Does Spraying Mosquito Repellent Work, What To Spray & When

Mosquito Repellent Sprays: Do They Work, Best Time To Spray & Natural Options

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If you spend a lot of time in your backyard each summer with your family you might be asking a few of the following questions:

  • Does spraying your yard for mosquitoes work?
  • What can I spray outside to keep mosquitoes away?
  • When Should I spray my yard for mosquitoes?
  • Homemade & natural sprays
  • What do professionals use to spray for mosquitoes?

Mosquitoes can ruin even the most beautiful summer sunset with their constant buzzing and biting.

But there are a few things you can do to help repel mosquitoes, so stick around because below, we will answer all these questions and even show you a few small tips that will rid your backyard of these tiny pests.

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Let’s begin.

Contents hide
Great Mosquito Repellents That Work
Does Spraying Your Yard For Mosquitoes Work?
What Can I Spray Outside To Keep Mosquitoes Away?
All-Natural Sprays
Synthetic Insecticides
DIY Sprays
When Should I Spray My Yard For Mosquitoes?
Best Time of the Year to Spray
Best Time of the Day
Good DIY Homemade & Natural Sprays
DIY Homemade Mosquito Spray with Lemon and Essential Oils
DIY Homemade, Natural Mosquito Spray with Epsom Salt
What Do Professionals Use To Spray For Mosquitoes?
Bottom Line
Here’s A Few More Way’s To Stop Mosquitoes

Great Mosquito Repellents That Work

Does Spraying Your Yard For Mosquitoes Work?

Nothing can spoil the backyard grilling fun faster than a swarm of mosquitos. Not to mention, it brings along some serious health hazards.

Most homeowners do not find enough protection from burning essential oil candles or planting citronella, so they often resort to spraying the yard.

Most mosquito yard sprays are DIY concentrated liquid or pressurized gas that you can easily use in your yard. In most cases, you will need to purchase an applicator with the yard spray.

But the question is, does spraying your yard for mosquitoes work?

The answer is yes!

Spraying the yard for mosquitoes works.

It helps in reducing the number of grown-up mosquitos. In some cases, a spray can help in killing the eggs and larvae as well. It is also an ideal solution when trying to get rid of mosquitoes outdoors. Spraying is non-toxic and safe for pets and children.

However, it is just one part of the solution. While spraying is effective, its effect is limited when used as the sole measure to get rid of mosquitos. Certain pesticide-resistant mosquitos may survive spraying.

For best results, you need to integrate spraying with other mosquito repelling measures such as clearing up or treating stagnant water, maintaining the bushes and grass in your yard, and clearing out the yard from all sorts of debris and unused items.

Also, it is recommended that you may use BTI, an infectious agent in the soil that can kill the mosquitos.

Once combined with other measures, spraying can give you excellent results.

What Can I Spray Outside To Keep Mosquitoes Away?

You can choose from numerous options available when it comes to what to spray in the yard to keep the mosquitoes away. You can go for an all-natural, milder spray to more synthetic sprays that can kill numerous insects along with mosquitos.

Let’s take a look at some of the possible sprays you can use in your yard.

All-Natural Sprays

You can find numerous all-natural mosquito sprays for your yard containing ingredients such as garlic and cedarwood oil.

While these all-natural sprays are 100% safe for pets and children, they have limited effectiveness and need to be reapplied frequently.

Synthetic Insecticides

Some mosquito sprays are a synthetic version of some natural mosquito repellents. They are more effective and last for several weeks; however, they may contain harsh chemicals that can be dangerous to your eyes and skin.

DIY Sprays

Though you cannot find DIY sprays commercially, you can easily make them at home. Using simple, natural ingredients, you can come up with a mosquito spray that is effective and safe for use.

However, since DIY sprays are usually made from natural ingredients, their effect is often short-lived.

Not that you know the possible options of what you can spray in your yard, let’s move on to the next question.

When Should I Spray My Yard For Mosquitoes?

The timing for the spray is one of the most critical factors affecting the mosquitos in your yard. But this single question can be easily broken down into two separate questions.

  • What time of the year should you spray your yard for mosquitos?
  • What is the best time of the day to spray for mosquitos?

