Mad Mike's frequently-asked questions

Policies

   What are your product, shipping, and privacy policies?
   What about your policies for order cancellations and returns?

General

   What's the deal with essential oils?
   Are your products really antibacterial?
   Is this stuff safe?
   Why don't you like DEET, permethrin, aluminum, and Triclosan?
   Why so many scents?

Anti-Bug Brew

   Does Anti-Bug Brew work?
   How does Anti-Bug Brew compare to chemical repellants?
   How does Anti-Bug Brew compare to other natural products?
   How long will a bottle of Anti-Bug Brew last?
   What uses does Anti-Bug Brew have?
   How do I apply Anti-Bug Brew?

Un-Stench

   Does Un-Stench work?
   How does Un-Stench compare to antiperspirants?
   How does Un-Stench compare to chemical deodorants?
   How does Un-Stench compare to other natural products?
   Twice per day? Really?
   How long will a bottle of Un-Stench last?
   What uses does Un-Stench have?
   Will Un-Stench cure my rancid shoes or sandals?
   Can Un-Stench be used as a room, closet, or cat-box deodorant?
   How do I apply Un-Stench?
   Will Un-Stench sting sensitive skin?
   Does Un-Stench discolor clothing?
   Can Un-Stench damage delicate fabrics?

Triple-Threat

   Does Triple-Threat work?
   How long will a bottle of Triple-Threat last?
   What uses does Triple-Threat have?
   How do I use Triple-Threat?
   Can Triple-Threat be used as a personal deodorant?
   Does Triple-Threat discolor clothing or upholstery?
   Can Triple-Threat damage delicate fabrics or furniture?

We find it hard to believe that anyone would want to cancel or return one of our orders. My goodness, perish the thought! We'd be hurt. But I suppose we'd get by. Life goes on and one must adjust. Stiff upper lip and all.

Seriously, though, if you need to cancel or return and order, go right ahead. Provided you honor the instructions on our policies page, we'll be happy to accommodate you.

Powerful. Fragrant. Kill germs. See our essential oils page for more information.

Yes. Natural alcohols are a primary ingredient in all our products, having been used for antiseptic purposes for generations. Many of the essential oils we use can also be extremely antibacterial, and have been in use much longer.

But there's no triclosan. Triclosan and other similar agents are not natural, and have come into a bit of controversy lately. These products are active long after use, and are not recommended for ingestion for a whole variety of reasons. There is also research that they can create bacteria which are resistant to antiseptic agents, which can be a big problem when it comes time to kill germs in large numbers.

As with chemical bug repellents, there will always be a place for the power offered by triclosan and other antibacterials. But you won't find any of them in our products.

First off: PLEASE USE MAD MIKE'S PRODUCTS ONLY AS DIRECTED. They are not meant to be ingested or inhaled.

However, with that said, we would like to point out that many of our ingredients are used in food preparation, and all of them are natural. The real issue here isn't whether or not it's safe to eat, drink, or inhale our bug repellants, but whether or not they are safer than the alternatives. Remember, despite any warnings you may read, or safety precautions you may take, anything you put on your skin goes into the bloodstream.

Do you want DEET, Permethrin, or Triclosan coursing through your veins, or all-natural oils? For us the answer is clear.

Because these ingredients, and others, are either proven or suspected to cause health problems, sometimes serious ones.

DEET and Permethrin are classified as insecticides. DEET is a moderately toxic insecticide, Permethrin is an extremely powerful one. Permethrin is so strong, in fact, that insects landing on a treated surface are instantly stunned and killed. People continue to debate the health risks of both these products, but to us the point is moot. We don't want anything classified as an insecticide in or on our bodies. Plus, these things smell nasty anyway.

Aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease). It makes a good antiperspirant, but that's a small consolation if there's a chance, however small, of developing these diseases.

