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After years of trying every bug spray under the sun, I was done being disappointed. DEET works but smells terrible, "natural" sprays last 20 minutes, and citronella candles are basically decorations.
So when patches started popping up everywhere as the "new way to repel mosquitoes," I was skeptical but curious. I ordered five of the most popular mosquito repellent patches on the market and tested them all over an entire summer.
The results? One clear winner, a few that were okay, and one that was completely useless.
I'm 38, a mom of three, and mosquitoes have treated me like a buffet since birth. I live in Florida. Between April and October, going outside after 5pm without protection is volunteering as a blood donor.
But this wasn't just about me anymore. My youngest is 4. Spraying chemicals on a preschooler every single evening for six months straight doesn't sit right with me. I needed something I could trust on my kids too.
Patches made sense: slow, steady release of repellent ingredients over hours. No reapplying, no mess, no sticky hands. Just stick one on your shirt and go.
I tested each patch for at least one full week during peak mosquito hours in my backyard, on evening walks, and during a family camping trip in the Everglades.
I evaluated them on five criteria:
| Patch | Rating | Bites / Week | Duration | Main Issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kind Patches | ⭐⭐⭐ | 9 | ~6 hrs | Single ingredient |
| BuzzPatch (NATPAT) | ⭐⭐⭐ | 11 | ~8 hrs | Needs 2-4 stickers |
| PatchAid | ⭐⭐ | 12 | ~6 hrs | Skin irritation |
| Don't Bite Me! | ⭐⭐ | 14 | N/A | Doesn't work |
| Patch Please 🏆 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ~0.5 | 12 hrs | WINNER |
Now let me break down each one...
The Good: Citronella oil on a clothing sticker. Easy to apply, pleasant scent, travel-friendly packaging.
The Problem: Just one active ingredient. Citronella alone doesn't cover the full spectrum of signals that attract mosquitoes. By evening, the effect was already fading. I got maybe 5-6 good hours before it dropped off.
Bottom line: Decent for low-mosquito areas. Not enough for Florida.
The Good: Fun designs, colorful stickers, great for kids who refuse bug spray. Stayed on my daughter's shirt all day.
The Problem: Also just citronella. Coverage is localized, so my daughter still got bitten on her legs. You need 2-4 stickers for older kids, which burns through the pack fast and gets expensive.
Bottom line: Fun for kids, but not a serious adult repellent.
The Good: Seven oils, transparent dosages. They took ingredients seriously.
The Problem: Goes directly on your skin and it's big. Seven oils all day meant irritation and a herbal scent so intense my husband asked if I'd rolled around in a garden center.
Bottom line: Too many ingredients fighting for space, and skin irritation killed it.
The Good: Interesting concept (Vitamin B1 changes your scent to insects). Small, clear, waterproof, great adhesion.
The Problem: It didn't work. Clinical research on Vitamin B1 as a repellent is thin. Plus, you need to apply it 2 hours before going outside. When the kids want to go out after dinner, I don't have that window.
Bottom line: Cool concept, no results.
I saved the best for last. While most brands either throw one oil on a sticker, or cram seven into a patch until it smells like a garden center, Patch Please did something refreshingly simple. Two oils. Both proven. Both doing a different job.
Two mechanisms in one patch. Citronella hides you. Eucalyptus pushes them away. No filler oils, no ingredient list designed to look impressive.
The patch sticks to your clothing. No oils on your skin, no irritation, no residue. Lasts up to 12 hours. The adhesion held through Florida humidity, morning runs, and a kayak trip.
Check Sarah's Winner →
By the first evening, I sat outside for two hours after sunset and got zero bites. My husband got three. I thought it was a fluke.
By week three, we took a camping trip in the Everglades. Over three days: 2 bites total. My husband, using DEET spray, got 6. The kids were wearing the Patch Please kids' version (No Bite Kids Please, with fun animal stickers and five gentle plant oils) and across all three of them: 3 bites combined. In the Everglades. I almost cried. Watching your kids play outside without slapping and scratching every two minutes is a completely different experience.
For the few bites we did get, I used their after-bite patches (No Itch Please). Small blue grid strips you stick directly on the bite. No chemicals, just mechanical cross-hatch pressure that stops the itch within minutes. My 4-year-old, who normally scratches bites until they bleed, left them alone once "the blue sticker" was on.
I went into this as a skeptic. I expected five variations of the same mediocre product with different branding. I was wrong.
If you're tired of choosing between DEET chemicals and getting eaten alive, Patch Please is the one I'd recommend. It kept it simple, it stayed on, and it actually worked. Not just on my patio, but in the Everglades.
Mosquito season isn't a one-week problem. It's four to six months. The biggest mistake is buying one pouch, loving it, and running out before your next trip.
Here's what I'd go with: the Outdoor Pack (Get 3). It gives you enough to mix and match between adult patches, kids patches, and after-bite patches for the whole family. Plus you save almost $27 compared to buying them individually.
If you've got multiple kids or a big camping trip coming up, the Protect the Family pack (Get 4) or the Season Supply (Get 5) makes more sense. We burned through the Season Supply over the summer and it lasted us from May through September without reordering once.
Check Availability →Pro tip: Stick the adult patch near your neckline or sleeve 15 minutes before going outside. For kids, let them pick their own animal sticker. It turns "put your bug patch on" from a fight into a game.
Compensated reviewer. Individual results may vary.