It’s important to protect yourself and your family from mosquitoes because these pesky insects can carry dangerous diseases. There is no way to know what exactly attracts mosquitoes to some people more than others. Some mosquitoes are attracted to sweat and bacteria, and others are attracted to body odors and carbon dioxide. Mosquitoes are also attracted to certain people based on blood type, genetics, metabolic rate and body temperature. The best mosquito solutions include covering your natural scent to reduce their attraction, presenting scents that deter them and creating barriers that keep them from reaching you.

The chemical DEET is used in many bug sprays to mask human scents. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approves DEET as a safe substance to repel insects, but it can cause skin irritation for some people. Thankfully, you can use various natural ways to get rid of mosquitoes without the use of DEET.

Many of these methods involve using scents to repel mosquitoes. Some substances cover our natural human scent to reduce insects’ attraction to our skin, and other substances give off smells that mosquitoes don’t like. You can use different scents to apply to the skin, spray around the yard or even ingest to change your body’s natural scent.

If you or your family members are sensitive to scents or simply don’t enjoy scents, you can explore ways to repel mosquitoes without any scented ingredients. By creating barriers, increasing airflow or wearing colors that deter mosquitoes, you can lessen their presence around you. You can even make your yard inviting to creatures that eat mosquitoes!

Here are our top 10 ways to get rid of mosquitoes around your home.

1. Essential Oils

Essential oils work best to repel mosquitoes when they are applied to pulse points, places on the body where veins run closest to the surface of the skin. These are usually on the wrists, neck and behind the ears. You can also use essential oils to make your own natural mosquito repellant spray or lotion. If you don’t want to wear the essential oils on your skin, however, you can add the oils to a luminary and set it nearby to repel mosquitoes. Lavender oil, lemon oil and eucalyptus oil are some of the most effective at repelling mosquitoes.

Lavender

You can apply lavender oil to your skin or burn a lavender candle. Mosquitoes don’t like the smell of lavender, so it’s a great scent to repel them. It’s also known to be a very relaxing scent, so you can sit back and relax as you enjoy your time outside free of unwelcome pests. If you get any mosquito bites, you can also apply lavender oil to your skin to relieve irritation.

Lemon Eucalyptus

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approves the oil of lemon eucalyptus as an effective ingredient in EPA-registered insect repellants. You can use lemon eucalyptus oil in many of the same ways as lavender oil.

Other Essential Oils

Some other essential oils that you can use to repel mosquitoes include but are not limited to the following:

• Vanilla
• Peppermint
• Basil
• Clove
• Thyme
• Geranium
• Lemongrass
• Citronella

2. Citronella Candles

Citronella oil is one of the most effective natural mosquito repellants, and it is used in many products such as torch oil, incense smokers and bracelets. You can purchase citronella candles, or if you are on the crafty side, you can make your own citronella candle! The best citronella candles consist of soy wax and quality essential oils. It is better to look for a quality citronella candle than to purchase many citronella candles of poor quality.

3. Bug Repellant Luminaries

Bug repellant luminaries are non-toxic and simple to make. All you need to make a luminary is a glass jar, essential oils, lemon and lime slices, rosemary sprigs, water and floating candles. Luminaries can repel mosquitoes while serving as decorative items as well.

4. Garlic

Garlic is a scent that you don’t have to wear or spread around to repel mosquitoes, although these methods work as well. Instead, you can add garlic to your diet! When you eat garlic, your body emits garlic oil through your pores, which will repel mosquitoes. For this method to work, however, you need to add a significant amount of garlic to your diet. If garlic isn’t quite your taste, you can also mix it with water and biodegradable dish soap to create a natural mosquito repellant to spray around your yard.

5. Vinegar

Vinegar is a natural mosquito repellant. You can spray red vinegar and apple cider vinegar around your yard to repel mosquitoes, but if you use white vinegar, you need to mix it with water. You can do this by filling half of your spray bottle with water and half with vinegar.

6. Rosemary on the Barbeque

If you’re cooking on the barbeque, place some fresh or dried rosemary on the coals. This will give the smoke a scent that will repel mosquitoes. Plus, it will make your food smell amazing.

7. Create Airflow

Mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide that we emit while we breathe, and airflow is a great way to dissipate carbon dioxide. When air is blowing, it is more difficult for mosquitoes to smell carbon dioxide from our breath. Mosquitoes also have a difficult time flying in wind. An electric fan is an easy way to repel mosquitoes without using any chemicals or scented substances.

8. Wear Light Colors

Mosquitoes are attracted to the colors blue and black, so you can deter mosquitoes by wearing light colors. Light colors cannot completely repel mosquitoes, but wearing light colors can make you a little less desirable to these pesky insects. In addition to wearing light colors, it’s also beneficial to wear loose clothing that covers as much skin as possible. This will reduce the amount of skin that mosquitoes can bite while you are outside.

9. Use Mosquito Netting

Mosquito nets are another great way to repel mosquitoes without the use of chemicals or scents. Mosquito nets come in various shapes and sizes to provide shelter from mosquitoes. Whether you’re enjoying time outdoors with family or hosting a get-together with friends, a mosquito net can keep all of your guests free from pesky insects while enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. Mosquito netting is especially beneficial if you are camping or sleeping outside.

Manage Mosquitoes at Home With Pestech Services

There are various ways to repel mosquitoes, but sometimes these annoying pests just won’t go away. If you have a mosquito problem and natural repellants aren’t working, Pestech Services offers solutions for mosquitoes so that you can rest easy knowing that you and your family are safe from these potentially dangerous insects. Contact us today to help you reduce and control the mosquito population in your area.