Triclosan is an antibacterial agent that persists in and on the body, and in the environment, and which can aid in the creation of resistant bacteria. Our first problem with Triclosan is its persistence, which means it can stay in the body and in the environment for long periods of time. Antibacterial agents are great for killing germs, but it's not a good idea to live with them in or on the body at low levels. Our second problem is that this persistence aids in creating resistant bacteria. The small amounts of Triclosan left on skin, on counters, and even in streams (after it's washed down the drain) are enabling bacteria to survive and build resistance. We don't want resistant bacteria hanging about our houses. We also don't want to add to the bacteria that are resistant to synthetic antibacterial agents, because there are times these products are needed, and those are precisely the times we need them to work.

Personal choice, taste, and variety. Everyone likes something different, and we like to accommodate for that. More importantly, the same scent can be overpowering and annoying if used every day. For products such as Anti-Bug Brew and Un-Stench, it's important to be able to switch fragrances now and then. A description of our different fragrances is available on our scents page.

We wouldn't sell it if it didn't work. Heck, we wouldn't use it if it didn't work. This whole project started because we weren't willing to settle for the products we could find. If Anti-Bug Brew didn't work, we'd be pretty sorry purveyors of bug repellant, wouldn't we?

Anti-Bug Brew has conquered insects in Maine's deep woods, Maine's coastal salt marshes (at low tide), swamps and beaches in the Carolinas, the beaches and jungles of Belize, and many other bug-infested places. We've yet to find bugs that don't get queasy around this stuff.

On one hand, we've seen our Anti-Bug Brew repeatedly give chemical repellants a solid beating, and we've had reports from customers that it works better for them than even 100% DEET products. On the other hand, some people find that the chemicals work better. A lot depends upon individual body chemistry and the specific insects you're trying to repel.

The biggest difference is that you have to apply Anti-Bug Brew more often than most chemical repellants, normally every one to four hours instead of every four to eight hours.

Most people say that Anti-Bug Brew smells better than chemical repellants, but that's a subjective area that really depends upon individual taste.

We haven't found another natural product that stacks up, but that doesn't mean that there aren't any. If you have a favorite product, we're not about to badmouth it.

What we can say is that our Anti-Bug Brew contains 20% essential oils, compared to the 5% to 15% typically found in other products. More active ingredient, plus our special formulas, tends to have an effect.

The other main difference is in our six different scents. Any bug repellant will get overpowering or annoying after a while, no matter how good it smells. Heck, as anyone who has worked in an ice cream parlor can tell you, even the smell of vanilla almond fudge can get old after a while. So for us, variety is the key. Everyone at Mad Mike's has their own favorites, but everyone also tends to switch now then. Having the option to change is a big relief.

That basically depends on how much you use. Someone who ventures out once every other week will use a lot less bug repellant than someone who lives in the woods full-time.

If you're like most of our customers, and go out for a day or two each weekend, a single four-ounce bottle should last you about a season. If you're going to share your Anti-Bug Brew, or you're outside a lot more often, you might want to pick up an extra bottle or two.

Repelling insects. It's most effective when directly on surfaces you don't want bugs to land on or bite (such as skin). Some people also use it to keep fleas and ticks off their pets.

Spray it on anything that you don't want bugs to bite or land on, but don't inhale it or put it in your eyes.

This product has survived the Un-Stench challenge: one week, no bathing, no changes of clothes, underwear, or socks, no stench.

Care to repeat it? Probably not. But it does work, and work well, when used as directed. Most people will probably just use it for feet and shoes, but backpackers, sailors, travelers, and college students might give it a full workout. While we don't take the Un-Stench challenge very often, we have given up traditional deodorants altogether for our feet and underarms. What can we say? We like our product.

Antiperspirants based on aluminum are the most powerful way to combat body odor because they stop you from perspiring. Un-Stench can't compare in this area because it's a deodorant, not an antiperspirant.

However, aluminum has been linked with with Alzheimer's disease and other disorders, and that's a very serious problem for us. Sweet-smelling armpits at the expense of one's sanity? I don't think so.

