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PROTECTING YOUR HOME FROM MOSQUITOES

The mosquito is enemy number one of your summer evenings. To avoid being bitten, there is a solution however: arrange for certain elements in the environment and avoid others. This is what to do without using chemical solutions.

Protect windows
The first natural solution in the fight against mosquitoes is to apply a mosquito net to the windows.
This is an accessory consisting of a tight mesh that prevents the insects from entering, whilst allowing air to circulate.
If you are looking for an non-invasive, simple solution to install, go for a screw-free model.


Help comes from nature
There are three natural ingredients that you can use in repellents to be positioned at points of contact between the inside and out: vinegar, lemon and Neem oil.
You can rest a container on the window or window sill, or spread one of these substances onto candles.
In addition to geraniums, there are also other plants that will prove your allies: lemon verbena, for example, keeps them away with its lemon-like aroma. There is no need to plant it, simply buy a few freshly-cut branches from a florist and rest them on the table, without putting them in water.
Aloe is another useful plant to keep in the home. You can use its juice to sooth after a bite: simply break off a piece of leaf and cut along its thorns and apply the substance that oozes out to the affected area.

What not to do
The first rule is to eliminate all pools of water. Flowerpot trays and watering cans are the perfect place for mosquitoes to lay their eggs.
A natural remedy to allow you to make the most of the green with no fear, is copper: simply take a copper wire (perhaps an old electrical wire) and use it to cover the inside of the flower pot tray. In the water and with the humidity the copper oxidises and produces verdigris, a highly repellent substance.

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ON THE SAME TOPIC:

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• 25/07/2005 FIGHTING THE HEAT IN THE KITCHEN AND HOME
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