No items found.

Best Insect Repellents to Ward Off 2022’s Scariest Pests

When spending time outdoors, you're always prone to insect bites and bad bugs that are swarming around. While the instant pain of a bug bite is a piece of cake, the diseases, burns, or itchiness that may follow afterward ends up being a real game-changer. And trust us, you don't want to be a part of it, those insects are going to beat you at their own game. So, what do you do? How do you save yourself from insects, especially mosquitoes during the hot summer months? Well, you rely on an insect repellent to protect you from these not-so-cute angels of darkness. However, since not all insect repellents are effective, it makes it challenging to know which exact product you should be going for. Fortunately, our team did the work for you and narrowed down some top-of-the-line recommendations for the best insect repellents in 2022 to ensure that you can get back outdoors and face the bad bugs head-on.

Best Insect Repellents Buying Guide

No matter how modern and fancy-looking your house or apartment is, it can still be a comfy home to some unwanted guests. Flies, cockroaches, mosquitoes, you name it - insects are a problem that many homeowners struggle to deal with each day. Read on to find out how to pick the best insect repellent so you can make your home intolerable for these bugs.

What is insect repellent?

Insect repellents are substances that prevent insects and pests from landing on surfaces. The type of repellent varies and depending on the product, you may be able to utilize them in different ways. Some repellents function as sprays and can be used to kill or repel insects mid-air, whereas others require application on a surface such as skin or garments to be effective.

Why do you need insect repellent?

Insect repellents work in different ways to keep your home bug-free.

They keep insects away

As their name suggests, they prevent pests from entering an area or landing on a surface. Insects are more common than you think, and chances are, there are a couple of them just lying about in your room right now. Of course, most of them are harmless, and won’t really affect your daily life, but insects such as flies, mosquitoes, and cockroaches can cause health problems down the line if kept unchecked.

Insect repellents serve as a barrier that keeps the insects like flies and mosquitoes at bay. They won’t be able to enter a room as the environment is too hazardous for them to stay in.

They kill insects

While they are known as insect repellents, these substances are completely capable of killing insects as well. The chemicals in insect repellents are designed to kill the bugs, which is what makes those insects stay away in the first place - they can sense and smell the danger. This allows you to be more aggressive and actually exterminate the bad bugs yourself instead of waiting for them to come.

Of course, this purpose is limited to repellents that can be applied directly to insects, such as sprays. An insect repellent cream or lotion, for instance, isn’t really good if you want to kill insects, as it can only be applied to the skin to keep the bugs away.

Looking forward to getting outside? Garden Gate Review Team compiled the best insect repellents to ward of 2022's scariest pests here.

LAST UPDATED

October 20, 2023

Written by
Photo thumbnail Blog Author

Garden Gate Magazine

Media Mentions from Garden Gate Magazine

Garden Gate can turn any thumb green!

Grab your trowel and step into your garden geared with the freshest techniques, design ideas and plant info!

Explore More Content

Media Mentions

Personally, I use Sawyer’s Fabric Treatment–available in pump or spray–for my hunting and hiking clothes.

Popular Mechanics

Media Mentions

Casserly’s favorite water treatment is a squeeze filter like the SAWYER SQUEEZE filtration system ($29, sawyer.com), which screws onto the included flasks or a plastic water bottle. Squeeze filters are ideal for individual use. They’re light and inexpensive, and you can drink the water immediately through the filter.

Scout Life
Media Mentions from Scout Life

Media Mentions

While young babies should be protected with clothing and netting (not chemicals), older babies and children should use a suitable repellent to help avoid bites, discomfort, and insect-borne illnesses.

Molly Bradac