No insect can ruin a wonderful summer evening like a swarm of mosquitoes. Learning how to get rid of mosquitoes allows you to enjoy your life much more without itchy bites covering your body.
To get rid of mosquitoes inside your house, use an insect zapper, mosquito repellent coil, mosquito trap, mosquito candles, burning coffee grounds, chemical repellents, fans, essential oils or chemical repellents. Also, seal your house with screens and cover any holes or gaps. To get rid of mosquitoes in your yard, burn citronella candles, set mosquito traps, maintain your landscaping, attract mosquito predators, treat your pool, grow deterrent plants, and above all else, eliminate standing water.
With some simple techniques, you can get rid of mosquitoes. For more details about eliminating mosquitoes, check out this article detailing the best tips from my years as a pest control professional.
You might also be interested in reading these two related articles “Fly Identification Table Summary – Adult Occurrence, Host Material and Life Cycle” and “How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies“.
Repelling Mosquitoes Vs. Killing Them
Repelling and killing mosquitoes are two different things. While it’s tempting to try to kill every mosquito in sight by any means necessary, it might not be the best long-term solution.
Mosquitoes could become resistant to pesticides, making them harder to kill later on. Repelling them from your body, house or yard could be the better solution.
These biting insects are attracted to the carbon dioxide we breathe out. They also look for wet areas like puddles, trash that collects rainwater and damp landscaping.
How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes Inside the House
If mosquitos enter your home, you could have a problem with them flying around your face and biting you. This is especially frustrating at night when you’re trying to sleep.
It’s easier to see mosquitos during the day, but they’re often most active at night. Turning on a lamp, smartphone or flashlight could attract them and make them easier to see. Then, you can use a fly swatter to smash them.
If you have more mosquitos than you feel like swatting, there are more options you can try to get rid of them inside your home. Some of the best methods for getting rid of these annoying insects include:
Insect Zappers
Be sure to choose a zapper that’s safe for indoor use. These mosquito killers deliver an electric current to mosquitoes on contact.
Mosquito Repellent Coils
These repellent coils look like flat, swirling incense sticks and burn slowly in the same way. They contain safe scents that mosquitoes stay away from.
Indoor Mosquito Candles
There are several indoor mosquito repellent candles available. Choose a scent you love to make yourself comfortable while getting rid of mosquitos.
Mosquito Repellents
You might only think of using mosquito repellents on your skin when you’re camping or hiking, but you can use them indoors too. Repellents containing 30 to 50 percent DEET work best.
Coffee Grounds
Burning your daily coffee grounds in a pan, tray or egg carton helps keep mosquitoes away. They don’t like the smell of the smoke, but be careful not to catch your house on fire!
Essential Oil
For an all-natural mosquito repellent, you can try one or several essential oils. Some essential oils that could keep mosquitos away are:
- Tea Tree
- Eucalyptus
- Lemon
- Lavender
- Citronella
- Neem
- Greek Catmint
- Thyme
- Cinnamon
You can mix these oils with water and spray them around your house. Another method is to use the essential oils in a diffuser to put the repellent smell into the air.
Mosquito Trap
There are several commercial mosquito traps available from stores or online retailers. You can also make your own by following a few simple steps, including:
- Cut the top third off of a two-liter bottle and save both parts.
- In the bottom of the bottle, mix a half cup of warm water, a quarter cup of sugar and a gram of yeast.
- Stir the mixture until the sugar and yeast dissolve.
- Place the top of the bottle into the bottom of the bottle, so the bottleneck is inside the lower part of the bottle.
- Tape the top edge shut where the bottom and top of the bottle meet.
- Place the trap where you have seen mosquitos in your home.
The trap works because the mosquitoes smell the yeast and go inside the bottle to investigate it. Then, when they try to fly out, they always fly to the highest point of the bottle, which doesn’t have an opening in this trap.
Ceiling or Oscillating Fans
Mosquitos aren’t the strongest flyers, and even regular fans create enough wind to stop them from landing on you. As long as you have your fans on and stay in the breeze, mosquitos will have a difficult time biting you.
Mosquito Soap
Bathing in repellent soaps can keep mosquitos away from you. There are several mosquito soaps on the market, sometimes they are labeled as outdoor soaps. Find one that you like and you won’t have to worry about mosquitos bothering you in your house.
Prevent Mosquitoes From Entering
If you stop mosquitos from coming in, you won’t have to get rid of them. Make sure your windows and doors have screens on them. Also, check that all the screens are functioning correctly and don’t need repair or replacement.
Install weatherstripping around your door. You shouldn’t be able to see any sunlight around the edges of your door while it’s closed. Install a door sweep under the door, too.
Look for gaps and cracks around your house and seal them with foam, caulk or screens. Mosquitoes are tiny and can get into your home through the smallest openings.
How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes in your Backyard
Mosquitoes in your yard can put a damper on a warm summer evening. Luckily, there are some measures you can take to make your property inhospitable to mosquitoes and keep them away.
Eliminate Standing Water
Standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes, and even an old tire or bucket can be a nursery for thousands of larvae. Look for any places in your yard that collect water and drain them.
If you have water features like bird baths, pet bowls or a pond, look for mosquito larvae inside the water. The larvae look like tiny shrimp or fish that swim around, curling and uncurling their bodies to propel themselves. Change these water sources frequently to stop mosquitoes from reproducing in them.
Chemical Repellents for Yards
Spray an insect repellent around the perimeter of your property to ward off mosquitoes. They are such a common insect that eliminating their habitat in your yard may not be enough.
Remember to put mosquito repellent on your skin before you go outside and have some available for guests. Unfortunately, this may be the only way to stop them from biting you while you enjoy your backyard.
Mosquito Traps for Outdoor Use
Place mosquito traps designed for outdoor use in shady areas around your backyard. Check the traps often to ensure they are in the right spot to catch the most mosquitoes.
You could try several types of mosquito traps to see which one works best. Once you find the best one, buy more of them and keep them baited and catching mosquitoes.
Treat Ponds and Pools
If you have a pond or pool in your yard, use the correct chemicals to stop mosquitoes from laying their eggs in the water. There are chemicals available that are safe for swimming or the plants and fish in your pond.
Burn Citronella Candles or Tiki Torches
Tiki torches and citronella candles not only keep mosquitos away but also give your backyard some ambiance. Use enough candles to keep the mosquitos away for as long as you stay outside.
Tidy Up Your Landscape
Mosquitos love cool, dark and damp places like piles of brush, shrubs and long grass. Keeping your yard tidy eliminates these places and stops mosquitoes from hanging around, waiting to bite you.
Landscape with Mosquito Deterrents
Many beautiful and tasty plants also keep mosquitoes away. Some plants to grow in your garden that can lower the number of mosquitoes in your backyard are:
- Lavender
- Tulsi
- Marigolds
- Lemongrass
- Lemon balm
- Citronella
- Basil
- Catnip
- Garlic
- Peppermint
- Rosemary
- Geraniums
- Pennyroyal
- Sage
Cedar Mulch on Paths and Garden Beds
The oils in cedar mulch help to keep mosquitos away. Therefore, spread cedar mulch around your backyard and mosquitoes won’t like to come around.
Attract Mosquito Predators
A balanced ecosystem will keep the number of mosquitoes from getting out of hand. Many birds eat mosquitoes, so having a birdfeeder in your backyard could be a good idea.
Bats are one of the best predators of mosquitoes. Consider setting up a bat house to provide a habitat for these hungry, flying mammals. If you have a pond, you can stock it with larvae-eating fish or red-eared slider turtles.
Use Warm Lighting
Mosquitoes are more attracted to white, cool lights. Yellow-toned, warm LED lights won’t draw as many mosquitos into your backyard.
Are Mosquitoes Dangerous?
Mosquitoes can spread several serious and deadly diseases. Fortunately, in the USA, mosquito-borne illnesses are uncommon.
Mosquito bites are painful and annoying, but in the continental USA they are unlikely to cause serious problems. That being said, it is still a good idea to get rid of mosquitos and do everything possible to stop them from biting.