

✔️ Empty and change the water in birdbaths, fountains, wading pools, rain barrels and potted plant trays at least once a week. ✔️ Drain standing water in rain gutters, old tires and buckets. Then toss any items in your backyard that you don’t need anymore that may be sources of mosquito breeding." The EPA offers this additional checklist for eliminating mosquito habitats at their source: "Tip over items that you can’t dispose of to empty water where mosquito larvae may be found.

"Remember the 'tip and toss' rule," says Craig Stoops, chief science officer for Mosquito Authority. To be clear, the insecticides that you use in your yard shouldn't be the same ones that you spray on your body and clothes.Īs a general rule, the best way to reduce mosquitos - besides using top-of-the-line sprays and repellents, of course - is by emptying anything that holds water. Normal bug sprays contain EPA-registered active ingredients that can effectively repel mosquitos, ticks and flies away from you. This will help ensure that you're buying the most effective repellents that are also safe. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reach for an insecticide when your goal is to wipe out entire mosquito populations for weeks at a time, if not longer.Īlways follow the guidelines set by the U.S. Repellants are best for small-scale, temporary relief (think summer meals in the open air). It's also important to think about whether you want to repel mosquitoes or kill them off completely. Meuti, P.h.D., an assistant professor of entomology at Ohio State University.īased on our research, testing and vetting, these are the best mosquito repellants for keeping bugs from reaching you in the first place. To put together this list of the most effective bug repellents, we also tapped our extensive network of outside experts, including Megan E. They can tell you why mosquito bites are so itchy (it's a reaction caused by the salivary proteins of female mosquitoes), why pregnant people tend to get munched on (the extra carbon dioxide and heat their bodies release) and which treatments provide the fastest relief (go for the 1% hydrocortisone cream). The experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute have battled all manner of backyard nuisances for decades. Just because their presence is inevitable doesn't mean you have to suffer through itchy mosquito bites and annoying buzzes: Take matters into your own hands by protecting your yard with the best mosquito repellents and bug spray s. Humid environments are prime breeding grounds for these pesky bugs, but they can survive almost anywhere, as long as they have access to water. With warmer temperatures come backyard cookouts, summer parties and - we hate to say it - tons of mosquitos.