Then there's always the questionable wisdom of preventing the body from carrying out vital functions. We might not always like perspiration, but it happens for a reason. Best not to mess with nature.

If you insist on not sweating, there's nothing we can do for you. But if you're as cautions about antiperspirants as we are, then Un-Stench is about as good a product as you can get.

We've had much better luck with Un-Stench as with any typical deodorant off the shelf in the grocery story. But there's a catch.

Every deodorant on the market stops working after a period of time. When that happens, you have two choices: either try to mask body odors with a more powerful scent, or apply deodorant a second time. This is as true for Un-Stench as it is for the chemical deodorants whose commercials interrupt your television viewing pleasure.

The problem with most deodorants is that they take the approach of using a masking scent. On a nice cool day without stress, that approach works. On a warm or stressful day, perhaps with a workout or two thrown in, this doesn't work. You end up smelling a mixture of body odor and deodorant scent that can be plain nasty. What's worse, because of the masking scent, you can't apply the deodorant a second time without making things worse, and even then it might not get rid of the odor.

Un-Stench takes a different approach. While our special antibacterial formula with several essential oils is particularly effective, it's the light scent that saves the day. On a good day, you can use Un-Stench just once and not have to think about odor again. On a day with lots of perspiration, you can use it as often as you need to. Each time Un-Stench kills the odor without leaving a heavy scent behind.

Because Un-Stench is a spray, you can use it on your feet and in your shoes or sandals, something that's not as easy to do with a stick deodorant. Having the option to switch between six different scents is also nice.

Finally, Un-Stench is all-natural, with nothing nasty to mess up your blood stream.

Same as the comparison to chemical deodorants above, with the exception that the all-natural status of Un-Stench doesn't differentiate it from other natural products.

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. During a summertime Un-Stench challenge, we use it twice per day, and sometimes after a particularly sweaty workout. During cooler months, on days without exercise, once is enough.

The big question is: would you rather use an antibacterial deodorant with a light smell that kills odor, once or twice per day, or would you rather use a once-a-day deodorant that attempts to mask odor buildup with a heavier scent.

For now, unless you're willing to use an aluminum-based antiperspirant, those are the only two options.

If you do the Un-Stench challenge continuously, in summertime, and you're treating every part of your body that might smell, a bottle might last two weeks. People with more normal hygiene habits will probably get a month or two of use out of the same amount.

Underarms, feet, socks, underwear, shoes, sandals, and anything else that smells. Un-Stench is particularly effective on shoes, socks, and sandals when used as directed. We use it for everything, but many folks are happy just to conquer their foot odor. So be it.

Un-Stench will work on some smelly shoes, but it's important to remember that Un-Stench has been designed as a deodorant, not an odor-obliterator. Some shoes and sandals are so far gone that you'd need an industrial-strength deodorant to do the work, and that would be far too strong to be used on the skin. But once the shoes or sandals have been cleaned properly, Un-Stench will prevent future ugliness.

We don't recommend it. Because of its light scent, Un-Stench isn't particularly effective at dealing with bathroom odors, reeking cat-boxes, and the like. Un-Stench is formulated to kill odors on the skin, and is therefore too gentle to deal with the really nasty stuff.

If you're looking for a room deodorant, we recommend our Triple-Threat product. It's too powerful for use on the skin, but it's great on most other things.

Spray it on parts of the body that smell, on underwear and socks, the topsoles of sandals, and inside of shoes. If a garment, shoe, or sandal already has a powerful odor, wash it first, then use Un-Stenchy.

Maybe. We attempt to balance our ingredients so that they don't cause irritation, and we add aloe, lavender, and olive oil to soothe the skin, but it is still possible that Un-Stench will sting sensitive skin.

If you use Un-Stench as directed (five or ten sprays) on your feet, socks, shoes, and underarms, you'll probably never have a problem. If you spray it on skin that has just been cut while shaving, you'll definitely feel it. If you spray it on body parts that you aren't legally allowed to show in public, you'll probably notice it there, too.

