>U Mom Knows Best: Mosquito Protection For Back To School

Monday, September 20, 2021

Mosquito Protection For Back To School

 As summer comes to an end, parents have stocked up on backpacks, school supplies, new sneakers, and more. But there's one item that might not be top of mind for parents as they prepare their kids for the new school year: bug repellent. 

Sponsored post in partnership with OFF! ®, an SC Johnson product 

 My boys started school a couple of weeks ago and they are busy with homework and school activities. It is good to see my boys back at school and participating in school activities like sports. The oldest of the two boys started high school this year and joined the cross country team. This kid loves to run and is excited about participating in cross country meets.

 The high school cross country meets involve running through many different types of outdoor courses. Some of these running courses have the kids running through dirt trails and areas that are like forests. Here in the desert of New Mexico, we have an area that is known as the Bosque. The Bosque is a Southwest habitat that is filled with plants and trees. This area is near the Rio Grande river, so it is a perfect breeding place for mosquitos. 

The one sports item that most people forget to pack

With 61 percent of kids ages 6 through 12 participating in youth sports this back-to-school season according to Sports & Fitness Industry Association -and peak mosquito season running through the early autumn months, parents need to remember to pack personal pest repellents in their kid's sports bags to help them avoid the uncomfortable bug bites from mosquitoes and unwanted pests. 

Mosquito protection is important in the fall, as those bugs are still present and ready to bite your school athlete, as mosquitoes are especially attracted to body heat and lactic acid, a substance people emit when they perspire. Outside of the irritating mosquito bites, one needs to remember that mosquitoes can carry diseases like malaria, dengue, and Zika, so it is important to apply a personal bug repellant for outside activities. While parents may be able to protect themselves when on the sidelines with long-sleeved clothing, your young athlete's clothing may not protect them from mosquito bites. 

When your child gets ready for their sporting event and packs up a gym bag with sports clothing, athletic shoes, water, and snacks, make sure to include OFF!® Insect Repellent. That way your school athlete can apply mosquito protection before their sporting activity. But always remember to read product label instructions, and when applying on children, spray on your hands first, and then apply to their skin.


OFF!® offers a variety of family-friendly products

 I like that OFF!®, the pioneers in personal insect repellent for over 60 years and manufactured by world-leading household consumer products company, SC Johnson,  offers a variety of family-friendly products that help protect against mosquitoes and unwanted pests, including DEET-free products. A few of my favorites include: 

 OFF!®  Botanicals Insect Repellent is a line of DEET-free insect repellents that have no added fragrances or dyes, so no stickiness is left behind. Made with plant-based active ingredients synthesized from pine oil extract, protection is proven for up to two hours against mosquitoes, black flies, and gnats.

  OFF!® Active® Insect Repellent provides sweat-resistant protection against mosquitos, biting flies, gnats, ticks, chiggers and fleas for up to 5 hours. Since mosquitos are especially attracted to carbon dioxide and lactic acid, a chemical found in sweat, OFF!® Active® Insect Repellent I is made with 15 percent DEET

I am glad that I can give my teen options that are made from plant-based ingredients. OFF!®  Botanicals Insect Repellent also has no sticky residue that will get in the way of my son's race. Plus, with 2 hours of protection, my son can focus on his running and not on the flying bugs that may be on the cross-country trail. 




Six helpful tips to protect your family when outdoors

Applying personal insect repellants is just one of the ways you can help protect your family from mosquitoes and the diseases that they carry.  Here are six helpful tips from the experts at OFF!® to help protect your family from unwanted mosquitoes while outdoors:

1. Remove standing water ~  Mosquitoes breed in standing water, and even a small amount of water can become home to mosquito larvae. Find and empty unexpected water sources like buckets and old tires, and remove leaves and debris that may have collected in gutters so that water may flow freely. For birdbaths and fountains, change and flush out water at least once a week.

2. Stay Sweat Free ~  Mosquitoes are especially attracted to body heat and lactic acid, a substance people emit when they perspire. When exercising or working hard outdoors, consider a bug spray with sweat-resistant protection, like OFF!® Active Insect Repellent I, which provides protection for up to five hours.

3. Mow it Low ~  Long grass and unmanicured hedges offer shelter, shade and moisture to mosquitoes. Keep hedges, bushes and yards trimmed during peak mosquito season, and don’t forget to prune tall grass around walkways, pools and ponds that may provide a safe haven for mosquitoes.

4. Apply personal repellent ~  Whether an aerosol, spray, lotion, or wipe, applying a personal pest repellent correctly can help protect against mosquito bites. For use every day, consider OFF!® Botanicals, a plant-based insect repellent with no added fragrances or dyes that fights mosquitoes, biting flies and gnats for up to two hours.

5. Keep it Covered ~  Mosquitoes can detect even small areas of exposed skin. When weather permits, wear long sleeves, long pants, and socks outdoors. Reduce your chances of getting bit by wearing light-colored clothing, and consider spraying clothes with a personal insect repellent for added protection. Remember to only use a repellent product that is labeled for use on clothing and consult the label for full use directions before applying.

6. Play the Long Game ~ DEET — the common name for N.N-Diethyl-m-toluamide — is an effective insect repellent first developed by the U.S. Army in 1946. When applied correctly, DEET forms a vapor barrier at the skin surface that deters mosquitoes from landing on the skin. For campers and those who simply have plans to spend time outdoors for extended periods, consider this: The level of DEET in repellent helps determine how long the protection will last. Always read product label instructions, and when applying on children, spray on your hands first, and then apply to their skin.

Whether your child is participating in school sports or just play outside at the school playground, make sure to protect their skin from bug bites from mosquitoes or other bugs that bite. Having the right product for mosquito protection is important. That way your child can have fun while being outside and not have to deal with itchy mosquito bites later. 

Be sure to visit the OFF!® Product Finder to explore their full line of insect repellents to find the right mosquito protection to add to your back-to-school shopping list.




12 comments:

AiringMyLaundry said...

I need to pick this up. I hate mosquitoes. My daughter loves to be outdoors and they seem to swarm her at times.

Sarah Bailey said...

These sound like some great products to have around, I get badly bitten by mosquitos so need to keep something around when I'm in spaces that attract them.

Vanessa said...

I need to get some of this! Mosquitos seem to just be drawn to me.

Kathy said...

I really hate mosquitoes. They are always bothering me. The Off products really do work great.

Tasheena said...

I really enjoyed reading this post, you provided a lot of helpful tips.

Richelle Escat said...

I will definitely try this one. This mosquito repellent really works great.

Tammy said...

Great ideas for helping keep mosquitos away. Also, did you know if you talk a lot, it will attract mosquitos.

Ruth I said...

We always have mosquito problems in here. Off products are great so we make sure we have it. Thank you for the tips.

Melanie Edjourian said...

Sounds like you've found some great products to keep mosquitoes away.

Authentic Food Quest said...

Such helpful tips for keeping mosquitoes away. For some reason, they always seem to swarm to me. I actually use fragrance free OFF and love it. Cheers

Lavanda Michelle said...

Me and my family always use OFF products. They work very well and the scent isn't as strong as other mosquito repellents. Thanks for sharing!

Charles James said...

These sound like a few extraordinary items to have around, I get seriously chomped by mosquitos so need to keep something around when I'm in spaces that draw in them.

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