Insects Inside the House: Mosquitoes

Summer time would not be complete unless you have been attacked by a gang of mosquitoes.  Many people have declined using repellants with toxins that can possibly harm the environment as well as the person, thus they have researched and experimented with natural repellants that work just as effectively and the only thing they harm are the mosquitoes.  Some suggestions as to how you can naturally repel mosquitoes are the following:

• The oil or juice from garlic is well known to repel mosquitoes; it may also repel others as well, as it is quite pungent, but it certainly suits the purpose in repelling pesky mosquitoes. 
• Certain herbs such as cat mint and rosemary are also known to work quite effectively.  Combine the herbs into a pot of water and let steep for an hour or so.  Pour the contents into a spray bottle and spray the mixture on your skin. 
• Fabric softener sheets are said to work quite well; rub the sheet over the exposed skin and or tuck a sheet into your belt. 
• Other tricks that seem to work are: Vicks vapor rub, Avon Skin So Soft, and taking a B-1 tablet daily. 
• Marigold plants are said to repel many insects; plant these around and near the areas that you will be spending time outside during summertime events, barbeques, or swimming pools. 

The best advice I’ve found concerning mosquitoes is that they are attracted to perfume, deodorants, and hair products.  If you are planning to go hiking, fishing, or spending a great deal of time outside, try to avoid using any of these products before hand.  You should also remember that any type of standing water is an invitation to mosquitoes so be sure to make sure you don’t have tubs or  pots of water sitting around the areas of your yard where you might be entertaining or spending time outside. 

Summer would not be complete without all these pesky insects but there are many ways to reduce or eliminate them without having to resort to toxic chemicals that are harmful to the environment as well as to humans and animals.  You just need to experiment to see which works best for you.