And just to be safe, you should wash the repellent off your skin when you come back indoors for the day or at the very least before bedtime.
Even though bug spray is safe, it's a good idea to wash it off when you get back indoors. “You should wash the bug repellent off when you get home. There are probably other things on your skin like pollen and possibly even ticks that you would want to remove, too,” says Chon.
Do I need to shower after using insect repellent and sunscreen? According to Dr. Jennifer Shu, a pediatrician at Children's Medical Group and contributor for cnn.com, “It is a good idea to wash off the insect repellent once you return indoors.” Shu also suggests that you only use repellent on exposed areas of the skin.
For reference, a repellent containing 15% DEET typically provides up to six hours of mosquito protection, while a repellent with 25% DEET typically provides up to 8 hours of mosquito protection.
Use just enough insect repellent to cover exposed skin and clothing. Do not use under clothing. Avoid putting on too much bug spray. After returning indoors, wash treated skin with soap and water.
If it hasn't worn off by bedtime, you'll want to wash it off with soap and water, as it can be irritating if left on overnight. Unless you are camping overnight in an area with ticks or mosquitoes, you don't want it sitting on your skin if insects aren't a concern. “If you don't need it on, get it off,” Waldman says.
Strict night-time routines: Apply your repellents just before bed on all exposed areas and don't add any perfumes or night creams or after sun lotions on top of it. This will mask chemicals like DEET. Put lotions and potions on first.
While most insecticide poisonings occur from swallowing the chemical, the ingredients can be absorbed through your skin or by breathing airborne particles. Once the material has dried, this risk is greatly diminished.
Children and pregnant women should take care to avoid exposure when practical. If possible, remain inside or avoid the area whenever spraying takes place and for about 30 minutes after spraying. That time period will greatly reduce the likelihood of your breathing pesticides in the air.
It's a chemical, after all — and bodies often react to chemicals. Some people experience rashes or irritated skin after using DEET. It can also irritate your eyes if sprayed too close to your peepers. More alarming, there have been rare reports of seizures associated with DEET.
Pest control sprays generally take between 2 – 4 hours to dry which is why this is the time that is recommended for inhabitants to stay away. It is not recommended that inhabitants return before pesticides dry because they can cause health problems if touched or breathed in.
Hives or mild skin redness and irritation. These symptoms are usually mild and will go away when the product is washed off the skin. More severe skin reactions that include blistering, burning, and permanent scars of the skin.
If you get a heat treatment, cryonite, or Aprehend treatment, you can sleep in your bed after treatment. However, if you got a chemical treatment, it's best to ask the company how long you need to wait before sleeping in the bed. Usually, you want the chemical to dry before sleeping in the bed again.
Exposure by inhalation results in the fastest appearance of toxic symptoms, followed by the gastrointestinal route and finally the dermal route. The most commonly reported early symptoms include headache, nausea, dizziness, and increased secretions, such as sweating, salivation, tearing and respiratory secretions.
The recommended time to wait before you can come inside is after two to four hours. You should be cautious because if you suddenly enter your home after the exterminator has finished applying the treatment, aside from affecting your respiratory system, your skin can as well absorb the chemicals which can be harmful.
Many are asking if pesticides are safe after they dry. The answer to this is that most pesticides are safe after drying. However, keep in mind that we said “most”, so that means not all pesticides are safe even after drying. Also, there really is no such thing as completely “safe”, since pesticides are meant to kill.
Don't sleep in a closed room with a burning coil, or a plug-in repellent that is on. Also, never keep the repellent next to your bed or sleeping area.
Time – As a function of the surface and weather conditions, the amount of insecticide remaining on a surface will diminish over time. This means that the longer it is has been since treatment, the longer an insect needs to remain on a surface to pick up a lethal dose.
After spraying RAID you should allow it to dry with air. You should close the room for at least 15 minutes and then ventilate it thoroughly to remove its harmful effects in the air before re-entering the room.
The human health risk assessment concluded that there are no risks of concern because no toxic effects have been identified when used as a dermally applied insect repellent, and there is no dietary or occupational exposure for DEET.
Although products such as Raid are relatively safe to humans (when used as intended), the act of huffing, smoking, snorting, vaping, plugging, drinking and/or injecting Raid or other bug sprays can cause irreversible neurological damage, or even death.
Don't apply DEET near food or use it in enclosed areas. Apply DEET in a thin layer -- just enough to cover your exposed skin. Avoid heavy application or oversaturation. Once you return indoors, make sure you wash off the DEET with soap and water.
Most pesticide sprays are designed to last for 30-90 days in your house, so you can mop the floors with warm soapy water but avoid mopping the wall areas. Be sure to check with your home exterminator for specific instructions. Be mindful of cleaning the edges of the wall right away as it may interfere with treatment.