If you want to avoid pesky mosquitoes this summer, there are numerous home remedies out there, though not all will work effectively. Mosquito control is important and you need the right solution.
Natural remedies sound great, but there are a lot of them floating around that simply don’t work very well. Here are a few myths about some of the home remedies out there for controlling mosquitoes.
Citronella Candles Work
This is a huge myth that has been put out there so much that people buy citronella candles often and cannot figure out why they don’t work. These candles don’t work any better than a regular candle. The smoke might help keep mosquitos away a little bit, but it won’t have a large impact.
The one time these candles can be helpful is on an enclosed patio. If there is any wind at all, the effectiveness will be nearly zero. It’s best to skip the citronella candles unless you really enjoy the smell of them.
Plants Work As Well as Other Pest Control Options
While some plants can offer some benefits to help repel mosquitoes, they only have a mild impact. Options, such as garlic, peppermint, lavender, and marigold will produce an aroma that misquotes don’t like. While these will naturally repel mosquitoes, they don’t provide much coverage at all and the impact is quickly diminished as you get away from the plan.
Unless you plan to sit in a field of peppermint all day, you won’t get much impact from plants when it comes to mosquito control. While planting some of these types of plants in your garden or around your home can have a minor impact, they won’t keep the bugs away completely.
Garlic is the Natural Answer for Mosquitoes
Most natural remedies for mosquitoes will mention garlic as a repellent, whether used as a spray or in food. Some believe a diet high in garlic will keep mosquitoes away. While garlic simply isn’t going to keep the bugs away when you eat it, the repellant properties will work for any portion of your skin that you cover in garlic.
However, the garlic will wear out after about 20 to 40 minutes according to an article from ABC News. So, unless you want to smell like garlic and re-apply often, this is not a natural remedy that will work well for mosquito control.
There are many other natural remedies that you will find when it comes to mosquito control. Many of them simply won’t work for you and won’t provide the results you’re looking for.
If you want to make sure you can keep the bugs away, you want to make sure you get the right solution. Mosquitoes can be very bad throughout the year in Florida. With the right mosquito control experts, you won’t have to hide inside to stay away from the bugs.