KERNERSVILLE -- WFMY News 2 viewers Kelly Thompson and her son Matthew want to know -- does lemon eucalyptus repel mosquitoes better than deet?
They saw an article, claiming a certain lemon eucalyptus mixture is more effective than store-bought deet brands. So, they reached out to Good Morning Show anchor Meghann Mollerus to verify.
VERIFY SOURCES
- Journal of Insect Science study
- National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) studies
- Montgomery County Environmental Health Director - Scott Cole
VERIFY PROCESS
The Journal of Insect Science study found products with 30% lemon eucalyptus oil worked the same as products with 98% deet. A second study out of Bolivia had similar findings. But, a third study out of Tanzania found eucalyptus oil worked 10% better than deet.
Montgomery County environmental health director Scott Cole explained both products repel mosquitoes, but they work differently on different people.
"A product that works for me might not work for my wife. That's what we recommend from the health department's perspective. Find a product that works for you, and use it as directed by the labeling and manufacturer's recommendation," Cole said.
VERIFY CONCLUSION
So, can a homemade lemon eucalyptus remedy repel mosquitoes better than deet? In conclusion, we can verify it can. But, different products work differently on different people. And, before you try a homemade mosquito repellent like this -- talk to your doctor. You'll want to see if those exact ingredients in the suggested measurements are safe to use.
ORIGINAL VIEWER VERIFY QUESTION:
