How to get rid of mosquitoes in the house: Repel and kill pests with these tips

USA TODAY

For all that summer brings – camping, barbecues, swimming and vacations – there are some aspects of the warmer months that can be a real pest. Mosquitoes, for instance, are an unfortunate part of summertime, especially when they’re crashing your backyard bonfire and leaving you with itchy, painful bite spots.

Mosquitoes outside are one thing, but having the pests invade your home is quite another. Having a mosquito buzzing around your head while watching TV or trying to sleep can kill anyone's vibe and disrupt slumber.

Here’s how to prevent and get rid of mosquitoes this summer.

How to get rid of mosquitoes

Inside, mosquitoes flock toward dark, humid places like under the sink or furniture, and in showers, closets, and laundry rooms or under furniture. Once inside, they may start to lay eggs in your home.

To keep them from setting up shop in your house, first eliminate any standing water, like in trays under potted plants, says Elmer Gray, a public health extension specialist at the University of Georgia.

“If you have house plants on your deck and you have mosquitoes on your deck, you might be growing them right there,” Gray says. Check your house and yard for areas that might be gathering water. This could be old tires collecting rainwater, dog dishes left outside, tree holes, rain barrels, gutters or garbage cans.

Screens on your doors and windows are what Gray calls “our first line of defense." Mosquitoes thrive in warm conditions, so while you may be tempted to let a summer breeze through your window, make sure you’ve got a working screen filtering it.

How to kill mosquitoes

If proactive measures aren’t enough to get rid of mosquitoes or mosquito larvae in and around your home, it’s important to get in touch with your local mosquito control district or public health department. Local mosquito control programs can help check out infected areas and recommend solutions, Gray says.

Mosquitoes are often treated with Environmental Protection Agency-approved larvicide and adulticide, insecticides used to kill mosquitoes in various stages.

But when it comes to mosquitoes flying around outside, Gray recommends people be realistic about them being a part of life.

“Mosquitoes are part of the environment – there’s always going to be a few,” Gray says. “Mosquito control was never trying to get rid of all the mosquitoes, we’re just trying to make it tolerable so you can enjoy your deck and have a good Fourth of July or Memorial Day barbecue.”

How to repel mosquitoes

While mosquitoes in the summer may be inevitable, there are ways to avoid getting bit.

Repellants that contain DEET are the “gold standard” of EPA-approved products, Gray says, and are considered safe for adults and children to use. DEET makes it harder for biting bugs like ticks and mosquitoes to smell humans.

Plant-based products, like oil of lemon eucalyptus, are also effective repellants against mosquitoes but don’t last as long as DEET, according to Gray.

“Get good coverage; if you miss a spot, if you don’t do one side of your face, the mosquitoes are going to come to that side of your face,” Gray says. He recommends parents spray repellant on their hands and rub it on their children rather than directly spraying them. The same goes for your face – spray on your hands, then rub in.

Mosquitoes sense the carbon dioxide we breathe out. The more active we are – running, jumping, expressing wildly – the more carbon dioxide you express, the more mosquitoes will be attracted to you. Those who are more calm and laid back are less likely to get bit, Gray says.

According to Gray, light-colored, loose-fitting, breathable clothes and long sleeves are how you want to dress to repel mosquitos, especially if you’re camping or spending time in the woods.

“Most all of the biting flies are less attracted to light colors,” Gray says. “With dark colors, you have a bigger heat signature and there’s more contrast in the environment so they can see better.”

Conquer the pests this summer with our tips:

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