How does bug spray work?

What’s bug spray made of?

- DEET is the most common active ingredient in bug spray. It’s a colorless, water-resistant synthetic chemical.
- Oil isolated from the Nepeta cataria or “catnip” plant.
- Citronella oil extracted from the leaves and stems of various Cymbopogon (lemongrass) plants.
- IR3535 (or ethyl butylacetylaminopropionate--now you know why it has a number for a name) is another common synthetic chemical ingredient.
- Picaridin is a synthetic chemical ingredient. The chemicals resemble the natural compound piperine, which is found in plants that produce black pepper.
- Oil derived from the leaves of lemon eucalyptus trees.
- 2-undecanone is an oily liquid that can be manufactured synthetically or extracted from rue.
What are the risks of using bug spray?

How do you use bug spray properly and safely?
