For better or worse, I found a product that does exactly what the label says.
Before coming to Bangladesh, I bought several bottles of Deep Woods OFF! at Costco. It comes in handy because mosquitoes are a big problem here in Bangladesh. There is malaria in Bangladesh – but, much more common is the deadly Dengue Virus. If you’ve been reading my blog, you know my mother was infected by a Dengue-carrying mosquito and had to be hospitalized because of it. Dengue, unlike malaria, comes from daytime biting mosquitoes. Unless you plan on sleeping during the day, bed nets are going to be absolutely useless against these guys.
So, especially since moving to a mosquito-heavy part of Dhaka City, I’ve started using this stuff almost religiously. What makes this stuff work is its use of a chemical called DEET. Now, DEET is pretty strong stuff and the bottle comes with a clear warning label: it may damage plastics. And that’s exactly what it’s done. In just the few days I’ve been using this stuff on a regular basis I’ve noticed that the plastic near where my wrist rests on my MacBook Pro (the plastic trimming) has started to corrode. In fact, it’s almost a perfect 1:1 line-up to where I place my wrists and where the plastic is getting corroded.
Let this be a warning to campers and/or those traveling to the mosquito-infested areas. If your using bug repellent – don’t use your computer. Unless you don’t care for it to get eaten up.
[Full disclosure: As with all the other times I have mentioned some company or product on this website, I haven't been paid to do so.]
