How to Keep Mosquitoes Away From Your Outdoor Parties

July 2, 2015 How to Keep Mosquitoes Away From Your Outdoor Parties

We are approaching the height of the cookout season. And many of us plan to entertain outdoors this summer. But with outdoor living and entertaining come the unwelcomed guests as well. I’m talking about mosquitoes.

Beyond eliminating the standing water that collects in areas around the house, such as buckets, flower pot saucers, bird baths, old tires and so on, there are a number of home remedies which can help keep these unwelcome party-crashers from ruining your festivities.

Here are 6 home remedies you can try yourself:

Burn pinon wood in your outdoor fire pit. Its pleasant aroma interestingly keeps mosquitoes away
Lemon scented geraniums are known to repel these pesky critters as well
Believe it or not, dry ice can be used as a lure to drive mosquitoes away from your cook out. Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide. They love it, and dry ice is nothing more than solid cubes of carbon dioxide. Strategically place a few blocks of dry ice around the yard far enough away from guests to lure the mosquitos and distance them from the party
Just a few squirts of lemon-scented dish soap on a saucer is also an effective way to keep mosquitoes away from you and your guests
Burning citronella candles or citronella incense is known to be a mosquito deterrent
Dryer sheets tucked in a shirt pocket or tied around the loop in trousers have had a surprisingly positive result in driving away mosquitos.

So go ahead and throw the burgers and hot dogs on the grill, and rest assured that your cookout guests will enjoy a summer meal, and not be a summer meal!