Protecting your household from dangerous mosquito-borne illnesses is always a priority. Preventing bites is the best way to protect yourself and your family from these fatal diseases. The ideal way to do this is to stop mosquitoes from breeding. Read on and find out how you can keep bites at bay.
Always Use Effective Repellents
You can use these chemical compounds outside and inside the house to get rid of mosquitoes. Protecting yourself with repellents involves following the directions. Consider the following to reinforce your home against harmful mosquito bites:
- Apply DEET or picaridin repellents on exposed skin surfaces.
- Get mosquito diffusers or vaporizers in external and enclosed areas like decks. Switch them off as soon as you leave these areas.
- Purchase knockdown sprays against mosquitoes.
- Use mosquito coils outdoors, but make sure to keep an eye on them. Spray long-acting repellents on surfaces where mosquitoes rest, such as bushes and dense trees.
Reinforce Your Home
Protecting your home against mosquitoes involves putting screens on your chimneys, vents, windows, and doors. Choose a finer mesh to keep out even smaller biting insects like midges.
Prevent Breeding
Your garden or yard can become convenient because even the tiniest container of water can serve as a viable breeding area for mosquitoes. Be sure to pour out stagnant water to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. Protecting your home this way can prevent dangerous mosquito-borne diseases from infecting or spreading. The following are some ways to do so:
- Remember to put sand in the base of your potted plants to absorb excess water.
- Clean your gutters so that water runs through them freely. Remove objects that can hold water in your yard like old tires and pots. Repair leaking faucets.
- Change the water in your vases, pet drinking bowls, and birdbaths. Do this more often during the warmer months.
- Place vegetation around your pond’s edges.
- Maintain your swimming pool well. Make sure to cover them or keep good chlorine levels.
- Always trim your vegetation to reduce resting areas for mosquitoes.
Check Water Storage Tanks
See to it that the water tanks are completely sealed. Check lids, covers, and inlet pipes for any gaps. Place a removable screen mesh. Inlet pipes must also have removable screen mesh at the end of the overflow and pipes.
Plant Repellent Plants
Protecting your home naturally is also an option. You can add repellent plants to many parts of your home. Their fragrances irritate mosquitoes and keep them away. Here are some you should consider:
- Basil’s odor can keep many insects away, including mosquitoes.
- Lavender produces a mild scent. Research shows that this plant prevents mosquitoes from smelling you.
- Catmint can grow anywhere. It can grow with your other plants as a weed, so that it can repel mosquitoes more efficiently.
- Marigolds can repel mosquitoes as well as other pests like aphids.
Protecting yourself and your household from mosquito bites can help prevent the spread of diseases. You can help your community live free from debilitating or even deforming symptoms. Enjoying the outdoors and indoors is easier, knowing mosquitoes will not bite you. Even the coming holidays will be more stress-free when you have the necessary protection.