After what felt like a never-ending winter here in CT, we are finally getting to enjoy some time outside. We live in a wooded area with a small stream in our backyard; an area mosquitoes love. Here are my favorite ways to keep the mosquitoes at bay and be able to enjoy our time outside without them. (Outside of using the obvious bug sprays.)

How to Keep Mosquitoes Away

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Stick a dryer sheet in your pocket or close by to keep mosquitoes away.

Mosquitoes don’t like the smell of dryer sheets so they should avoid you if you place one in your pocket.

Get rid of any stagnant water around your house.

Mosquitoes can breed in as little water as a bottle cap so it’s important to remove any stagnant water from your yard to keep mosquitoes away. Be sure to check for water in outdoor kids toys, empty potted plants, kiddie pools, birth baths, gutters, etc….

Plant natural mosquitoes repellents in your garden.

Natural repellents are a great way to keep mosquitoes away.

Plants that can be used for mosquito repellent include: citronella, ageratum, basil, catnip, lavender, lemongrass, marigold, and rosemary.

Put an outdoor fan on your deck/patio to keep mosquitoes away.

Mosquitoes have a hard time flying by with a stronger wind stream, so they should stay away if you create a breeze with a fan.

Change your outdoor light bulbs to warm-colored (yellow) LED bulbs.

Did you know that there are studies that find that warm-colored (yellow) LED light bulbs work even better than bug lights to keep mosquitoes away?

Spray garlic around your yard to keep mosquitoes away.

Mash a few bulbs of garlic in boiling water and add to a spray bottle. Spray around your yard to keep the mosquitoes away.

Important note! This tip is not suggested if you have cats or dogs as the garlic is bad for them.

Use candles to keep mosquitoes away

Purchase an essential oil candle (or a few!) to keep mosquitoes away. Place your candles in an area with little wind, and watch the mosquitoes stay away.

The best essential oil candles to use are citronella, clove, cedarwood, lavender, eucalyptus, geraniol, lemongrass, peppermint, rosemary, and spearmint.

Murphy’s Naturals Mosquito Repellent Candle | Outdoor Citronella Candle For Patio & Garden | Soy Wax Beeswax,Repel Insect Repellent Citronella Candle, Triple Wick, 20-OunceLA JOLIE MUSE Citronella Candle Scented Soy Wax 3 Wick Tin, 75 Hour Burn, Outdoor and IndoorThermacell Patio Shield Mosquito Repeller, Glacial Blue; Easy to Use, Highly Effective; Provides 12 Hours of DEET-Free

Sprinkle coffee grounds to keep mosquitoes away.

It may sound funny to sprinkle your old coffee grounds on throughout your yard, but there have been some studies that have found coffee can prevent mosquitoes from growing in your yard. When mosquito larvae is exposed to coffee, the larvae is unable to develop, and dies off. 

Related Post: 13 Brilliant Coffee Hacks that Will Change Your Life

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