How to Naturally Repel Mosquitoes

The warmth of summer is calling to everyone to go out and enjoy the outdoors. The sunshine and gentle breezes can improve your mood in an instant, but swarms of mosquitoes can just as easily ruin your day. Many people would rather avoid bug spray since it's smelly, greasy, and full of chemicals. Luckily, there are many natural methods of deterring mosquitoes that are just as effective as any chemical-based commercial product.

As the warm and sunny days of summer arrive, everyone gets excited about fun activities like camping, going to the beach, hiking and having picnics. However, with summer comes swarms of mosquitoes that can make any outing miserable. Not only are mosquitoes annoying, but they also spread many diseases such as West Nile Virus, Dengue Fever and the Zika Virus. Bug spray isn't always effective, and covering your body in sticky chemicals is far from appealing. Luckily, there are many natural and effective ways to deter mosquitoes.

Citronella Candles

Carbon dioxide and lactic acid are two substances in the human body that mosquitoes seek out in order to find sources of blood. You can't mask these scents on your own very easily because they're emitted in every breath that you exhale and in your natural scent. Citronella masks the scent of these substances by covering an area in its own more powerful scent. As long as you stay within a reasonable radius of the candle, mosquitoes won't be drawn to you.

In fact, research has shown that properly formulated citronella products are as effective as chemical mosquito repellents with DEET keeping mosquitoes away, citronella is well known for its sweet citrus smell, so it won't be a bother during outings.

Dry Ice

Another way to repel mosquitoes away from an area is to drive them somewhere else. You can accomplish this by putting out a wide-lipped container filled with dry ice about 50 feet away from the center of the area. Mosquitoes are drawn to carbon dioxide, and dry ice is solidified carbon dioxide. As it melts, the carbon dioxide will turn into a gas, which will attract most nearby mosquitoes.

Remove Any Sources of Standing Water

Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water. Even small sources of water such as little puddles or dog bowls can attract mosquitoes to your yard. To prevent your yard from becoming a breeding area for mosquitoes, remove all sources of standing water. When a dog's not outside, flip the water bowl upside down or bring it into the house. Move bird baths as far away as possible. You can also combat puddles by filling them in with dirt or sand.

Lavender

The scent of lavender is a great mosquito repellent. You can utilize lavender as a pest repellent either through the plant itself or through oil. Planting lavender in your garden or in your home is a great way to constantly repel mosquitoes, and using lavender oil on your clothes or skin is a very effective alternative to bug spray.

Make Your Own Mosquito Trap

There are some commercial mosquito traps available, but many of them use poisons. You can make your own mosquito trap with a two-liter soda bottle, some water, brown sugar, yeast and tape.