How Can You Keep Mosquitoes Away From You And Your Home?

Mosquitoes aren’t an issue that you can ignore. Not just because their bites are annoying and itchy. But also because of the health risk associated with them, ranging from the Zika virus to malaria. You can take a few precautions or call a pest control service in Palm City to repel and control mosquitoes.

Get Rid Of Stagnant Water

Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water, even a small amount that’d fill a bottle cap is enough. So you need to cut down the sources of stagnant water to reduce the number of mosquitoes around the house. 

Some common items that may collect water include children’s toys, garden pots, buckets, trash can lids and wheelbarrows. Empty any amount of water they may collect.

Inspect your gutters for clogging and clean them regularly. Change the water in birdbaths, pet bowls and vases regularly. Go around your property to identify and address areas with poor drainage or low spots on the lawn that collect water.

Chlorinate your swimming pool and cover it when it’s not in use. See if you can add koi, goldfish, guppy or minnows to your water features because they eat mosquito larvae.

Clear Debris

Some kinds of mosquitoes lay their eggs in damp soil or debris (like decaying logs or leaf piles). Clear the debris to prevent mosquitoes from making their home in your backyard. Look for areas where piles of leaves, grass clippings, twigs or branches tend to collect.

Install Mesh Screens

Install a fine mesh screen on all your open windows and doors. Their tiny pores keep mosquitoes out without blocking the fresh air. If your home already has screens installed, then check the seals around them and repair any tears with a patching kit. 

You’ll also want to check for holes in the screen, even those seemingly small ones that are slightly bigger than the rest. Bugs may use these holes to enter your home.

Keep Doors Closed

Leaving doors open helps insects enter your home easily. Many people particularly forget about the screen door. Keep your doors shut to prevent pests from entering easily.

Switch Off Lights

Lights attract the blood-sucking insects to your home. Switch off or dim your lights to avoid attracting them. You can also replace white light bulbs with yellow ones.

Use Fans, Even Outdoors

Fans can be quite effective at keeping mosquitoes away from people. The breeze it generates makes it harder for the insects to fly against. Fan also disperses the carbon dioxide humans exhale. A good thing because these bugs detect carbon dioxide to find their prey. 

So, it’s worth installing some fans indoors and outdoors. Standing fans are more effective than ceiling fans because the latter are usually further away from your body.

Tent Your Patio

Tenting up your patio can help keep mosquitoes from biting you and your loved ones while spending time outside. You also don’t have to risk spraying repellent on the food while entertaining guests outdoors.

You can find many kinds of canopy tents that come with mosquito net accessories to suit your style. Some nets can even be attached to outdoor umbrellas.

Use Mosquito Nets

A mosquito net is an old but reliable tool for keeping mosquitoes away and getting a good night’s sleep. You just need to hang the net from the ceiling or bed canopy before getting into your bed.

Maintain The Lawn

Mosquitoes favor cooler spots in the shade. So trim tall grass, bushes and tree limbs to make the yard less favorable to them. This also helps wet areas dry up faster. You should also fill up uneven spots in the lawn with topsoil and plant grass seeds because these spots tend to collect water during rainfall.

Add Mosquito-Repelling Plants

Many plants repel mosquitoes naturally so adding them indoors or outdoors may help. These may include citronella, holy basil, lavender, etc. You can scatter them around the home while planting them in pots, hanging baskets or planters.

Spray The Area

Applying spray in the lawn, around the home and in shaded areas is a tried-and-true method to reduce infestations. You can find many general use sprays that repel or kill the blood-sucking insects indoors and outdoors. Read the label for instructions and directions carefully before spraying the area.

DEET is considered effective at repelling mosquitoes and EPA deems it safe for general use. So you want to look for this ingredient when searching for what sprays to use.

You may need to call a pest control service in Palm City if you’re dealing with a large infestation. Or if you simply want effective treatment without compromising the safety of your family and pets.

Avoid Perfume

The perfume you wear could be the reason why you attract the blood-sucking bugs. Stop using your perfume for a few days to see if that helps. You can use an essential oil blend with extracts of mosquito-repelling plants for scent as an alternative.

Wear Thick Light-Colored Clothes

If your clothes are too thin, they might not be doing much to protect you from mosquito bites. They are also drawn to black and dark-colored clothes because they absorb heat. So, you want to wear light-colored and thick clothes and make sure that your skin is completely covered.

Apply Mosquito Repellent

You can find many mosquito repellents that can be applied to the skin in the form of lotions, sprays or wipes. They consist of mosquito-blocking compounds that work for some hours.

Summarization

For the most part, keeping mosquitoes away is about making your home environment unfavorable for them. It’s also important to set up a barrier to prevent the bugs from entering. You can also take some steps to prevent them from biting you at an individual level.