Keeping Mosquitoes Away… Does Anything Over-The-Counter or DIY Really Work?

Crazy ideas, sketchy results. Some people are always ready to try to latest new ideas in mosquito control no matter how “out there” they may sound. Have you heard of burning cow dung, coffee, or coconut shells?Why in the world would you care if there were mosquitoes in your backyard at this point?! It’s going to smell way too bad to sit out there anyway. Or maybe you can eat and drink the mosquitoes away. A banana and a gin and tonic a day keeps the mosquitoes away? Not likely. People have also been known to mist themselves with some odd things like mouthwash or rub themselves with a dryer sheet. Who comes up with these things? They aren’t tested and yet some people will try anything.

Tried, Tested, and True Mosquito Control

Dr. Immo Hansen, professor at the Institute of Applied Biosciences at New Mexico State University and Stacey Rodriguez, lab manager, asked 5,000 people what types of repellents they use against mosquitoes and researched what repellents actually work. What they found was there are a handful of products that work and most of them contain DEET. Some people are afraid of adverse effects from DEET, but testing shows no proof of it. Picaridin is another repellent that science shows to be effective. If you are more interested in a natural approach, oil of lemon eucalyptus can work as well as DEET products according to Hansen’s research.

They also found that people are using things that actually attract mosquitoes. A mosquito skin patch product they tested proved to cause more mosquito bites than using no repellent at all! Talk about wasted money on a crazy idea! Wouldn’t you hate to find out that one of these ideas don’t work in the middle of the woods on a camping trip you’ve been planning all year? When you are out in areas that you can’t control, use the tested products. Don’t waste your time on the latest greatest new idea that is very likely not that great. Let the research work for you and don’t take a chance at ruining what would otherwise be a treasured family memory.

Eliminate the Source of Mosquito Bites

Even the best of insect repellents are a pain. They don’t smell great. They don’t last but a few hours. They can be sticky and feel bad on your skin. Insect repellents are necessary for many situations, but are they really at home? They don’t have to be. It is so much nicer to rid the yard of mosquitoes instead of having to protect against them. Be sure to start by following our Mosquito Control Tips in your yard all year round. It’s a long mosquito season here in Florida and it’s important to remain diligent in the fight against them.

At Mosquito Squad of Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra, we want to eliminate your need for repellent at home by eliminating the mosquitoes and our mosquito barrier treatment does just that, by up to 90%! Call us today and let us tell you more about our 100% guaranteed services. This way you can leave the repellents and all their sticky smells in the backpack instead of the backyard.