Let’s take a look at each of these questions.

Best Time of the Year to Spray

It is always a good idea to spray long before the mosquito season starts. The idea is to be prepared ahead of time so that you can save your yard from becoming a breeding ground for mosquito eggs.

Well before the start of the summer season, it is a good idea to dry up any stagnant water in your yard. In case there is a pool, make sure the water is chemically treated, so it does not facilitate the growth of larvae.

It is best to spray a layer of insecticide that can kill the eggs and larvae before they turn into a significant mosquito population.

The actual mosquito season varies with temperature. Often mosquitos lay eggs long before spring season somewhere around winters. But the eggs know when to hatch, so they wait for the right temperature. And once the temperature reaches 50 Fahrenheit, the eggs convert into larvae.

So warmer years may see an earlier mosquito season while it may be delayed in colder years. Predicting and proactively spraying your yard is what makes all the difference.

Best Time of the Day

The next question is about the best time of the day. As a general rule, it is best to spray when the mosquitos are most active.

Another key consideration is when the inhabitants, including pets, adults, and children of the house, are least active. This makes early morning or later evening most suitable times of the day to spray your yard for mosquitos.

At these times, the temperature is slightly cooler than it is during the day. Also, mosquitos are most active during the darker hours of the day.

Good DIY Homemade & Natural Sprays

As mentioned earlier, you can choose an all-natural DIY spray to get rid of mosquitos in your yard, and the best part is DIY homemade, and natural sprays are easy to make and cost you peanuts.

Let’s take a look at some of the good DIY homemade and natural sprays for mosquitos.

DIY Homemade Mosquito Spray with Lemon and Essential Oils

This simple DIY homemade spray is highly effective against mosquitos. Also, it is safe for pets, children, and other beneficial insects for your plants.

Let’s take a look at the ingredients and how it is made.

Ingredients (For 4 oz. solution)

  • ½ cup lemons
  • 8 tbsp. vanilla essence
  • 40 drops of essential oil (you can choose between oils of lavender, citronella, geranium or patchouli

Instructions

Add all ingredients in a bowl and stir together. Add this mixture in a spray bottle, and it is good to go.

How to Use?

In your yard, you can spray this mixture on areas where you want to repel mosquitos. Whether you have supper in your yard or a small friends gathering later at night, you can spray the benches, plants, grass, and voila! You can enjoy a mosquito-free evening.

But don’t forget to shake the spray bottle before each use.

DIY Homemade, Natural Mosquito Spray with Epsom Salt

Another highly effective homemade, natural mosquito spray can be made using Epsom salt. Find out how to make it.

Ingredients (For 64 oz. solution)

  • 1, 16-ounce bottle of mint-flavored mouthwash
  • 3 cups of Epsom salt
  • 3, 12-ounce beer

Instructions

Add all ingredients in a large bowl and continue to stir until the salt is dissolved.

Add this mixture in a spray bottle, and it is ready for use.

How to Use?

Shake the spray bottle and use it on benches, and other areas of the yard that are free of plants. While the solution is safe for grass, avoid this spray directly on flowering plants.

Related:

What Do Professionals Use To Spray For Mosquitoes?

Professionals may go for an all-natural spray for mosquitoes or choose a synthetic spray, but they would never go for a DIY homemade spray. Most professionals use bifenthrin insecticide.

These insecticides are safe for use, act on a variety of insects, do not leave any odor, and are useful in the long run.

However, these insecticides are not safe for children.

Also, since professionals are trained, they know exactly what type of spray your yard needs and how frequently.

Based on their experience with nature, they can decide on the best strategy to spray in your yard. They may also combine spraying with other treatment combinations, such as treating the water or clearing up the debris in your yard.

Another advantage of hiring professionals is that they know all potential secret spots that are mosquito favorites, so they hunt them down and treat these locations.

Bottom Line

You can go for an all-natural commercially available spray or a synthetic one, or you may even create your mosquito repellent spray at home and enjoy an excellent, mosquito-free evening in your yard.

Here’s A Few More Way’s To Stop Mosquitoes

Jack Dempsey
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