How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes Inside the House?
Imagine lying in bed after a long week with the hope of sleeping in longer than usual. All of a sudden, you hear a buzzing sound near your ear. Your perfect weekend is already ruined, and you have no choice but to swat away the mosquitoes or get the spray. But this nightmare does not […] The post How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes Inside the House? appeared first on Homesthetics - Inspiring ideas for your home..
Imagine lying in bed after a long week with the hope of sleeping in longer than usual.
All of a sudden, you hear a buzzing sound near your ear. Your perfect weekend is already ruined, and you have no choice but to swat away the mosquitoes or get the spray. But this nightmare does not haunt you only when you’re sleeping!
Mosquitoes can make their way through tiny cracks or crevices and any place that’s dark enough. If these small insects are in your home, you’re likely to end up with bites more often than not. Moreover, if you have pets, they are likely to be affected by the occasional bite turning into something more serious.
So, you must be wondering how to tackle the issue. Well, instead of going all out and declaring war, what if you avoided contact in the first place?
We have narrowed down the most efficient ways in which you can get rid of mosquitoes inside your home.
Ways to Get Rid of Mosquitoes
There are several ways for you to go about when trying to make your home mosquito-free. Some of these steps are relatively obvious and highly effective, but often, we opt for some fancy solution instead.
Without further ado, go through the following measures to see how best to handle the situation.
The best way is to fix mosquito screens on the windows and repair the doors. Not only mosquitoes but other tiny insects also find their way into the house from the smallest gaps. Therefore, it’s essential that you mark down the problem areas and get them fixed immediately.
Moreover, even after repair, there are bound to be one or two cracks, and to make the entire operation fruitful, it’s best to install a screen. Please choose all the possible entry points to cut them off at the source. It’s better than running around your house with a spray. Go down to your nearest store and get a custom screen installed.
Remember to carry out regular checks, and as soon as you find a gap, fix it up with your patch kit. Additionally, you can use a door strip which will keep out insects as well as rodents. Be careful to pick one that’s weather-resistant, thereby ensuring it doesn’t fade away quickly. Lastly, it must be sturdy enough not to let mice chew through it.
Despite having everything installed, we can’t rule out the possibility that some determined critters will manage to find their way through. In that case, there are other methods you can employ, one of which is using an ultrasonic bug repeller. These are some of the most effective instruments, given their compact, attractive and affordable attributes.
It works by emitting a radio frequency, making it unpleasant for mosquitoes, bugs, or even rodents. Moreover, this frequency can’t be picked up by humans or your pets, thereby keeping you safe while taking care of the problem. The best part is it doesn’t use any harmful chemicals but works based solely on radio waves.
You can use it to deter any unwanted creature that may have ventured into your home. While your primary problem is mosquitoes, it’s also known to work on ticks, which could help keep your pets clean.
You also have the option of using camphor oil, which has long been preferred as a repellent by many. First, you’d need to ensure that all the doors and windows are closed. Then proceed to light the camphor in the sealed room and leave it like that for the next 15 to 20 minutes.
Don’t make the mistake of leaving the room unsupervised but keep a close eye on the burning oil. In no time, you can enjoy a mosquito-free space, but it does have a disadvantage. Camphor oil tends to exhibit a foul smell that may make it uncomfortable for you.
However, if you think you can bear the smell, you might be tempted to use camphor tablets as well. It has the benefit of letting you leave them unattended while the tablets evaporate swiftly and drive out the mosquitoes. We’re sure you wouldn’t have thought that the oil used for muscle pains can also work on mosquitoes?
While Tulsi has long played a part in medicinal sciences, you’ll be pleased to know that the widely available plant can also help tackle your mosquito issues. It kills these insects and prevents them from laying eggs or even the larvae from hatching. All you need is to plant a shrub in any suitable spot, such as outside the window.
It has properties that help keep mosquitoes away, and in the off chance that you end up with a bite, you can apply it directly to the bitten area. It will reduce irritation and swelling, and later, you can also stir up a sumptuous Indian meal by using it for added flavor. Indeed it’s a plant with many benefits.
One reason we attract mosquitoes is that we exhale carbon dioxide. So, most mosquitoes are drawn to your breath, thereby making you vulnerable. Now, what you can do is get hold of some dry ice, which, let us tell you, is not that easy. You can’t just have dry ice shipped, and you may need to contact a local dealer to help you out.
Next, place the dry ice in a container and keep it some distance away. All that remains is to wait and watch as mosquitoes make their way into the case, drawn to the carbon dioxide. When you think there are enough mosquitoes inside, proceed to close the lid tightly shut and dispose of the container as you please.
It’s not the most glamorous procedure and does involve considerable effort, but we assure you it’s highly effective.
If what you’re looking for is a quick fix to solve your mosquito woes without caring for the side effects, then you could try out some garlic. It has a pungent smell that may keep many of you away, but it’s also sure to take care of mosquitoes due to its larvicidal properties. So, cut a few cloves of garlic and boil it in water.
