Mosquitoes might seem like nothing but pests to you, but there are strong reasons to get rid of them. These pests can carry serious diseases such as malaria, yellow fever and even dengue. These diseases have been known to take lives. So don't just turn away from them because these aren't just household pests, they're a menace and a danger to your loved ones.



But what form of pest controls or mosquito repellents can you use? If you are pregnant or you have small children, you might rethink about using toxic means or insecticides to repel them. You should consider other forms of mosquito repellent such as natural pest control.

Firstly, you have to understand what attracts mosquitoes. Dark clothing, carbon dioxide, floral or fruity fragrances and moisture are a list of things that mosquitoes gravitate to. What you can do is you can use these things to lure mosquitoes away from you. For example, did you know that you give of more carbon dioxide after you've exercised? Burning a candle or making a small fire as another source of carbon dioxide can be used to attract mosquitoes.

Apart from luring them away, there are natural mosquito repellents that you can use. However unlike regular pest control repellents, these require more frequent reapplication. The best natural mosquito repellents are actually volatile plant oils such as lemongrass oil, citronella oil, cedar oil, caster oil, clove oil, rosemary oil and peppermint oil. Now you don't have to use all of them on yourself, just one but you will have to apply it every 2 hours for it to be effective.

Most of these products can safely be used as mosquito repellents and they work quite well. But before you go about applying them, it's best to check if you could possibly be allergic them. This natural pest control works well in regular environments but they can be less effective if you have sunscreen on or if you've gone swimming.