Mosquitoes don’t irritate us by its buzzing sound only, it can also spread various harmful diseases. If they get in your home once, it’s really difficult to get rid of them.
There are various kinds of mosquito repellents that can be found in the market, but the cost-free, hassle-free and most effective way will be using essential oil.
Eucalyptus to repel mosquito
The overpowering mint and citrus kind of smell of eucalyptus is highly disliked by mosquitoes which makes it a mosquito repellent. Eucalyptus oil works as an insect repellent as it contains various toxic compounds. It can give longer protection by creating a barrier between home and mosquito.
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Among the natural repellents to deter mosquitoes and insects, eucalyptus is widely popular. It has been used from ancient times as an effective natural repellent. It creates a barrier between the house and the mosquitoes and prevents them from entering inside.
It repels mosquitoes by producing an incentive fragrant smell that mosquitoes highly dislike.
Actually, it’s the essential oil released from eucalyptus leaves, which is concentrated with various chemical elements eucalyptol, cineole, aromatic phenol which produce the acute smell and works to repel mosquitoes.
Lemon eucalyptus:
Lemon eucalyptus is one of the effective natural repellents for its acute smell. It can work so well that Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has marked it as one of the best insect repellents.
From a study, it has been published that for the first 3 hours, it can effectively repel 95% mosquitoes and for the next 3 hours it will work 70-80% efficiently. Even its effectiveness can be compared with DEET, the best chemical used to repel mosquitoes.
Eucalyptus candles:
Eucalyptus candles are highly enriched with eucalyptus extract and different kinds of essential oils. It can work pretty well to repel mosquitoes from the house. However, for outdoor uses eucalyptus candles won’t be a right choice.
As long as the eucalyptus candles burn, it’ll keep mosquitoes away. But it will only effectively deter mosquitoes for a maximum of 1 meter. A eucalyptus candle can work 65% efficiently to deter mosquitoes.
Eucalyptus tree:
Eucalyptus trees are not very useful to deter mosquitoes. The reason is, the leaves of the tree can’t produce as much strong scent as the eucalyptus oil can produce. But it can help to create a barrier and will help to keep mosquitoes at bay.
If you crush the leaves and place it inside the house, it will release its oil and work well.
Eucalyptus mulch:
It’s not yet proven if eucalyptus mulch is effective to deter mosquitoes or not. But as it contains essential oil in some content, it also can produce a strong smell and that’s why, it is assumed that it also helps to keep mosquitoes away.
Eucalyptus mulch more effectively deter termites, fleas and bugs more effectively than mosquitoes.
Eucalyptus scent:
It’s the eucalyptus scent which is the main reason why mosquitoes dislike it. Eucalyptus scent is overpowering for mosquitoes and they find the smell very unpleasant and irritating.
Mosquitoes can get the smell from a long distance and it sends them a danger signal to avoid the place.
Eucalyptus oil:
Eucalyptus oil is highly responsible for producing the powerful fragrant. The oil is highly concentrated with various organic and chemical compounds that work as an insect repellent. Eucalyptus oil can be used particularly or by making a spray by mixing other essential oils.
Even using barely in the skin, you can keep mosquitoes away from you.
How effective is eucalyptus in repelling mosquitoes?
As mosquitoes are highly sensitive to strong scent, they dislike the overpowering scent of eucalyptus. The smell of eucalyptus comes from its oil which is highly concentrated with a few toxic components that work as an insect repellent.
Even the leaves, mulch also bear the acute smell which helps to deter mosquitoes from the garden area. Crushing the leaves of the eucalyptus tree, it can be kept indoors to prevent mosquitoes from entering the house.
To repel mosquitoes, there’s no other potential natural repellents than eucalyptus. Mosquitoes can get the smell from a distance. When they find the smell, the nerves send a danger signal to their brain to leave the place.
From research, it has found that eucalyptus extract is as effective as DEET. Also it can be a long lasting protector to keep mosquitoes away. It can 93-97% work efficiently for a minimum 6 hours to repel mosquitoes and even other bugs and insects.
