View Full Version : DEET and plastic
Pringles
06-09-2009, 15:37
If DEET eats through plastic, why does DEET come in plastic spray bottles? Why doesn't it eat through the plastic spray bottle and"escape"? :-?
(Sorry if this is one of those things that everybody knows except me.)
Beth
garlic08
06-09-2009, 16:01
Like why do we park on driveways and drive on parkways?
Not all plastics are created equal. Just look at all the recycling numbers. They are chemically incompatible with each other, and have different properties. Think of some of the names in "common" usage--polyethylene, polybutylene, polypropylene, polyvinylchloride--all different stuff.
DEET and some plastics are a really bad combination. My wife oversprayed a little on her drinking tube. Before she noticed the melted tube she drank water through it and the chemical reaction nearly put her in the hospital with a racing pulse and shortness of breath.
HHMmmmm does DEET come on PVC or PVA ?????
Many Walks
06-09-2009, 16:55
DEET eats Polyester and since a lot of hiking clothes and gear is made of that you need to be very careful where you put it.
HHMmmmm does DEET come on PVC or PVA ?????
HDPE if I remember correctly (if you mean comes in ). The 2 oz. bottle of Ben's 100 that I have doesn't have a recycling number (maybe that tells us something).
Jayboflavin04
06-09-2009, 23:40
Like why do we park on driveways and drive on parkways?
Not all plastics are created equal. Just look at all the recycling numbers. They are chemically incompatible with each other, and have different properties. Think of some of the names in "common" usage--polyethylene, polybutylene, polypropylene, polyvinylchloride--all different stuff.
DEET and some plastics are a really bad combination. My wife oversprayed a little on her drinking tube. Before she noticed the melted tube she drank water through it and the chemical reaction nearly put her in the hospital with a racing pulse and shortness of breath.
Thanks for the great info Garlic!
Pringles
06-10-2009, 06:22
Like why do we park on driveways and drive on parkways?
Not all plastics are created equal. Just look at all the recycling numbers. They are chemically incompatible with each other, and have different properties. Think of some of the names in "common" usage--polyethylene, polybutylene, polypropylene, polyvinylchloride--all different stuff.
DEET and some plastics are a really bad combination. My wife oversprayed a little on her drinking tube. Before she noticed the melted tube she drank water through it and the chemical reaction nearly put her in the hospital with a racing pulse and shortness of breath.
Thank you! That makes sense. Beth
HDPE if I remember correctly (if you mean comes in ). The 2 oz. bottle of Ben's 100 that I have doesn't have a recycling number (maybe that tells us something).
OOPS yes I meant IN
Years ago, I tried putting some in with my first aid kit. Functionally, it seemed a logical place. Bad mistake. It leaked just a little, and it ate everything. Foolishly I've given up on first aid kits. lol
Perhaps a better solution would have been to find a better place to carry the deet. I double bag it it a small baggy but I'm not sure the baggy plastic is the right stuff. At least it will indicate if any has leaked.
I carry the stuff but try not to use it.
warraghiyagey
06-10-2009, 09:31
I've carried 100% DEET with me for three years. . . use it frequently, it works Great and I have never had a problem with it eating anything of mine, clothes water bladder, etc. carry it just in the bottle in a side pocket with my pack cover and the pack cover is fine and still does the job. . .
saimyoji
06-10-2009, 09:57
I've carried 100% DEET with me for three years. . . use it frequently, it works Great and I have never had a problem with it eating anything of mine, clothes water bladder, etc. carry it just in the bottle in a side pocket with my pack cover and the pack cover is fine and still does the job. . .
all hail warrgy...master of the DEET. :clap
I haven't had trouble since that one time. I think the lid must have been loose. Keep the lid tight. It probably doesn't do much harm to nylon or sylnylon. 100% Deet? Where can you get that? I'm wondering also if the solvent used for 30-50% deet etc is part of the problem, but its probably the deet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEET
"DEET is an effective solvent, and may dissolve (part of) some plastics, rayon, spandex, other synthetic fabrics, leather, and painted or varnished surfaces including nailpolish."
Deet or Permethrin or Citronella oil ???
What is the best system for hiking and camping with children?
I'm somewhat curious about Citronella oil. I would like to use it, and only use Deet when things get bad.
I might even use it as a gentler alternative to Permethrin for ticks. My concern with the stuff is that it has to be used repeatedly, and might not be effective enough for ticks, and also that it might make small children more attractive to bears in remote areas?
I'm thinking treating clothes with Permethrin for ticks, if Lyme disease is common, and carrying 30-50% Deet but only using it if the mosquitos and black flies get really bad. Maybe save the citronella bottle I have for the backyard and the beach, but not the woods.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEET
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permethrin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citronella_oil
DEET works great ... but I've given up using it after seeing first hand what it does to some gear. My brother-in-law used some mixed in with sun lotion, and after applying it he looked at my map. It is one of those plastic maps, and it didn't take long for two thumbprints to become permanent additions where the DEET started eating into it.
