What Clothes Help Protect from Mosquito Bites?
Ready to break out your shorts and strappy sundresses for the warm weather? Not so fast! All that exposed skin makes you look like an all-you-can-eat buffet to mosquitoes. Bare skin combined with the extra sweating we tend to do in warm weather sounds the dinner bell to those pesky flyers and invites them to feast on your body.
Mosquitoes are as much of a part of summer as BBQs, swimming and eating ice cream. They aren't a more enjoyable aspect, but you can be sure that they are going to show up as soon as the weather gets warm and people venture outside. To protect yourself from these irritating insects, there are some things you should consider doing.
Cover Up Skin
As uncool as it may sound, the best thing to do to avoid getting eaten alive by mosquitoes is to cover as much of your body as possible. If you'll be outdoors for a while being active - whether you are gardening, washing your car or soaking up the sun's rays - the carbon dioxide in your exhaled breath is a sweet lure to hungry mosquitoes. Long sleeves and long pants will cover a lot of skin, which is what you want to do to avoid bites.
What Clothes Help Protect from Mosquito Bites
While mosquitoes can bite through tight -fighting clothes, they can't bite through most fabrics. You might also be wondering if you should consider wearing insect repellant, and the answer is yes. Below are some options you should consider to protect yourself from mosquito bites during the summer.
- Light-Colored Clothing : Lighter colored clothing is a good idea for a couple of reasons. First of all, a long-sleeved shirt will feel stifling on a hot day, but a white shirt will reflect some sunlight away, helping you stay cooler. Secondly, lighter colors are not as attractive to mosquitoes, who prefer brightly colored, dark blue or black clothing. White and khaki will work best for not only avoiding flying biters, but also for keeping you cool and stylish.
- Treat with DEET : For even more protection, consider treating your loose-fitting shirts and pants with a repellent, preferably one that contains DEET. Spraying your garments before you put them on to go outside will give you both a physical and chemical barrier, making it that much more difficult for a mosquito to make contact.
- Clothing with Permethrin : Several clothing manufacturers now make garments that have been treated with a synthetic substance called permethrin that helps keep nuisance insects at bay. It's not so much a repellent as an insecticide, meaning it prevents bites by incapacitating or killing mosquitoes rather than repelling them. Independent testing suggests these garments work no better than dousing regular clothes with repellent, but they might not have that heavy chemical smell. Plus, you won't have to keep reapplying repellent when you have clothes that have already been treated.
Footwear, Hats & Mosquito Treatments
As with any carefully chosen outfit, the wrong shoes can destroy your intended fashion statement. The same is true if your goal is to avoid bug bites. Mosquitoes seem to have a weird foot fixation, and they absolutely love the smell of sweaty, stinky feet! We all know how bothersome those itchy bumps are on tender, ticklish toes.
With that in mind, it's a good idea to skip the sandals and go for something with more coverage, like rubber boots or at least sneakers and socks. If you'll be in a particularly buggy area, like the garden or the woods, you'll want to tuck your pant legs into your socks for extra protection.
For a really bug-proof topper, you might consider a wide-brim hat with fold-down netting to keep mosquitoes away from your face and ears. Remember: it's not about looking good, it's about creating as many obstacles as possible so the biters can't easily access your delicious skin.
You might also consider having your property treated for mosquitoes to reduce their numbers and chances of attack. Contact MosquitoNix® today to find a solution that will work for you.
Can Mosquitoes Bite Through Clothes?
Yes, mosquitoes can bite through tight-fitting clothes, especially spandex and yoga pants. Only specific types of clothing will do for mosquito protection, so you'll want to make sure the garments fit loosely. Mosquitoes are able to easily bite through tight-fitting clothes like spandex and yoga pants.
What Materials Can Mosquitoes Not Bite Through?
Mosquitoes can't bite through most fabrics, so if you are wearing loose cottons and linens (which can keep you cool on hot summer days) or most other material types, you will be protected from bites.
Does Insect Repellent Clothing Work?
It has been found that adding insect repellant containing DEET to your clothes before venturing outside can reduce the chances of being bitten by mosquitoes. As mentioned, clothes that have been treated with permethrin kill mosquitoes before they have the chance to bite rather than repelling them traditionally and can be effective in that regard.