Not only are mosquitoes pesky and their bites can cause great itching and discomfort, but they can also carry and transmit dangerous diseases and viruses such as Dengue Fever, Malaria, Zika, and more. We listed 5 ways below to help you repel and avoid mosquitoes:
- Light citronella candles: mosquitoes aren’t big fans of citrus scents, which is why lighting citronella candles tend to ward them off. Citronella oil comes from the lemongrass plant and has a lemon-like citrus scent that irritates mosquitoes’ senses. Alternatively, you can also plant lemongrass in your garden for the same effect.
- Wear mosquito repellent: products containing active ingredients such as DEET or Picaridin are effective at repelling mosquitoes. Find a spray or lotion containing at least 30% of these active ingredients. These products work by blocking smell receptors in insects and essentially mask your body odors, which normally are attractive for mosquitoes.
- Use screens and mosquito nets: mesh netting is commonly used to drape around beds or outdoor settings to keep pesky mosquitoes away while sleeping, eating, or other activities. All it requires is a little time setting up, but you’ll surely feel more comfortable and find them to be effective barriers against mosquitoes.
- Wear loose-fitting long sleeved tops and bottoms: loose-fitting clothing is a good way to protect as much of your exposed skin from mosquitoes. They can still bite through skin tight and thin fabrics, so try to avoid wearing these styles of clothing.
- Try to avoid bodies of water: mosquitoes are attracted to water and lay their eggs in them, this includes swimming pools, gutters, water buckets, and any pools of rainwater accumulated on top of patio furniture. The best way to tackle this problem is to minimize mosquito breeding grounds; you can do this by maintaining your swimming pools by using a pool cover or routinely changing the water and dumping out any nearby standing water.