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Q: Got any tips for keeping mosquitoes at bay?
A little concerned about dengue now it's hit my city, having kids and all, and would be interested to hear any ideas on how to keep them out the house.
screens on the windows, and those electric things you can buy almost anywhere that repel the mosquitoes. That's what works for me. Oh and a can of raid for when one still manages to get in the apartment.
mArtiAn:
Bought a couple of those electric things, they didn't work.
BHGAL:
they work for me.... not a lot of mosquitoes .... I always plug in and turn on after I get bit... never get a second, third bite.
BHGAL:
I live next to the "wetlands park" ... I know they use pesticides over there,,,, wonder what I am eating and breathing every day?
Candles, repellent, closed doors and windows at all times. Keep ac on cool temp and as a last resort buy one of those cheap bed nets. Hate mosquitoes so much.
mArtiAn:
Last resort, are you kidding? I can't believe I ever went a day without a bed net, I love this thing. Inside it right now, snug as a bug in a rug. Nothing worse than that sound in your ear as you're drifting off to sleep, the nagging wife whine of a female mosquito.
wear light clothing, cover your bare places with mosquito repellant ( Off). mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide, so don't breath. At night mosquito nets.
I swear by mosquito coils. I used them when I lived in Fiji where the mosquitos are hideous and dengue fever is rife. Have tried other things and nothing works as well as them.
In your case, I would cut a bit my finger, bleed in a cup a little and then with finger, spread it your MIL cloth secretly. you will kill 2 flies at once strike
in addition to the suggestions above, there are minor dietary adjustments you can make.
(not TCM) 
discussing this issue with my GP at home as to why i was never bitten but many of my colleagues were, he said it was due to the higher levels of vitamin B in my system.
Buy that "Off" from raid which can be found in walmart and metro.
airyk:
The sprays have a very limited time that they are effective, I think they are only really useful for a short jungle hike.
I just googled this because what sorrel said was interesting. Apparently mosquitoes are attracted to your lactic acid/co2 smell, repellant doesn't repel mosquitoes it covers up the smell of lactic acid, genetics plays a big part and eating garlic will repel mosquitoes. Yep fascinating
mArtiAn:
I reckon you're using that word 'fascinating' a little fast and free, but useful none the less. Cheers.
Ok so this might be an extreme version, but it works really really well, it is kid safe (DEET isn't for the little ones who like to eat everything). Anyway, the best mosquito repellent I have ever had, is spiders, lots of them. I used to live in Cambodia, and right behind my house was a stagnant swamp, in my house not a single mosquito. I never cleared spiderwebs and when the spiders laid eggs, I moved them to strategic locations in the house. In the end the top 6 inches (15cm) of my ceiling was webbed and full of mosquito corpses.
It's very effective, eco friendly, child friendly, safe(the spiders were pretty tiny and never gave anyone a problem), and an interesting conversation piece .