Our suggestion: either don't use Un-Stench on areas of the body that sting, or put up with the sensation in order to be free of odor.

Normally we just use it on our feet and underarms, so there's no issue at all. When doing without showers during the Un-Stench challenge, though, there are body parts other than feet and underarms that start to smell. In these cases, we've learned to spray Un-Stench on hair near the body parts, and not the body parts themselves. That tends to take care of the odor.

What's that? Too much information? Didn't want to discuss the unmentionable? Well, we're selling a deodorant here, and we know that someone out there is going to try to use it to prevent every conceivable type of body odor. We just don't want people spraying this stuff willy-nilly without discussing the topic.

Not in our experience. We've been using it for years, while wearing white t-shirts every day, without any staining or discoloring. Not even during the Un-Stench challenge. Heck, we're so lazy about doing laundry, we've been known to use Un-Stench in order to get a week's worth of wear out of a pair of white socks. Without discoloration, of course.

But that doesn't mean that Un-Stench can't discolor clothing. There could be some fabric out there that we haven't run across that could be stained.

If you have a piece of clothing that you're really concerned about, wait for an application of Un-Stench to dry before putting the garment on. If you intend to spray Un-Stench directly on the garment, test it on a small inconspicuous area first, then proceed accordingly. As we've said, you should be fine either way, but it's always better to be safe than sorry.

We have used Un-Stench on silk, wool, cotton, nylon, polyester, and various blends without any ill effect.

However, it is theoretically possible for Un-Stench to affect some fabrics. If there's an item of clothing that you're unsure about, please follow the suggestions to avoid discoloration above.

Now that's a silly question. Of course a scented spray works. How could it not? The combination of essential oils and alcohol kill germs quite nicely too. The big question here is really whether or not you like the scents we offer.

We haven't had any moths in our clothing since we started using the Woody Delight Triple-Threat (primarily cedar oil) in our closets. We keep a few scents stocked in our bathrooms and they have never smelled better. There have been more than a few times that we've freshened clothes up for a variety of reasons, and the Triple-Threat has worked like a charm.

Triple-Threat has also been used to remove tobacco smells, mold and mildew aroma, and other long-term odors that have not responded to other treatments. One of our customers was working to get rid of a persistent mildew odor her car, and used so many other products that the dye was bleached out of the carpeting. But the smell remained. Triple-Threat solved the problem.

Triple-Threat can't conquer every odor out there, but it does smell good and it does kill germs.

There's really no way to tell. The ones we use in our bathroom tend to last a few months. Sometimes, when we lose our heads and get scent-happy, the go a lot more quickly. It all depends on how often you use them.

Killing odors you don't like. Bathrooms, cat boxes, closets, kitchens, you name it. Any place that smells is a candidate for Triple-Threat.

No. We've tried it and we don't recommend it. There's a lot of essential oil and alcohol in this stuff, and that means it can sting like the dickens if it gets on sensitive skin. It's an experience you won't forget.

If you want a personal deodorant for underarms, feet, socks, shoes, and other odor sources, please take a look at our Un-Stench product.

We've been using it for years on white shirts, wool suits, various types of furniture, and in other locations, and haven't run into problems.

Nonetheless, there is always the chance of a unanticipated reaction that can cause discoloration.

If you have a piece of clothing, furniture, or other surface you're concerned about, test the Triple-Threat on a small inconspicuous area first, then proceed accordingly.

We have used Triple-Threat on silk, wool, cotton, nylon, polyester, and various blends without any ill effect. As far as fabrics go, Triple-Threat should be okay.

However, it is theoretically possible for Triple-Threat to affect some fabrics. If there's an item of clothing that you're unsure about, please follow the suggestions to avoid discoloration above.

Triple-Threat can damage some wood finishes, and can discolor untreated wood, so if you use Triple-Threat on or near furniture with exposed wood, take care to keep the Triple-Threat away from the surface in question.