Halloween is just around the corner. Setting up decorations outside and going trick or treating could lead to dangerous mosquito bites. It is already a spooky holiday. The thought of dealing with mosquito-borne diseases is even spookier. The last thing you need is dengue, Zika, or West Nile virus bringing Halloween down.
Scare the mosquitoes away with your Halloween costume and decor
Wearing something scary can keep the bad spirits away on Halloween night. You can make your costume out of DEET-treated fabric. You can also carry repellent sprays as you go out trick or treating. Treating your fabric decorations first with DEET is a good way to keep mosquitoes away. Place citronella torches and candles around your yard and make them part of your Halloween theme.
Staying safe inside your home
Keeping the windows and doors closed at all times can help keep the mosquitoes out of your house. If you do plan to keep them open, stall treated magnetic screens. The DEET on them can keep the mosquitoes away even as you enter end exit our home. If you don’t have these screens, remember to close the door when you step out to give candies to the kids. You can also choose to dispense your candy through a chute. This can minimize the chances of mosquitoes and other pests entering your home. Choosing to stay on the porch will mean needing constant protection from mosquitoes.
You can use your jack-o-lanterns to repel mosquitoes. Instead of having regular candles, use citronella or sandalwood candles. These can keep mosquitoes away. Since it is Halloween, you can use orange or yellow lighting instead of white. This type of lighting can limit the number of mosquitoes that fly to your porch. Resist the urge to use dry ice to make your yard spooky. The dry ice releases high levels of carbon dioxide, which attracts more mosquitoes.
What about grated soap?
Some say that grating a bar of Irish Spring® soap and sprinkling it around your porch can keep mosquitoes away. This has no scientific proof that can back this claim. Even so, many people still say that it is effective.
The scent of this grated soap is citrusy and musky. It shreds easily. Placing the shredded soap in small bowls underneath each seat in the yard can keep the mosquitoes away. There may not be any scientific study proving its effectiveness, but shaved soap is an effective way of repelling mosquitoes.
Repellent diffusers for Halloween
Studies show that DEET helps repellents last longer. A repellent diffuser disperses a repellent in the air. DEET extends its effectiveness, even with a low percentage. You will only have a small protection radius when you turn it on.
Using fans
Research shows that using fans can help keep mosquitoes away. The movement of the air increases when fans are on. This is what keeps mosquitoes away. Skeeters do not have strong wings for flying. That is why they cannot fly toward a functioning fan. Also, if your fan is blowing in your direction, it spreads your carbon dioxide around. This makes you invisible to mosquitoes. Add a wind effect to your Halloween decorations by turning on fans all around your yard.
Halloween is a festive event that is full of thrills and scary fun. But it does not mean that you need to give your blood to tiny vampires on the wing. With the mentioned suggestions, you can avoid getting bitten or infected by mosquitoes on Halloween. This can make this night spooky in a good way instead of in a bad way.
