Citronella candles or citronella oil burners are a great way to repell insects. Citronella is a naturally occurring insect and animal repellent that works by masking scents that are attractive to insects.
Since mosquitoes live in wreaths, door decorations, dense plants, ferns and bushes during the day, clear these items away from all entry doors. Install or repair window and door screens. Do not leave doors propped open when bringing things in or out of the house. Use air conditioning when possible.
Essential oils like lavender, tea tree, neem, citronella, eucalyptus and mint oil work as powerful mosquito repellents. Mix a few drops of any of these essential oils in some water, add it to a spray bottle and spray it around the home.
Vinegar is one of the best ingredients to make a pest control spray out of. It is effective in repelling ants, mosquitoes, fruit flies, and many others.
Some naturally derived oils, such as peppermint, camphor and citronella, can be mixed with water and used as a spray to help repel mosquitoes. Oils such as eucalyptus and lavender can be lightly applied directly to the skin to prevent mosquitoes from landing to bite.
Mosquito nets can be hung above a bed or crib to protect against mosquito bites. Adults and children should sleep under a mosquito net if air conditioned and screened rooms are not available. When using a mosquito net: Tuck the net under the mattress to keep the mosquitoes out.
Dragonflies as well as being a natural predator of the mosquito are a fascinating and unique group of insects. Dragonflies are often referred to as "mosquito hawks" for their supposed ability to kill thousands of mosquitoes.
Do lemons repel flies and mosquitoes? YES! Citrus is a natural pest repellent and citrus essential oils are used in most homemade pest sprays.
Clear Out Clogged Gutters
The gutters above your deck could be harboring standing water that you don't see. If that's the case, you need to get in there and unclog those gutters. Any standing water is an open invitation to mosquitoes and their eggs.
EPA-approved repellents have undergone extensive safety and efficacy testing and can be trusted. Most of our recommendations use a 20% concentration of picaridin, which offers long-lasting repellency for ticks and mosquitoes with none of DEET's downsides.
Malaria. Malaria is harmful and widespread. Female Anopheles mosquitoes transmit the disease, which causes symptoms like fever, headache and chills that start 10 to 15 days after being bitten; some types of malaria be fatal. More than 247 million cases of malaria are diagnosed every year.
You can avoid getting bitten by limiting the time you spend outside in the early mornings and late evenings (around sunrise and sunset). Other times and places when mosquitoes are generally less active: Whenever there's wind (mosquitoes aren't strong flyers) Places with a lot of direct sunlight and not much shade.
Add equal parts of apple cider vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Use it on areas where mosquitoes tend to hang out. You can even spray it on yourself to keep them away. Some experts claim that if you consume apple cider vinegar regularly you'll actually change your natural scent and it will repel mosquitoes.
Fans and Citronella Candles
Citronella candles use lemongrass oil, a repulsive odor to a mosquito, to keep the pests away. Lining them along your deck, or placing them at the center of a dining table, can be a great way to abate the mosquito problem.
Citronella oil is a natural mosquito repellent that will kill mosquitoes and drive them out of your house. Look for citronella candles or use citronella essential oil in your vaporizer or oil diffuser.
Lemongrass, citronella (not citronella candles), and catnip can act as natural mosquito repellents. Essential oils, like lemon eucalyptus oil, lavender oil, and tea tree oil, can also have positive effects on mosquito prevention.
Citronella Oil
Citronella (Cymobopogon nardus) is an ingredient in many repellents. This oil is also high in citronellal and geraniol, both of which repel bugs.
You'll need half a cup of distilled water, half a cup of witch hazel, rubbing alcohol, or vinegar, and 30 to 40 drops of essential oil of your choice. (Rubbing alcohol may be irritating if sprayed on the skin, and witch hazel is the gentlest option for sprays.)
Use an indoor insect fogger or indoor insect spray to kill mosquitoes and treat areas where they rest. These products work immediately, and may need to be reapplied. When using insecticides, always follow label directions. Only using insecticide will not keep your home free of mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes hate the smell of lavender, citronella, clove, peppermint, basil, cedarwood, eucalyptus, peppermint, lemongrass and rosemary. They also hate smells such as smoke, for further insight, see our exploration on, does smoke keep mosquitoes away?
NoBites™ is Australia's strongest and longest lasting natural insect repellent, providing protection from mosquitoes for over 10 hours. Australian Owned and Manufactured, NoBites™is the DEET free insect repellent for the outdoor lover in everyone.