Find answers to these questions and more on the Consumer Specialty Products Association's public information Web sites, DeetOnline.org, AboutBugs.com and AboutGerms.com.
The sites provide in-depth information on disinfectants, pest repellents and other everyday products that help provide a cleaner, healthier living environment.
Read on to find out more about the Web sites and how they can help you.
* DeetOnline.org: From choosing and using repellents to protecting yourself from insect-borne diseases, DeetOnline.org provides eye-opening information on and benefits of using DEET-containing products. These products - along with cautionary measures such as wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants and checking for ticks immediately after spending time outdoors - are your best bet for keeping insect- and tick-borne diseases, such as West Nile virus and Lyme disease, at bay.
Spotting repellents containing DEET is now easier thanks to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which approved adding the acronym to labels, clarifying its cumbersome scientific name. The site answers frequently asked questions and contains helpful links to information about this active ingredient.
* AboutBugs.com: Effective pest control starts with knowing more about the everyday insects that can threaten your health, including houseflies, cockroaches, lice, dust mites and spiders. For instance, did you know that ordinary houseflies have extraordinarily bad habits that can affect your health? Flies can pick up disease-causing germs, transferring them to food you eat by touching surfaces with their legs or mouths.
Aside from taking a critical look at these pests, the site also shows how pest management products help people, animals and crops. It also provides in-depth information on West Nile virus, Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
* AboutGerms.com: Most germs, or microbes, are so small, they can only be seen with a microscope. From the plates you use to the water you drink, germs are ever-present - and some are harmful.
AboutGerms.com offers a comprehensive look at germs and the antimicrobials that help protect your health and home. Antimicrobial products are used to clean and disinfect homes, hospitals, restaurants, hotels, schools and offices, and to purify drinking water.
