Mosquito Repellent Clothing Review: How Does It Work?

You’ve tried everything to keep mosquitoes away: creams, sprays and citronella candles. There must be an easier way to keep mosquitoes at bay. Well, have you tried mosquito repellent clothing?

That’s right.

Clothing can be designed to repel mosquitoes, too.

How Mosquito Repellent Clothing Works

Golden mosquito stands on black cloth.

Designers have found a way to repel mosquitoes and bugs due to the clothing that a person wears. The technology varies from one manufacturer to the next, so the way each product works changes subtly.

BugsAway clothing explains their clothing thoroughly.

The company utilizes Insect Shield technology. Invisible and odorless, this technology protects against insect bites through built-in repellent. Permethrin is used to repel bugs, and these products have been tested in the field to ensure that the mosquitoes stay away.

1. What is Permethrin?

Permethrin is a chemical, and it’s used in medication, too. The chemical form is used in insect repellent clothing, and it’s an insecticide and insect repellent. Studies have been done on Permethrin that look at the side effects of the chemical.

Watch this video –

Absorption is minimal, and it’s considered safe for adults and children.

This chemical can be used in mosquito repellent clothing for kids above 2 months old. So, anyone can use this product, and when it’s in clothes, it’s also safe.

The only warning is to not use Permethrin when breastfeeding. The slight absorption into the adult body may be transmitted to the child through breastfeeding. Studies on breastfeeding and Permethrin haven’t been conducted, but manufacturers urge discontinuing Permethrin when breastfeeding just in case.

The United States Army and British Arm treat all new uniforms with Permethrin to protect their troops from insect bites and potential disease.

If it’s good enough for the military, it’s good enough for civilian use.

2. Can You Treat Clothes with Mosquito Repellent?Woman spraying mosquito repellent on leg skin. Woman using Insect repellent bug spray bottle on legs, body and clothing outdoor in nature forest.

Yes. Permethrin spray is available, and Sawyer Products offers an aerosol spray that can treat an entire outfit. The spray is less convenient, but it still works very well. A lot of users state that this spray is as effective as DEET, and it’s odorless and safe, too.

When applied to clothing, Permethrin will last for up to six weeks, or six washings.

The good news is that unlike normal mosquito spray, Permethrin will not stain your clothes or leave a bug spray smell behind.

A lot of hunters use spray because they only hunt a few weeks out of the year. Spraying a jacket with Permethrin once a year is quick and easy, and it allows the user to maintain their style when out hunting, camping, fishing or just spending time outdoors.

Mosquito Repellent Clothing Review

ExOfficio has cornered the market for mosquito repellent clothing, and the company is the owner of BugsAway. The company offers a variety of clothing options, and their hoodies are a very cute choice for women.

There are scarves or masks offered in the wearables market as well as bracelets for mosquitoes.

But what seems to be a common trend is that the clothing works best in areas that are covered by the garment. Almost all companies recommend that users wear some other form of repellent on exposed areas of the body.

This is interesting because I’ve never been bitten by a mosquito through my clothing.Young woman wearing Japanese kimono with mosquito coil, bitten by mosquito.

So, it’s recommended that you buy a shirt that is full sleeve as well as pants versus shorts if you want the utmost protection. When out in the wild, this will protect against ticks and chiggers, too, so it’s vital to protect against disease.

The only time a user has complained is when the repellent clothing wasn’t covering the skin.

If you’ve used sprays or creams, you know that you need to lather up the entire exposed body with these repellents to keep mosquitoes away. Since mosquitoes are literal blood suckers, it makes sense that they’ll still attack you on uncovered regions of the body.

[Read more about Mosquito Killer]

  • Mosquito Repellent Clothing Pros and Cons

There’s a lot that goes into your decision to purchase this type of clothing. When repellents work well, you’re at a lower risk of disease and any potential allergic reactions, which is a bonus.

Pros
  • Protects against mosquitoes for all areas covered by the clothing
  • Doesn’t require additional sprays or lotions on covered areas
  • Works well for the most part
Cons
  • Repellent clothing is expensive

The one complaint that pops up over and over is that this type of clothing is expensive. You wouldn’t buy a shirt with repellent power if you were only going to wear it indoors. But when you subtract the cost of clothing repellents, you come to appreciate the value of bug repellent clothing.

1. Tickled Pink Insect Scarf

Tickled Pink Insect ScarfTickled Pink is an insect shield scarf, and unlike many of the insect-repelling clothing items that are available, this scarf is very fashionable. You’ll be able to choose from an array of colors and styles.

The scarf is designed to repel:

  • Ants
  • Chiggers
  • Flies
  • Midges
  • Mosquitoes

The scarf is made with 80% polyester and 20% cotton to provide a lightweight scarf that won’t make you too hot. And the scarf spans 38” x 70”, so it’s a large scarf that can be wrapped in any style.

When it comes to insects, this scarf has been proven to fight back against mosquitoes, along with the other insects listed above. 

How?

The secret is in the 0.52% permethrin active ingredient. You can wash the scarf up to 70 times before the repellent starts to fade.

Large and versatile, this scarf works very well at repelling bugs. Keep in mind that the key area that’s being protected is the neck. If you’re wearing shorts, mosquitoes ,may still bite your legs or other parts of your body.

Your neck will remain bite-free.

Pros
  • Long, versatile scarf
  • Multiple color options
  • Proven to work against 5 major pests
Cons
  • Provides only neck protection

Tickled Pink offers one of the most stylish pieces  of mosquito repellent clothing. These scarves work well, and they look good, too.

2.White Sierra’s Men’s Bug Free T-Shirt

White Sierra’s Men’s Bug Free T-ShirtWhite Sierra designs men’s long-sleeve t-shirts that are stylish and practical. The t-shirt is made with 60% cotton and 40% polyester featuring a Jersey knit. When it comes to looking good and repelling bugs, this is the best option for men.

Visible stitching and drop shoulder are featured, and you have six main colors to pick from.

The shirt has been insect shield treated.

Insect-shield treatments have been shown to repel the following bugs:

  • Ants
  • Chiggers
  • Flies
  • Midges
  • Mosquitoes
  • Ticks

Lightweight and travel-friendly, this shirt is ideal for anyone going out in the sun for a long time thanks to the UPF 30+ sun protection offered. Center back length is 29” and there is a straight hem design, too.

Quick-drying, the fabric can be washed multiple times without the bug repellent dissipating. 

The active ingredient is the same as in the scarf we just reviewed: permethrin. Whether camping, barbequing or going out for a hike, the 60%/40% blend provides a lightweight, low-heat wear and is very effective against the most common bug bites.

One thing that I do want to mention is that the middle of the shirt is a little loose. If you are used to wearing fitted shirts, this may not be the best option for you. With that said, it’s a comfortable shirt that does an amazing job at repelling bugs.

Bug repellent clothing that works this well is often very expensive, but this long-sleeve t-shirt is very affordable with 87% of people stating that it fits as expected.

Pros
  • 60% cotton / 40% polyester lightweight design
  • Insect shield treated
  • UPF sun protection
Cons
  • Loose around the stomach

Aside from the shirt being loose around the stomach, it works as intended. It’s a stylish t-shirt that you can confidently wear outside, it protects against mosquito bites and it’s affordable.

It’s all about protection, and when you return home from a long stroll in the park and don’t have a single mosquito bite, you’ll find that this clothing does its job well.

But, a hungry mosquito will attack any exposed area of the skin, so make sure you use a repellent on the hands, neck and other areas exposed to mosquitoes.

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