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It’s almost that time of year again. Summer is right around the corner, bringing lots of sunshine, beach days, lounging out by the lake…and plenty of pesky insects like mosquitos (yuck!). Consumers are already on the hunt for insect repellent, which means shippers are gearing up to send sprays, liquids, creams, and all other kinds of repellents all around the country. If you find yourself in that boat, then USPS is a perfect carrier to choose. You can ship all kinds of insect repellent with USPS without any issues, though you may have to pay for ground service if the repellent comes inside of a pressurized, aerosol container.
Table of Contents
- If the Insect Repellent is in an Aerosol Can, You Must Ship it via USPS Ground
- For Wipes, Non-Aerosol Liquids, or Candles, You Can Use any USPS Service
If the Insect Repellent Spray is in an Aerosol Can, You Must Ship it via USPS Ground
Many types of insect repellent come in aerosol cans, and USPS considers aerosol containers as hazardous items. This is due to the fact that most aerosols are capable of bursting when they reach certain temperature. On top of that, the main active ingredient in nearly all insect repellent sprays is DEET…which is highly flammable. So, if the repellent you’re sending comes in a pressurized aerosol can, USPS will restrict you to ground service only.
On top of paying for ground service, you also need to include the proper markings on your package. It’s easy, though; simply fix the Limited Quantity Label on your package, and you’ll be good to go!
USPS Ground is Much Cheaper than it Used to Be
For those of you muttering “Darn it” to yourself right about now, there’s no reason to! USPS Ground has become much more popular with shippers big and small in recent months. In fact, USPS drastically lowered the price of Retail and Parcel Select Ground service in 2022 to give shippers opportunity to save money by placing packages in the Postal Service’s ground network. Sure, USPS ground can be slower than Priority Mail by up to several days, which isn’t ideal. However, if you’re saving tons of money on these shipments, it might be something to consider…especially since aerosol cans don’t expire and don’t require rush delivery.
For Wipes, Non-Aerosol Liquids, or Candles, You Can Use any USPS Service
Other than aerosol cans, a lot of insect repellent comes in the form of wipes, candles, creams, and other solid objects. If you’re sending one of these (basically anything not inside of an aerosol can), you can use any USPS service you’d like! This includes air-based shipping services like First Class Package, Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express. Insect repellent that comes in the form of those materials we mentioned before aren’t pressurized or flammable—and therefore aren’t hazardous—so USPS doesn’t restrict them to just ground service.
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