Send Mosquitoes Flying Away From You With A Common Kitchen Spice

Everyone who loves spending time outside, whether it be tending to the backyard garden, backpacking through the forest, or anything in between, knows that sometimes even the tiniest of creatures can put the biggest damper on an otherwise enjoyable experience. Given they are found on every continent except Antarctica, most often, the tiny creatures that crash the party are mosquitoes.

This has led to an entire industry dedicated to creating chemical compounds to combat mosquitoes. However, many outdoor enthusiasts have begun looking for less toxic ways to enjoy pest-free excursions. To that end, there are a number of DIY natural solutions to repel mosquitoes from campsites, methods to banish mosquitoes from your backyard with baking staples, and even some natural insect repellents that can be applied to your body. Most of these are concocted from items you can easily pluck from your garden, yard, or pantry. You can also look to your spice rack for a solution to send mosquitoes flying away from you with a common kitchen spice. If you have cloves on hand, you are already armed with one of nature's most powerful mosquito repellents.

Cloves are a spice commonly found in most household spice racks. It is most often used to make drinks such as apple cider, desserts like pumpkin pie, or for meat rubs and marinades. The cloves utilized in culinary pursuits are actually the dried flower buds from clove trees. They are known not just for their powerful taste but also their strong aroma.

So, how exactly does the spice used to perk up your apple cider help control mosquitoes? Cloves contain an element known as eugenol, which has been proven to kill mosquito larvae when added to areas of standing water, providing long-term reduction to mosquito populations in isolated areas. This is particularly helpful for backyard mosquito control. However, eugenol has also proved to be an effective repellent for adult mosquitoes. In fact, some studies have suggested it is as effective as DEET, the chemical compound used in most commercially available mosquito repellent products. Essentially, outdoor enthusiasts are able to effectively use cloves to help with both long-term and immediate mosquito control.

Cloves can be employed in various ways to control and repel mosquitoes. As a mosquito repellent, apply cloves directly to skin or use it to repel mosquitos from an area, such as a backyard patio or campsite. For the former, clove oil can be made into a repellent spray by mixing a drop or two with other ingredients such as alcohol or witch hazel, vinegar, or eucalyptus. 

However, even though cloves are a natural ingredient, they can severely irritate the skin, so it is critical to dilute them into a solution, which can be accomplished by adding distilled water to your mix. Those not wishing to have clove oil in contact with their skin can also carry cloves in a small pouch or in the pockets of their clothing.

To keep an area mosquito-free, cloves can be sprinkled about campsites, picnic areas, or other places where people gather. Another suggestion is to place cloves or clove oil in a bucket of water. The scent emanating should help repel the mosquitos. Since it is a larvicide, it will also prevent any mosquito larvae from getting into the water. Some suggest adding a floating citronella candle to the bucket to aid in its effectiveness. For long-term control around the house, drop a few cloves or drops of clove oil in any areas of standing water around the yard to kill mosquito larvae before they hatch.