The 7 Best DEET-Free Bug Sprays

Best Overall

Murphy's Naturals Lemon Eucalyptus Oil Insect Repellent

View On Walmart View On Amazon $13 View On Grove.co

You’ll find a number of insect repellents on the market with lemon eucalyptus in the name. Derived from the leaves of the eucalyptus citriodora tree, the active ingredient, p-menthane-3,8-diol or PMD is the powerhouse behind our Best Overall pick, Murphy’s Natural Lemon Eucalyptus Oil Insect Repellent Spray. The convenient pump spray goes on easily without being sticky and our testers found the fresh lemon scent to be pleasant without being overpowering. Safe for children three years old and up, a single application is good for six hours of protection.

A 30% solution of the natural eucalyptus oil is the heart of this potent spray. The remaining 70% by weight is 45% ethanol—the same alcohol found in beer and wine—and 25% deionized water. The ethanol is flammable and can cause eye irritation so you’ll notice warnings on the label to keep it out of reach of children and pets. Our tester also noted that the spray top doesn't come with a cap.

But Murphy’s Naturals held the top spot because of the company's sustainable approach. As a certified B Corporation, Murphy’s Naturals has met the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability across all of their products. It's also a member of 1% for the Planet, a collection of businesses that make annually-verified donations to environmental nonprofits.

"Lemon eucalyptus spray has served my family well on many adventures along the rivers of the Southwest and throughout the back woods of the Pacific Northwest. You’ll find comparable products on the market with an almost identical ingredient list under other popular brand names like Cutter, Repel, and Natrapel." ~ Lorraine Wilde, Treehugger Writer

Best for Home

Eco Defense Home Pest Control Spray

View On Walmart $38 View On Amazon $20

When insects have invaded your home, you need something that works, but is also safe to use in your kitchen or bedroom and won’t be unhealthy for children or pets. Eco Defense Home Pest Control Spray is that just-right combination of safe, natural ingredients, a pleasant scent and consistent effectiveness.

This is one of the few home sprays that is USDA Certified Biobased. That means the U.S. Department of Agriculture has certified that the product is derived from plants and other renewable agricultural, marine, and forestry materials. The certification means it is safe to spray anywhere in your home including in your closet, in kitchen cracks and crevices and on couches and rugs.

Active ingredients include geranium and peppermint oils and coconut-derived sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). SLS is a soap-like compound found in hundreds of personal and cleaning products that scores the best EWG Skin Deep Score of 1-2. Inactive ingredients include yeast, citric acid, distilled water and ethyl lactate. Ethyl lactate is a nontoxic, biodegradable solvent benign enough to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a food additive.

This spray kills insects on contact, so it works best when sprayed on problem areas, such as around garbage cans, in the RV and along perimeters. 

It is approved for all types of pests including fleas, mites, fruit flies, ants, roaches, beetles, centipedes, spiders, and silverfish too–so you only need one spray to protect your home and family.

Best for Kids and Babies

Auntie Fannie's Mosquito Spray

View On Amazon $10 View On Grove.co View On Auntfannies.com

Get up to four hours of protection from mosquitoes and other biting insects with Aunt Fannie's Mosquito Repellent Spray. Made from just eight natural ingredients this spray, like all Aunt Fannie products, is sulfate-, triclosan-, and paraben-free. Plus, it's vegan, not tested on animals, and made in the United States with responsible packaging. Considered suitable for children six months and older, it’s great for the diaper bag and outdoor adventures.

Active ingredients include soybean, citronella, cedarwood, peppermint, lemongrass, and geranium oils. The remaining 73% is made up of vitamin E and isopropyl myristate. Isopropyl myristate is a common cosmetic compound that does double duty as an emollient that also kills lice, fleas and ticks by dissolving the wax that covers their exoskeletons. Its presence increases the effectiveness of the repellent essential oils against these insects.

Like all insect repellents, it should be kept away from eyes and mouths. But parents report that this spray was effective without irritating their children’s sensitive skin.

Best Picaridin Repellent

Sawyer Products Picaridin Insect Repellent

View On REI $9 View On Walmart $21 View On Ems.com

When the stakes are high, such as travel in exotic locations where the risk of insect-borne illness is higher, you might consider a picaridin-based spray. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends picaridin-based sprays to repel disease-carrying insects. Picaridin has been in use in the United States since 2005 as an alternative to DEET. A synthetic compound designed in the 1980s, picaridin resembles the naturally-occurring compound, piperine, which is found in plants and used to produce black pepper. The EWG found that picaridin is as effective as DEET and also repels chiggers, without the disadvantages associated with DEET.

Among the picaridin-based sprays on the market, Sawyer Premium Insect Repellent, with 20% picaridin (also known as Fisherman’s Formula), is our top pick. It is available in both a pump spray and a lotion in a range of sizes. Avoid the “continuous spray” which is an aerosol spray. Depending on which product variation you choose, the inactive ingredients of the proprietary blend are not easy to pin down, but include 27-33% ethanol. The remaining ingredients are not considered hazardous to human health.

Made in the United States, the spray and lotion provide up to 12 hours of protection against mosquitoes, ticks, biting flies, gnats, chiggers, and fleas. We appreciate its easy-to-use pump design and secure, double-cap system that will prevent leaks during travel and inside packs.

Best Long-Lasting Protection

Natrapel Picaridin Tick & Insect Repellent Eco-Spray

View On Amazon $22 View On Cabelas.com View On Backcountry.com $11

When you’re camping, hiking, or trekking, you may not want to stop to reapply. That’s where Natrapel 12-hour Insect Repellent pump spray could come in handy. Very similar in composition to the effective Sawyer Premium Fisherman’s Formula above, the active ingredient of 20% picaridin gives 12 hours of continuous protection against mosquitoes and ticks and eight hours against other biting insects.

Many users like Natrapel because it is less oily and the scent is milder than the essential oil and eucalyptus-based repellents. Unlike DEET-based products, Natrapel also does not harm plastic materials like camera and camping equipment. Be sure to try the pump and avoid the aerosol “continuous spray” that uses propellants, which are harmful to the environment.

Best for Ticks

Coleman SkinSmart Insect Repellent Spray

View On Walmart $12

Coleman SkinSmart DEET-free Insect Repellent uses an active ingredient, IR3535 or 3-[N-Butyl-N-acetyl]-aminopropionic acid ethyl ester, that was developed in the 1970s but not registered in the United States until 1999.

Fewer products employ this chemical because sprays with oil of lemon eucalyptus, picaridin, and even DEET work better in every way, except when fighting ticks. Compared to those repellents, IR3535 provides over twice the protection time against deer ticks.

IR3535 is a man-made compound that is structurally similar to the naturally-occurring amino acid, B-alanine. Although more study is needed, they may work by disrupting the tick’s sense of smell, which they use to find their victims. Although IR3535 is less toxic than DEET and picaridin, it can be more irritating to the eyes. Like DEET, it also can harm plastics. Unfortunately, Coleman discontinued the pump version of SkinSmart so it is only available as an aerosol.

Overall, unless you really need extended protection against disease-carrying deer ticks, consider one of the picaridin-based sprays instead.