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Summertime is great. Between canoeing, fishing, camping, going to the beach, and just enjoying the outdoors in general, it really doesn’t get much better than summertime.
That said, as is the case with any season, there are always some drawbacks, and when it comes to spring, summer, and the beginning of fall, mosquitoes will always be an insect you will have to battle.
There is nothing worse than sitting outdoors and being eaten alive by those bloodsuckers.
You could use bug spray to deter them from landing on you, but that said, we all know that many bug sprays are not exactly healthy. It’s not something you want to be smearing into your skin every day.
Luckily, there are many good ways to deter mosquitoes without resorting to harmful chemicals.
Fire + Sage
One of the best and easiest ways to deter mosquitoes is with fire, mainly lots of smoke. Have you ever sat downwind from a campfire and have that wood smoke burn your eyes and throat?
Well, if simple smoke stings your eyes and lungs, imagine what it does to mosquitoes.
Simply put, mosquitoes will not and do not want to fly through the smoke. So, if you’re going to light up the grill for a barbecue, you may as well use an open flame and repel those bloodsuckers at the same time.
On that same note, mosquitos hate the smell of sage, and even worse than sage is the smoke created by burning sage. Besides bug spray, burning sage is one of the best ways to keep those bugs away.
Citronella
One of the easiest and most common ways to repel mosquitos is by using citronella. This substance usually comes in either a candle or an incense coil. Mosquitos hate the smell of citronella, and they won’t come anywhere near it.
The problem is that citronella has a strong smell, an odor that some people just cannot handle. If you have a large space to cover, you will need many citronella candles or smokers.
You can try taking a bath with a bit of citronella oil in the water. The oil will stick to you when you get out of the bath and act as a natural mosquito deterrent without resorting to dangerous bug spray.
Those Plants
Ok, so this point will not apply if you are camping or out in the wild, but at home, something you can do to repel mosquitos is to plant lavender, citronella, and lemongrass around your home.
Mosquitos hate the smell of these plants, and if you have enough of them around your house, they can form a makeshift mosquito barrier.
Dryer Sheets
Although we are not going to get into the science, dryer sheets that make your clothes soft and smell great can be used to repel mosquitos.
They might smell nice to you, but they also contain chemicals that mosquitos cannot stand.
Therefore, strategically placing some dryer sheets in the immediate vicinity, or even stuffing a few in your pockets, can go a long way in keeping those pesky bloodsuckers at bay.
Water, Bags, and Some Pennies
This one sounds odd, but it actually works, particularly for keeping mosquitos out of your home. Take some small bags, like Ziploc Sandwich bags; fill them up halfway with some water, and put some pennies into the bag.
If you don’t have pennies, anything else made out of copper will do. The water and the copper will refract light and end up confusing mosquitos. It works pretty well to make mosquitos turn around and fly in the other direction.
Don’t Smell Sweet
Mosquitos are attracted to sweet smells. This means that when you bathe or shower before heading outdoors, try to stay away from body washes and shampoos that have powerful and sweet odors.
Although not always the case, certain body washes, colognes, and other such things are insect attractants.
Conclusion
Now you have six great ways to keep mosquitos away without having to resort to dangerous chemicals.
