What Can I Put in Standing Water to Prevent Mosquitoes?

During mosquito season, you should make sure that your home and yard are free of standing water. This is the ideal time to empty kiddie pools, clean birdbaths, and keep your gutters clear. Leaving them filled with stagnant water can create hundreds of new mosquitoes in a matter of days.

Having a large amount of standing water can be detrimental to your health, as mosquitoes are known to carry many diseases. These diseases can include West Nile Virus, Malaria, and Dengue fever.

The first thing you should do is drain all of your standing water features. This includes any buckets, pots, and old tires. You should also cover your containers so that mosquitoes cannot get to them.

There are also household products that you can use to kill mosquito larvae. One of the most effective methods is to add dish soap or shampoo to the water. This will change the surface tension of the water, which will cause the larvae to drown.

Another method involves using a larvicide, which is a bacterial insecticide. These work by killing the larvae before they reach adulthood. This type of insecticide is safe for people, pets, and plants. You can buy these at your local home improvement store.

You can also use oil to suffocate the larvae. The oil coats the surface of the water and prevents the larvae from breathing. This will dramatically reduce the breeding of mosquitoes.

You can also put lavender inside your home to deter mosquitoes. You can also plant citronella around your house to repel them.