Mosquito bites are annoying, and the risk of mosquito-transmitted illnesses such as West Nile virus, Zika and dengue fever is something that we should all be concerned about.
Why do we care? Because these diseases can be severe if contracted. The most severe cases of Zika cause microcephaly in infants born to mothers who were infected during pregnancy. The CDC estimates that 4 million Americans may have been infected by mosquitoes since 2009; reporting on insect repellent use can help prevent future outbreaks!
This article will cover 5 ways you can get rid of mosquitoes at home using simple household items like lemon juice, vinegar and baking soda.
Clean stagnant water
Mosquito eggs can develop in any type of standing water, including small amounts of water left in a bucket or trash can. It’s important to keep your yard clear of stagnant water so mosquitoes don’t have any places to lay their eggs. You should use a pool pump to remove all stagnant water from your property and clean the gutters on your house. If you see any puddles that form after rainstorms or snow melt, use a pool skimmer to remove them immediately before they become breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
If you have an outdoor fountain or birdbath, make sure it has enough room for aeration so there aren’t any stagnant spots where mosquitoes can lay eggs inside
chemical repellants
- DEET
- Picaridin
- Oil of lemon eucalyptus
- IR3535 (also known as Bayrepel)
- Para-menthane-diol or PMD, which is an essential oil found in plants. It may be used alone or mixed with other chemicals to create a mosquito repellent. This chemical works best on mosquitoes that are looking for humans to bite, rather than those that are flying around looking for food/water sources. It is believed to be safe for humans and animals when used as directed according to manufacturer’s instructions. However, it should not come into contact with the eyes or mouth because it can cause irritation and even blindness if swallowed in large quantities. If you accidentally get some on your skin, wash it off immediately with soap and warm water!
Use mosquito repellant plants
Mosquito repellant plants are a great way to keep mosquitoes out of your yard, garden or home. Mosquito repellant plants can be used in containers and planters, hanging baskets and window boxes. Planting mosquito-repelling flowers and herbs will help keep you from being bothered by mosquitoes. The best thing about these natural mosquito repellants is that they are all easy to grow, so anybody can have them growing in their own backyard!
Keep reading for an extensive list of mosquito repelling plants that you can plant around your home this spring season to make sure those pesky critters stay away from you!
A concoction of food items that mosquito hate
Mosquito repellent is something that many people look for when they are going on a trip. However, not all mosquito repellents are safe and effective. You should always make sure that the product you use is natural and doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals or ingredients.
Here is a list of 12 essential oils which are great at keeping mosquitoes away:
- Garlic – This oil is known to be an effective mosquito repellent and it works by releasing a sulphuric compound called Allicin into the air which keeps them away from you.
- Onion – Onions contain quercetin which can be used as an insecticide against mosquitoes and other flies like blowflies, horseflies etc., which makes it one of the best ways to get rid of these pests without having to resort to toxic chemicals!
- Chilli – If you want something spicy then chilli will do just fine! Why? Because it contains capsaicin which has been shown as being very effective in getting rid of insects such as flies, fleas, ticks etc., so if you have any problems with these pests then this particular oil might just come in handy!
Soapy water to rescue
- The next time you’re ready to hit the backyard, spray yourself and your clothing with a soapy mixture. This can be any kind of soap, but we recommend using liquid castile soap, which is made from all-natural ingredients and won’t irritate sensitive skin.
- Let it dry for about 20 minutes, then repeat. You can also use this method at night before going to bed—just leave on an extra layer or two of clothes over top if you do it then!
- If you don’t have time to wait around while the soap dries completely on its own, try hanging up your outfit in a cool room (50 degrees Fahrenheit or cooler) overnight instead. Don’t forget that mosquitoes are still bad news even when they can’t see us very well—they tend to hover just above our heads as they search for their next meal! So keep yourself covered up as much as possible when outside after dusk or during early morning hours when dew covers plants and makes them especially attractive hosts for these bloodthirsty insects.”
Apply essential oils to the skin
To apply essential oils to the skin, use a carrier oil like coconut oil. If you don’t have any on hand, olive or avocado oil would work as well. Just make sure that whatever carrier oil you choose doesn’t have a scent of its own; otherwise, it will mix with the essential oils and create an even stronger smell than before!
To dilute essential oils in this way, add 1 drop of your chosen essential oil per teaspoon of carrier oil (e.g., 1 ml per tbsp). This will give you a 1 percent dilution—or one part essential oil to 99 parts carrier oil—which is safe for topical use on healthy adult skin and won’t cause irritation if used properly.”
Using alcohol to keep the mosquito out
The most effective way to keep mosquitoes away is to use alcohol. You can use it in your home and on yourself.
- To keep mosquitoes out of your home, spray the walls with a mixture of half water and half rubbing alcohol. The mixture will evaporate quickly, so you won’t have to worry about the smell for long.
- Add some vodka or rum into a spray bottle filled with water and spray the mixture around your yard or garden (but not near plants that are edible). This allows you to enjoy being outside without being bothered by mosquitoes all night long!
- Spray this solution on yourself before going outside at night as well as after coming back inside so that any insects that landed on you during those times aren’t able to bite later on when they start flying again
Stop the breeding completely
If you want to stop the breeding of mosquitoes, then you need to choose one of these 5 methods.
- Mosquito netting: This is a method where you put mosquito nets over beds and other furniture that are likely to be used by mosquitoes. If it is possible, use screens on all windows and doors as well so that they don’t come in through open walls or doors while resting at night.
- Mosquito zappers: These are electronic devices that emit light at high frequency frequencies which attract and kill mosquitoes using their own natural attraction towards light. You can buy them online or at hardware stores but ensure that they are able to attract only certain types of insects such as moths but not bees (which would be attracted by the same type of light).
- Repellents: There are many different kinds available including sprays, lotions etc., but what works best depends on your skin type so read them up before purchasing one for yourself!
- Traps: These are designed specifically for catching adult females since most people don’t like killing other species even if they’re annoying pests 🙂 They work by attracting them with carbon dioxide releasing chemicals into an enclosed box where there’s plenty of food sources too so once inside nothing will escape alive!
Wrapping up
Here are the most important points from this article:
- If you want to be rid of mosquitoes, it’s important to keep them away from your yard. Mosquitoes can live in any standing water, so make sure you drain all of your containers so they don’t have any water to breed in.
- Use repellents and wear protective clothing when out at night to reduce your risk of getting bitten by a mosquito. Don’t forget that mosquitoes can even get through screens!
- Finally, if you do get bitten by a mosquito while outdoors, be sure to use an anti-itch lotion or spray right away so the itching doesn’t last too long.
