Citronella can be used pretty much anywhere where you need some protection, and where you are using it, depends on which form will work best. There are many benefits to using citronella. Being that it is so widely known and used, it has become a tried and true method in repelling all those unwanted insects. It’s also always very readily available in stores, in candle form, and something you can grab if needed in a pinch! Erica Puisis is a freelance writer and product tester that has been covering home, garden, and outdoor products for The Spruce since 2017. To find the best options for mosquito repellents, she considered testing results from product testers who evaluated a repellent based on its application, effectiveness, odor, and other key factors. In addition, we compared spatial repellents and yard treatments to find other options for repelling mosquitoes in the yard. Let us know in the comments – and if you have a top-secret natural mosquito repellentidea that works? Please share! Still, we don’t believe burningtraditional and presumably safe natural incense herbsin a well-ventilated environment for a limited amount of time will do you much harm.

The World Health Organization did a revealing scientific reviewon smoke as an insect repellent, focusing on indoor smoke. The results have been largely inconclusive, with no proof that the smoke reduces the number of mosquito bites. Topical repellents, or bug sprays, are applied to any exposed skin before heading outdoors. In some cases, topical repellent can also be used on your shoes or clothing to further deter mosquitoes from getting within close range. For that purpose, we recommend Sawyer Picaridin Continuous Spray Insect Repellent. If you don’t plan to stay in one place in your yard, a topical repellent ensures you’ll defend against mosquitoes wherever you go.Unfortunately, all the theory gets murky when we look at the (scarce) scientific research on the topic. With its rounded nature, and what can be said to be a clump of grass, the foliage grows long and out and then down, leaving you with this hearty-looking, green delight. However, if you’re planting these babies, there’s a way to get them to their highest potential of insect repel. To do this, crushing and crunching the leaves and agitating the foliage a bit will release the oil. Researchers found that burning incense produces these compounds in amounts beyond those considered safe, deeming them harmful. Liquid incense showed to be slightly more polluting than disc incense.

Three scientists from India experimentedto see if their custom-made herbal incense repels mosquitos.

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The best bug sprays will have an effective active ingredient—picaridin and DEET are the most common—but you’ll also find other synthetic chemicals like IR3535 or permethrin or essential oils like lemongrass or cedarwood. Familiarize yourself with the advantages of each active ingredient as well as any risk factors. For example, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends caution when using chemical insect sprays when pets and children are nearby. Besides citronella, many other smells will keep flies away that you can add in addition to citronella. Like we said earlier, flies hate all those amazing smells that we humans love – so let’s start with that.

But is it genuinely magic, or it’s just the fragrance that’s magical? The theory sounds perfectly sound, but let’s look at what the good ole’ scientific research has to say about it all.

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A natural stress-relief if you will, mint is a no-go for flies and most insects. Its strong peppermint smell overpowers the insects’ senses, making it something they will surely avoid. If you’re looking for a great peppermint natural spray, try out Wondercide’s Natural Pest Control Spray. Flies just love all the worst smells out there, but honestly, it all comes down to their food source and the type of flies that they are! What Do Flies Eat? To make it simple: when you burn things in your home, it unavoidably produces a certain amount of indoor air pollution. However, the more compounds – the greater is the risk of breathing in harmful chemicals – especially synthetics!

Read More – How to Keep Flies Away From Food – and Guests – During an Outdoor Party! The Risks of Using Incense at Home There are a variety of ways that you can introduce citronella into the spaces that need some extra protection from flies and other insects, but first, let’s talk about the types of citronella. Types of Citronella Plants Read More – Does Smoke Keep Mosquitoes Away? What About Essential Oils? Or Fire? The Science on Incense Insect Repellents There are also ways that you can use citronella indoors to keep away fruit flies, or those stubborn house flies. Is it just me, or do you feel there is a family of flies that are waiting at your front door with luggage to be welcomed in at all times?

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As the awareness of the risks of air pollution grows, incense has also come under scientific scrutiny. We believe that mosquito coil incense offers some level of relief from mosquitoes and other pest insects. However – the incense isn’t perfect. During windy weather, the incense loses effectiveness. The gist of it all is that flies basically eat all the things that typically repel humans – but, no matter what the flies’ desired taste might be, all food attracts all flies, AND, nothing masks these smells as well as citronella can. How to Use Citronella as a Fly Repellent Outside