Your patio is a great space to host cookouts and relax outdoors. Unfortunately, mosquitoes like to hang out in your yard too. To avoid these pests and their itchy bites, you’ll want to implement a few preventative measures. Check out five tips to help you keep your patio free of mosquitoes.
1. Minimize Stagnant Water
Mosquitoes need water to breed, so it’s important to carefully examine your yard for stagnant water. Empty and remove items, like buckets and toys, that can collect water. Make sure your gutters are working properly, and repair or replace leaky spigots or hoses. Look for areas in your yard where water pools after rain and fill them in to minimize moisture build-up. If you take a glass of water outside, bring it in when you head indoors. Don’t forget to replace the water in kiddie pools or your pet’s water bowl.
2. Reduce Harboring Spots
Mosquitoes prefer to hang out in areas that are shaded and humid. Overgrown vegetation and tall grass are ideal harboring spots for these pests. Be sure to regularly mow your lawn and keep your plants and bushes trimmed. Yard debris can also act as shelter for mosquitoes. Remove leaf litter, grass clippings, and piles of branches or twigs. Examine your yard for weeds and remove them. If you have a garden, pick up fallen leaves from your plants.
3. Add Fans & Screens
Adding fans to your patio can make it harder for mosquitoes to reach you. These pests aren’t the best fliers, and the breeze from the fan will make it difficult for them to fly. You can also enclose your patio area with a screen to keep mosquitoes away. It’s best to use a screen with holes smaller than 1 mm to ensure mosquitoes can’t get through them. If you already have a screen, check for and repair any tears where these pests could slip inside.
4. Decorate with Mosquito-Repelling Plants
Decorating your outdoor space with plants can add some color to your yard and also provide you with added protection against mosquitoes. There are some plant fragrances that these pesky bugs don’t like. Mosquitoes are known to avoid marigolds, citronella, mint, thyme, basil, and lavender. Adding a few of these mosquito-repelling plants in pots on or near your patio can help to keep these pests away.
5. Create a Repellent Zone
To help deter mosquitoes, you can create a repellent zone. Our Mosquito Fogger kills and repels mosquitoes. It provides up to seven days of repellent zone residual protection. You can spray vegetation and surfaces near your patio to create a barrier that helps to keep mosquitoes away. You can also use our ‘Skeet-R-Shield Repellent Canister to protect your patio from these pests. To activate the canister, simply remove the lid and place the canister on a table or similar surface near your patio. The plant oils in the granules will help to repel mosquitoes from the area. One canister can protect a space up to about 250 sq ft (approximately 16'x16').
Battling mosquitoes when you go outside isn’t a fun way to spend your summer. Taking the time to remove attractants and creating a protective barrier can help to keep your patio free of these pests. If you’re dealing with mosquitoes, our plant-based mosquito control products can help!