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Does Irish Spring Soap Repel Mosquitoes? (Explained)

Mosquitoes are hazardous for health. They bear the virus of dangerous diseases and can cause rashes or allergies in the skin by biting. Additionally, if they once find the way to your house and property it’ll be difficult to get rid of them. 

So, you’ll have to choose a powerful deterrent to deter them effectively and permanently.

Irish spring soap to repel mosquitoes:

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) didn’t approve Irish spring soap yet as a mosquito repellent as it’s not an effective one. It contains potent chemical components with an acute minty and citrusy aroma that can deter mosquitoes to some extent but it lacks several other essential ingredients. 

Irish spring soap was not created to be a mosquito repellent soap, despite the fact that it does contain some ingredients that could help to repel mosquitoes. 

Instead, it acts as a deodorant soap to prevent any unpleasant odors because it contains mint and other aromas and because the perfume it releases can have some impact on mosquitoes’ sensitive noses to dissuade them. However, it is commonly ineffective to deter insects. 

Before soap can be used as a secure insect repellent, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must give its approval. It cannot be used as a mosquito repellent for sure because they did not approve it for that function. 

This Irish soap is not a mosquito repellent soap and lacks several essential ingredients, so it should not be used as the only cure in any location that has been infected with harmful mosquitoes.

However, some claim they have successfully repelled mosquitoes after using it to repel them in addition to using it as a treatment by leaving the soap outside or by scattering the soap’s bits around to repel mosquitoes and other bugs. 

Perhaps Irish soap has a potent chemical component that interacts with mosquitoes, or perhaps the soap’s potent aroma is what repels mosquitoes the most. 

A considerable amount of specific compounds, such as DEET or picaridin, which both claim to be effective against mosquitoes, is required for a soap to qualify as a mosquito repellent. 

Even while some people have claimed success using Irish soap to repel mosquitoes, it cannot be classified as a mosquito repellent soap because it lacks essential components.

Common ingredients in Irish soap include sodium tallowate, glycerol, a few hydrocarbons, and scents like mint and eucalyptus. Eucalyptus and mint have a repellent effect on mosquitoes, so this soap does have some effect on them. 

However, because it has not been tested as a mosquito repellent and lacks many other ingredients, such as DEET or picaridin, it is not as effective as soap that contains these ingredients. Therefore, this soap should only be used temporarily to keep mosquitoes away. 

However, because it was not designed to be a mosquito repellent, it has limited effect.

What is Irish spring soap made of?

Water, glycerol, fatty acids, fragrances, and cleaning as well as foaming agents are the main ingredients in all basic soaps. Irish soap therefore contains the same soap’s ingredients, with sodium tallowate serving as the primary ingredient

Added to it was hydrogenated tallow acid, a skin conditioner. In addition, it contains a lot of fragrance, which is the major reason for its potent aroma, which is what offers deodorant soap it’s citrus or flowery scent.

This citrusy, flowery potent aroma is responsible for making it a mosquito repellent to some extent. Mosquitoes find the repulsive smell very acute and hard to handle which is why it can work to repel mosquitoes. 

However, it’s not the most effective solution, but temporarily it can be used with some precautions. Additionally, in order to retain moisture, glycerol is added. Moreover, it includes sodium chloride, Laurel sulfate, and water, along with coconut acid as additions. 

These are the ingredients that are in an Irish soap.

What kind of soap repels mosquitoes?

Mosquitoes can be repelled by citronella-containing soaps, such as natural citronella soap or chemical soaps like permethrin soaps. Since mosquitoes dislike these fragrances, soaps with citronella or lemongrass are effective against them. 

In addition, the scent of these potently perfumed soaps diverts mosquitoes from their search for humans by concealing the scent that they used to locate people, making them an effective mosquito repellent.

In addition, using these potently perfumed soaps while bathing poses no risks; in fact, the glycerin in them moisturizes the skin while warding off mosquitoes, making natural soaps infused with citronella or lemongrass oil effective insect repellents. 