The alternative I use now is Cutter's Advanced, which contains Picaridin instead of DEET. I have to re-apply more frequently, but it does a good job without eating my gear.
Snowleopard
06-10-2009, 10:24
Citronella is not necessarily as safe as claimed just because it's natural.
From Citronella MSDS
The substance is toxic to lungs, mucous membranes
Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs damage. Repeated or prolonged inhalation of vapors may lead to chronic respiratory irritation.
http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Citronella_oil-9923497
I have asthma and find that some of the 'natural' insect repellents give me an instant asthma attack if anyone uses them near me. Since about 20% of children have asthma, it's a reason for caution.
Unfortunately, there is potential harm from using insect repellents and from using nothing (Lyme, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, West Nile, etc.). I'll use permethrin on clothes and DEET when needed.
That is an excellent point about citronella not neccessarily being safe.
The wikipedia link also has some good links to health issues of citronella.
The health issues are relatively minor, but you have to use the stuff every 60 minutes or so for it to be effective, so the health issues might add up if you used the stuff all day long. I thing the best case for citronella might be if you just want an hour of protection if the bugs are getting bad and they want to stay outside for another hour before bringing them in from the backyard marshmallow roast or up from the beach.
Also, maybe by mixing it up, permethrin on clothes only in the woods, deet in the woods when it gets bad, citronella at home if it gets bad, then you won't be exposing them too much to any one thing.
A smokey fire helps also, but that has health risks too I suppose.
I don't mind my daughter getting half a dozen or so bug bites any given night, but if its going to be more than that and I'll use something. We have very little West Nile here though. I am more concerned about ticks, even in the backyard, because we have lots of deer in our neighbourhood and until recently no cases of Lyme Disease but now we are getting some. We have about 8-12 deer in our yard every night. We should probably get better at checking for deer ticks. Haven't got one in our family yet, but perhaps we're just not looking hard enough.
What is the daily routine for checking for ticks when you have lots of deer around? I suppose bath time makes the most sense, right after they come in and before they go into the bath? I'll get my wife to start doing that. I would presume a full rectal exam isn't needed. Not trying to be crude here, just wondering what people do exactly. Is it something my daughter can do herself also? She is going on 10.
Accidentally got DEET on my watch crystal a long time ago. Will not do that again. Best to keep off plastic. Spent a week on the tuscarora trail a couple weeks ago, and the ticks were really bad. Found more ticks in one week than I did during my entire thru hike.
Buzz_Lightfoot
06-10-2009, 14:46
What is the daily routine for checking for ticks when you have lots of deer around? I suppose bath time makes the most sense, right after they come in and before they go into the bath? I'll get my wife to start doing that. I would presume a full rectal exam isn't needed. Not trying to be crude here, just wondering what people do exactly. Is it something my daughter can do herself also? She is going on 10.
When I get home from a hike and am concerned about "hitchhikers" I like to take a nice, hot soaking bath. Not only does it feel nice on my poor aching muscles, it makes looking for ticks so much easier. Any ticks that try to swim for it go down the drain. Nothing like being clean, relaxed and de-infested. :sun
beakerman
06-10-2009, 16:19
I've carried 100% DEET with me for three years. . . use it frequently, it works Great and I have never had a problem with it eating anything of mine, clothes water bladder, etc. carry it just in the bottle in a side pocket with my pack cover and the pack cover is fine and still does the job. . .
i got you beat if you cut me I actually bleed deet
Saimyjoy or how ever you spell it (sorry I'mnot goin back to see just roll with me on this) you can get your 100% deet at academy and I think wallly world still carries it too bu tI would not bet my life on it.
beakerman
06-10-2009, 16:22
wow was ther a post that just dissappeared? i fcould swear someone said "100% DEET where do you get that?" and I could swear it was Saimyoji My bad I guess I'm loosing my fraggin' mind again...
warraghiyagey
06-10-2009, 17:43
i got you beat if you cut me I actually bleed deet
.
Well, that should keep the bugs at bay. . . . :D
beakerman
06-10-2009, 18:05
Well, that should keep the bugs at bay. . . . :D
yep it slows them down for sure...I'm not sure if it's the DEET, beer or hot sauce but those are the major components of my blood..the hot sauce gives it that nice red colour:D
warraghiyagey
06-10-2009, 18:08
So that's the secret?? Drink the beer and DEET and rub the hot sauce on your skin. . . . . who knew??
Better be careful in the more sensitive areas I would imagine. . . .
beakerman
06-10-2009, 22:49
Yeah something like that...that hot sauce is a killer on the monkey butt though