Mosquitoes are inevitable if you live in an area where there are plentiful plant life and foliage. Stagnant water, gutters that are clogged, bushes, tall grass, and weeds are some of the favorite places to breed for some species. Desire to completely eliminate their existence is unrealistic. However, you can take preventive measures to keep them as far as possible from you.
Along with mosquitoes, come to their nasty bites. Male mosquitoes feed on plants, not blood. Only female mosquitoes drink blood from humans to produce eggs. The saliva that they leave behind is the reason that causes our immune systems to react. It recognizes the saliva as intruders and wants it to leave. Hence, our immune system gets triggered and responses by causing inflammation around the affected area.
With mosquito bites, there’s a significant threat of mosquito-borne diseases. Some of the common diseases that are caused by virus-carrying mosquitoes are malaria, yellow fever, dengue, and West Nile virus. However, not all mosquito bites cause serious illness. Some are just harmless and some cause little itchy bumps on your skin.
No matter the risk factor, you wouldn’t want those tiny creatures anywhere near you. Keep those little dipterous insects as far from you as possible with these tips on how to keep mosquitoes away.
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How to Keep Mosquitoes Away At Night
Whether you are trying to enjoy a party in your backyard or just cuddling up to watch your favorite show on your couch at night, you don’t want the buzz and the bites to ruin any of it. Here are some preventive measures that you can take to keep mosquitoes away at night.
Get Rid of Standing Water
Clear your backyard or garden of any standing puddles of water. Trash cans, portable swimming pools, and unutilized tires are most likely to contain stagnant water. As mentioned before, standing water is one of the mosquito’s favorite places to breed. Make sure you get rid of it before your party. If you have a swimming pool, you need not worry as the chlorine and filter in it keep the mosquitoes away.
Apply Insect Repellent
Whether you are inside your house or outdoors, apply mosquito repellent. Follow the instructions on the container very carefully and apply it on your exposed skin. Make sure to not spray it directly on your face. Take some in your hands first and dab onto your face. This ought to keep the mosquitoes from coming near you.
Keep Yourself Covered
Covering yourself in summers can be difficult but not as difficult as getting rid of those itchy bumps. The risk is just not worth it. Cover yourself as much as possible with long-sleeved, loose fitting clothes. Wearing pastel colors is also a good option as mosquitoes get attracted by dark colors.
Say No to Floral Perfumes
Use scents that are not flower-based. They are just not worth the torture. As human blood attracts mosquitoes, similarly nectar from flowers does too. Stay clear of floral perfumes and you’ll reduce the chances of getting bit by mosquitoes.
Use a Mosquito Coil
You can use mosquito coils indoors as well as outdoors at night. There are two kinds of coils available. One simply kills the mosquitoes and the other just repels them. You can also use smokeless mosquito coils. The plug-in ones are safe to use.
How to Keep Mosquitoes Away from Patio
Mosquitoes can ruin your perfectly pleasant summer evenings. All you want is to relax in your patio and enjoy a refreshing cup of tea with your friends or family. Don’t let those buzz killers crash your intimate gatherings. Use these tips on how to keep mosquitoes away from the patio.
Use Natural Repellents
Natural repellents like marigolds can be used to keep mosquitoes away from your patio. Plant marigolds on your patio near the places you like to relax. Insect repellents consist of citronella, you can also plant and grow them on your patio. The smell of these natural repellents will keep the mosquitoes far away.
Cover Your Patio with a Tent
Some tents come with mosquito net accessories. You can use those or just regular tents to cover your patios whenever you’re having a gathering. If you don’t want to cover up the entire space, you can only tent the area where your guests are going to eat and relax.
Set Up Outdoor Fans
Set outdoor fans on your patio. As mosquitoes are weak fliers they have trouble flying around in the wind. In addition, the carbon dioxide around you which attracts mosquitoes is diluted and dispersed by fans hence automatically reducing their number.
Use Mint
Grow mint around your patio. Planting it won’t go to waste. Not only does it work as a great natural mosquito repellant, but also provide other benefits. Along with making your tea more delicious and aromatic, the gorgeous shade of green will add more beauty to your patio.
