A guide to preventing mosquitoes in your home

As soon as the warm weather hits, mosquitoes start to make their appearance known in and around our homes.

If you’ve ever been bitten by a mosquito, you’ll know how much aggravation this causes and how hard it can be to keep them away. As temperatures continue to rise, mosquitoes are becoming more and more common in the UK.

In fact, the UK is home to more than 20 different species of mosquito! So how can we keep them away from our skin and out of sight of our homes?

Today, Premier Pest Control will provide you with a range of helpful tips, so you don’t have to worry about getting bitten this summer. Say no to itchy, red welts this year!

Why do mosquitoes enter our homes?

You may be wondering, ‘What’s so good about our homes that mosquitoes can’t stay away?’

And the simple answer? You. While male mosquitoes feast on plant nectar most of the time, female mosquitoes are actually born with tubular piercing mouthparts, which they use to feed on humans and animals.

Since we all reside in our homes, mosquitoes can detect our body heat and movement, as well as the carbon dioxide we breathe out, and use small gaps in windows and doors to creep in and locate the source.

Most mosquitoes also breed and lay eggs in areas with standing water, such as puddles and drains around our home, making them more likely to fly into your home. They may even use pet bowls or plant saucers as a breeding ground.

Plus, they thrive in humid environments, so anywhere warm and moist, like bathrooms and kitchens, will lure them in like a beacon.

Common prevention measures to repel mosquitoes

So, if you’re looking to keep your home a mosquito-free zone this summer, then there are probably a few things that you’re doing which are making this impossible.

Let’s start by addressing these things first:

1. Standing water

If your home has poor drainage, with pools forming around drains or buckets and watering cans filling up with old water, then you’ll want to address this.

Empty any water from old plant pots and paddling pools, then store them somewhere safe, like a shed, where they can’t fill up again. If you have a water butt in your garden, make sure the lid is impenetrable.

Then, clear out your drainpipes of twigs and debris that could be causing blockages to prevent standing water. It’s also a good idea to cover pet bowls inside and regularly change the water in your vases.

2. Entry points

If you constantly keep your doors and windows open to let in fresh air (because let’s face it, UK homes aren’t built for the heat), then you’ll want to invest in fine mesh screens.

These help to keep out unwanted flies and mosquitoes while allowing a constant flow of fresh air to enter your home. We also suggest sealing any holes in your walls or floors that could be allowing mosquitoes to enter undetected.

3. Overgrown vegetation

Have you let your weeds get out of control? This could be what’s attracting mosquitoes more to your property, as they like to rest in tall grass, overgrown plants, and dense shrubs during the day.

To avoid this, get into a regular routine of trimming your hedges and keeping thick foliage away from doors and windows.

Quick and easy home-based solutions

Luckily enough, there are plenty of things you can do from home that don’t take much effort to keep mosquitoes away this summer.

While yes, long-term prevention is the goal, there are things you can do in the meantime while waiting for pest control intervention, or on warm evenings or after a spell of wet weather.

4. Use essential oil diffusers

Scents like citronella, lavender, peppermint, lemon eucalyptus, and tea-tree can help repel mosquitoes. However, it only works when using a diffuser, not a candle.

This is because diffusers are constantly releasing the fragrance, keeping your home topped up. Add a few drops of your chosen scent to a diffuser or mix with water in a spray bottle for a natural room mist.

5. Keep a fan running

Mosquitoes aren’t strong fliers, so a constant gust of wind is enough to keep them away from your home for a while.

Invest in a strong fan, placing it on a desk or the floor, or install some ceiling fans. Position your fan so that it circulates around sleeping or sitting areas, reducing humidity in your home.

This way, you’re killing two birds with one stone; you’re keeping your home cool while protecting yourself from mosquito bites.

6. Try a homemade vinegar trap

Apple cider vinegar naturally repels mosquitoes due to their sensitive receptors, making it the perfect ingredient for a home trap.

You can mix vinegar with baking soda and water or sugar, yeast, and water, which produces CO₂ and attracts mosquitoes. Place this mixture in a water bottle that you’ve DIYed to create a funnel. Then, tape around the join so that once mosquitoes enter, they can’t escape.

You could also create a vinegar spray: add white vinegar with equal parts water in a spray bottle and shake well before spraying around entry points, outdoor seating areas, and fly screens.

7. Place plants strategically

There are a few plants that produce smells that mosquitoes naturally find unpleasant.

You can use these plants to keep mosquitoes away by placing them near common entry points around your home. While they won’t stop every mosquito, they will minimise the number trying to enter your home. These plants include:

• Lavender – strong fragrance, thrives in pots on sunny windowsills or patios.
• Peppermint – aromatic leaves, easy to grow in containers.
• Rosemary – hardy, doubles up as a kitchen herb.
• Marigolds – bright flowers containing pyrethrum, a natural insect repellent.
• Basil – grows well indoors near kitchen windows.

8. Citrus and clove combinations

Mosquitoes are put off by the sharp, aromatic combination of citrus oils and cloves.

So, this old-fashioned trick is a simple, low-cost way to add an extra layer of deterrence to your home. Slice a few lemons or limes in half, press 6 to 8 whole cloves into the cut side, and place them near bowls of water, on windowsills, or near entryways.

The citrus releases natural oils, and the cloves add eugenol, a compound known to repel mosquitoes. The scent is noticeable to mosquitoes but smells pleasant in our homes!

Get rid of pesky pests with Premier Pest Control

Have you got a pest infestation that’s gotten out of control? Often, home remedies only scratch the surface, failing to address the root issue.

If you’ve tried everything and nothing’s working, then it’s time to call in a professional. Luckily for you, we offer a wide range of pest removal services for homes and businesses in Liverpool and the North West.

Please contact us today with your issue, and we’ll help you restore your property ASAP.