There is no greater annoyance than enjoying a nice spring or summer day and having it interrupted by a pesky mosquito bite. Not only are the bites annoying, itchy, and painful; but they also can carry the Zika virus disease. While sharing the outdoors with mosquitoes can be challenging, there are ways to deter them away from your home and yard. When mosquito proofing your home be sure to use our helpful checklist!
- Seal any cracked or unsecure openings in your home that leads to the outdoors.
- Plant a garden filled with specific mosquito repellent plants that can include basil, citronella, or lavender.
- Use a citronella candle or lamp to repel mosquitoes within close a proximity (around a 4 ft. area)
- Use mosquito coverings or nets to protect doorways, food, or even people.
- Don’t let pools of water build up in bird baths, buckets, trash cans, etc. The surplus of stale water can attract the mosquitoes to that area.
- Wherever there might be pools of water building up, scatter coffee grounds to kill any mosquitoes before they hatch.
- Purchase a mosquito repellant misting system that will spray your yard periodically. Be sure to read up on the effects of the spray as well as any regulations your state might have with these systems.
- Hire a professional to come and spray your backyard with non-toxic repellants. Be sure that they are using repellants that are natural, organic, and pet-friendly if you have any outdoor pets.
When completing the checklist, there is still no guarantee that the pesky mosquitoes will be gone forever. When all else fails, be sure to protect yourselves with a spray repellant for your body. Be sure whatever spray repellant you are using is recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency and have safe and effective ingredients such as DEET, eucalyptus, lemon, or picaridin.