Then pour the water in a bottle and spray it around the room or any spot from where you think a mosquito might enter. Moreover, getting your hands on garlic is easy, and it’s available at your nearest store. You could also try out minced garlic and boil it.
And since it’s an ingredient used for cooking, you can heat your garlic dish when you find too many mosquitoes hovering in the room. Overall, it presents an affordable option for your problems.
As crazy as it may sound, there are things called mosquito traps. You can buy them from the market or make one yourself. We discussed something similar when talking about dry ice but making a trap involves a different set of steps.
You need to get hold of a plastic bottle and cut it in half. Proceed to mix brown sugar with hot water and make sure it mixes well. Then once the mixture has cooled down, you can pour it into the bottom half of the bottle.
Add yeast to the solution and then place the top half of the bottle face down into the bottom half. Remember to take off the cap and use black tape to secure the cut parts in place.
Next, position the bottle in any area you feel is prone to mosquitoes and let it do the rest. With luck, they will fly into the solution and get stuck. Also, you’ll have to change the mixture to keep the trap fresh.
In case you’ve your mind fixed on a natural solution, you may opt for basil, which is highly effective in driving mosquitoes away. It’s an extremely versatile plant, and you can put the repellent properties to use should you apply it as a topical essential oil. You can therefore apply it on your skin to prevent bites or inflammations.
Most importantly, it smells great, unlike some of our other methods of dealing with mosquitoes. It has several health benefits, and you won’t have any difficulty using it for extended periods.
We have put down tea tree oil as one of the ways to drive out mosquitoes thanks to the anti-bacterial and anti-fungal attributes. It’s therefore extremely efficient when it comes to repelling mosquitoes, and it’s the smell that helps drive them away.
So, you need to dilute a few drops of oil with a few drops of water and apply it to your skin. It will prevent the mosquitoes from coming anywhere near you while also taking care of any bites you might experience. It’s because the oil has antiseptic properties and acts on the affected area.
One primary reason why your room may be a haven for mosquitoes is if you have standing water near your house. It’s the perfect breeding spot, and before you know it, you’ll have larvae swimming around in little pools of water. So, if you come across any such water body, remember to double back and sprinkle some coffee grounds in it.
The submerged coffee grounds will lead to the eggs floating up to the surface, thereby depriving them of oxygen. As a result, you’ll kill the larvae before they have a chance to hatch. It’ll help to keep the number of mosquitoes in check, and for the remaining ones, you can employ any one of the methods we’ve discussed so far.
It’s important to note that Tulsi isn’t the only mosquito repellent plant and some of the others include Catnip and Feverfew. In much the same way, you can place them near the windows or any strategic spot that’s vulnerable to mosquitoes. It’ll help prevent them from entering, and for a more permanent solution, you can plant some in your flowerbed.
Furthermore, you can place it indoors or get a house-sized version of the plant. It’s also available in the form of plant oil, but if you have a pet cat, you might want to refrain from using it. We found that mosquito repellent plant oils and cats don’t mix.
While most zappers are designed for outdoor use, there’s one called Crioxen, which can be used indoors. It may not be a natural method of dealing with mosquitoes, but zappers have a high success rate. It works wonders if you want to keep bugs and other insects away from your home.
However, people have their preferences, and if you’re a zapper person, you could opt for Crioxen. Unlike the large and loud zappers of earlier times, most modern-day units are compact and don’t make much noise. It, therefore, proves to be extremely convenient should you choose to use it.
Outdoor Remedies
These were our most recommended indoor solutions, but sometimes you can tackle the problem from outside as well. So, we have listed down some of the outdoor solutions which you can try.
Firstly, most mosquito problems begin with breeding, so it’s better to perform a quick sweep of the area near your home. As mentioned, if you come across a puddle that may act as a possible breeding ground, it’s better to get rid of it by using coffee grounds or some other method.
Secondly, if you have a swimming pool or any other water features installed in your home, make sure you change the water regularly or keep the water moving. It’s also essential to have gutters tightly shut and adequately cleaned, ensuring it remains dry when it doesn’t rain.
Plus, dispose of old tires and buckets correctly to prevent them from becoming a pool when it rains. You also might want to clear any dense shrubbery which could form the perfect habitat for mosquitoes.
Final Words
We’ve reached the end of our guide, and hopefully, you’ve got a better idea of how to drive away mosquitoes.
Remember what we’ve discussed and you’ll soon land upon an efficient solution to deal with this menace. It’s essential to have an open mind and look at things both as indoor and outdoor solutions. Also, learn to remain patient because it may take some time for you to see noticeable results.
That’s all for now. Until next time, Ciao!
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The post How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes Inside the House? appeared first on Homesthetics - Inspiring ideas for your home..
