10 surprising natural methods of keeping mosquitoes away for good

If you're tired of turning into bug chow every time you try to enjoy a glass of lemonade on your back porch, you might consider grabbing the nearest container of bug spray and going to town. If you're out of bug spray or you just want to try something more natural, we're here to help.
Check out these 10 ways you can keep the pesky bloodsuckers at bay without spraying on chemicals that could be toxic for kids or pets.
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1. Plan your landscaping
There are some plants that naturally keep mosquitos at bay. Plant these around your favorite seating area to keep the bugs away. Plants to try include lemon balm, catnip, basil, lavender, peppermint, citrosum, sage, and rosemary, according to Rodale's Organic Life.
2. Try Lemon Oil and Eucalyptus
Skip the store-bought spray and rub yourself down with a mixture of lemon oil and eucalyptus. Mix the oils in equal parts and rub down any exposed skin to keep mosquitos from stopping by for dinner. Bonus: you'll smell nice too, according to The Health Site.
3. Cook Rosemary
Heat up the barbecue and toss some rosemary on top of the hot coals. The smell of the rosemary burning will keep bugs away, plus your burgers will get a tasty flavor with little effort on your part!
4. Say hello to bats
If you're cool with Dracula haunting your garden attract bats to your backyard with a bird feeder, night-blooming plants, raspberries and a place for them to sleep. The bats will eat any bugs that stop by. Just make sure to protect any holes in your home so the bats don't nest there, according to Rodale's Organic Life.
5. Recycle your Coffee Grounds
The next time you brew a pot, take the grounds nad sprinkle them near stagnant water in your yard. The grounds help kill mosquito eggs so they can't reproduce.
6. Red Cedar Mulch
Give your garden a colorful boost and keep mosquitos at bay by adding red cedar mulch to the garden beds to keep bugs at bay. In addition, you can boil the mulch chips in water and use the water as a spray to keep mosquitos away from other areas in your yard.
7. Remove Standing Water
Mosquitos are attracted to standing water (like ponds, old tires full of water and rain barrels). Regularly remove the source of standing water so mosquitos have nothing to tempt them.
8. Turn on a fan
Keep mosquitos away by turning on a fan near where you are sitting (even outdoors), the tiny bugs will have a hard time getting close against the strong drafts from the fan.
9. Dish soap
Place bowls of water with dish soap and lemon around the yard. Bugs will be attracted to the smell, take a dip and die. Keep in mind that while this does work, you should use this with other tips for maximum results.
10. Eat more garlic
Crush cloves of garlic and boil the pieces in water. Use the garlic water as a spray to keep mosquitos away from where you are sitting. You can also eat more garlic in your food. The mosquitos will keep bugs away.
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