Nearly 60 percent of mothers say they sometimes or often keep their families indoors to avoid backyard bugs, according to a recent national survey conducted by InsightExpress and sponsored by the OFF!(R) Insect Resource Center. In fact, many mothers surveyed (more than 41 percent) believe mosquitoes that may carry insect-borne diseases such as West Nile Virus are their biggest summer concern when it comes to their family's well-being. That tops other summertime headaches, such as sunburn (29 percent), bad weather (26 percent) or poison ivy (three percent).

"Bugs can certainly affect your family, but it's relatively simple to take back your backyard from these summertime annoyances," said Dr. Alan Greene, noted medical expert and pediatrician at Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. "We need to do what it takes to encourage active, outdoor play. To protect your family this summer, be prepared when going outdoors. One of the primary steps is using an insect repellent with an ingredient called DEET."

DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) is the active ingredient found in many personal insect repellents, but is also a source of confusion. According to the survey, nearly 57 percent of respondents have heard of DEET, but are not sure how to use it or have concerns about using it, even though it's considered one of the most effective repellents against mosquitoes.

Dr. Greene notes that within the last year the Committee on Environmental Health of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) concluded that products containing DEET at a concentration of 30 percent can be as appropriate for children as products containing only 10 percent, when used as directed.

Additionally, a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine concluded that DEET-based repellents provided the most complete protection for the longest duration among repellents tested. Authors of the study called DEET the "gold standard" of protection against mosquitoes that can transmit West Nile Virus. The Centers for Disease Control recently reaffirmed that DEET is a very effective insect repellent and among the most studied repellents available.

Because it's important to use insect repellents to help take back your backyard, Dr. Greene provides a few simple tips on how to best use and apply repellents:

  -- Reapply repellents according to product instructions, and after
     swimming and/or heavy perspiration.
  -- Use enough repellent to cover exposed skin or clothing.
  -- When using aerosol or pump products, spray skin with a slow sweeping
     motion.  Do not spray face directly.  Instead, spray your hands and
     then rub them carefully over your face, avoiding eyes and mouth.
  -- As an alternative to sprays, try towelette products.
  -- Consider plant-based products that contain the insect repellent found
     in eucalyptus plants as another alternative for the family
  -- Parents should apply repellent to children - avoid applying to
     children's hands, eyes and mouth.

It's important to choose a repellent that provides protection for the amount of time you will be outdoors. Dr. Greene advises that a higher percentage of DEET should be used if you will be outdoors for several hours, while a lower percentage of DEET can be used if time outdoors will be limited. For families on the go, products such as the OFF! Deep Woods(R) Insect Repellent Towelettes which provides 25 percent DEET protection, are a great option.

In addition to the use of personal insect repellents, you can use these tips to create a comfortable backyard for your next barbeque:

  -- Turn your porch lights off at dusk, as mosquitoes are attracted to
     light.  Instead, use area repellents that provide illumination, such as
     OFF!(R) Powerpad(TM) Lamp or Lantern.
  -- Clean up and empty containers of standing water, old tires, flower
     pots, wheel-barrows, barrels or tin cans, etc.
  -- Cut the lawn frequently and be sure to clear away lawn cuttings, raked
     leaves or other decaying debris such as apples or berries that fall
     from trees.
  -- Wear light colored and loose fitting clothes.  The light colors make
     you less attractive to mosquitoes and loose fitting clothes make it
     more difficult for insects to bite you.

For more information on problematic pests this summer, DEET or West Nile Virus, visit http://www.offprotects.com/ .

SC Johnson is a family-owned and -managed business dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, personal care and insect control. It markets such well-known brands as EDGE(R), GLADE(R), OFF!(R), PLEDGE(R), RAID(R), SCRUBBING BUBBLES(R), SHOUT(R), WINDEX(R) and ZIPLOC(R) in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN(R), BAYGON(R), BRISE(R), ECHO(R), KABIKILLER(R), KLEAR(R), and MR. MUSCLE(R). The 119-year old company, with more than $6.5 billion in sales, employs approximately 12,000 people globally and sells products in more than 110 countries. http://www.scjohnson.com/

  CONTACT:   Steve Peckham
             262.260.4402
             swpeckha@scj.com

Source: OFF!(R) Insect Resource Center

CONTACT: Steve Peckham for OFF!(R) Insect Resource Center,
+1-262-260-4402, swpeckha@scj.com

Web site: http://www.offprotects.com/
http://www.scjohnson.com/