Mumsnet users are raving about a trick for preventing mosquito bites on children
A WOMAN has revealed the simple way she keeps mosquitoes at bay when she’s on holiday, and it only costs £10.
The mum asked for some failsafe ways to avoid getting bitten by the pests on her upcoming holiday to Thailand and Vietnam.
In a post on Mumsnet, she said: “We are prone to getting bitten by mosquitoes and react quite badly to them.
“What is the best plan of attack to avoid them? Has anyone used a repellent that they considered to be very effective?”
Several mums filled the comments with helpful tips such as using mosquito repellent like Incognito Roll, taking antihistamines, and wearing long-sleeved clothes at night.
But another mum shared her own hack that she uses whenever she goes away.
She said: “Wear clothing treated with Permethrin.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Permethrin is an insecticide that kills or repels mosquitoes.
While Permethrin shouldn’t be used directly on the skin, it can be sprayed onto clothing to keep the mozzies at bay.
The protection from the spray should last for several washes too.
A spray bottle of Permethrin can be bought for £10 from Amazon where it’s called the Lifesystems Anti Mosquito Clothing spray.
It has a rating of 4.5/5 from more than 1,000 reviews.
Of those who reviewed it, 85 per cent of customers gave it either four or five stars.
One person wrote: “The best mosquito repellent ever.”
While another added: “Oh, it works. I used it sparingly but enough to get good coverage.”
If you don’t fancy spritzing your clothes with the stuff, then there are other things you can do to keep the bugs at bay.
One travel writer has hailed mosquito bands as a “game-changer” in the fight against the pests.
Alternatively, if you are a magnet for mozzies, it could be something you’re doing like drinking a beer.
A study in the Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association found that the ethanol in beer attracts the annoying insects.
As you drink, the ethanol is then released in your sweat – which is what the mosquitoes like.
You don’t even need to drink much for this to happen – the research found that less than a pint can increase the likelihood of getting bitten.
Other factors like wearing black and being pregnant can also make you more attractive to the bloodthirsty bugs.
Meanwhile, another study found that certain soaps can increase the likelihood of mosquito bites.
New research revealed that mosquitos were drawn to those who used Dove or Simple Truth soaps but they were put off by coconut-scented brands such as Native.