A method for repelling arthropods involving treating an object or area with an arthropod repelling effective amount of at least one compound having the formulawherein X is O, S, NH, N-NH2, N-CH3 or CH2, R′ is H or alkyl, R″ is alkyl, n is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, and mixtures thereof, optionally including a carrier material or carrier. The compound is preferably selected from homopiperazine, 1-methylhomopiperazine, 1-methylpyrrolidine, (R)-(−)-2-methylpiperazine, (S)-(+)-2-methylpiperazine, 2-methylpiperazine, 1-methylpiperazine, pyrrolidine, 1-methylpiperidine, piperidine, 1-ethylpiperazine, 1-methylimidazolidine, 1-methylthiomorpholine, 1,4-dimethylpiperazine, homopiperidine, imidazolidine, 4-methylpiperidine, thiomorpholine, 1-amino-4-methylpiperazine, 4-methylmorpholine, azocane, 2,6-dimethylpiperazine, 2,5-dimethylpiperazine, piperazine, 1-methlyhomopiperidine, or mixtures thereof.