Replace the Water in Your Bird Bath Regularly
The stagnant water in the bird baths attracts mosquitoes. They breed there and it takes them about a week to transform from larvae to adult. Empty the water in it and replace it with clean water in about every five days. The mosquitoes won’t be able to complete their lifecycle, so you should be fine.
How to Keep Mosquitoes Away From Porch
No one wants to step outside on their gorgeous porch only to be attacked by a swarm of mosquitoes. While it may not be possible to shield your porch from the dreaded mosquitoes completely, it is definitely possible to reduce its chances of ruining your perfectly good evening.
Clear Out the Under Deck Drainage
Mosquitoes find a breeding habitat in dirtiest of places. The area under your deck can be one of them. The puddles that form can cause an abundance of mosquitoes. If you cover the puddles with sand, the mosquitoes won’t be able to lay their eggs there. If sand doesn’t work, a French drain can be installed to keep your deck dry.
Trim Tall Grass and Bushes
The additional water released by tall grass and plants can provide the mosquitoes with a place to breed. They get a chance to lay their eggs there and then multiply. Keeping the bushes and grass trimmed and maintained is the best way to prevent this from happening.
Install Bird Houses
Want your problem to be eaten away? Birds and bats are known to feed on mosquitoes. Install houses for bats and birds in your porch. In addition to reducing the number of mosquitoes, they’ll also add beauty and nature to your beloved porch.
Throw In Some Coffee Grounds
If you can’t get rid of stagnant water, simply scatter some coffee grounds on it. It is a safe and effective method. The strong smell will keep those bloodsuckers away! Scatter coffee grounds around your porch and say bye-bye to not only mosquitoes but wasps and bees too.
Pay for Mosquito Killers
The best solution to get rid of your buzzing enemies is to buy a mosquito killer spray and simply spray them with it. Make sure that you keep it away from your eyes. Also, you don’t want them to drop dead in your food. So, use the mosquito killer spray with care.
How to Keep Mosquitoes Away From Doors
Mosquitoes can be a pain. They hang around your front doors ready to just slide in as soon as you open them. You can battle these uninvited guests but can’t stop some of them from slipping away inside. It’s best that you prevent them from roaming around your front door altogether.
Trick Them
Take a bowl and add some water and sugar in it to attract the mosquitoes that are just hanging around near your front door. Place this bowl on your patio. As soon as the mosquitoes gather up in one place, use a mosquito killer spray. It will get rid of all of them in one go.
Install a Mosquito Net Door
To enjoy the pleasant outdoor breeze, install a mosquito net door just outside your main door. The net prevents any bugs from sliding inside. This way you can keep your front doors open, breathe fresh air and also keep the mosquitoes away.
Hang Mosquito Lanterns
Insects love light. They are attracted to it. Mostly everyone has lights and bulbs installed at the entrance of their houses. If you do, replace them with mosquito lanterns. Those lanterns will provide you with enough light and they’ll attract the mosquitoes and zap them.
Mosquito Repellent Spray
Spray the mosquito repellent inside and out. If you use the spray only inside your house, they’ll gather up outside, swarming your doors. So spray the repellent near your doors to keep them further away. Select a spray with DEET (N, N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide) as it is a key ingredient that provides protection against insects.
Use Barrier Sprays
Barrier sprays can be used to stop mosquitoes from multiplying. Take a gallon of water, mix four ounces of the spray in it and stir well. Spray the solution about an hour before sunset around your doors. This spray does not work when applied to human bodies. It only destroys the feeding areas of the mosquitoes.
How to Keep Mosquitoes Away Without Bug Sprays
At times bug sprays can be used for a quick fix but sometimes you just want to lay off the toxic, harsh chemicals completely. But keeping mosquitoes close is not an option either. There are a few ways with which you won’t have to bathe in bug sprays to keep the mosquitoes at bay.
Keep the Beer Away
Some studies suggest that the ethanol in alcohol releases in a person’s sweat after they’ve had a beer. The ethanol attracts mosquitoes and hence the person becomes more prone to their bites. Of course, once you’ve had enough of them, you won’t notice the mosquitoes at all. But the itchy bumps they leave will be a nuisance later.
Stay Indoors at Dusk and Dawn
While some species of mosquitoes are aggressive and feed all day long, some are just active at dusk and dawn. They avoid daylight and prefer to wait to come out till dusk. Avoid going in the yard at that time of the day to reduce your chances of getting bit by them.
