Home » Exterior & Outdoor Living

How We Keep Our Outdoor Areas Mosquito Free

BySarah Gibson
6 Comments

How We Keep Our Outdoor Areas Mosquito Free - roomfortuesday.comAfter recently furnishing our outdoor areas for the season, I’ve been getting a ton of questions about how we keep bugs, specifically mosquitoes, from ruining our time spent outside. This has been something I’ve honestly struggled with… until now. No matter how many citronella candles I light, or how much DEET & bug spray I douse myself in, mosquitoes seem to flock to me. Emmett can stay outside for hours with zero bug repellent and he’s totally fine. Me on the other hand, I’ll come inside with 20+ bites. It’s absolutely nuts, frustrating, and uncomfortable- especially because I LOVE spending time in our backyard. This year I took matters into my own hands and hired Orkin Pest Control for mosquito control. Some of our neighbors recommended them and it was an easy sell. Click through to learn about the process and how I’m planning to enjoy our patio and yard without all the itchy bug bites this year…

*This post is sponsored by Orkin. All content, ideas, and words are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that allow us to create unique content while featuring products we actually use & enjoy!

How We Keep Our Outdoor Areas Mosquito Free - roomfortuesday.comFirst, I had a consultation with my local Orkin Pest Control team (Cory & Gifford). I walked the perimeter of our yard and exterior spaces with them and they calculated what exactly our yard would need. I also voiced my concerns and questions…. like- is this safe for pets and humans? Are you going to kill bees or other good insects during the mosquito treatment? Is it going to mess up my outdoor furniture? Does it actually work? I’m serious when I said mosquitoes FLOCK to me. They can find me from miles away. Haha! But really.

How We Keep Our Outdoor Areas Mosquito Free - roomfortuesday.comCory and Gifford happily answered all of my questions and I was super satisfied (and pleasantly surprised) with their answers. I learned it is safe for pets and humans… just to be safe though, it’s best to avoid the area until it’s totally dry (~30 minutes post treatment). They also look out for the good insects. They carefully analyze where to spray and avoid any blooms, buds, or plants that attract insects like bees. My furniture was also safe… they laughed when I asked if it would yellow my bright white outdoor sofa, ha! You can probably guess the answer was no. They also don’t spray the furniture, so it was kind of a silly question on my part… but hey- better safe than sorry!

How We Keep Our Outdoor Areas Mosquito Free - roomfortuesday.comHowever- my big questions were “does it work?” and “is it worth it?”… after treatment number one, I can say firsthand- it really does! I have been spending time outside without a single spritz of bug spray. I still light my candles because they’re pretty and it’s just habit at this point, but I haven’t gotten a single mosquito bite. I honestly thought- maybe they haven’t hatched for the season yet? But then Emmett and I went hiking near our house and I got eaten alive. I came home with 15+ bites and that’s the moment I realized our backyard is now my safe haven. Though the CDC and Orkin Pest Control do recommend using an EPA registered insect repellant any time you are outside to protect against disease carrying mosquitoes.

How We Keep Our Outdoor Areas Mosquito Free - roomfortuesday.comI love being outside at home and not having to worry about showering bug spray off of myself or wondering if I’m going to wake up with itchy welts all over me. I’m actually pretty allergic to mosquito bites. It has made spending time on our patio very nice and carefree, so in my opinion- it’s worth every penny.

How We Keep Our Outdoor Areas Mosquito Free - roomfortuesday.comIf you’re wondering how it works- your yard is treated on a monthly basis throughout the spring & summer seasons. Obviously this depends on your region, but for me it’s May through October. The same technician, Cory, shows up once a month and takes care of everything. The entire process took about 30 minutes, I allow it to dry, then we go about our normal life… sans mosquitoes. Another perk… it’s added protection from Zika, West Nile Virus, Chikungunya, and even heart worm (for the fur babies). Mosquitoes are a big carrier for that and I just learned that Utah is one of the highest heart worm states. Yikes.

How We Keep Our Outdoor Areas Mosquito Free - roomfortuesday.comAnyway… that’s how we’re able to enjoy our outdoor living spaces to the fullest. We hosted a barbecue last weekend and not a single person got a mosquito bite. That’s pretty impressive! I wanted to share my experience with Orkin Pest Control because it has been a game changer. If you have any questions, let me know! I’m happy to chat about it. And- if you do decide to hire Orkin Pest Control, you’ll get $50 off your initial mosquito treatment by using the code MOS50 on orkin.com.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

6 Comments

  1. My husband has the same problem. We were walking through an open area at a state park and headed to the woods. About ten feet into the path you could literally see the mosquitoes in a dark cloud swarm him while leaving me unscathed. He ran out while waving his arms frantically above his head. No more woods in summer for us. Thanks for your recommendation.

    Reply

    1. Yes! That’s exactly what happens to me… it’s really miserable. I feel for him! It’s nice to have found something to at least control it at home. When we hike, I take a bunch of bug repellent and it kind of helps, but I usually still leave the woods with bites.

      Reply
  2. Melanie T says:

    Sarah, sorry but I can’t go along with the insecticides. I just watched a heartbreaking video about a male robin brought to an emergency veterinarian in Wisconsin. Despite all measures to save him he died of acute toxicity, and word from the environmentalists is that the entire species is in danger. Every poison you use on your lawn (herbicides included) affects bird’s food supply and in turn poisons them ( ie robins eat worms in the lawn). A lot of birds do eat insects too. Just urging caution on this matter. Your outdoor area is gorgeous.

    Reply

    1. Thanks Melanie! Awww I’m sorry to hear about the robin. It’s definitely a delicate balance and certainly a personal choice for each homeowner. I do like that Orkin looks out for good insects (like bees) and do their very best to only target mosquitoes. You know I’m an animal lover too, and I like that it helps protect our dogs… mosquitos are a big carrier for heart worm. Regardless, I totally respect and appreciate your standpoint. Nothing but love from me here! Everyone has to do what is best for their family. xo

      Reply
  3. Melanie T says:

    I forgot to say that I am mosquito bait as well, so I understand wanting to have a crowd over and not have your guests be attacked and uncomfortable. You have to be one of the nicest people ever! I am going to try your citronella candle recipe soon so we can enjoy being out on the deck after a long winter.

    Reply

    1. Awww, well right back at you! I totally understand and appreciate your reasoning as well. I still light my citronella candles because they’re pretty and smell amazing :) Orkin also told me marigolds and lemon scented geraniums are natural deterrents. Maybe give those a try too!

      Reply