeved t shirt to bed as well. Thin socks if mozzies really bad.

(Someone will come along and tell you about that Avon stuff - don't bother. It stinks to high heaven (old lady sock drawer) and doesn't work.)

DEET. Nothing else is effective for me. None of the alternative medicine / eat specific foods recommendations or Avon sprays do diddly.

Long trousers, long sleeve tops. I wear head to toe thin linen on hot holidays.

Don't forget to do your ankles - I missed a bit once in Sri Lanka and had over 20 bites in a small area during dinner. Cue enormous swelled foot and ankle and infected bites. I do react badly though

@BuzzShitbagBobbly brilliant thanks for that

Thanks for that DEET products it is. We are going to Cuba. The mozzies and flies like me tho most

no worries!

Also, I forgot - last holiday I spent £10 on a couple of pairs of thin/cheap harem pants on ebay. They were much cooler than leggings and just as effective.

(This in-private use is the one and only time I would ever suggest harem pants - they are horrible things otherwise, nobody looks good in them. And they don't make you look like a seasoned local either, contrary to popular belief )

definitely DEET, as strong as you can find. the 'natural' ones work for about 10 seconds. If you are going to tropical areas they are ALL dengue zones and it is not time to prat about with anything but DEET.

and yes, cover up - comedy trousers excusable!

I used to work in the jungle. Ultimately, if they take a liking to you, there is nothing you can do. Any exposed skin will be bitten. Actually, sometimes, they'll even get you through lightweight fabrics.

If you are lucky enough to have aircon, keep it under 20degrees, and absolutely make sure you sleep under a mossie net. They aren't expensive, take one with you.

DEET as others have said, also mossies love dusk time, I used to live in Australia so make sure you are sprayed if you eat outside. They can bit through thin clothing.

Bite*

I'm in the med and we suffer from mossies and they're getting worse every year. The Avon stuff is an urban myth I think because it contains citronella which works for some people but not for me. I got a local remedy full of the stuff and it just made it worse. I've been bitten here through harem pants and thermal socks! Deet, and those plug ins are the only things that work and just in case you are bitten, Sudocrem works well for me on my bites.

Mosquito milk from Chemist Direct, it has Deet comes in a roll on bottle and is brilliant. I have been using it for thirty years.

I have a neon sign over my head that says eat here for free, they very rarely do and it is always down to me when they do.

Do not buy from Amazon they appear to be more expensive.

www.chemistdirect.co.uk/mosquito-milk/prd-hi5

Thanks everyone

DEET definitely.

I bought ankle & wrist bands impregnated with DEET, & didn't get a single bite in a malaria area.

I’ve used this stuff in Costa Rica and Sri Lanka and we’ve been bite free! It’s 30% deet so you can use it on kids too 30% is the max you’re supposed to use on them).

As PPs have said, deet really is the only thing that works! I’ve tried the natural stuff and Avon Skin So Soft, mozzie bands with citronella etc and they are rubbish! Take plug ins for the room and coils if you have a balcony. There’s also a clothes spray you can buy.

I usually go with a small armoury of anti mozzie stuff - an itchy scratchy holiday (or worse, a nasty disease) isn’t my idea of a great time!
www.essentialslondon.com/products/ben-s-family-insect-repellent-cream-100ml?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9p666cSc5wIVFeDtCh1P2QV0EAQYDyABEgLCjPD_BwE

You can get clothing that has repellant in the cloth ( good for 20 washes) called nosilife. I have worn a normal long sleeve shirt and been bitten through and one of these and not been bitten so they seem to work. People suggest light coloured clothing for some reason too. Have fun in Cuba

Thanks everyone. Going to go with DEET products, and long clothing.

DEET, and for when I'm going to super tropical/jungle type places I wear Nosilife clothing from Craghoppers

If it helps, really don’t remember there being a big mozzie problem in Cuba - I certainly didn’t wear long clothing