Opt for Pastel Colors
Wearing pastel colors during summers will keep you cool and also reduce the chances of mosquitoes being attracted to you. Some studies suggest that mosquitoes prefer dark shades. So just dress up in cool, light colors, and let the insects enjoy somewhere else!
Go for Mosquito Repellent Clothing
Don’t worry; you don’t have to roam around all day in mosquito netting. These clothes look like ordinary ones except they are cleverly covered with a fine, invisible and odorless coating of Insect Shield. Mosquito Repellent Clothing effectively keeps a distance between you and your enemy!
Place Air Curtains
By discharging a velocity of 1000 to 3000 feet/min, air curtains stop outside air from entering inside. It separates outdoor and indoor environments, thus keeping the mosquitoes where they belong. Many fast food restaurants use these and you can too to solve your bug problem.
How to Keep Mosquitoes Away from Babies
Mosquitoes don’t support age discrimination. When your babies become victim to mosquito bites, harsh and toxic chemical sprays and repellents are not a suitable solution. Although sometimes those bites are harmless the desire to itch that comes with it can make your child miserable. Here are some tips on how to keep mosquitoes away from babies:
Use Fragrance-Free Products
Strong smells tend to attract insects. Make sure that the products you use on your baby are odorless or just lightly scented. Products such as baby soap, baby lotion, and baby powder have floral fragrances which tempt mosquitoes. Stay clear of them to keep your baby safe.
Secure Your Environment
Use air screens and door netting so that it becomes difficult for the mosquitoes to navigate through the air. Clean any stagnant water nearby. Make sure you change the water of portable swimming pools regularly to ensure that your baby doesn’t get any of those unpleasant bites.
Use a Bed Net
Keep the strollers, cribs, and carriers covered with a bed net at all times. Select a bed net with appropriate holes that will restrict the mosquitoes from getting near to your child. If you and your baby share a bed, use a bigger net.
Protect Your Baby with Lavender
You can use lavender as a natural mosquito repellent. Make a few sachets of dried lavender by putting some in little cloth holders. Now, place the lavender sachets in areas that your baby cannot reach. Mosquitoes do not like the scent that lavender gives off.
Light Citronella Candles
Although citronella candles won’t protect you and your baby in the outdoors, it acts as a great natural indoor mosquito repellent. Light some around you and your baby. Make sure that you keep those candles at a distance from your baby to avoid burns or inhalation of any fumes.
How to Keep Mosquitoes Away While Sleeping
After a long day all you need is a long, peaceful sleep. But are your nights getting ruined by the buzzing and biting of loathsome mosquitoes? Don’t worry; restore your sound sleep with these tips on how to keep mosquitoes away while sleeping.
Get Into Long Pajamas
Wear baggy long pajamas that are fit around your ankles to stop mosquitoes from reaching your flesh at all. And if they still find their way in, the bagginess of the clothes will help them roam around a bit, reducing your chances of getting bit.
Take a Quick Shower
Some studies suggest that the lactic acid that is released in our sweat attracts mosquitoes. Clean up your day’s sweat by taking a quick shower before crawling into bed. Dry yourself completely after the shower so that the moisture doesn’t make you sweat more.
Spray Some Essential Oils
Dilute lemongrass or cinnamon flavored essential oils with some water and spray around in the area that you sleep in. Mosquitoes find these oils toxic and get irritated by them. Toxicity ought to keep them away. You can also use lavender scented oils as mosquitoes detest its pungent smell.
Say Bye-Bye to Dirty Bed Sheets
Replace your dirty bed sheets with clean ones every week. Your dead skin cells gather up where you sleep and mosquitoes love them some dead cells. Clean your sheets with hot water and soap. If you think that isn’t working, buy new sheets. The investment will be worth it.
Plug-In Electric Mosquito Repellent
Electric mosquito repellents are a hassle-free solution to keep those creatures away. All you need to do is plug one in and it will release fumes that will keep mosquitoes at a distant. Some studies suggest that these repellents emit high-frequency sounds that cannot be heard by humans but their frequency is just right to drive away pests.
Give the most suitable tip a try and wave mosquitoes bye-bye!