Mosquitoes aren’t just annoying, they can be dangerous. Even so, before you go buying pricey clothing with built-in insect repellent, you might want to consider cheaper, and possibly more effective, options.
This video from the Consumer Reports YouTube channel shows their tests conducted on two popular brands of permethrin-treated shirts, Insect Shield and Burlington. The results revealed that both brands were somewhat effective pre-washing, but neither were able to completely prevent bites from the type of mosquito that carries the Zika virus pre or post-washing. Not exactly ideal, especially since these shirts can range anywhere from $30 for a T-shirt, to over $US150 ($204) for a permethrin-treated button-up that is made of flame-resistant material. The shirt they treated themselves with DEET, however, performed great during their tests. So you’re better off buying highly-effective 30 per cent DEET repellent for less than $15 a bottle, and treating your clothing yourself. Just hang your clothing up outdoors, spray it with your DEET repellent and let it dry before wearing.
Mosquito Stopper? Permethrin-Treated Shirts Tested [YouTube]
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