Since neem has anti-mosquito properties and is occasionally used as an antiseptic owing to any inflammation from mosquito bites, soaps mixed with neem oil are also beneficial. Permethrin soaps are another option for repellents besides natural soaps.

The Permethrin soap: 

Because permethrin has anti-mosquito properties, any soap that contains permethrin is effective at repelling mosquitoes and will do so for a set amount of time. 

Permethrin soap leaves a lingering scent on the skin after bathing or washing, masking the scent of perspiration and preventing mosquitoes from locating their target to bite. In addition to the smell, the mosquito escapes by becoming preoccupied. 

This thus makes it effective to be used against mosquitoes.

The neem soap: 

Neem works well as a mosquito repellent, so soaps that contain it will keep mosquitoes away. Neem typically offers protection by interacting chemically with mosquitoes to repel them. 

Neem is not only good against mosquito bites, but its smell also deters mosquitoes from approaching since it masks their sense receptors.

The Citronella soap: 

Citronella oil-infused soaps give off a lemony scent that repels mosquitoes and is also effective against them. In addition, soaps have anti mosquito properties that keep mosquitoes away by interacting with them when they approach to bite.

5 tips to repel mosquitoes away from your home and garden:

Mosquitoes not only irritate us but also carry a variety of harmful diseases. Deterring mosquitoes can be time-consuming and you’ll have to patiently wait. There are many natural powerful mosquito repellents you can use that will work great. 

However, you’ll also need some precautionary measures. To repel mosquitoes away from your home and garden follow the ideas given below: 

Eliminate stagnant water around the house: 

Stagnant, non-chlorinated water can be found in your backyard, flower pot, buckets, trash, lids, children’s toy, drain, in an inflatable pool or any other lying things. These places are their favorite place to take shelter and female mosquitoes lay their eggs in it. 

Eliminating the stagnant water from the backyard will eventually help to reduce the number of mosquitoes from your house and property. Prevent any standing water collection from the property and poor drainage has to be repaired. 

Plant mosquito deterring trees on the property: 

There are hundreds of options for natural repellents that are very effective against mosquitoes. Essential oil containing strong smelling trees will be the best choice. 

Eucalyptus, citronella, peppermint, spearmint, lavender, lemon grass etc. plants work successfully to create a barrier between the garden and mosquito. They work to distract mosquitoes and don’t let them enter the area. 

As mosquitoes can’t hold their strong fragrance for a long time and find the smell toxic due to the presence of chemical compounds in the oils extracted from the leaves, these mosquito repelling trees work as a danger signal to them and efficiently deter them.

Besides, various kinds of insect repelling herbs like mint, rosemary, marigolds, basil also deter mosquitoes greatly. 

Yellow insect repelling lights: 

Yellow lights are specially designed for repelling mosquitoes. White bulbs sometimes attract bugs and mosquitoes in your home so, ensuring yellow will be a great idea to decrease the amount of mosquitoes from your property. 

In fact, it’ll not only repel mosquitoes or bugs but also will create a great ambiance in your home. 

Potential mosquito repellent spray: 

Essential oils diluted with water can work as a potent mosquito repelling spray. Cedar wood oil will be the most effective one as it contains various organic and chemical compounds that efficiently work deterring mosquitoes and the larvae. 

Clove, lemongrass, and geraniol oil can also be mixed in the spray. However, adding garlic by crushing in the mixture will help to make it a more powerful mosquito repellent spray. 

Lighting mosquito repelling candles: 

Cedar oil and citronella candles can be used indoors as mosquito repellent. When these candles are burnt, cedar and citronella essential oils bring out a very incentive fragrant which mosquitoes highly dislike and mark it as a danger signal. 

These candles can also be made easily by DIY techniques; just you’ll need wax and the essential oils. However, these candles don’t give proper protection as they only cover 1m. 

Final thought

Irish spring soap is not a potential mosquito repellent if compared to other effective mosquito repellents. In fact, it was not designed to be a mosquito repellent. However, for the acute flowery and mint smell of the soap, it can successfully decrease the number of mosquitoes.