How to choose a good mosquito net

If you&#;re travelling to a malaria-endemic area, a mosquito net should be on your list of essential travel supplies. Malaria is transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito that bites humans from dusk to dawn. 

Qicai Product Page

The Anopheles mosquito is stealthy and silent. They don&#;t buzz so you can&#;t hear them approaching. This means you are a prime target when you are most vulnerable &#; asleep. Bed nets are a key defence against malaria, but they also offer protection from other diseases such as filariasis (known for massive swelling of the limbs) and other insects and arachnids like ticks, beetles, flies, and spiders. 

Remember that in malarious areas, insecticide-treated mosquito nets are required in bedrooms without tightly-fitting window screens or broken screens Bed nets are not required in buildings with sealed windows and central air conditioning. From wedge-shaped, to cone or canopy, to rectangular box-style nets, there are many options to choose from. 

Here are our recommendations for buying a bed net that will give you the best protection.

Features to look for in well-designed mosquito net

Choose a tightly woven, white net big enough to tuck under your mattress. The netting should be made of stiff cotton or synthetic thread to allow the movement of air. A white net allows you to see mosquitoes against the background. Netting with 285 holes per square inch is ideal because it is very breathable but will prevent even the smallest mosquito from entering. (You can find out the number of holes per square inch by multiplying the number of holes along the length of a square inch of net and the number of holes along the height.)

Different bed net styles provide different levels of protection. Rectangular bed nets are a great option because they reduce your chance of touching the net while you sleep. You are more likely to touch the netting when sleeping under a cone-shaped net, which could allow insects to bite through.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of mosquito netting material. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

Insecticide-treated nets are more effective than untreated nets. Nets treated with an insecticide like permethrin kill insects on contact. Some bed nets come pre-treated or you can treat them yourself by soaking your bed net in a permethrin solution, available in many travel health clinics and outdoor equipment stores. (Note that permethrin treatment products are not sold in Canada.)

Consider your style of travel. Will you be carrying your net around with you while you move frequently from place to place, or will you spend most of your trip in a few locations? Choose a net that&#;s light and compact enough to pack and carry easily.

The best protection comes from a combination of protection measures. If you&#;re in a malaria endemic area, don&#;t just rely on one method of protection. Reduce your risk of malaria infection by using a combination of measures including a bed net, preventing mosquito bites, and using antimalarial medication (as prescribed). Take meticulous anti-mosquito measures by using insect repellent containing 20-30% DEET or 20% Picaridin and wearing light-coloured, light-weight long sleeves and pants. Before your trip (4-6 weeks before you depart), make an appointment with a travel health professional to see if antimalarial medication is recommended for your trip. You can read more about different antimalarial medications here.

Maintain your bed net. Remember to check your net frequently for tears. Mosquitoes will spend hours searching for an opening so even one tear is too many.

Last reviewed and updated: December 11, .

Want more information on mosquito net fabric? Feel free to contact us.

Mosquitoes can carry diseases like malaria, yellow fever, many types of encephalitis and dengue. Almost 600 million people die each year with mosquito-born diseases. What can you do to prevent getting bitten?

Mosquito netting is important because it prevents an insect bite that carries infectious diseases. It comes in a variety of shapes, color and purposes. Here are some guidelines for you to choose the perfect mosquito netting.

1) Size and shape: The size of the net should be spacious. It should have enough space to cover your whole body while sleeping. The mosquito netting should provide you with your needed air circulation. A mosquito net with holes of 1.2mm x 1.2mm is the most used and most recommended.

Rectangular mosquito nettings are more advisable to use because it provides much needed space for you and your friends. Pyramid shaped mosquito nets could be used for individual purposes.

2) Material: There are two most common material used in mosquito netting - polyester and cotton. Mosquito netting made of polyester is lightweight that could be used for camping and other traveling needs. It lasts longer than cotton nets because cotton is not water-resistant and weighs more when wet. But cotton mosquito netting could offer a more comfortable rest when used outdoors. Both of these kinds of netting are available in different sizes and thickness of the thread used.

For a more efficient mosquito net, it is recommended to purchase a net that has been sprayed with high quality insecticides. If the nets are pre-treated with insecticides, the mosquito net repellant could be useful at least a year depending on heat and rain exposure. If insecticides are no longer there, you could always buy from your nearest store.

3) Purpose: The mosquito netting is perfect for a number of situations. It could be used outside of your backyard as gazebos and umbrellas. It could be used in your house as doors, windows and balconies. It could be used in traveling and in camping. Whatever the case may be, it could be used anywhere you may go.

4) Variety: The mosquito netting could be purchased in a number of styles and shape for your preference. Here are some of the basic kinds of mosquito nets available in stores.

* Head and body nets: These kinds of nets are usually used outdoors in camping and dealing with swarms of mosquitoes. There are nets available to cover any part of the body, or the whole body itself.

* Indoor nets: Indoor nets are used in the repellant of insects inside the house. It is to protect your children and yourself from future insect bites. It is used in screening the doors, windows, as draperies, and many more.

* Hanging nets: These kinds of mosquito nets are hanged from the top of your house and tucked into the floor. They are the type of nets that is best used as umbrella, for balconies, and for a larger area to cover.

* Equipment nets: These are specialty equipments produced with mosquito netting. Samples of this include a baby stroller net, bed canopies, and many more.

Now that you know how to buy the perfect mosquito netting for you, invest now and experience the protection your family would maintain.