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Today, pharmacies, sporting goods stores and online retailers offer a wide variety of insect repellent products. With the increase in diseases such as Lyme disease, and the constant threat of new ticks or mosquito diseases — or old diseases like dengue fever that resurface — it is vital to protect yourself from these pests. The sheer number of choices shows consumers a double-edged sword: it is good to have choices, but it is not always easy to distinguish which ones are effective and which ones are ineffective.

Consumer Reports tested the insect repellents you applied to your skin, and we found that some of them provide long-lasting protection against mosquitoes. Then there are various mosquito repellents designed to keep mosquitoes away from a certain area, such as citronella candles, or wristbands that claim to keep mosquitoes away from you.

David Brown, a technical consultant for the American Mosquito Control Association, a trade organization, said that although certain types of regional insect repellents may be useful in certain situations, using effective skin repellents is still the best way to reduce or prevent mosquito bites. . 

But many products you will find on the market do not work well. To help distinguish the good from the bad, we have compiled a quick list of products that you can skip.

This sounds like a good idea: use "natural" mosquito repellents that contain active ingredients such as clove, lemongrass, or rosemary oil, and avoid mosquito repellents that contain chemicals such as DEET.

But the problem is that the regulation of natural insect repellents is different from other insect repellent products. Since the Environmental Protection Agency considers the chemicals they contain harmless, the agency will not evaluate their effectiveness. Because of this loophole, companies that sell these insect repellents do not have to prove that they actually work. Our tests showed that they did not.

Several plant-based insect repellents tested by CR last only one hour or less for Aedes aegypti, which can transmit Zika virus, yellow fever, dengue fever and chikungunya.  

Dr. Daniel Fabricant, President and CEO of the Natural Products Association, told Consumer Reports that the effectiveness of natural insect repellents is the same as other insect repellents. 

Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Environmental Protection Agency have stated that if used properly, deet is safe even for pregnant women. Our experts agree, but they recommend sticking to products containing 15% to 30% DEET. If you don't want to use DEET, our tests have found that products containing two other active ingredients are also effective: 30% lemon eucalyptus oil and 20% pikaridin.

These wearable insect repellent devices are advertised as safer because you don't have to rub anything on your skin.

But scientists who have tested these products found that they are ineffective. In a study published in the Journal of Insect Science in 2017, researchers found that they had no significant effect in repelling mosquitoes. (Past CR tests on these projects found similar results.)

"It's not that they don't contain mosquito repellents," said Dr. Immo Hansen, the author of the study and a professor of biology at New Mexico State University. But he said, "wearing a bracelet to protect your entire body from mosquitoes" is not enough.

In 2016, the Federal Trade Commission imposed a fine of $300,000 on wristband manufacturer Viatek for deceptive marketing of its Mosquito Shield Bands. The committee stated that the company's claim that the band can resist mosquitoes is not supported by scientific evidence.

It is said that the high-frequency sound emitted by ultrasonic equipment is too high for humans, but the frequency is just right to repel pests including mosquitoes. The problem is that there is no evidence that they are effective. 

The US Federal Trade Commission investigated the false advertisements of several sonic insect repellent manufacturers. In 2016, the New York Attorney General's Office issued a suspension and termination letter to the manufacturers of two specific brands of sonic insect repellents-STAR Ultrasonic Pest Repeller and iGear iGuard 2.0 Ultrasonic Insect Pest Repeller. The Attorney General said: "A lot of scientific research has shown that [the devices] will not repel mosquitoes and may even attract mosquitoes." 

Although citronella candles are popular as an insect repellent, there is little evidence that they can provide reliable protection against mosquito bites. "They make you smell good in the backyard, but they won't protect you from mosquitoes," Hansen said.

Other types of candles are not a good choice. In 2018, the US Federal Trade Commission accused Mikey & Momo of deceptive marketing of mosquito repellent products. The company claims that its scented "Aromaflage" candles are as effective as 25% DEET sprays. The agency stated that these claims are not supported by any evidence.

Some studies, including Hansen's 2017 study, found that clip sprayers or fans that emit mosquito repellent fog can repel mosquitoes very well.

But they may not be as effective as insect repellents applied to the skin, says Brown of the American Mosquito Control Association. This is mainly because the device will produce a cloud of protective insect repellent around you, but if you walk away, the clouds in the air will not follow you. 

Consumer Reports is also concerned about the safety of equipment using the chemical methfluthrin, which the EPA classifies as a potential carcinogen. 

If you want to minimize the chance of being bitten, use one of the most highly rated insect repellents in the CR test. And first take measures to prevent mosquitoes from reproducing. Keep your yard clear of water-filled containers, such as drains, birdbaths, tires, trolleys, shallow pools, and swimming pool covers. Remove ivy and rotting leaves, because mosquitoes like cool, dark places. And because ticks like tall grass and a lot of shade, it's best to keep the lawn neatly trimmed and free of leaves and other debris. 

The following products listed in alphabetical order are some of the best-performing insect repellents tested by Consumer Reports. CR members can view our complete insect repellent rating.

Insect bites are not only annoying, they can also spread diseases. In the "Consumer 101" TV show, the host Jack Rico walked into the laboratory of Consumer Reports to learn how CR tests insect repellents to ensure you are protected to the greatest extent.

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