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Thread ID: 65891 2006-02-03 08:46:00 Seek advice.. Battery Operated Insect Repellents Myth (110) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
426770 2006-02-03 08:46:00 With this warm weather in our area recently, we are having to keep our windows open to get rid of the heat at night, and also so our [almost 2] daughter will sleep through the night. However, the mozzies are attacking her to the point she now has something like 20+ mozzie bites all over her body (incidentally anyone know any old remedies for itchy bites, she hates calamine, and vinegar)
Here is our situation.. we can't afford to run a fan all night and keep the windows closed (electricity bill too high). We can't shut the windows (kid keeps waking up coz its hot).
We are looking at getting a battery operated insect repellent and have seen 2 at Mitre 10 that we can afford.

I want to know, anyone used either the Expra Insect Eliminator Dispenser or the Robocan?
Are either noisy, are they any good?

Looking at a system that costs under $100 (unfortunately the money I was saving for my Zalman CPU cooler is financing this, but my kid is more important)
Myth (110)
426771 2006-02-03 08:53:00 Power for the fan will be cheaper, and it's your daughter's health that is at stake. Either that, or tape some netting over the window.

As for the calamine, at 2 she's too young to hate it for any reason other than the application, so bite the bullet and put it on, she'll forget it within 5 minutes. Kids complain but parents rule. There are better creams for that too, but they also cost more than the power.

You could also treat all the areas around your house that mosquitos breed. Fly spray knocks them back. Look around sunset and you will see them swarming. Don't forget the guttering for your roof either.

Cheers

Billy 8-{)
Billy T (70)
426772 2006-02-03 09:07:00 We have a robocan, we find it really good and does not effect the child who suffers asthma. this goes all the time - they are set to spray every 7 minutes, you dont notice it usually, place it up high so they cant reach.

Have you tried a liquid antihistimine? You can get childrens formula.

i would suggest nets as well, but if a robocan is in the house, it will work, make sure you get the killer one, not the deterant, as it works much better.

is the child in a cot or bed? you can drape a net over the cot, i have done this before,


beetle
beetle (243)
426773 2006-02-03 09:16:00 Ok, kid is in a bed (she stopped sleeping in the cot months ago).
We were looking at the idea of buying some cheap net curtain, and pinning it at each corner to keep the mozzies out... the problem with that is that one of the 2 windows is right above her bed and she has turned into a monkey sometime in the first 15 months of her life.

Liquid antihistimine (I am assuming from the chemist?).. never heard of it.

We are going into NP tomorrow, will look at either fans or Robocan then.

Billy, the parents do rule, she does get calamine put on. But Im thinking prevention is better than the cure
Myth (110)
426774 2006-02-03 09:56:00 I have never tried one of those battery things, but I do have a bit of an aversion to regularly pumping chemicals into the air in a confined space, especially in a child's room. However, that is an uninformed opinion as far as these things go.

If you hop onto TradeMe and do a search for 'mosquito net', you will find quite a few for sale - one of them I noticed has a buy now price of $20. You can get the plain netting or impregnated variety. There is even a lilac coloured one!

Maybe you can persuade your Monster that it is a great treat because she is sleeping in a tent...
John H (8)
426775 2006-02-03 09:57:00 When I was in Queensland years ago, they lit coils of something whose name escapes me at the moment, but I have seen them here in hardware shops.

Mind you, they may be meant for outdoor use, though I recall having one in my bedroom.

Does anyone have any experience with them - good or bad?

I do remember hearing someone from Consumer rubbishing the simple cheap devices you merely plug into a power point, as their tests found them basically useless.
Laura (43)
426776 2006-02-03 10:00:00 I think they are usually referred to as mosquito coils, and I suspect they are based on citronella. You can get them here. My son and daughter in law use them on the Wet Coast if they are having a barbecue outside. Not sure if they use them in the house. John H (8)
426777 2006-02-03 10:15:00 I have the expira unit which is about $45 from Mitre 10 and guess what they have 25% of anything under $50 this weekend with the coupon sheet or voucher from the papers in the morning. The refill cans are $9-12, Mitre 10 mega being cheaper. I also managed to pick up about 6-7 refill tins in the supermarket dent bin a couple of months back for $3 each.

A can lasts about 6 weeks on a spray every 15 mins for here.

The robocan refills are about $20 each for the same volume
EX-WESTY (221)
426778 2006-02-03 10:59:00 Get a mosquito net to cover the bed by hanging it from the ceiling and Savlon Cream from the Supermarket or Chemist will take away the sting. zqwerty (97)
426779 2006-02-04 00:40:00 I agree with the suggestions regarding using a mosquito net instead of chemical repellants. Much healthier and it should be fun for your daughter as well, sleeping in a "tent". :p

Regarding the itchy bites, get some Soov gel (made by Ego) from the pharmacy. It's absolutely wonderful as it provides instant relief from itchiness and has an antiseptic ingredient to help heal the bites. It's way better than calamine lotion. :thumbs:
FoxyMX (5)
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