Things to avoid that attract mosquitoes and natural repellents

There is a simple remedy to repel mosquitos naturally, just don’t be attractive to them. Mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk, but there are also mosquitoes that seek hosts during the day. There are many ways to not be the kind of person mosquitoes find attractive, by using attractants to lure mosquitoes elsewhere, using a repellent, and avoiding actions that diminish the effectiveness of the repellent, such as sunscreens, rain, perspiration, or swimming.

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The following list has many things to avoid or that can be used as bait to lure mosquitoes away from you.
Dark Clothing: Dark clothes and foliage are initial attractants, since mosquitoes use vision to locate hosts from a distance
Carbon Dioxide: heat and exercising give off more carbon dioxide, a burning candle or fire are other sources of carbon dioxide.
Lactic Acid: released after exercise or after eating salty foods and high-potassium foods.
Floral or Fruity Fragrances: Watch for the subtle floral fragrance from fabric softeners and dryer sheets.
Skin Temperature: Some mosquitoes are attracted to the slightly cooler temperatures of the extremities.

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The following natural products will effectively repel mosquitoes, but they require more frequent reapplication. It is important to consider the differences between types of mosquitoes, which implies that products that contain multiple repellents tend to be more effective than those containing a single ingredient.

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Natural repellents tend to be volatile plant oils such as:

  • Citronella Oil
  • Lemon Eucalyptus Oil
  • Cinnamon Oil
  • Castor Oil
  • Rosemary Oil
  • Lemongrass Oil
  • Cedar Oil
  • Peppermint Oil
  • Clove Oil
  • Geranium Oil

Try them separately or combined.

From: Home Remedies from a country Doctor from Jay Heinrichs, Dorothy Behlen Heinrichs, and the editors of Yankee Magazine, 2013.
From: Natural Remedies for Healthy Living , The Readers Digest Association,2011
From: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Healing Remedies, C. Norman Shealy 2002