The label is the law. Read your product's label before you mix or apply; the rates here come from the labels listed under Sources.
- Active ingredient
- DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) (CAS 134-62-3)
- Chemical class
- Insect repellent, used on skin and clothing rather than to kill insects.[1]
- Mode of action
- Repellent: insects exposed to DEET cannot detect and locate a person or animal; it has no IRAC insecticide group[1][3]
- Signal word
- OFF! Deep Woods Insect Repellent V (record name OFF! Insect Repellent Formula V): Caution[2]
How to apply it
Use just enough to cover exposed skin or clothing; frequent reapplication and saturation are unnecessary, and the label says not to apply it over cuts, wounds, or irritated or sunburned skin, or to spray it in enclosed areas.[2]
Hold the can 6 to 8 inches from skin or clothing, and after returning indoors wash treated skin with soap and water and wash treated clothing before wearing it again.[2]
Using DEET on children
The label says not to let children handle the product and not to apply it to children's hands; apply it to your own hands and then put it on the child.[2]
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends not using DEET on babies younger than 2 months, applying it no more than once a day on older children, choosing the lowest available concentration, and avoiding children's hands and the areas around their eyes and mouth.[1]
Where it is used
Repellents containing DEET prevent bites from mosquitoes, fleas, biting flies and other small flying insects.[1]
DEET is one of the active ingredients in EPA-registered skin-applied repellents, alongside picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus and others.[3]
Products and registrations
| Product | Registrant | EPA Reg. No. | Active % | Formulation | Signal word |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OFF! Deep Woods Insect Repellent V (record name OFF! Insect Repellent Formula V)[2] | S.C. Johnson & Son | 4822-167 | 25.0% | aerosol spray | Caution |
How to apply it, step by step
1. Protective gear
- No gear is needed: it goes on skin and clothing. It causes moderate eye irritation and is harmful if swallowed, so keep it away from eyes and mouth, and wash your hands with soap and water after applying it.[2]
2. Before you spray
- Don't apply it over cuts, wounds, or irritated or sunburned skin.[2]
- Don't let children handle it, and don't put it on children's hands: spray your own hands and rub it on the child.[2]
- The aerosol is flammable and under pressure: keep it away from heat, sparks and flame, and don't let treated skin or clothing near a fire until it has dried.[2]
3. Mixing
- No mixing: shake the can well before each use.[2]
4. Applying
- Hold the can 6 to 8 inches from skin or clothing and spray with a slow sweeping motion, then spread it evenly with your hands over all exposed skin; don't spray it in enclosed areas.[2]
- For your face, spray your palm and apply sparingly, keeping it away from your eyes and mouth and going light around the ears; never spray it directly on your face.[2]
- Use just enough to cover exposed skin or outer clothing; saturating or frequently reapplying isn't necessary. The label claims up to 8 hours of mosquito protection.[2]
- On clothing, spray only the outside (shirts, pants, socks, hats), plus cuffs and openings for ticks and chiggers; it's safe on cotton, wool and nylon but not on acetate, rayon, spandex or other synthetics, leather, plastics, watch crystals or painted surfaces.[2]
5. After you spray
- Back indoors, wash treated skin with soap and water, and wash treated clothing before wearing it again.[2]
- If you think you're reacting to it, stop using it, wash the treated skin and call your local poison control center.[2]
First aid
- In the eyes, hold them open and rinse slowly and gently with water for 15 to 20 minutes, removing contact lenses after the first 5 minutes, and call a poison control center or doctor.[2]
- If swallowed, call a poison control center or doctor right away, have the person sip a glass of water if they can swallow, and don't induce vomiting unless told to.[2]
Storage, spills and disposal
- Store it in a cool, dry place away from heat, sparks and open flame; cans above 120°F can burst.[2]
- Never puncture or burn the can. Use it up before recycling it where aerosol cans are accepted, otherwise put it in the trash; for a partly full can, call your local solid waste agency or 1-800-529-3394.[2]
From the safety data sheet
- The SDS classifies the aerosol as extremely flammable (Category 1, flash point about 19 °F) and a gas under pressure that may explode if heated; besides DEET it lists 30-60% ethyl alcohol and small amounts of butane, propane and isobutane propellant.[4]
- Keep it away from heat, sparks and open flames, don't spray toward a flame or other ignition source, and don't pierce or burn the can, even when empty.[4]
- Store it in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place out of sunlight and away from food, drink and animal feed; don't expose it to temperatures above 122 °F (50 °C), and keep it out of reach of children and pets.[4]
- Don't spray it in enclosed areas.[4]
Safety and environmental hazards
People
The label signal word is CAUTION: it causes moderate eye irritation, is harmful if swallowed, and may rarely cause skin reactions. Leaving DEET on skin for long periods has caused irritation and rash, and EPA classifies DEET as not classifiable as a human carcinogen, meaning there is not enough evidence either way.[2][1]
Pets
Pets are rarely exposed to enough DEET to get sick; overexposed pets have shown vomiting, shaking, excitement, incoordination and seizures.[1]
Bees and pollinators
DEET products are applied to skin and clothing, and this label carries no bee-hazard statement.[2]
Fish and water
DEET is toxic to freshwater fish and insects only at extremely high levels, about 75,000 times the highest concentrations found in wastewater or streams, and it is not considered very toxic to birds.[1]
Common questions
- Is DEET safe for kids?
- Follow the label and pediatric guidance: no DEET on babies under 2 months, the lowest concentration for older children, once a day, and never on their hands or near eyes and mouth; an adult should apply it.[2][1]
- Does DEET cause cancer?
- Researchers have not found evidence that DEET causes cancer in animals or people; EPA classifies it as not classifiable as a human carcinogen.[1]
- How does DEET work?
- Scientists do not know exactly how DEET works on every insect, but insects exposed to it cannot detect and locate a person or animal.[1]
Sources
- National Pesticide Information Center, “DEET General Fact Sheet.” npic.orst.edu/factsheets/DEETgen.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
- U.S. EPA Pesticide Product Label System, “OFF! Insect Repellent Formula V (OFF! Deep Woods Insect Repellent V) label, EPA Reg. No. 4822-167 (EPA-stamped, October 19, 2026).” www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/004822-00167-20261019.pdf (accessed 2026-11-08)
- U.S. EPA, “Skin-applied Repellent Ingredients.” www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/skin-applied-repellent-ingredients (accessed 2026-10-06)
- S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., “OFF! Deep Woods Insect Repellent V Safety Data Sheet (S.C. Johnson & Son, revision dated July 26, 2016; copy hosted by Target).” digitalcontent.target.com/vault/1782432000/CLOUD_24413360-85b0-41f9-9cd5-ef50129b632a.pdf (accessed 2026-10-15)