Does a mozzie repellant have to contain DEET for it to work?

Hey you all beloved IM:ers!

Only THREE more days and we´re off to India...

I´m still wondering about the insect (mozzie) repellant. The repellant which is mainly sold here in Finland is OFF... but They don´t seem to contain DEET (What does this DEET mean... where does the short term come from? Maybe OFF does contain it, but I´ve not understood the text in the bottle...)

So do repellants which don´t have DEET in them work for Indian MegaMozzies?? Hrrrrrr If they don´t... can I buy some Indian repellant (e.g. Odomos) from the International Airport of Mumbai??

Thanks so much for every info You can give. Appreciate it!

Emilia

You'll find Odomos or equivelent once you get to india, small stores pharmacies, hotel shops, touristy areas,,,,,,,,
Mean while this is an informative thread Deet

Hi hippy!

Yeees, but I´m worrying about the mozzies right outside the terminal and IN the terminal!!!! IIIIK... so I would like know if I can buy Odomos from the airport OR can I bring OFF from Finland and does it work on Indian mozzies : )

Emilia

Just use 'OFF' until you can find something else,,,,,,,,,,,
or
Don't tell them when you're arriving & they might not be waiting for you,,,,,,

Hi Emilia,
I think that OFF contain DEET (N-N diethyl-m-toluamide).

emilii, get DEEP WOODS OFF -- it contains DEET, whereas the regular OFF doesn't. the deep woods kind is in a green bottle, unlike the orange regular off bottle. hope that helps!
ace

Oh, thank You so much!

I noticed that the OFF Creme light I bought contains DEET 75g/kg... so that´ll get us started.

Thanks again : )

Hi there, we have also been discussing the DEET issue in this thread
HERE
Posts 35 and 41

good luck

Im still going for a teatree/citronella/geranium oil mix im making myself

DEET now in India


DEET is now available in india first time at select stores & chemist in wipes & body spray by name of BUG OFF mosquito repellant , protection upto 8 hours guaranteed,Deet recommended by american academy of paedatrics safe for kids 2 months & above.new concept in india which is why not many people know how efficent & good & safe Bug Off spray with 20% deet is.

first time? If Odomos is not DEET then it is a close sibling.

Nick is right its a close patent knockoff & it works if applied often enough. Alternatives exist but they are, at best, equal to about a 12% of DEET so apply often. Naturals don't store well. Lemon Grass if you make your own is less effective after 48 hours. Its also very oily. I now use time release DEET to balance effectiveness & safety..

Forgot to mention that there are other brands with more % in India. One of our longest contributors swears by Mosfree..

So that's why they give it slightly different longcomplicatedname!

Exactamento (Espanol)..