If you have children under 2 months, don’t apply repellents containing DEET to repel fleas and other biting insects. For children older than 2 months, always ensure that they don’t have access to DEET repellents.
DEET may also be toxic for your pets, as we’ve discussed extensively. When it comes into contact with their eyes, it can lead to issues like conjunctivitis, scleritis, corneal ulceration, and blepharospasm.
If your pet inhales DEET, it can lead to airway inflammation and difficulty in breathing. There may also be the case of gastrointestinal issues like vomiting, disorientation, tremors, seizures, and shaking.
Ingesting DEET can lead to seizures and brain malfunctioning. This can be severe in children. Birds, fish, and aquatic vertebrates may also be negatively affected by DEET. [bold] Even low concentrations can be toxic. [/bold]
DEET remains in the air when it’s sprayed as a mist and would need to be broken down by the atmosphere. This is also dependent on the wind, temperature, and relative humidity. When DEET enters the soil, it’s moderately mobile.
Although DEET can’t cause damage to natural fibers like cotton, it can damage some items made from vinyl, rubber, or plastic. Items such as watch crystals, lenses, shoes, and combs should be kept away from products containing DEET
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The above quotes come from an article extolling the safety ofDEET.
Don’t tell me DEET doesn’t kill insects. When I prune and deadhead shrubs, my hands and clothes touch flowers, stems, leaves and branches, leaving DEET behind. It’s fucking toxic. The very articles claiming it doesn’t kill insects tells you plainly - it’s toxic. It can poison children and pets. It destroys synthetics. Don’t get it in your eyes.
Insects have eyes. They land on a plant with DEET on it, they’ll be blinded. Toxin will get into their systems through their skin and through self grooming.
You know how the US allows things that aren’t organic to be labeled “organic”? And how things that aren’t all natural can be labeled “all natural”? Well guess what? They also allow toxic things to be labeled “non toxic.”
The high school dropouts with drug and drinking problems who got a job with a national pesticide franchise and now call themselves “pest experts” will tell you “organic “ pesticides are “safe.”
If they kill insects, how are they “safe”? No insects, no food for nestling and fledgling birds. No insects, no food for many types of fish.
Arsenic is “all natural.” So are belladonna, datura, foxglove and radon. The “all-natural” part of the atomic bomb is what wipes out life.
Seriously ask yourself - why does an article extolling the safety of DEET tell me DEET is toxic?
Because it’s poison, that’s why. But it’s sold worldwide and makes megabillions globally…… so it’s “safe.”
