Bug Repellents That Actually Work

Bugs can very quickly tarnish the relaxing vibe of any location, whether indoors or outdoors. Among the litany of bug zappers, sprays, repellants, candles, and traps, there are a lot of bad options that just don’t work. To effectively keep bugs at bay, follow the advice of Wirecutter’s resident bug control expert and farmer, Doug Mahoney. He’ll explain what products to avoid, and what actually works for vanquishing your flying foes.
0:00 Intro
0:25 Essential oils
3:09 Sticky traps
4:07 Bug zappers
5:46 What actually works
Read more about our picks for bug control gear:
Repellents: nyti.ms/2EzUzWV
Mosquito control gear: nyti.ms/2EM5Wup
Fly swatters: nyti.ms/2EIBa5W
Everything we don't recommend: nyti.ms/2QxYQwj
University of Delaware study: bit.ly/3gDK7uD
Subscribe for more expert-tested gear recommendations and advice: bit.ly/2TbshIv
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Wirecutter reviews the best gear, gadgets and more, with recommendations made through vigorous reporting, interviewing, and real-world testing by teams of experts.
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[@CruisinRoute66]

5:49 is when they show what actually works

[@alvinthompson3247]

Fun fact, mosquitoes adapt to areas with high winds ( like South East Texas ) and are not effected by fans. They fly like fighter jets and attack with raptor teeth.

[@chrisking4636]

Raptor tooth.😉

[@RobertGenito]

…until they die a few weeks later :D

[@LisaLisa001]

"fun" fact.. Only fun if I get mosquito goggles so I can try to dodge them?

[@Peakfreud]

Florida Mosquitos are similar to the ones in Vietnam. I opened my Car Door at Biscayne National park at Night the Mosquitos rushed in an almost covered the entire roof. They were all in the Windshield. A swarm of Mosquitoes is thick and terrifying.. it looks like a Shadow coming towards you ..

[@dawnchesbro4189]

I can back up the use of permethrin. I used it on all my clothes I packed for a six week trip to madagascar. When our large group walked through a boggy area to get to baobab trees, everyone was getting bitten by bugs, even when they used deet and picaridin bug sprays. However, I literally watched as bugs would land on my permethrin protected clothing and then quickly fly away within seconds. They knew if they stayed they would die. WARNING THOUGH!! Don't spray it around cats or fish, it's a neurotoxin to them. Spray outside and wait for the clothes to completely dry before taking them into the house if you have cats or fish. They can and will die if you spray it around them.

[@bergmanct]

I've been dealing with insanely hungry mosquitos ever since I moved out of NYC. I have tried EVERY gimmick I've seen- I prefer organic methods, but despite the bold claims, garlic, "natural" mosquito repellent wrist bands and stickers, Marigolds, Rosemary and others did NOTHING to protect us at dusk form the starving swarm of mosquitos in NJ.. Yard sprays help a bit, but take a long time to apply and really won;t offer much protection. I have found that the Black Flag fogger works best, but it is highly toxic, so I only use it when I'm entertaining 30+ people in the back yard. I have also found that fans really help. Out of everything I have seen so far, yours is the most objective and informative video on the topic. Key take-aways are the Picardin and Radius. Thank you!

[@MD-gk4uh]

So you only use highly toxic chemicals when you have a lot of people to harm? 😮 Remind me to never go to your backyard party 😂

[@lenajackson5448]

catnip spray on your skin and clothes can work well....beware the herd of cats stampeding you when you leave home. :) (Lemon Eucalyptus may work as well but might be harmful to pets- cats have issues with many herbs because their organs can't detoxify them well)

[@yiannifunataoldotcom]

I love how sophisticated the farmer is! Way to go!!!

[@timlynch6271]

Definitely should have more followers

[@davidschoen7756]

Great video. Very informative and the presenter does a terrific job with great enthusiasm!

[@nataliasin-clair5652]

Nope

[@SnackPack913]

Great video. Loved how matter of fact this guy is with his information.

[@LIVITLUVIT]

This is best video I seen on the subject thank you

[@dorcasowens8521]

Sawyers brand insect repellent is very effective. U.S. military uses it around the world. I used it in Peru, going up the Amazon River. The key is to place repellent on your clothes/ hat and NOT your skin.

[@Poetry4Peace]

Watched whilse sittin on a sofa i found in my private forest that was dumped n i cleaned it but midges or some uk forest flies been peein me off so i found this. Also what was context for the small apartment thingg?

