Don’t let annoying mosquitoes ruin the sanctity of your living space. You don’t have to use harsh chemicals like DEET or noisy electrical zappers to kick these pests out of your home. Instead, you can use natural ingredients and some interesting home remedies for mosquitoes. So, how do you get rid of mosquitos in the house? Read on to find out about the best natural ways to deter these pesky insects.
- Lavender Oil
- Citronella Candles
- Camphor
- Garlic
- Vinegar
- Plants
- Tea Tree Oil
- Dry Ice
- Pinyon Pine Wood
- Dryer Sheets
- Beer
- Coffee Grounds
Lavender Oil
While lavender plants work to keep mosquitoes at bay outside, lavender oil is one of the best deterrents available for your home. According to Mosquito Reviews, lavender oil has a 93% repellant rate against bugs when used indoors.
To create an even more effective repellant, combine lavender oil with cinnamon and citronella oil to really confuse the mosquitoes’ sense of smell. Using lavender oil in a diffuser is a great way to disperse the scent, too. If you use it topically, make sure to dilute it sufficiently so that it doesn’t irritate your skin.
Citronella Candles
Citronella candles are another great way to get rid of mosquitoes. While the smell is pleasant to humans, bugs don’t like it and will fly away. If you don’t want to burn candles, keep a citronella plant in your apartment, or crush the leaves from the plant and place them around your living space.
Camphor
One of the most effective ways to get rid of mosquitoes is by using camphor. The white, waxy substance comes from the bark and wood of camphor trees. Mosquitoes use their sense of smell to detect the carbon dioxide that humans naturally produce by breathing. The smell of camphor overwhelms them, making them unable to detect carbon dioxide. If they can’t smell chemicals that point to a blood source, they leave. Simply place camphor tablets in the corners of your apartment, and as they evaporate, the aroma will fill the room and repel the mosquitoes.
Garlic
Garlic is quite helpful for deterring mosquitoes. The compound allicin emits from your pores after you ingest garlic, and it disrupts how you smell and confuses the mosquitoes. Additionally, if you boil garlic cloves in water, you can put the water in a spray bottle and spritz it around your house. The garlic smell will soon dissipate, and the mosquitoes will disappear.
Vinegar
Mosquitoes don’t like the smell of vinegar, so you can spray some around your apartment to repel them like you would with the garlic water. Mosquitoes taste with their legs, and if they taste a bit of vinegar on your skin, they’ll fly away rather than bite you. You can also consume certain types of vinegar, like apple cider vinegar, to build up your body’s natural repelling system.
Plants
Several common plants make great mosquito deterrents. You can keep them inside your apartment or place them near potential entry points, such as the doorway or near open windows. Marigolds, citronella, mint, lavender, basil, and lemon balm seem to keep these annoying bugs away most effectively. Plus, you can use several of the herbs for cooking or making tea.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil, which comes from the tree Melaleuca alternifolia that grows throughout Australia, contains a compound called eucalyptol, similar to what’s found in eucalyptus oil. Some people believe that the compound deters mosquitoes because they don’t like its smell or taste.
The smell is often powerful, so you should use small amounts in a diffuser — just enough to scent the room. You can also use tea tree oil topically, but make sure to dilute it properly in case you’re sensitive to it. Never ingest tea tree oil because it may irritate the lining of your throat, stomach, and intestines.
Dry Ice
While this one may sound strange, dry ice is an effective way to kill mosquitoes. Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide, and as it melts, it releases carbon dioxide gas that attracts mosquitoes. You can put dry ice in a container with holes, and the mosquitoes will get trapped and die inside.
You can also hang pieces of dry ice in a mesh bag, but make sure to keep any containers holding the dry ice well away from children and pets. Dry ice can burn your skin with direct contact, so make sure to use mitts or gloves when handling it.
Pinyon Pine Wood
Not only does burning pinyon pine wood add a lovely scent to your home, but it also repels those pesky mosquitoes. You can burn the wood in your fireplace, though pinyon pine incense works just as effectively if you can find it.
Dryer Sheets
Compounds like linalool and beta-citronellol found in certain brands of dryer sheets, such as Bounce, often help repel mosquitoes. When you’re outside, carry dryer sheets in your pocket, and inside the apartment, hang or stash them in discreet locations like bookshelves, corners of counters, and on nightstands.
Beer
If you love drinking beer, you may not want to sacrifice it to kill mosquitoes, but it’s an effective way to get rid of them. Mosquitoes like the smell and taste of beer, so if you dedicate a glass for them, they’ll drown when they try and grab a drink. Be sure to label the beer so that you don’t end up drinking it along with the drowned mosquitoes.
Coffee Grounds
Almost everyone has coffee grounds in their house. Studies show that coffee grounds are an effective way to deter — and in some cases kill — many bugs, including mosquitoes. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water, such as in puddles, plant holders, and even holes in trees. When you place coffee grounds in water sources like these, the larvae can’t breathe oxygen, so they die.
Inside the home, you can burn dry coffee grounds as you would incense. The smell and smoke repel the mosquitoes effectively. Add bay leaves for a fresh scent and an additional repellant.
If you have a mosquito problem in your home, these natural remedies can help you get rid of them. Looking to move altogether? Search thousands of apartments for rent on Zumper and find your new home.
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