Mosquito Control Tips for Your Home
Some tips for you and your family concerning mosquitoes and your home.
Personal protection
During peak biting times (dawn, dusk, and early evening)
- Try to stay inside.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when you go out.
- Loose clothing.
- Light colored clothing.
- Apply insect repellent sparingly to exposed skin. An effective repellent will contain 35% DEET.
- DEET in high concentrations (greater than 35%) provides no additional protection. Repellents may irritate the eyes and mouth, so avoid applying repellent to the hands of children.
- When using repellents always read and follow directions for use as printed on the product.
What you can do to help
- Throw out old tires (you can put out at least 2 per week with the trash).
- Throw out tin cans, buckets, drums, bottles, or any water holding containers.
- Fill in or drain any low places (puddles, ruts) in yard.
- Keep drains, ditches, and culverts clean of weeds and trash, so water will drain properly.
- Cover trash containers to keep out rainwater, and drill holes in bottom of trash containers so any water can drain out.
- Repair leaky pipes and outdoor faucets.
- Empty plastic wading pools at least once a week or store in a position that water will drain.
- Make sure your backyard pool is maintained properly.
- Fill in tree rot holes and hollow stumps that hold water with sand or concrete.
- Change water in bird baths and plant pots or drip trays at least once a week.
- Keep grass cut short and shrubbery well trimmed around the house, so adult mosquitoes will not hide there.
- Keep gutters clean and free of debris and leaves.