Most repellents on the market have a few things in common; they all say they repel most garden-variety insects such as mosiquitoes, gnats, bees, wasp and the vast majority contains the chemical called DEET.
According to Wikipedia (on online encylopedia) “DEET, is an insect-repellent chemical. It is intended to be applied to the skin or to clothing, and is primarily used to protect against insect bites. In particular, DEET protects against tick bites (which transmit Lyme disease) and mosquito bites (which transmit dengue fever, West Nile virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), and malaria). DEET is believed to work by blocking insect receptors (notably those which detect carbon dioxide and lactic acid) which are used to locate hosts. DEET effectively “blinds” the insect’s senses so the biting/feeding instinct is not triggered by humans or animals which produce these chemicals.”
The article also has this to say about possible harmful side effects of Deet, “DEET is the most common active ingredient in insect repellents. Studies into the health effects of using DEET in the approved way (as a topical application) have not shown any significant harm to human health; exposure to large amounts (by means such as accidental ingestion) has similar effects to comparable exposure to other pesticides. As DEET is a powerful pesticide, however, manufacturers of DEET based products advise they should not be used under clothing, on damaged skin, and that the DEET based preparation be washed off after it is no longer needed or between applications.”
From the information I’ve just given you, there is no reason to fear or even worry much about any possible side effects that may result from exposure to this chemical. That’s just one side of the coin though, the following is another article from website called Dr. Mercola.com, “Safe, natural options for repelling these pesky critters are available, and it is in your best interest to avoid any products containing DEET. Many studies have found DEET to have harmful effects. One study found that DEET causes diffuse brain cell death and behavioral changes in rats, and researchers suggest that humans may experience memory loss, headache, weakness, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, tremors and shortness of breath with heavy exposure to DEET and other insecticides. In the event that you choose to use DEET, do not use the products on infants and be very wary of using them on children at all (at least make sure products for children contain 10 percent or less DEET).”
So which is it? Is Deet good for you? Is Deet bad for you? Does it cause memory loss? Is it perfectly safe to use on children? Unfortunately I don’t have the answers. What I do know is that the repellent used in Repell-em animal and insect repelling trash bags is made from peppermint oil, citronella, rosemary, clove oil, geranium, lemons, and apple pomace. All natural ingredients no Deet. Is Deet dangerous? I don’t know about you, but I’m not willing to risk my family’s health to find out.
Tags: Sphere ItBuy Repell-em Garbage Bags and keep the animals away!
Related Posts:
