Whenever I make travel plans that involve taking my daughter anywhere, I always ask the hotel, friends, and people on WeChat about whether there are mosquitoes. I know I sound like a crazy person for being so overly obsessed with mosquitoes, but man, my little girl still has scars from mosquito bites from almost over three years ago! We’re not talking one or two – she’s got at least ten of them on her legs. My little girl is a magnet for these pesky bugs.

Any mosquito repellent you’ve seen on the market, I’ve tried and when it started getting warm this year, my daughter’s style is Mosquito Repellent Chic – I’ve turned her into a walking mosquito repellent.

Here are my personal reviews of the most popular options out there based on whether they work for toddlers and where to buy them online.

The Stickers

I do love the stickers, although I highly doubt they last the 12 hours that the ad promises. The smell tends to fade relatively fast. But on the plus side, they’re so easy to carry around that you can slap new ones on your kid throughout the day. The only downside to these is that you tend to forget about them being on clothes, and they end up stuck to the inside of your washing machine. Not a major problem, but also kind of annoying. Last summer, we discovered stickers with popping beads inside and the smell lasts longer than regular repellent stickers.

Effectiveness: 3/5
Would recommend: Yes

Here’s a hack. I’m extra worried about mosquito bites on faces since my little one still has a scar on her cheek from a bite from over three years ago. She loves to wear bows on her hair, so I always stick an extra one on her bow to protect her little head from these pesky bugs.

The Rubber Bands

These are so cute and were recommended to me by multiple people. They give off a faint scent and are supposed to keep mosquitoes away. You can wear them as bracelets, anklets, hair bands, or hang them on your backpack, but most wear them as bracelets. I think they’re pretty effective, but I would recommend them for older kids. When my daughter was around two years old and was a little ball of energy who liked to test limits, whenever she wore these rubber bands, they got taken off, tossed, and (worst) chewed on.

Effectiveness: 3/5
Would recommend: Not for toddlers

There’s now a similar one that gives off a scent that lasts longer than the rubber bracelets.They’re essentially a long strip of sticker that can go on the sleeves, shirts, pants, etc and they stay on way better when you’re trying to protect a younger kid who likes to throw bracelets around. 

And finally, for the more responsible kids, these bracelets last multiple days.

The Clip-On Repellents

Similar to the long-term bracelets, there’s a clip-on repellent that’ll last for days. These are great for babies and can clip onto most strollers. They’re also great for older kids’ backpacks and short collars.

Effectiveness: 4/5
Would recommend: Not for toddlers

Bug Spray

These are effective but also highly toxic, especially when you’re spraying them in a closed-off environment. I recommend spraying them down your drains since mosquitoes can travel through pipes, but I wouldn’t recommend spraying stuff like Raid anywhere your kid sleeps and definitely not directly on them. But if this is what you’re opting for, Bayer has made a spray that’s unscented and works for up to 24 hours.

Effectiveness: 4/5
Would recommend: Yes

Electric Zappers

Definitely get one of these if you’re hanging out outdoors at night. During the day, they don’t do much good. Ours has been sitting on a shelf, untouched for nearly a year now…

Effectiveness: 2/5
Would recommend: No

Blue Light Traps

If you’ve got the space, one of these outside your door does wonders. These are the things that hotels usually use to keep mosquitoes out of guest rooms. They don’t give off any scent and won’t buzz when a bug gets zapped. They’re silent bug killers that come in various designs.

However, the smaller ones that are usually sold for homes tend to be ones that have a fan that’s supposed to suck in any bug in its vicinity. They get a bit loud, and that isn’t great if you’re a light sleeper.

Effectiveness: 4/5
Would recommend: Yes

The Sponge Container

I don’t know what else to call this thing, but it’s a little container of mosquito repellent and a sponge. I definitely recommend it when you’re traveling. The scent is pretty intense, especially considering how small the container is.

I usually put one open container by the door and a few around the bed.

Effectiveness: 4/5
Would recommend: Yes

Hualushui

There are so many brands that sell them, but the most popular here is the green hualushui that can be found at supermarkets and Watsons. I don’t find it particularly effective since my daughter and I have both gotten tons of mosquito bites even when we used it, but it does make a bit of a difference when you use it as a scent diffuser.

Effectiveness: 2/5
Would recommend: No

Here’s a hack. There are plenty of netted bracelets, necklaces, and charm options on taobao. Stuffing a pom pom ball inside one and soaking it with hualushui before you go out will give you a DIY mosquito repellent. My daughter has these hanging on her backpack for school and belt loops on her pants whenever we go out.

The Plug-In Diffuser

These are great for indoors, but the radius that it covers isn’t as wide as they advertise. The scent isn’t overpowering, which can be nice, but at the same time, doesn’t that mean it’s not really working? I always try to avoid this whenever possible since they do turn hot after being plugged in for a while and make me paranoid that it’ll be a fire hazard.

Effectiveness: 3/5
Would recommend: No

The Mosquito Coil Incense

These old-school ones work, but they’re a fire hazard and aren’t great for your lungs. I would say keep this as the absolute last resort.

Effectiveness: 4/5
Would recommend: No

Ultrasonic Repellent

Supposedly, these work by giving off ultrasonic pulses that’ll keep mosquitoes away, but I’ve yet to see a difference.

Effectiveness: 1/5
Would recommend: No

Mosquito Nets

This isn’t the prettiest, but it’s the most effective way to keep your kid from getting bitten at night. A good old-fashioned mosquito net around their bed keeps them safe from the pesky bugs.

They also sell smaller ones that are made for kindergarten-size beds if your kid’s school has a mosquito problem. These don’t need to be attached to the ceiling and come with their own freestanding frame.

Effectiveness: 5/5
Would recommend: Yes

Images: Taobao, Mina Yan, Freepik