Keeping mosquitoes away at night can be difficult, especially if you want to do it in a natural way with a home remedy. If you have ever been outside during the evening or nighttime when the weather is warm, you are no doubt familiar with the frenzy mosquitoes enter after daylight fades. Most mosquitoes in the United States are most active following dusk (even if there are a few who still fly during the day.)
With so many mosquitoes waiting to prey on you and your loved ones, it can be hard to open the windows to allow in a cool night breeze or keep mosquitoes from flying inside when you open outside doors. You’ll have to find a viable solution to keep mosquitoes after the sun goes down if you hope to truly enjoy your summer nights. Luckily, I’ve done the research and tested a few natural home remedies to repel mosquitoes even during their peak activity hours.
While there are a multitude of chemical solutions available to keep mosquitoes away from you at night, I prefer a more natural approach. If you have children or pets to worry about, the last thing you want to do is introduce something potentially harmful into their environment while trying to keep them safe from mosquitoes. The eight solutions in this list don’t introduce any unnatural, potentially harmful products and many of them are common (and easy to obtain) household items or practices!
Keeping Mosquitoes Away At Night
We’ve collected eight simple, natural home remedies for keeping mosquitoes away at night. While there are many other ways to keep mosquitoes from bothering you after the sun sets, I believe these eight methods are the most efficient. We will be discussing the following solutions in this article:
- Invest In A Bed Canopy
- Try An Oscillating Fan
- Install Screening Doors and Windows
- Regularly Change Sheets and Vacuuming
- Sleeping With Dim Lighting
- Use Sage
- DIY Mosquito Repellent Cream
- Electric Mosquito Repellents
If you’re interested in learning how these eight natural remedies can keep mosquitoes away, I invite you to please keep reading below. We also have a few other tips and tricks to ensure you never have to worry about mosquitoes bothering you after sunset again.
How Can You Keep Mosquitoes From Biting You When You Sleep?
A few simple preventative measures can keep you bite-free during the night. Wearing long pajamas to bed can work wonders at protecting you from any mosquitoes that may find you after bedtime. Also, consider showering before bed and diffusing essential oils to repel mosquitoes and keep them from biting while you sleep.
Your nighttime routine plays a big role in whether or not mosquitoes will be attracted to and able to bite you while you sleep. If you find yourself waking up with itchy mosquito bites on exposed legs or arms, try swapping to pajamas that provide more coverage. Wearing pants or a robe to bed will protect you from mosquito bites. If you live in an area that’s very hot at night, you can always wear long pajamas and only use a thin bed sheet instead of shorter pajamas and heavier blankets. Look for pajamas that are more form-fitting so they won’t ride up during the night and expose your flesh to mosquitoes.
Before putting on your new full-coverage pajamas, take a shower. Mosquitoes are attracted to the smell of sweat and a long day of work will have you smelling very appetizing to them. If you still want to shower and complete your full hygiene routine in the mornings, you can always just do a quick rinse before going to bed. Also, applying antiperspirant will keep any night sweating at a minimum.
You should also look into purchasing an essential oil diffuser if you don’t already have one. Diffusing certain essential oils will repel mosquitoes, thus eliminating any biting they may do while you sleep. As a bonus, the essential oils can even help you get to sleep quicker and have a more restful night! The following essential oils are great to diffuse to keep mosquitoes away: citronella, lemon, basil, peppermint, clove, thyme, lavender, eucalyptus, and geranium. Just make sure to read the warning label on the essential oil if you have pets that sleep in the room with you as some essential oils should not be diffused around animals.
How To Keep Mosquitoes Away While Sleeping
Creating an environment that isn’t suited for mosquitoes is an effective way to keep mosquitoes at bay while you are resting. Physical barriers can be paired with tools like oscillating fans to ensure mosquitoes can’t get close. DIY and herbal remedies will also keep mosquitoes from bothering you at night ever again.
These eight solutions will keep mosquitoes from biting you while you sleep. I personally believe in the effectiveness of each remedy and know that using them will help not only keep mosquitoes away, but can also help you eliminate any mosquitoes that may be hiding inside your home. When combined with our tips for keeping mosquitoes from biting you while you sleep, you’ll never have to worry about those pesky bloodsuckers again! Instead, you’ll be able to enjoy mosquito-free nights even during the height of mosquito activity.
