Mosquitoes getting to you? Here are seven tips for protecting yourself from those buzzy, bothersome biters!
What You Do
- Use Insect Repellent
Look for ones with a chemical called DEET—most people agree that these work best. For kids, repellents with smaller amounts of DEET are a good idea. You can also spray the outside of your clothes with a repellent containing the chemical permethrin. If you prefer a non-chemical product, use ones containing oil of lemon eucalyptus. Be sure to follow the directions on any product that you use and don’t let young kids apply it on themselves. - Forget Home Remedies
Eating garlic or other foods or taking certain Vitamin B don’t work! Skip them. - Wear the Right Clothing
Wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing that covers your arms and legs. Dark and bright colors both seem to attract mosquitoes. So wear the most boring clothing you have—such as gray, khaki, white, beige, or olive green. - Ditch the Smelly Stuff
If you’re planning to go outside, avoid using perfume, shampoo, soap, or lotions with a strong scent. Skeeters seem to be attracted to these. - Know When to Stay Inside
Go in when the skeeters are out. Mosquitoes are more common as the sun is going down and at night. So you might want to stay indoors then. - Avoid Popular Mosquito Hangouts
Go where the skeeters aren’t. Mosquitoes like heat, humidity, and still air. That’s why you’ll run into more skeeters in a swamp or damp forest than you will in an open field or windy hilltop. - Hit Mosquitoes Where They Live
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water. So have your family get rid of—or frequently dump out—anything that can hold standing water, such as old tires, buckets, flower pots, and plastic wading pools. And don’t forget to regularly add new water to birdbaths.
