Imagine you are sitting in your lawn, enjoying the neighborhood sipping your favorite drink. You can hear a buzzing sound near your ear and a sharp pain in your hand. Can you guess what happened? If your answer is that you have been bitten by mosquitoes, then you are completely right. Mosquitoes are considered to be annoying and irritating by all of us. Many sprays and repellents have been in use to protect ourselves from the painful and often itchy bites of mosquitoes. However, there is a widespread rumor that listerene mosquito repellent does wonders for keeping away these pests. In this post, we will discuss if this is true and what can be done instead if it is not.
The Beginning of the Rumor
People always tend to find cheaper alternatives that can save them money instead of buying costly products. Listerene mosquito repellent is one such alternative that has been around for more than a decade. Even a Facebook post claimed that listerene kept away the mosquitoes and proved itself to be a good repellent. The author of the post has explained that the famous mouthwash product was used during a party to ward off mosquitoes. Since it worked like magic, the author has been using it regularly to prevent mosquito bites. However, this claim has no science to back it up.
Is There Truth In The Claim?
Whenever a rumor begins, it spreads like wildfire and this is the case with listerene mosquito repellent too. Many started using it as mosquito repellent and even some combinations have been used. Some claim that combining beer, yeast, water and listerene is effective in keeping away the mosquitoes. Now let us see if science backs this up. According to scientists, Eucalyptus oil is an active ingredient which has shown ability to keep mosquitoes away. But this happens only when the concentration of the active ingredient is at least 10%. Now let us take listerene for example and analyse how much active ingredient it has. To be a good repellent it must contain at least 10% of Eucalyptol. But listerene only has one percent of Eucalyptus oil.
Is Listerene Really Effective In Repelling Mosquitoes?
Listerene cannot act as an effective mosquito repellent since it has only one percent of Eucalyptol. Claiming it as effective is false rumor and even if it has some repelling properties, it is only for a short time. Thus listerene mosquito repellent will only be good for a short period and you will need to apply it again and again. This reduction in effectiveness with time can also be attributed to the fact that listerene contains alcohol and water. Due to this the product will vaporize immediately diminishing any long term protection from mosquitoes. If you are annoyed by swarms of mosquitoes, the best way to protect yourself is to buy a quality mosquito repellent even if it is a little pricier. Instead of following cheap but inefficient ways, it is best to go with good quality repellents that are effective and worth the money.
How Does A Repellent Act?
Whatever the repellent might be, the mechanism of action remains the same. Mosquitoes usually bite a person by smelling the sweat and carbon di oxide emissions coming off of them. Even body heat plays some role in attracting the mosquitoes. That is why some of us are more prone to attack by mosquitoes.The mosquito repellent blocks the smell emanating from the person and hence the mosquitoes don’t bite them. A store bought repellent will have higher concentrations of active ingredients and hence will be potent in its action. When compared to these repellents, listerene mosquito repellent is low in grade.
Mosquito Repellents For Babies
It is a well-known fact that mosquitoes cause diseases that prove to be deadly to humans. These diseases include West Nile virus, Dengue, Encephalitis, Malaria and Chikungunya. This is one among the various reasons why we try to kill these pests. They are unwanted nuisance to us humans especially to new mothers who try to protect their babies. When they bite us, blisters and rashes are produced and the bite is quite painful and itchy. Nowadays many lotions and baby oils are available for babies with mosquito repelling properties. You can buy them and protect your little ones from the disease causing mosquitoes.They are made up of natural ingredients and don’t cause any harmful reaction when used on the baby’s skin. Those who have sensitive skin can also apply these products and repel mosquitoes.
When it comes to our health, it is better to avoid following any rumors and stick to proven methods. Listerene is an effective mouthwash but not an effective mosquito repellent. So, buying effective mosquito repellents is way more useful and safe than using listerene.
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