1: Bed Canopy
One sure fire to keep mosquitoes from biting you at night is to invest in a bed canopy. This useful netting can be easily hung around your bed and acts as a barrier to keep away any mosquitoes that look to make you a meal during the night. You can purchase these canopies in a variety of sizes so that they will comfortably protect any size bed. This bed canopy from Faswin is easy to hang around your bed and has not been treated with any potentially harmful chemicals. Instead, bed canopies rely on a tight mesh design that physically shields you from mosquitoes.
2: Oscillating Fan
Mosquitoes are naturally weak fliers and tend to avoid areas where flying may be difficult for them. An easy way to repel mosquitoes during the night is to use an electric fan. The fan creates wind flow that will create a hurdle for the mosquito to overcome if they are trying to find you at night. By using an oscillating fan, you are creating a wider area of wind flow and therefore a wider area of protection. As an added bonus, using a fan at night instead of running the air conditioning can cut down on cooling costs and the gentle noise of the fan can help you get to sleep!
3: Screening Doors and Windows
Mosquitoes will seize any and all opportunities available to fly into your home. When the sun sets, you should be especially vigilant about how long you leave doors and windows open in order to prevent more mosquitoes from making their way inside. I strongly recommend also investing in screens for your doors and windows (this screen for your door has a magnetic closure that automatically snaps shut after you pass through) that will create a physical barrier that mosquitoes cannot pass through. Similar to the bed canopy, these screens need no chemicals to work and instead rely on their mere presence.
4: Regularly Changing Sheets and Vacuuming
We should all make sure we are properly cleaning our homes in order to prevent unwanted pests from making our homes their homes as well. Mosquitoes are attracted to the smell of sweat and dead skin cells, both of which are quickly collected in your bedsheets. Regularly changing and washing your bedsheets will reduce the attractant for hungry mosquitoes. Ideally, you should change your sheets at least once a week but bi-weekly will suffice. After changing your sheets, make sure to vacuum thick carpets where mosquitoes could be hiding. Use an attachment to get into corners and behind headboards as well to ensure no pests escape your cleaning.
5: Sleeping with Dim Lighting
Are you willing to invest in an eye mask and an LED nightlight? Sleeping with some sort of lighting can actually repel mosquitoes. LED bulbs don’t emit very much UV light and they don’t emit as much heat as other forms of light do. You can easily purchase some LED nightlights that automatically sense when light begins to fade and turn on or replace your existing light bulbs with energy efficient LED bulbs. The dim light will keep mosquitoes from feasting on you at night and they will also provide some gentle light so you don’t stub your toe in the middle of the night if you need to get up.
6: Use Sage
Sage is an extremely useful herb to have in your arsenal when it comes to keeping mosquitoes away from you at night. If you are interested in growing a bit on your windowsill (or purchasing some in bulk), you can create your own herb bundles to be used in repelling mosquitoes. Bundle some sage together and tie it with twine, then hang for a week to allow it to dry. After the sage is dried, you can burn it in fire-resistant trays or use it as a smudge stick shortly before you head to sleep in bedrooms you want to keep mosquitoes away from. You can also add in a bit of lavender and mint for more effectiveness.
7: DIY Mosquito Repellent Cream
You can make a simple mosquito repellent cream to apply before bed to keep mosquitoes away during the night. To make this DIY mosquito repellent cream, you’ll need: 1/4 cup and 1 Tbsp beeswax pellets, 1/4 cup and 2 Tbsp coconut oil, 3/4 tsp baking soda, 3/4 cup distilled water, 1/4 tsp Vitamin E oil, 10 drops of citronella and eucalyptus. Melt the beeswax, Vitamin E, and coconut oil over low heat; bring the water to almost boiling, then stir in the baking soda and remove from heat. Pour the water-baking soda mix slowly into the beeswax-oil mix while using a hand mixer to combine the two. Place the mix in an ice bath and add in the essential oils, then stir as it cools. You can use this cream like any other body lotion and it will keep mosquitoes from bothering you at night.
