Easy & Natural Mosquito Repellents

Mosquitos Be Gone

Summer is a wonderful time of year; a time to enjoy lazy evenings, time spent with family and friends outdoors, and enjoying the great summer activities Sonoma County offers. Until, the mosquitos arrive! Then what was a very nice evening turns into a swatting match between you and those biting fiends. So how to rescue a wonderful evening? Natural mosquito repellents can be the answer.

There are many chemical solutions to mosquito problems; as a eco-friendly cleaning company we wouldn’t want to recommend those to our customers since we keep their homes as green as possible when it comes to cleaning. Chemical mosquito repellents can cause health problems for many people. So we offer some organic mosquito repellent alternatives for keeping mosquitos  away below.

Natural Mosquito Repellents

Some of the natural mosquito repellents actually work as well, if not better than their chemical counterparts. One of the first things is making your yard as mosquito unfriendly as possible.

Eliminate Standing Water

Standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitos. Mosquitos love water; it’s a perfect breeding ground for more mosquitos. If you love your fountain or pond; remember to circulate it regularly. Also if you add Mosquito Bits  to your fountain or pond you’ll find that the mosquito population is totally reduced because it eliminates the larvae.

If you haven’t done it already, clean out your gutters, fix dripping faucets, use Mosquito Bits or stock your pond or fountain with mosquito fish. Look for standing water under flowerpots, tarps, and dog water. Less standing water equals less mosquioes and less mosquito bites!

Use Essential Oils

You can use essential oils in a diffuser outside, such as citronella to keep mosquitoes away. Products that have DEET as an ingredient have been named by many organizations as problem with immune system and brain function, so best to stay away from the bad stuff!

You can use the recipe I use off Wellness Mama, that has worked so well:

Homemade Bug Spray Ingredients

• 30 drops geranium essential oil
• 30 drops citronella essential oil
• 20 drops lemon eucalyptus essential oil
• 20 drops lavender essential oil
• 10 drops rosemary essential oil
• 1 TBSP vodka or rubbing alcohol
• ½ cup natural witch hazel
• ½ cup water (or vinegar)
• 1 tsp vegetable glycerin (optional)

Homemade Bug Spray Instructions

1. Place essential oils in a glass spray bottle. Add vodka or alcohol and shake well to combine.
2. Pour in witch hazel and shake to combine.
3. Add ½ tsp vegetable glycerin if using. This is not necessary but helps everything stay combined.
4. Add water and shake again. Shake before each use as the oils and water will naturally separate some over time.

This recipe is kid safe and works well and has saved me from mosquito bites craziness year after year!

Plant Herbs in Your Garden

Planting a herbal garden gives you so many benefits! Not only does an herbal garden look beautiful, but you have herbs handy for cooking, making your own beauty products, and for cut flowers for the house.

Many herbs naturally deter mosquitos; citronella, garlic, lemongrass, cedar wood, basil, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, rosemary, and thyme. Many of these herbs can be dried to be used for months after they have been at their prime in your garden. Garden pots or wine barrels with herbs on your porch will help keep mosquitos at bay.

Use Citronella Candles

An easy solution to mosquitoes is to burn citronella candles when you are outdoors. They come in many sizes, even in mason jars with lids when not in use and do help cut down on mosquitos.

You can also burn candles scented with oils that deter mosquitoes; such as lavender, lemongrass, rosemary and cedar. Place your candles around the yard or around where you are eating to help with mosquitoes.

You don’t need to stay inside during mosquito season, just a few small additions to your backyard or a natural spray will do the trick in giving you back your bug free evenings. Make you summer more carefree and let our team at Crystal Clear Home clean your home this summer and really enjoy those long days after work instead of cleaning your home. Give us a call at 707-827-3316 to see what specials we have to offer.