With Covid-19 surging up the third wave in the country, we are also having to deal with swarming mosquito populations. Alarmingly, their numbers have increased to such a level that it has become unbearable to live inside our homes. This phenomenon has also made way for several mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and chikungunya.
Mosquito repellants, smoke, and mosquito coils seem to not work anymore. You can see the tiny beasts even in the late morning hours. Such desperate times call for desperate measures. Here are a few genius ways in which you can get rid of mosquitoes for good.
Use Camphor
This is a natural home remedy. The strong odor can drive away mosquitoes easily. Close all the doors and windows and light some camphor. Wait for thirty minutes. You will see no mosquitoes are around.
Essential Oils And Herbs
Herbs and essential oils not only smell good, but they are also natural mosquito killers! The best part is that you can grow these plants on your balcony, terrace, or rooftop for aesthetics. In particular, lavender oil, mint, and tea tree oil are known to best to get rid of mosquitoes. Spray some lavender oil around the corners of your home and also on your body. This also applies to fresh mint oil and tea tree oil. Mix these oils in water and then spray it around for getting rid of mosquitoes. Plant basil shrubs at the entry points of your apartment and see the effect. Lemongrass and marigold flowers also seem to drive away mosquitoes. Burning sage plants help too.
Door Strips And Nets
In a tropical country like Bangladesh, getting rid of mosquitoes is an almost impossible task. However, we can certainly try to prevent them from coming in. Mosquito-proof netting is installed in all balcony doors and windows provided by bti across all projects. However, if your home does not have these installed, you can go for other options. Just before dusk close all windows and doors. You can also buy net strips which can be attached to doors and windows and reopened whenever it is daytime. You need to get them customized according to the size of your door and window frames.
Lemons, Garlic, And Cloves
If you are wondering what to do with the half-cut lemon your mom kept in the refrigerator, this is your chance. Mosquitoes hate citrus-like smells. Cut a lemon in half and place cloves inside it. Then use these clove-infused lemons all over your home. You will not see a mosquito around. Crush some garlic and mix them with crushed cloves. Then boil the mixture in water for some time. Spray the final solution around the house. Garlic smell is pungent but it kills mosquitoes and dissipates quickly. The smell will not linger around for long.
Soapy Water
Mosquitoes hate the smell of soap. If you just took a shower and have a soapy smell, you will notice that mosquitoes will stay away from you as long as that scent is on your body. You can take advantage of this effect for the sake of your home too. Just take a wide bowl and fill it with soapy water. Make it as bubbly as possible. Mosquitoes will get attracted to that water and then the bubbles will effectively drown and kill them.
Mosquito Traps
You can order a mosquito trap online, or just make one yourself. It is more cost-effective to go DIY mode because the traps need to be changed periodically. Cut a bottle and place one of the half upside down. Tuck the other half inside this half of the bottle. Boil one cup of sugar and one cup of water. Then add two cups of cold water. Once the temperature has lowered, add one teaspoon of active dry yeast into the mixture. Pour this mixture into the trap and secure the trap with tape. The mosquitoes will get attracted to the sugar, swarm into your trap, get stuck in the solution and drown.
Ceiling Fans
Every morning when you wake up, do you see some dead mosquitoes lying around on the mosquito net of your bed? The reason is your oscillating ceiling fan. Mosquitoes give up with speedy winds. So turn the AC off and give your fan a chance to be the mosquito-warding superhero in your home.
Mosquito Zappers
You should buy a few mosquito zappers. These devices electrocute mosquitoes as soon as the bugs come in contact with it. While it is not effective in killing a whole army, it can come in great handy when there are a few mosquitoes here and there. As a bonus, you can kill flies and other tiny insects with it, but at one point it will get physically tiring for you.
Candles
Remember that nice fragrances and strong scents bother mosquitoes a lot. Hence, scented candles are the way to go. Lavender and citronella candles would work great. Lighting candles up in parts of your home also adds further beauty to the interiors.
Simply preventing entry and killing is not enough. Getting rid of the source is crucial. You should try to get rid of mosquito breeding grounds inside your home. Check whether your AC water is collecting somewhere or not. Regularly clean storerooms and old spaces. To keep a safe neighborhood, bti has recently delivered mosquito-control services around all its projects. If you avail a home with bti you need not worry! If these options are not working for you, it is best to seek the help of a professional pest control company.