8: Electric Mosquito Repellents
If you are looking for a simple solution for repelling mosquitoes at night that you can plug in and forget about, consider trying an electric mosquito repellent. The Neatmaster Bug Repellent is extremely useful at keeping mosquitoes at bay and can easily be hidden in a forgotten corner or concealed by a piece of furniture. They are most useful when at least one is installed in every room, but if you don’t want to go that far, just using them in bedrooms would also provide adequate repellent. The electric mosquito repellents work by using bionic, electromagnetic, or ultrasonic waves to repel mosquitoes without bothering people or pets.
What Keeps Mosquitoes Away Naturally?
When looking to naturally repel mosquitoes, focus on creating an environment that is not suitable or sustainable for mosquitoes to live in. Remove any stagnant water and tall plants to reduce their ability to lay eggs or hide from the sun. You can also purchase several types of plants that naturally repel mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes rely on standing water to lay their eggs and grow their larvae. Bird baths that are left unattended or potted plants that collect water are two culprits that commonly attract mosquitoes to people’s homes. If you have any standing water in your yard, change it regularly to destroy any mosquito eggs that may be inside. Remove anywhere that water collects (like old watering cans) and routinely clean gutters or other areas that collect water. If your yard doesn’t drain properly after rain, consider installing a french drain (or other drainage systems) to reduce puddles that could attract mosquitoes.
While you remove stagnant water, also remove any overgrown foliage. Regularly mowing your lawn and using a weed wacker will destroy any hiding places mosquitoes may use to avoid the sun. Maintaining a tidy landscape will naturally repel mosquitoes as they will find your yard unsuitable to stay in for any length of time.
If you really want to make sure mosquitoes stay away and you enjoy gardening, you should also look into mosquito repellent plants. We’ve already created a list of 21 plants that will mosquitoes away from your yard. Some of these plants (like thyme, rosemary, and garlic) are even common kitchen ingredients! Others (like lavender, marigold, and geraniums) can add some beautiful color to your lawn while also repelling unwanted mosquitoes.
Are Mosquitoes More Active Or Worse At Night?
Mosquitoes prefer hunting for prey when it is cool outside, so they are much more active at night than they are during the day. The chances of being bitten by a mosquito drastically increases after the sun goes down. In most places, the majority of mosquitoes will be most active during the first few hours after sunset.
Common house mosquitoes and many other species of mosquito hit peak activity times during the night. Mosquitoes are more likely to die during the day as the sun exposure dehydrates them more quickly and leads to death. Mosquitoes tend to seek out cool, shaded areas when the sun is up so they are protected from its harmful rays. Once the sun goes down, they will emerge from their hiding places hungry and ready to eat. This means the first few hours of the evening are some of the worst times you can be outside, because there are many hungry mosquitoes flying around who have been waiting all day for a meal.
That being said, there are all several species of mosquito that don’t mind being out during the day. There are also certain times of the year known as “mosquito seasons” where you are more likely to encounter and be bitten by a mosquito. Adequately researching the mosquito population in your area is vital so you know when mosquitoes will be most active and require you to better protect yourself against them. Always wear proper protective clothing and use repellents to reduce the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes.
Getting An Indoor Mosquito Trap
If all else fails or if you want additional protection against mosquitoes in your home at night, consider investing in an indoor mosquito trap. This insect trap from Katchy works wonders at handling any stray mosquitoes who may have made it past your careful preparations. This trap uses a UV light to lure them to the trap, where they are captured by a sticky glue board and remain until you clean the trap by exchanging the old glue board for a replacement (the amount of time between cleanings depends on how many mosquitoes you have to trap.) It is completely safe to use around all family members and pets and does not emit any sort of toxic odor. It does quietly hum when turned on, but the sound is no more intrusive than a computer’s hum and is a small price to pay for destroying any mosquitoes wandering around your home.
Mosquitoes can be a terror when they manage to get inside your home and attack you during the night. Hopefully, this article now has you well-informed about keeping mosquitoes away and you’ll be able to prevent their intrusion in the future. If you are interested in other ways you can repel mosquitoes, please head on over to our recommended products page for more great tools to keep your home mosquito-free. The next time you feel a mosquito’s bite after bedtime, I hope you’ll use the eight ways listed above to keep those flying pests away. With just a bit of prep work and upkeep, pesky mosquitoes biting you during the night will become a thing of the past!