[@phdyoutubedegree1939]

does smudging work on mosquitos?

[@xtrickster6556]

Where can one get permethrin?

[@Nashota]

I LOVE my handheld mosquito zapper. Looks like a tennis racket and gives me a satisfying shiver every time I hear one of those suckers SNAP CRACK!!! Fizzle :)

[@edloki3057]

You're a psychopath, aren't you?

[@captaincrunch8464]

😂😂😂

[@KeithCopeland778]

Very good information! Thank you! The presenter is awesome!!!

[@jayjay24241]

Reminds me of when you got a group project but one person doing all the work 🤣🤣

[@cpurrin1]

Would you please review the Spartan Mosquito Eradicator and the Spartan Mosquito Pro Tech? The company calls itself "the leading mosquito-control company in the United States". There are hundreds of thousands of people who believe the tubes kill mosquitoes.

[@ShadowBannedForever]

Today I bought 5 Citronella plants. I had them all in my front porch area while I transplanted them in larger pots. They did not work at all.

[@alvinthompson3247]

In my home, I use Bug-a-salt, salt gun. Way cool to blast bugs with salt. Spiders, sorry, the wife says you must die when in our home. Flys, and pretty much anything in need of death.

[@Poetry4Peace]

Nicely made videoo :)

[@Rhino42680]

Awesome. I like being outdoors but really hate mosquitoes, they really love me though. 🤨

[@allenharris1684]

My bug zapper ( inside the house ) kills the heck out mosquitoes 🦟 and occasionally flies. Don't see much else in there.

[@someguy8094]

Bug zappers work I have 2 outside and both are always full of dead mosquitoes

[@TheApdancer]

What about spiders?

[@murtadha96]

Also informative video :)

[@bobbywilliams9387]

mosquitos be everywhere....like my apartment porch thats on the second floor. height is not a problem for them

[@MrChicagojosh]

I've got a major black fly issue - any ideas on how to help? I've got an 8k sq ft restaurant that sees biblical numbers of black flies.... thanks

[@MrTrda]

Parasitic wasps - you can buy bags of larvae on the interweb

[@alvinthompson3247]

Of course, you will shortly have a parasitic wasp problem. 🙄

[@fascistscansuckit]

Very well produced segment.

[@AlmerickSo]

What about Citronella coils? Are they as useless as Citronella candles?

[@shawnise311]

Yup

[@nancycrisman7496]

I like the coils. I place outside on each side of my garage while working inside and I am more comfortable

[@Le_Sourpuss]

you can use a blade to get adhesives off of glass windows IF the windows have no plastic film on them (if it's just glass). The glass is harder than the metal so the metal won't scratch it. There are blades that are made for the sole purpose of cleaning windows through scraping. With one of those it's really piece of cake. You can use water with dishwash detergent as "lubricant".

[@sidereus7]

What about the salt shotgun? Any thoughts?

[@jonathansaucedo2497]

It's certainly a very fun to use regardless they work or not

[@AZtwoNE]

“Bug Assault”

[@alvinthompson3247]

Bug-a-salt, so much fun for indoor pests.

[@mmoskwa3472]

Wish she told about the unit on the table behind her.

[@Bearforceone]

I think I fel in love with Dorie Chevlen while watching this video

[@Peakfreud]

Of course ..

[@joejoerunya8908]

Did you say that mosquitoes spread bengay?

[@AlohaMichaelDaly]

I felt the need to comment :)

[@dobees8183]

The best mosquito repellent is burning dried cow dung. That grassy poop is amazing!

[@tvang991]

Mosquito repellent? More like every repellent 😆

[@bobbywilliams9387]

more videos with dorie please

[@carlbowles1808]

I use Off botanical plant based repellent. It keeps flying insects away for one to two hours. Being non toxic I can use as often as necessary. Deet and picaridin last longer but are toxic. The tradeoff is worth it. Great video honey 🍯thanks.

[@Zeracheil]

Only draw back the natural version doesn't work for everyone. My daughter I have to get the Deet version that is almost 100% deet to keep mosquitos from devouring her. Anything less or 'natural' forget it.. might as well not put anything on her.

[@TonyisToking]

So even for insects, it’s all perspective!

[@TonyisToking]

Thank you Doug Mahoney, good food for thought. Great video, presenter did fantastic!

