Some have claimed that hand sanitizers containing alcohol can be an effective deterrent against mosquitoes. The claim is that alcohol is known to disrupt the chemical receptors in mosquitoes, which would imply that mosquitoes are less likely to be attracted to you when you are using a hand sanitizer than if you weren’t using one.
Additionally, some sources claim that studies have shown that mosquitoes tend to avoid areas where there is a high concentration of alcohol in the air. However, these studies have generally been conducted in laboratory settings and it is unclear how effective hand sanitizers are at repelling mosquitoes in real-world conditions.
It is worth noting that, even with calims that hand sanitizers are effective at repelling mosquitoes, we contend that they are not a replacement for other mosquito control measures, such as wearing insect repellent or staying in well-screened areas.
We have found that hand sanitizers will not kill mosquitoes that are already on your skin. Therefore, if you are going to be in an area where there is a high risk of mosquito-borne disease, it is important to take additional precautions to protect yourself from mosquito bites.
Mosquitoes have been proven to carry illnesses such as Zika, dengue fever, and malaria. Thus, if you are traveling to an area where there is a risk of mosquito-borne disease, be sure to consult with your doctor, the C.D.C., or travel health clinic before your trip. They will be able to provide you with the most up-to-date recommendations on how to protect yourself from mosquito bites while you are traveling and give you the most relevant information about current outbreaks.
Is Hand Sanitizer An Effective Way To Repel Mosquitoes?
While there are plenty of online sources that claim it can help, again we claim it is not a replacement for other measures such as wearing insect repellent or staying in screened areas. In order to reduce your risk of contracting a mosquito-borne disease, be sure to consult with professionals like your physician or professional travel guide before your trip, as they tend to stay on top of relevant information to keep clients safe on their travels. They will be able to provide you with additional recommendations on how to protect yourself from mosquito bites while you are traveling.
What happens when you are bit by a mosquito? When a mosquito bites you, it injects saliva into your skin. This saliva can contain viruses or other pathogens that can cause illness. The most common symptoms of mosquito-borne illness are fever, headache, and body aches.
In some cases, more serious illnesses such as neurological diseases or death can occur. If you develop any of these symptoms after being bitten by a mosquito, be sure to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Most hand sanitizers contain alcohol that wont be an effective repellent against mosquitoes despite claims that alcohol disrupts their chemical receptors. It would likely take a higher concentration of alcohol than what most hands sanitizers offer; 70% Isopropyl.
With a higher concentration of alcohol, it may evaporate prior to being useful as a mosquito deterrent. While this is an educated guess, the studies cited by some neglect to mention that the findings were specifically for bed bugs.
In our efforts to find primary resources on the efficacy of hand sanitizer being used as a mosquito repellent, we were unable to find conclusive peer-reviewed journal studies to back up the claims of the online sources claiming that hand sanitizer repels mosquitoes.
We conclude that hand sanitizer and rubbing alcohol will not be an effective way to repel mosquitoes. While rubbing alcohol is effective for sanitizing surfaces around the house and effective in hand sanitizing solutions, it is not helpful as a hand sanitizer.