Insect Repellents

Three different kinds of thing. Citronella coils, tealights and a reed diffuser are outdoor insect repellents for the area around seating, doorways and patios. Spray pens and a pump spray are personal repellents applied to skin for bite protection outdoors. And a lavender bag is a scent-based repellent for wardrobes and drawers, aimed at clothes moths.

No - they do a different job. A repellent makes an area or your skin less appealing while it is working; it does not reduce the number of insects present or deal with an existing infestation. If you have an active problem, such as moths in a wardrobe or insects breeding indoors, you need a trap or a treatment, with a repellent alongside if it helps.

Outdoors, around the area you are actually sitting in - the edge of a patio, near a doorway, or around a table. They act on the air immediately around them, so several placed around the perimeter of a seating area do more than one in the middle. Wind disperses the scent, so a sheltered spot makes a noticeable difference.

Coils and tealights involve a naked flame, so site them on a stable, non-flammable surface out of reach and never leave them burning unattended. Personal sprays are for human skin only - check the label for age guidance before using one on a child, and never use a human insect repellent on a cat. Keep lavender bags out of reach of pets.

It varies by product. Personal sprays need reapplying through an evening, and after swimming or heavy sweating, with the interval stated on the pack. Coils and tealights burn for a set period per unit. A diffuser or a lavender bag releases over weeks, and a lavender bag that no longer smells has stopped doing anything - squeeze it to refresh the scent, and replace it once that stops working.

It is a deterrent for a wardrobe or drawer, not a treatment. If you are already finding damaged clothing, larvae, or moths flying out when you open the door, that is an active infestation and it needs pheromone moth traps plus treatment of the affected items - washing or freezing what you can, and cleaning the wardrobe itself. Use a lavender bag afterwards, once clothing is clean and protected.

Wind, usually. Scent-based repellents disperse quickly in an exposed position and do far less in a breeze, so move to a sheltered spot and place several around the perimeter rather than one centrally. For a personal spray, check every exposed area is covered, including ankles and behind the ears, and reapply as often as the label directs.