How To Get Rid of Mosquitoes Inside Your Home

First and foremost, great mosquito control begins outside the home. That’s where Mosquito Squad comes in most handy–we offer traditional and natural barrier spray options that reduce up to 85-90% of mosquitoes in a treated area for up to 21 days. Sometimes, a mosquito or two can unfortunately slip through the cracks and head into your house itself. At that point, the tactic is not only to get rid of the existing mosquitoes in the house but to prevent reproduction as well. 

Mosquito Squad recommends checking all around your home for any stagnant water–this includes water gathered in plant saucers, pets’ water bowls, or places in bathrooms and kitchens (under sinks, near showers, etc.) where water leaks may have occurred. Remove any water that you find immediately, as this is where female mosquitoes will lay their eggs. 

Double-check your door and window screens and closures, as mosquitoes can slip through extremely small cracks looking for their next meal or a place to lay eggs. Replace torn bug screens, and seal any gaps beneath or around doors and windows to prevent mosquitoes in the house–this will help you save on energy bills, too!

DIY Traps

Two traps that prove most effective indoors are the yeast & sugar trap and the box fan trap. They are each very simple to make, and will not cause any harm to inhabitants of the home. 

Yeast & Sugar Trap

For the yeast & sugar trap, you will need an empty 2-liter plastic bottle, white granulated sugar, yeast (whatever baking yeast you have lying around will work), water, and a black or navy blue cloth.

Begin by cutting the top off of your plastic bottle with scissors, just below the neck of the bottle. Set aside. Inside your container, mix 4 tablespoons of sugar, 1 cup of warm water, and ⅓ tablespoon of yeast. Grab the piece of plastic you cut off of your bottle and turn it upside down so that it forms a funnel. Place this piece into the open top of the bottle and reseal the edges with tape or glue. Last, wrap the bottle in your black cloth, as mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors. Replenish yeast and sugar mixture as needed. You may also choose to use a piece of fruit, or maybe some honey, as a bait piece–mosquitoes are drawn to sweet, sugary food sources.

Box Fan Trap

Mosquitoes have weak wings, making their flight easy to overpower with a strong air current. Grab a box fan and get started trapping those pesky bugs.

1. Attach your mesh screen to the backside of your box fan.
2. Turn the fan on and let the mosquitoes begin to find themselves sucked in.
3. Clean the mesh screen on the backside of your fan as victims begin accumulating to prevent blockage. 

Repellent

Indoor insect foggers and indoor insect spray are effective ways to minimize mosquitoes and make areas where they may rest or reproduce unappealing to return to. It is important to do your research and determine which method is best to reduce the number of mosquitoes in the house, safest for children, and most reliable.

Natural Repellent Methods

Mosquitoes detest the smell of certain herbs and essential oils, such as lavender, clove, peppermint, basil, cedarwood, eucalyptus, lemongrass, and rosemary. It may be helpful to consider a windowsill herb garden containing one or more of these herbs to keep mosquitoes from coming into your house. Alternatively, consider purchasing essential oil diffusers for each or most rooms in your home, as well as diffuse oils like lemongrass and/or eucalyptus – two that the pests especially hate.