11 Best Bug and Mosquito Repellents of 2023

Protect yourself outdoors with these effective sprays, machines and candles.

With warmer temperatures come backyard cookouts, summer parties and — we hate to say it — tons of mosquitos. Humid environments are prime breeding grounds for these pesky bugs, but they can survive almost anywhere, as long as they have access to water. Just because their presence is inevitable doesn't mean you have to suffer through itchy mosquito bites and annoying buzzes: Take matters into your own hands by protecting your yard with the best mosquito repellents and bug sprays.

The experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute have battled all manner of backyard nuisances for decades. They can tell you why mosquito bites are so itchy (it's a reaction caused by the salivary proteins of female mosquitoes), why pregnant people tend to get munched on (the extra carbon dioxide and heat their bodies release) and which treatments provide the fastest relief (go for the 1% hydrocortisone cream). To put together this list of the most effective bug repellents, we also tapped our extensive network of outside experts, including Megan E. Meuti, P.h.D., an assistant professor of entomology at Ohio State University.

Based on our research, testing and vetting, these are the best mosquito repellants for keeping bugs from reaching you in the first place.

Read the full guide form Kaitlyn Pirie on Dan Diclerico's website here.