Can one use Listerine as a mosquito repellent? Does homemade mosquito repellent for the yard with mouthwash work? This is what this article is about.
As you read through, you’ll get to understand how Listerine measures up as a mosquito repellent. If it does kill these pests, how is it used?
All of that will be discussed right here.
Listerine Repellent For Mosquitoes
An increasing number of pest control techniques use common household products. Such products range from cooking, ornamental as well as those for personal hygiene.
While there are claims by users about their efficacy, it remains to be seen whether such claims are proven, or have any element of truth.
Listerine is one common product for personal hygiene found in homes. This mouthwash has been promoted as not only helping fight oral bacteria, and freshen breath, but also as an insecticide for mosquitoes.
About Listerine Bug Spray
Listerine is an over-the-counter mouthwash product that helps kill bacteria and germs in the mouth. These bacteria are those most responsible for bad breath.
As an oral hygiene product, it supplements brushing which is the primary type of oral hygiene. However, that’s not where our focus is.
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Mouthwash for Mosquitoes
The last thing you’ll find on Listerine is its use for pest control. In other words, this oral hygiene product isn’t designed for mosquito control.
If so, what’s the link between this product and mosquito control? Can such benefit be derived from Listerine? This is a vital question a lot of people will ask.
What Other Uses Does Listerine Have?
For some people, Listerine is considered as being more than a mouthwash.
This product is used to treat body odor, treat dry & cracked heels, for clearing acne, as a cleaner (toilet & floors), as well as for sanitizing laundry.
Its other uses include lice treatment, and curing athlete’s foot.
Listerine is used for reducing dandruff, whitening of yellow nails, and treatment of jock itch. Out of these many uses, the one that comes close to what’s being discussed here is its pest repellent effect (treatment of head lice).
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Does Listerine Provide Any Real Results?
We’ve listed many uses for Listerine.
A lot of people actually use this product for these purposes. However, the truth is the efficacy of Listerine for any other use outside of what it’s intended for cannot be verified.
In a nutshell, the chances of Listerine being effective for such purposes are pretty slim.
Does Listerine Repel Mosquitoes?
There are conflicting accounts about the efficacy of Listerine as a potential mosquito repellent.
While some say it does repel mosquitoes due to the presence of eucalyptus which is also a constituent ingredient of certain insecticide products, other claims are quite contrary.
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Does Listerine keep mosquitoes away?
In other words, there’s hardly overwhelming support for Listerine as a mosquito repellent. So, how does one know whether it does repel mosquitoes or not?
It’s easy! You only need to try out this treatment. You have absolutely nothing to lose.
All you have to do is pour some Listerine into a spray bottle and apply it to these pests.
What’s the Rationale for Using Listerine for Repelling Mosquitoes?
Before using any pest control method, you must try to vary whether the explanations make sense. There must be reasons why a certain product should repel targeted pests.
For Listerine, such explanations come from its constituent ingredients.
As stated earlier, Listerine contains eucalyptol.
This (eucalyptol) is also an ingredient added to some insecticide products. While this is true, you must consider and compare the concentration of eucalyptol in Listerine and those in insecticide products.
Eucalyptol only constitutes less than 1% of the ingredients in Listerine. Other ingredients in Listerine include alcohol, and water, etc. for certain pesticides, eucalyptol content can be as high as 75% concentration.
This gives a clear idea about the likely inefficacy of Listerine as a mosquito repellent.
Mouthwash Mosquito Repellent: Does It Work?
Using Listerine as a mosquito repellent may give you some results. However, the truth remains; it cannot be depended on as a comprehensive repellent or mosquito treatment.
That isn’t good enough for persons seeking to keep their homes free of mosquitoes.
With comprehensive results being hardly attainable, it’s necessary to look at methods that really work. What natural remedies can be deployed for effective mosquito control?
Thankfully there are several. A number of these treatment strategies can be combined for effective results. It all depends on the treatments you’re most comfortable with.
What Else Can be Used Instead of Listerine?
Since Listerine has its many downsides, it’s necessary to consider other natural treatment options.
Lots of these are available and can either supplement Listerine use or replace them. So, what are these other treatments? They include growing mosquito repellent plants and applying apple cider vinegar.
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Growing Mosquito Repellent Plants
Certain plants have been found to have mosquito repellent properties.
These plants include floss flower, citronella, garlic, basil, lavender, marigold, lemongrass, lemon balm, sage, catnip, peppermint, pennyroyal, bee balm, society garlic, and geranium.
Other mosquito repellent plants to grow to include wormwood, rosemary, hummingbird mint, allium, lantana, citrosum, eucalyptus, variegated plectranthus, thyme, and mums.
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Applying Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar can also come in handy as a mosquito repellent. Using this product is quite simple. All you have to do is mix equal parts apple cider vinegar and water.
Pour into a spray bottle and spray areas having the most mosquito presence. This treatment can be reapplied for the best results.
Listerine Mosquito Repellent Recipe
To repel mosquitoes with Listerine, all you have to do is prepare your insecticide.
You’ll need Original yellow Listerine for this insecticide. Fill a spray bottle with about 1 cup of this mouthwash and spray around areas where these pests congregate the most.
Not only is Listerine sprayed in the air, but it’s also sprayed on surfaces around infested areas. This treatment can also work to repel mosquitoes from biting your skin.
A light misting of your skin using this spray should do the trick.
Treatment should be repeated when the strength wanes.
Listerine repellent for mosquitoes might keep these pests at bay for some time but isn’t a comprehensive treatment for mosquito problems.
This treatment can be made more potent by combining it with other treatment alternatives.