For anyone prone to being eaten alive by mosquitos (myself included), the summer months can feel like a never-ending nightmare of itchy skin and antihistamine creams.
But one woman who got sick of suffering at the hands of the annoying insects has come up with the perfect set of tips that could help banish mozzies from your home for good this summer.
Stephanie Nguyen describes herself as a "mosquito magnet", and says that taking simple steps such as having the right plants in your garden or in your home can make all the difference in whether mosquitos make a bee-line for your property.
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Writing for Apartment Therapy, Stephanie said that one of the most important things she's learned in her time as a mosquito magnet is that it's important to protect your home from the outside to stop mozzies coming in to bite you in the first place.
She says that the first step is to get rid of any standing water you might have in your garden or outside space, including any water that might be sitting in bird baths, buckets, or over-watered plant pots.
Mosquitos breed in areas with standing water, so making your garden as dry as possible will help to minimise the number of mozzies that call your outside space their home in the first place.
But one of the most important tricks Stephanie has learned is that planting the right herbs in her garden has helped to deter mosquitos because they don't like the smell - so try planting basil or rosemary.
She said: "I always make sure I have plants that can naturally repel them but are also safe for my dog. While citronella grass is great at keeping mosquitoes away, the plant is actually toxic for pets. Lemon balm, basil, and rosemary are safer options for your furry friends."
You can also try installing bug zappers outside to catch the mosquitos as they attempt to enter your house.
Mosquitos can be attracted to certain people based on their blood type, body temperature, perfume, and whether they are wearing dark clothing, so there are steps you can take to change how appealing you are to a mozzie.
Stephanie says that using a lavender shampoo and conditioner has helped to keep mosquitos at bay as they hate the smell of the flower, while she also uses citronella candles at home so her house smells excellent to her but awful to the blood-sucking insects.
And of course, if she does get bitten, Stephanie makes sure that she always has bug spray and anti-itch cream on hand to tackle the problem before she gets the temptation to scratch.
She said: "If you’re a mosquito magnet like me, I hope this helps you."
Do you have any tips to help keep bugs at bay? Get in touch with us at zahna.eklund@reachplc.com
