Five best and most effective ways to get rid of mosquitoes at home

If you belong to a tropical region, then getting rid of pestering mosquitoes seems like both a dream and a struggle to most of us. It is widely popular across the world that mosquitoes suck blood for food. But the actual scientific studies say that they suck on your blood for their nourishment and so that they can lay and hatch healthy eggs. These parasites leave not only itchy bumps on your skin with their painful bites but also transmit life-threatening diseases like malaria, dengue, West Nile Virus, Chikungunya Virus, Yellow fever, and Zika virus, etc.

Summertime is full of mosquitoes as the warm temperature helps them produce more eggs. Mosquitoes are cold-blooded, and their body temperature matches the environment around them. You need to know the difference that different species have different life cycles and habitats. For eg. mosquitoes that hibernate need warm weather to become active, while mosquitoes that spend the winter as eggs need rainfall to flood the eggs and make them hatch. Climate change also gives rise to the mosquito population.

Mosquitoes have several breeding sites: tanks, old tires, trash cans, stored water bowls, standing water, birdbaths, bottles, pots, gutters, etc.

Over 3000 species of mosquitoes are found in every country across the world, and they can produce up to 100 eggs at a time. According to the latest World malaria report, there were 241 million malaria cases in 2020 compared to 227 million patients in 2019. The estimated number of malaria deaths stood at 627 000 in 2020 – an increase of 69 000 deaths over the previous year [credit: WHO].

According to Dr. Lalit Kant, a Senior Advisor in Infectious Diseases at the New Delhi-based Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), more than 404 species and sub-species of mosquitoes are found in India. According to a report, 40 million people in India contract mosquito-borne diseases annually.

Some effective ways and hacks to help you get rid of pesky mosquitoes.

1. Lavender

You must be wondering how lavender can fight off mosquitoes.

Well, lavender is one of the most effective repellents that keep the pesky little mosquitoes at bay. It produces a strong odor that calms your nose but is offensive and loathsome to mosquitoes. Lavender not only fights off mosquitoes outdoors but indoors as well. Planting lavender plants or seeds in your backyard, garden, balcony or patio instantly prevents mosquitoes and keeps you and your family safe and protected.

The Lavender plant contains 25% linalool, which repels mosquitoes and it especially eliminates female mosquitoes up to 58%. It kills three times more mosquitoes within 24 hours.

Lavender hacks:

• Use soaps that are made out of lavender oil to stop these parasites from attacking you. Mix the lavender oil with liquid castile soap well and apply it before stepping out of your house or wash every day with the soap instead.
• Mix 25% lavender oil with ¼ cup organic apple cider vinegar with very little water. Spray the mixture on your clothes or apply a little amount to your skin.
• You can also use lavender sachets or pillows and moisturizers to protect yourself from their painful bites.

2. Garlic

Garlic can be deadly to mosquitoes as it contains sulfur. And sulfur works as a badass to these pesky insects. Garlic juice can be very toxic, and it has a strong odor that can be 10,000 times more detectable to mosquitoes than to humans. The pungent odor keeps these parasites at bay for a long time.

Garlic hacks:

• Crush garlic cloves and boil them well in water.
• Pour the solution into a spray bottle.
• Spray the solution all-around your house, garage, garden, and the places where mosquitoes are likely to be found.

3. Beer

You will be surprised to learn that beer is one of the effective repellents that keep mosquitoes at bay from attacking you. A straightforward way to chase away these parasites is just to pour down beer into a bowl or in a dish and place it near your window or somewhere else where there are maximum chances of mosquitoes getting entered. They cannot stand the pungent odor of beer or alcohol, soon after being exposed to the smell of beer, mosquitoes fly away. Beer ensures to keep these pesky little insects away from your house for a long time.

Beer hacks:

• Add 1/3 each of Epsom salt to a spray bottle.
• And then add mint-flavored mouthwash.
• Add beer, and also you can add cheap beer as well to the solution.
• Mix them well and spray them all-around your house.

4. Camphor

Camphor is one of the cheapest and most effective repellents to eliminate mosquitoes. Mosquitoes cannot stand the odor. Soon after they are exposed to the smell, it chases them away immediately. We suggest you to buy the naturally sourced camphor instead of the synthetic one as it’s safe for both animals and kids. You can try some methods at your home to eliminate mosquitoes.

Camphor hacks:

• Add two tablets of camphor with water.
• Place the bowl in any corner of your house and make sure that you position the bowl well so that your kids and pets won’t reach that.
• Shut down your windows and doors, light a camphor ball, and let the smell get exposed for an hour.

5. Basil leaves

Basil leaves are one of the natural and effective mosquito repellents in comparison to chemical insecticides. Basil leaves are toxic to mosquitoes. According to a report, they are considered larvicides and have great potential to eliminate dengue mosquitoes. Ocimum (Ocimum basilicum) oil works as a strong repellent against matured mosquitoes. Sweet basil and Ocimum basilicum has four volatile compounds.

Basil leaves are one of the natural and effective mosquito repellents in comparison to chemical insecticides. Basil leaves are toxic to mosquitoes. According to a report, they are considered larvicides and have great potential to eliminate dengue mosquitoes. Ocimum (Ocimum basilicum) oil works as a strong repellent against matured mosquitoes. Sweet basil and Ocimum basilicum have four volatile compounds, citronella, estragole, limonene, and nerolidol, that prevent mosquitoes.

Basil leaf hacks:

• Burn basil leaves to deter mosquitoes.
• Picked freshly basil leaves into a jar.
• Add half a cup of boiling water to it and then cover the jar for at least 4 hours.
• Pour the solution into a spray bottle and then add half a cup of vodka.
• Add 25 drops of basil essential oil.
• Then cover the bottle and gently shake to mix.
• Apply the solution to your skin for protection.