Skip to content
Poison Control - National Capital Poison Center
Call a poison centerGet help online
Loading Theme Toggle

Use DEET safely

Test Image

The bottom line

DEET is an insect repellant which helps prevent bites, and illnesses, from mosquitos and ticks. There are rare reports of health problems associated with the use of DEET, but most have been because of using the product incorrectly. The potential risks of West Nile Virus, Lyme disease, and other diseases caused by infected insects surpass the slight risks associated with DEET.

Prevention Tips

  • Follow label instructions exactly when using DEET-containing insect repellants.

  • Do not use DEET on children under 2 months of age.

  • Wash yourself and your clothing when you return indoors after using DEET.

This Really Happened

Case 1: At bedtime, a 3-year-old girl drank some insect repellent which contained DEET. Her older brother watched but didn't tell the parents. During the night, the child suddenly woke, asked for some water, then become unresponsive and started vomiting. In the emergency room, the child was unconscious with a rapid heart rate. In the ICU, she had seizures, for which she received medication. She woke up over the next four hours and was sent home after 24 hours.

Reference: Petrucci N, Sardini S. Severe neurotoxic reaction associated with oral ingestion of low-dose diethyltoluamide-containing insect repellent in a child. Ped Emerg Care. 2000;16(5):341-342.

Case 2: A babysitter was spraying a 2-year-old boy all over with an insect repellant containing DEET 15% and may have sprayed some in his mouth. She called her poison center 45 minutes later. The child appeared fine. The poison center recommended giving the child something to drink. The small amount in the child's mouth could cause irritation but not poisoning. The child received a bath and was fine according to his mom in a follow-up call from the poison center the next day. The poison center advised against using this higher percent of DEET on a small child.

The full story

DEET is an insect repellent. It is sold widely in different concentrations, usually as a lotion, spray, or wipe to be used on the skin. While DEET is effective at small concentrations, higher concentrations offer protection for a longer period of time. For example, about 5 percent DEET protects for about 90 minutes, while about 25 percent DEET may provide about five hours of protection. The highest recommended concentration is 30 percent.

DEET offers important protection, but must be used safely. Here are some tips:

  • Apply insect repellents according to label directions, only to exposed skin.

  • If the label recommends applying the chemical to your clothing, be sure to follow the instructions.

  • Apply only as often as the label recommends. Usually, that means only once a day.

  • When you return indoors, shower or wash your skin with soap and water. Wash clothing to remove any remaining DEET.

  • When applying DEET to children, apply it first to your hands and then to their faces and skin. Avoid their hands, eyes, and mouths.

  • The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that products containing DEET not be used on children under the age of 2 months.

  • Sunscreens and products containing DEET can be used together. It is better to use individual products rather than a combination product. Usually, DEET should be used only once a day while sunscreen needs to be re-applied more often.

If you get insect repellent in your eyes, rinse them in the shower or under running water for 15 minutes. Follow these additional eye irrigation instructions, then after rinsing the eye, use the webPOISONCONTROL online tool to get help, or call your poison center at 1-800-222-1222.

If someone swallows insect repellent, use the webPOISONCONTROL online tool to get help, or call your poison center at 1-800-222-1222. Whether online or by phone, expert guidance is always free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day.

There are other important steps you can take to avoid insect bites.

To avoid mosquito bites:

  • Limit your outdoor time around dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.

  • Wearing long pants, long sleeves, and hats may also help.

  • Mosquito netting can be used on carriages and infant carriers.

  • Eliminate sources of standing water in which mosquitoes can breed.

To avoid tick bites:

  • Wear light-colored long sleeved shirts and long pants. Tuck pants legs into socks.

  • Check all areas of your skin, including your scalp, after returning indoors. If you find a tick, remove it carefully by grabbing the head with tweezers and pulling gently.

Share This:

Rose Ann Gould Soloway, RN, BSN, MSEd, DABAT emerita
Clinical Toxicologist

For More Info

ToxFAQs™ for DEET (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry)

References

Osimitz TG, Murphy JV, Fell LA, Page B. Adverse events associated with the use of insect repellents containing N-N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET). Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. 2010;56(1):93-99.

Related Articles

Back to blog
  • spotted lanternfly on tree

    Shining a light on spotted lanternflies

    The spotted lanternfly is an insect species native to parts of China and Vietnam. The insect itself does not bite or sting. It is not known to be toxic to humans but could cause upset stomach if ingested. Potential side effects of ingesting small amounts of spotted lanternflies are nausea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, and loss of appetite. These symptoms are self-limited and do not typically require treatment.

    Find out more
  • pest strip

    Use pest strips as directed!

    Pest strips are typically made out of either glue on a paper backing or a porous strip impregnated with an organophosphate insecticide. Glue may stick to the skin or get in the eyes, but is unlikely to result in significant toxicity. However, exposure to organophosphates can be very toxic, causing muscle weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and coma.

    Find out more
  • tick habitat sign

    Treating tick bites

    Ticks are most active during warmer months (April-September), but tick bites can happen during any time of the year. Ticks live in grassy, wooded, brush-filled areas or even on animals. Tick exposure can happen in your own backyard. See a healthcare provider if you experience fever, rash, or aches within a few weeks of a tick bite.

    Find out more
  • mother applying tick repellent on son

    An introduction to common tick-borne diseases

    Ticks are experts at feeding on your blood and, in return for your generosity, transmitting disease to you. There are several different kinds of bacterial, viral, and parasitic diseases transmitted by ticks, and tick-borne diseases are on the rise. Prevention is key: do what you can to prevent them from having access to you.

    Find out more
  • girl with itchy head

    Take care with head lice treatments

    Head lice can affect just about any one. They are not dangerous but they cause miserable itching. Treating head lice involves combing the lice and their eggs (nits) from each strand of hair. Often a chemical also must be used to prevent additional lice from hatching. Follow instructions carefully. Keep products out of eyes, because they can be irritating.

    Find out more