Not all mosquitoes carry disease, but what’s important is to know how to get rid of mosquitoes, and prevent them from infesting your home. No matter what they are beneficial for, the fact remains that these nuisances are more known for their stings that result in itchy, red wounds, and sometimes infectious disease.
Mosquitoes are wondrous – said no one ever. Mosquitoes are the annoying little brother of the insect world, demonstrating no qualities that anyone can benefit from – or do they? It turns out that these pesky insects are good food for fish, insect predators, birds, and they also pollinate plants.
How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes – Protecting Your Home
The first step to ridding your home of mosquitoes is to prevent them from getting in. Mosquitoes are small and can fit into the tiniest of holes or gaps. Make sure your home is equipped to keep them out, especially if you live near a lake, river, stream, marsh, or another area of water.
Ensure that mosquitos cannot find their way into your home, especially at night when they are most abundant. Make sure your doors and windows are closed. Nets or screens can prevent mosquitoes from entering your home.
You can purchase door strips to block off spaces under doors or around windows so that they can’t squeeze in through open spaces.
Prevent Mosquitoes from Breeding in Your Home
Mosquitos are resilient. They have been on this planet for over 200 million years and are thriving. A female can produce 500 eggs in her lifetime, so you don’t want them making their breeding ground your home.
If you find that your home has an abundance of mosquitoes, you need to figure out where they are breeding. These annoying insects love still water, and your air conditioning unit or garden hose can be the ideal breeding ground.
Make sure you clean out your garden hose as a nest is looming inside and wipe up any water that could act as an inviting place for the female to lay her eggs. Cleaning out closets, storerooms or pantries is a good idea so that it does not become a quiet and undisturbed nesting location.
How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes – Lemon and Cloves
No, it isn’t a new fragrance, but the dynamic duo works as a repellent for mosquitoes because they hold a disdain for the smell of citrus and cloves particularly. Push cloves into sliced lemons and place them on window sills or anywhere around the house for a natural indoor repellent.
How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes – Essential oils
Essential oils will help prevent mosquitoes from entering your home and give you a sweet-smelling and relaxing experience at the same time:
Lemon Eucalyptus
Since mosquitoes despise citrus, it makes sense that they would have a particular disdain toward lemon eucalyptus oil. Eucalyptus oil is approved by the CDC as an effective ingredient in mosquito repellent and has shown to give up to 95% protection from mosquitoes.
Peppermint
Peppermint oil is a natural and fresh way to repel the vampires of the insect world. In a spray bottle, combine peppermint essential oil with a cup of water, shake well and spray onto the skin. This concoction will prevent itchy bites, and you will smell delightfully minty.
Lavender
Lavender is a calming fragrance that adds a lovely aroma to your home. In addition to lavender having antifungal, analgesic, and antiseptic qualities, it also repels mosquitoes. Apply lavender oil to help prevent mosquito bites and reap the rewards of having smooth skin to boot.
Lavender can be grown or purchased in many flower nurseries and flower stores. To expel the oil, crush the lavender and apply it to areas of your body that are targeted by mosquitoes, like your ankles, neck, and arms. If you have lavender oil, apply a drop onto a cloth and dab onto the skin for the same effect.
Cinnamon Oil
The aroma of cinnamon is tempting enough on its own, but it works well to kill mosquito eggs and acts as a repellent for adult mosquitoes.
You can dilute ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon oil into 4 ounces of water, put it in a spray bottle and apply it to skin, clothing, plants, or upholstery. When applying to the skin, use a small amount to make sure it does not irritate your skin.
Rosemary and Sage
Rosemary and sage is another combination of smells and is perfect while barbecuing to prevent pesky blood-sucking insects from your backyard. When you are grilling your meal, add some sprigs of rosemary and sage on the coals and allow the smell to repel the insects so you can enjoy your food.
How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes – Soapy Water
While soapy water will not sit in pretty dishes and act as a purposeful design choice, it will help to control the mosquito population in your home. Place dishwashing detergent in a bowl, whip up the suds and place it near windows that may have gaps where the pests will enter.
Mosquitoes are attracted to water, but the bubbles will trap them and be their demise, allowing your home to rid of these itch-mongers.
Mosquito Repellent Plants
You already know some of the plants and herbs that repel mosquitoes, but there may be some more you haven’t considered. These plants will give off pleasant aromas to you, but not for mosquitoes. Place the following in and around your garden and have some potted inside to help prevent the stinging pests away:
- Lavender
- Marigolds
- Citronella grass
- Catnip
- Soybean oil
- Rosemary
- Basil
- Scented geraniums
- Mint
- Sage
- Bee balm
- Floss flower
- Allium
To repel mosquitoes from your home and yard, plant the above or have essential oils placed in your home.
How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes – Mosquito Repellent
There are mosquito sprays that you can buy from most stores that contain chemicals that will keep annoying pests away and prevent mosquito bites. These work well but not everyone wants to spray chemicals onto their skin.
Mosquito Bite Remedies
Unfortunately, there will be a time or two that you get bitten by a little blood-sucking creature, but luckily, there are some remedies that will help with the itching and discomfort.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera can help heal and soothe many ailments and injuries, and mosquito bites are one of those things. You can buy aloe vera gel but, you can also take the gel directly from the plant. Cut off a small part of the aloe plant and apply the gel by squeezing it out of the plant and onto the bite. Aloe will help soothe the itch and help to prevent infection.
Onion
Everyone can agree that onions do not sound soothing, but they will help immensely with the discomfort of a mosquito bite because onions have compounds to relieve irritation. Slice the onion and place it on the bite site for a few minutes. The juice from the onion contains compounds to soothe the itching and prevent infection. Wash afterward to get the not-so-nice smell off your skin.
Honey
Another one of nature’s treats known for its medicinal properties is honey. Honey has anti-inflammatory components that will help to relieve the itchiness and pain of a mosquito bite. Put a drop of honey directly on the sting and feel the discomfort fade away. The nectar will also help to prevent infection from setting in.
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