Why do mosquitoes dislike eucalyptus?
Certain distinct odors deter mosquitoes. Eucalyptus has a strong mosquito-repelling scent and is therefore employed in this way, with great success.
The smell of eucalyptus is very strong, smelling like a combination of mint and citrus to some people, and it serves as a mosquito deterrent. Mosquitoes find this type of fragrance intolerable, so they tend to avoid the area where eucalyptus oil or its solution is sprayed.
The presence of eucalyptus oil, its spray, or its leaves disorients mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes find the smell unpleasant:
Since mosquitoes don’t enjoy the smell of eucalyptus, they are readily put off by it. In addition, since eucalyptus masks the scent that mosquitoes use to locate objects, they are prevented from doing so.
Eucalyptus emits a strong lemony perfume that mosquitoes find repulsive and which is not actually tolerated by their delicate noses.
It contains repelling chemical compounds:
The compounds that eucalyptus emits appear to divert mosquitoes off their course and help prevent them from entering nearby places. In addition, mosquitoes are deterred from finding humans and biting by this strong odor.
In order to reproduce, mosquitoes release chemicals that help them find mates. However, when eucalyptus is used, this process is hindered because the citrus scent obscures the chemicals released by mosquitoes, helping to repel them nonetheless.
How to use eucalyptus oil to repel mosquitoes?
Eucalyptus oil can be combined with other essential oils, such as citronella or clove oil, to increase its potency. In addition, you can make a potent eucalyptus solution with a lot more concentrated eucalyptus oil to ward off mosquitoes.
There are several ways to make eucalyptus oil, which has a strong scent and is very effective in keeping mosquitoes away, more potent. To increase the effectiveness of eucalyptus oil, do the following:
Making of an effective eucalyptus spray mixture:
Making eucalyptus sprays is a quick and efficient method of mosquito repulsion. To create this solution, only a few simple steps must be taken. The first step is to grab a brand-new spray bottle or container.
Then, using a measuring cup, add six to seven drops of eucalyptus oil to the spray bottle. To make this more effective, add water equal to one-third of the spray bottle. Any other strongly scented ingredient, such as vinegar or garlic, can be added.
These are a few simple steps to increase the eucalyptus’ effectiveness in warding off all types of mosquitoes.
Adding essential oils:
In addition to eucalyptus oil, there are some other essential oils that are very effective at repelling mosquitoes.
Adding additional essential oils, such as citronella or clove oil, will accelerate the eucalyptus oil’s action and extend the period during which mosquitoes are kept at bay.
Four to five drops of essential oils are needed, along with five to six drops of eucalyptus oil and water to fill up one-third of the spray container. It is now necessary to thoroughly shake the mixture and wait for a few hours.
This remedy is ready to use in house corners or other places where mosquitoes cluster after four to five hours of waiting.
Which other essential oils are best to repel mosquitoes?
Other than eucalyptus oil, which is a proven natural mosquito repellent, other oils, including citronella, rosemary, and clove oil, are also thought to have similar properties.
Because they also produce potent scents, which is the key factor in the effectiveness of these objects to repel mosquitoes. Eucalyptus or other essential oils, such as citronella, rosemary, or lavender oil, when sprayed alone or in combination, distract mosquitoes.
Citronella oil:
Citronella is a potently scented oil that works by emitting scents that cause mosquitoes to flee or become distracted when it is kept in an area where they commonly congregate.
Lavender oil:
Due to the chemical compound linalool, lavender oil produces a nose-prickling scent which mosquitoes dislike. Therefore, lavender oil is well known for its potent mosquito repellent effects.
Clove oil:
Another powerful natural mosquito repellent, clove oil is used to ward off pesky flying insects. It can keep mosquitoes away for at least five to six hours.
Final Thoughts
Eucalyptus contains oil which is highly concentrated with various organic and chemical compounds, producing an overpowering mint and citrus smell that mosquitoes hardly can hold. It serves as an effective mosquito repellent like DEET and for a longer period protects from mosquitoes.