Say Goodbye To Ticks: Consumer Reports Named The Best Insect Repellents & One Came Out On Top

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Dealing with ticks is no joke. Not only are they creepy and uncomfortable, but many carry diseases. The problem is, their small size means it's almost impossible to avoid them. Using bug spray helps — if you find one that actually works. Homemade options like this easy essential oil hack can ward off unwanted ticks — using clove oil – but you want something that works as well as possible. Thankfully, Consumer Reports stepped up to the plate by thoroughly testing over 50 different insect repellents and found that Ben's 30 Tick & Insect Repellent Wipes are the best. They earned the top spot out of CR's more than 50 rated repellents.

This product contains 30% DEET. Instead of a spray, it comes in wipe form. Each one is individually packaged, meaning you can easily store one or two on you, even when you don't have a lot of space. Also, DEET bug repellent isn't always safe to use in your yard as it can kill grass and other plants, but these wipes offer another benefit of keeping the chemical contained. When you use them outside, you won't hurt your garden.

Though the repellent offered amazing protection against ticks and mosquitoes in Consumer Reports' tests, the solution did cause damage to some materials, specifically polycarbonate, vinyl, car paint, and pink and red nail polish. Because of this, it earned a middling score when it came to resisting damage to clothing. However, it didn't harm clothing made from spandex, cotton, or polyester.

As part of its evaluation, Consumer Reports considered the type and amount of active ingredient in each insect repellent. "Among the products we've tested, we have found DEET, at levels of 25 to 30%, to afford the most reliable protection against mosquitoes and ticks," said Chris Regan, the previous test project leader for insect repellents at Consumer Reports. Not everyone is excited about this chemical, but unfortunately, options like chamomile, a sweet fragrance that drives mosquitoes away naturally, don't work as well.

However, the organization didn't just look at the ingredients and call it a day. Consumer Reports also tested each product thoroughly. To see how well it works, testers applied a set dose on their arm, waited 30 minutes, and then placed their arms into containers filled with disease-free mosquitoes for five minutes. They did the same using a second species of mosquito in another enclosure. The test was then repeated multiple times until the repellent failed the test or eight hours had passed. 

The results of this test, the product's damage to common fabrics and materials, and other criteria were scored and tallied up to give the final rankings. Though the test did focus on mosquito bites in particular, this product should likely be just as effective for ticks. Per Consumer Reports, its testing has previously shown that repellents will work equally well for mosquitoes as for ticks and other insects.