• Wear long pants, long sleeves, and long socks to keep ticks off your skin.
• Light-colored clothing will help you spot ticks more easily.
• Tucking pant legs into socks or boots and tucking shirts into pants help keep ticks on the outside of clothing.
• If you'll be outside for an extended period of time, tape the area where your pants and socks meet to prevent ticks from crawling under your clothes.
• Ticks prefer wooded and bushy areas with high grass and a lot of leaf litter. These are areas to avoid.
• Take extra precautions in May, June, and July. This is when ticks that transmit Lyme disease are most active.
• If you do enter a tick area, walk in the center of the trail to avoid contact with overgrown grass, brush, and leaf litter.
• Ask your local health department and park or extension service about tick infested areas to avoid. (CDC/ EPA)

• Read the entire label before using a repellent. Even if you have used it before, read the label again and follow all instructions on the label.
• Follow use directions carefully, use only the amount directed, at the time and under the conditions specified, and for the purpose listed. For example, if you need a tick repellent, make sure that the product label lists this use. If ticks are not listed, the product may not be formulated for that use.
• Store pesticides out of the reach of children, in a locked utility cabinet or garden shed.
• Follow use directions carefully, use only the amount directed, at the time and under the conditions specified, and for the purpose listed. For example, if you need a tick repellent, make sure that the product label lists this use. If ticks are not listed, the product may not be formulated for that use.
• Apply repellents only to exposed skin and/or clothing (as directed on the product label). Do not use under clothing.
• Never use repellents over cuts, wounds, or irritated skin.
• Do not apply to eyes and mouth, and apply sparingly around ears. When using sprays do not spray directly onto face; spray on hands first and then apply to face.
• Do not allow children to handle the products, and do not apply directly to a child's hands. When using on children, apply to your own hands and then put it on the child.
• Do not spray in enclosed areas. Avoid breathing a repellent spray, and do not use it near food.
• Use just enough repellent to cover exposed skin and/or clothing. Heavy application and saturation is generally unnecessary for effectiveness; if biting insects do not respond to a thin film of repellent, then apply a bit more.
• After returning indoors, wash treated skin with soap and water or bathe. This is particularly important when repellents are used repeatedly in a day or on consecutive days. Also, wash treated clothing before wearing it again. If you suspect that you or your child are reacting to an insect repellent, discontinue use, wash treated skin, and then call your local poison control center. If/when you go to a doctor, take the repellent with you.

Ben's^® 30 Tick & Insect Repellent contains 30 percent DEET and is the amount recommended from the CDC for protection from disease carrying insects. Studies show that Ben's^® 30 provides up to 6 hours of protections making it a perfect choice when hiking, camping or enjoying other outdoor activities in areas of light to heavy insect infestation or whenever ticks may be present.

The chemical DEET will react as a solvent to some synthetic fabrics, plastics, leather, furniture and paints. (See package labeling.) Most nylon materials are not affected by DEET. Just to be safe, you should test an inconspicuous area on the fabric.

The active ingredient in Natrapel^® 8 hour is Picaridin. The EPA has approved this ingredient for use as a personal insect repellent. That being said, Tender has not done safety testing on this product for infants. We suggest discussing the use of repellents with your child's physician for further advice. 

Natrapel^® 8 hour is not designed for dogs. You should take any precautions that you might take for humans, such as keeping it away from their eyes and following the directions.  Sometimes they may require a bath to wash away the repellent.

The active ingredient in Natrapel^® 8 hour is Picaridin. The EPA has approved this ingredient for use as a personal insect repellent. In studies using laboratory animals, Picaridin technical is of relatively low acute toxicity (describes the adverse effects resulting from a single exposure to a substance). Toxicity Category III (slightly toxic) for acute oral and acute dermal; and Toxicity Category IV (practically non-toxic) for primary eye and skin irritation.

All insect repellents are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In order to put an insect repellent on the market the EPA requires both safety and efficacy testing. Other than the precautions and guidelines for use listed in the answer to question 5, EPA does not recommend any additional precautions for using registered repellents on pregnant or lactating women, or on children. However, none of our testing has been done on pregnant women. We recommend that you contact your physician with additional questions.