How To Get Rid Of Mosquitoes Indoors

We all know how annoying it can be when a perfect outdoor evening is ruined by hungry mosquitoes. But what do you do if they've moved into your house as well? Besides the obvious frustration of batting the bugs away, it's also a health hazard to be bitten by these disease-carrying fiends. Truly life-threatening illnesses like West Nile, Zika, and malaria are all mosquito-borne and it's important to take measures to avoid them.

Most of us know how to combat a mosquito problem outdoors, but there are different steps you can take to make sure the inside of your home remains a safe, mosquito-free haven. Of course, the best strategy is taking preventative measures so that you don't have mosquitoes zipping around your living room in the first place – things such as keeping doors and windows sealed and closed, fixing door and window screens, using a bug zapper, and growing plants that repel mosquitoes – but obviously, if you've come this far, it's probably too late for prevention, and high time for dealing with an existing hassle. Here's what you need to do.

If mosquitoes have found their way into your home despite your preventative efforts, there are many effective ways to get rid of them. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends a weekly cleaning of any items in your home that hold water. This includes plant pots or saucers, pet dishes, and trash receptacles. Mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water and also enjoy dark, humid spaces such as bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens. Extra care in keeping these spaces clean and dry will help ward off these annoying insects.

For a tried-and-true way to banish mosquitoes, you can use an indoor insecticide, also called an adulticide because it kills the adult bugs. You can either hire a pest control expert or buy a water-based aerosol spray or fogger sold at most hardware stores. If you're going to be spraying inside, it's important to make sure you've purchased one that is safe for indoor use and won't cause harm to people or pets. Examples include Ortho Home Defense Flying Insect Killer or Hot Shot Flying Insect Killer.

Another option is to try a larvicide, which kills mosquitoes in their infancy before they become large enough to be biting insects. For indoor use, an effective larvicide product can be found in the Summit Mosquito Dunks, which are non-toxic to humans but should be kept out of reach of children. These can be placed anywhere mosquitoes lay eggs. 

If you're searching for a more natural way to combat your indoor mosquito problem, some believe that candles, oils, and specific herbs placed in the home can help. There is little scientific evidence to back up these claims, but it may be worth a try. It's theorized that mosquitoes avoid scents such as peppermint, lavender, eucalyptus, catnip, thyme, and rosemary, to name a few. One of the best-known scents for warding off mosquitoes is, of course, citronella. Many of these scents are available commercially as essential oils, diffusers, or candles, but can also be grown as herbs, indoors or out. You could also try a commercially available natural mosquito repellent for indoor use made with a combination of these oils. Placing any or all of these natural options in entryways, bedrooms, or just outside your home could be just the deterrent needed for these pesky bugs.

Another natural option is to catch and kill the bugs with an indoor insect trap. There are many types available that employ different technologies to trap and destroy mosquitoes. The Katchy Duo Indoor Insect Trap, for one, uses a UV light and a scented bait trap to lure the bugs in, and a fan to trap them inside where they become stuck to a glue board. Mosquitoes check in, but they don't check out!