5 scents mosquitoes can't stand and will make your home and garden smell divine – say goodbye to painful bites this summer
I'm sick of getting bitten by mosquitoes, so I asked pest experts for a failsafe method to deter them
In my humble opinion, mosquitoes are easily one of the worst things about summer. If they’ve been plaguing your patio this summer, and like me, you’ve ended up with a few nasty bites, here are five scents they hate and will keep them at bay, according to pest experts.
If you want to get rid of mosquitoes and stop them from coming back, a scent deterrent can be an excellent, chemical-free method that won’t harm your family, pets or plants.
Mosquitoes have a highly sensitive sense of ‘smell’ which they use to find hosts, breeding sites and nectar. But they find some scents overwhelming and confusing, which in turn deters them from the area, leaving you mosquito-free!
1. Citronella
Of course citronella is first on the list. Citronella candles (like Argos Home’s Scalloped Terracotta-Effect Citronella Candle, £15) are famed for their abilities to keep flies and mosquitoes at bay, as their strong scent prevents mosquitoes from finding their hosts.
‘Citronella is another popular natural mosquito repellent. It contains compounds such as citronellal, geraniol and citronellol, which help to mask the scents mosquitoes use to locate people,’ says Daniel Steward, managing director at Shield Pest Control.
‘Citronella can be applied directly to the skin in the form of sprays or lotions to provide short-term protection. It is also commonly available as candles and essential oil diffusers, which release the scent into the surrounding air to help reduce mosquito activity around patios, gardens and outdoor seating areas. While citronella can be effective, it works best in calm conditions, as wind quickly disperses the scent.’
Citronella candles are a must-have for hosting outdoors in the summer. These have a burn time of 10 hours and can be popped into a pretty candle holder.
2. Clove
Clove is also a scent that flies hate, and is great for deterring mosquitoes - as well as making your home or patio smell great in the process.
‘Clove oil [available on Amazon] contains eugenol, a compound used in professional pest products in diluted form, and is one of the most potent natural mosquito repellents available. Studies have shown it provides effective repellence for up to three hours when applied topically in a carrier oil. As a garden scent, adding a few drops to an outdoor oil burner near your seating area significantly reduces mosquito activity. The scent is strong so a little goes a long way,’ explains Mosh Latifi, Co-Owner, EcoCare Pest Management.
3. Lemon eucalyptus
The experts swear by lemon eucalyptus (£4.99, Amazon) as a powerful scent deterrent against mosquitoes. Its strong odour interferes with a mosquito’s sense of smell and makes it harder for them to detect us, humans.
‘Lemon eucalyptus' is one of the most effective natural mosquito deterrents, providing around four to six hours of protection, depending on the concentration. It contains an active ingredient called PMD, which interferes with mosquitoes' odour receptors, making it more difficult for them to detect human scent,’ says Daniel.
‘The most effective way to use lemon eucalyptus is by applying a commercial repellent containing PMD to exposed skin. Some products can also be applied to clothing, provided the label states this is safe. It is an excellent option for activities such as camping, gardening and spending evenings outdoors, when mosquitoes are often most active.’
Reviews say that not only does this repellent work well, it smells much better than DEET repellent sprays.
4. Lavender
Lavender (£7.99, Crocus) is a superhero plant that will not only make your patio smell gorgeous, but deters a range of pests too. Wasps and flies also dislike the smell of lavender, whereas helpful pollinators such as bees love it - it’s a win-win choice for a garden.
‘Lavender contains linalool and linalool oxide, both of which are natural insect repellents. Mosquitoes find the scent deeply unpleasant and will avoid areas where it is concentrated. Planted lavender near a patio provides ongoing passive deterrence throughout summer, and crushed lavender flowers rubbed on pulse points provide short-term personal repellent effect. It is not as potent as citronella, but as part of a layered approach it adds meaningful protection,’ says Mosh.
4. Peppermint
Last but not least is peppermint (£9.99, Amazon). While you and I may enjoy its fresh peppery scent, mosquitoes can’t stand it and will automatically avoid an area with a strong peppermint scent.
‘Peppermint contains the strong-smelling compounds menthol and menthone, which can interfere with mosquitoes' ability to locate people,’ says Daniel.
‘Peppermint can be used in homemade sprays when properly diluted, or you can purchase commercial peppermint-based repellents and essential oil diffusers. It can also be used as a fabric spray on outdoor cushions or camping equipment, helping to keep mosquitoes at bay during time spent outside. As with other essential oils, peppermint provides relatively short-lived protection and should be reapplied regularly if used on the skin.’
If the natural scents aren't cutting it, you can try this device from Lakeland. It has a mat saturated with insect-repelling allethrin, which is heated by butane gas canisters. This t spreads the repellent through the air, creating a barrier of 20m2.
If you’re sick and tired of painful mosquito bites this summer, try one of these scents to keep them at bay.
