Keep Mosquitoes Away with Listerine

The best and least toxic way to rid your outdoor area of nasty mosquitoes is with Listerine (the original Amber colored kind.) Simply pour the Listerine into a spray bottle and spray the porch, deck or the area around where people hang out. For even larger areas like decks and yards you can buy a gallon of Listerine and spray it with a pump style plant-sprayer.

Amber colored Listerine can be bought at Dollar Stores or discount stores like Target and K-mart for under $2 for a large bottle. It's safe to spray around food and kid's play areas! Mosquitoes will stay away for 2 or more days after you spray. You can even spray inside your dog's house to keep mosquitoes away from you favorite friend.

Don't leave home without a small "take-along" bottle of Listerine on family outings & camping trips. Do not spray directly on fine wood floors or furniture. I haven't tried it yet but I bet you could spray the towel or blanket you're going to sit on outside at a sporting event before you go, then slip it into a plastic bag and *PRESTO* no mosquitoes! Now we can actually enjoy summer evenings outdoors without that nasty "toxic greasy" feeling that bug spray leaves on our skin!

By Cyinda from Seattle

Answers:

Keep Mosquitoes Away with Listerine

What a great idea! I'm going to try it soon on our North Florida mosquitoes. We live on the St. Johns River, so will give it a good test. Cay from FL (04/16/2008)

By Carolyn C. Cooke

Keep Mosquitoes Away with Listerine

Sounds great. The mosquitoes are out here (upstate NY) already! I am hoping it will work on spiders too. We have so many spiders in our house, windows, deck.. cause we live on a stream and my DH is against any insecticides. (04/16/2008)

By Arlinn

Keep Mosquitoes Away with Listerine

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/l/listerine.htm

You can try it but, it may be a waste of money and yet another urban myth. (04/16/2008)

By aardvark

Keep Mosquitoes Away with Listerine

http://www.snopes.com/oldwives/dishsoap.asp

This is not true. Check it out at the link above.

(b)Editor's Note:(/b) The Snopes post deals mostly with the dish soap. It certainly won't kill them for hours but may help keep them away for a while.

(04/17/2008)

By Diana

Keep Mosquitoes Away with Listerine

Actually, this could be useful because of the thymol, eucalyptol, and menthol content - these are chemicals naturally found in herbs/plants/trees that could repel mosquitoes. Plus, it's cheap. However, I think citronella and oil of lemon eucalyptus are more useful and proven. (05/29/2008)

By Beejal

Keep Mosquitoes Away with Listerine

It doesn't kill them in their tracks.. It just keeps them away. They don't like the smell or something about listerine. (06/02/2008)

By steve.