[@amirwhite7608]

Tiki torch but fighter worked good last year now this year the fucking mosquitos are flying right through the smoke to come bite me? Why they so damn aggressive this year

[@nancycrisman7496]

Lots of rain this year where i live. I get those round disc and put in my gutter drains and any standing water. Seems to work for me. I also have potted Rosemary and lavender on patio.

[@SimonSozzi7258]

Fuck! I bought a bunch of OFF and it's only 10% Picaridin!

[@kalechips5972]

Ok but what about a roach repellent?

[@murtadha96]

Cutest presenter ever, honestly!

[@Yer_Da_]

Damn you're attractive not only for your looks but also for your nerdiness also i am drunk - but that doesn't change the truth

[@user-tc5nf3rs7r]

The candles do work you just need one on each side of you

[@rzy2023]

Bs i use citronella out my back door and never get them coming inside the house even if door left open if you going to give advice .give it right

[@zombiegeorge749]

Why is no one else asking about the Shorts made from Mom Jeans? Two people in the break room were wearing them.

[@jl3585]

His assessment of bug zapper is not accurate. If your bug zapper is INSIDE you rarely zap wasps or moths... my experience is that it is almost entirely mosquitoes. It is awesome.

[@brotendo]

What about spiders

[@uss_04]

Spiders are there to get the pests bothering us.

[@jboomhauer]

@@uss_04 but who will get the spiders?

[@brotendo]

@@uss_04 Yes, but the spiders also come in and bit us and leave gigantic welts.

[@cybersphere]

This girl is crazy, but amusing

[@TurtleComputerNerd]

Vanilla based sprays work great against some gnats.

[@bobbeorn]

Carnivorous plants

[@oldschoolfoil2365]

living in the right area where there no bugs is a better gold standard then any costly application. just silly maintaining poor animals in that environment.

[@Toykio]

What i took from this: Essential oils are the bullshit i always thought they were. Bugzappers are fun but really bad and candles just like essential oils are useless and just effing candles.

[@sageanonymous5548]

Someone who lives where there’s tons of bugs here: i immediately clicked away when i heard the most popular was essential oils… bro im sorry but the cancer stuff works the best its just fax

[@samdoesstuff9787]

I’ve always heard that DEET is bad for you. Like super carcinogenic

[@joshualawson7604]

Yep, I'm surprised it was mentioned favorably. Bad for bugs but also bad for you.

[@mikeyyt737]

Literally an ad for Sawyer products smh

[@thebidendotwin2926]

uh no. it had one Sawyer product.

[@Intimatycal]

What a beautiful woman

[@urgaynknowit]

The problem with bug zappers is they kill everything, so you use those indoors. To attract everything in your home and kill it. But more won’t come because your doors are closed. Outdoors you use repellents, rather than a zapper that will attract everything your way.

[@scottfergusson8411]

Deet is NOT good for humans!

[@flamenguista1]

how cute are you? geez

[@sonja0707]

Bajan mosquitoes are evil

[@leegarza3605]

Mosquitoes suck

[@playerone9824]

You know what I hate about these types of videos? When people string it out and go into every tiny little effing detail about every product... I'm here because I'm pissed off, impatient and full of murderous intent towards the bugs that are eating me alive during this insane heat wave! The last thing I need is to have 7 minutes out of an 8 minute video just be filler... Jesus!

[@fun4225]

You saw the thumbnail and time before you clicked dude.

[@playerone9824]

@@fun4225 What? No... What!? 🤨

[@slingeroftruth]

I like her, but it's getting annoying to hear that trend of vocal fry speech the Kardashians must have started. To each their own though.

[@themafia702]

You look pretty cute 😚

[@AnimusZen]

"Staff Writer" - I think I'll pass on your opinion and move on to someone with scientific facts supporting their statements.

[@guitarlearningtoplay]

horrible advice, this why we have just gotten worse with bugs

[@dvsjp75]

You lost me at DEET is safe 🙄 Typical biased BS

[@notmac1853]

By all means feel free to keep your essential oils, homeopathy, and other related quackery.

[@Radical_Rainbow]

I have to admit, I am biased in favor of scientifically proven products and remedies. I must just be beyond saving.

[@EssenceRare]

Nice plastic feel

[@Poetry4Peace]

Watched whilse sittin on a sofa i found in my private forest that was dumped n i cleaned it but midges or some uk forest flies been peein me off so i found this. Also what was context for the small apartment thingg?