Mosquitoes don’t need much to survive; just a bit of still water and a way to get inside your home. Here are some easy, low-cost ways to protect yourself, using things you probably already have.
1. Block Their Way In
Mosquitoes are small, but they’ll find any open space to slip through.
· Stuff holes with old clothes, newspaper, dried leaves, or mud.
· Hang material or clothes over doors and windows.
· If you have a thatched roof, pack cracks with straw and soil to close gaps.
2. Don’t Let Water Sit Still
Mosquitoes lay eggs in water, even tiny puddles.
· Empty buckets, tyres, tins, or flowerpots every day.
· Cover water containers with lids or cloth.
· Sweep up puddles after it rains.
· If possible, dig small trenches to drain water away from your house.
No water = fewer mosquitoes.
3. Use Smoke to Keep Them Away
Smoke is a natural way to drive off mosquitoes.
· Burn dried neem leaves or cow dung just before bedtime.
· Keep smoke near doors and windows
· You can also burn small herbal bundles or use an oil lamp with drops of repellent oil.
4. Protect Where You Sleep
Night-time is when mosquitoes bite the most, so your sleeping area is your frontline of defence.
· If you don’t have a mosquito net, hang up fabric like sheets to act as a barrier around your bed.
· Try to raise your bed slightly off the ground because mosquitoes tend to fly lower to the floor.
5. Plant Natural Barriers Around Your Home
Some plants give off strong scents that mosquitoes hate and they can help protect your home.
· A study in Tanzania found that growing Lantana around doors and windows significantly reduced the number of malaria mosquitoes entering homes.
· Other useful plants (according to gardening gurus), include lemongrass, basil, mint, marigolds, rosemary, eucalyptus, lavender, and scented geraniums.
Final Thoughts
Malaria prevention doesn’t have to be expensive, but it’s invaluable. With a bit of effort and some simple changes, you can make your home much less inviting to mosquitoes.
References https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3192125/
Repellent Plants Provide Affordable Natural Screening to Prevent Mosquito House Entry in Tropical Rural Settings—Results from a Pilot Efficacy Study https://easci.eahealth.org/easci/article/view/36/228
Effectiveness of Azadirachta indica (neem tree) on prevention and treatment of clinical human malaria: A systematic review https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK234637/
Neem: A Tree For Solving Global Problems. https://scispace.com/pdf/studies-on-mosquito-repellent-activity-of-cymbopogon-4d5mcczem8.pdf
STUDIES ON MOSQUITO REPELLENT ACTIVITY OF CYMBOPOGON CITRATUS (LEMON GRASS) USING HUMAN VOLUNTEERS https://easletters.com/article/the-efficiency-of-ethanolic-extract-of-ocimum-basilicum-leaves-and-flowers-agiainst-mosquito-larvae-leqymr5vsqldcm6
The Efficiency of Ethanolic Extract of Ocimum basilicum Leaves and Flowers agiainst Mosquito Larvae https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8258845/
Field efficacy of ethnomedicinal plant smoke repellency against Anopheles arabiensis and Aedes aegypti
