How to Get Rid of Pesky Mosquitoes

CLEVELAND - Today is World Mosquito Day.

We all know how pesky those little bugs can be, so what can you do to help keep them away?

“Mosquitoes are light flyers, so any amount of turbulent air, if that's a ceiling fan, if that's a desk fan, goes a long way because they simply can't fly through it and hover close enough to get down to skin level. If you're at the desk or sleeping, et cetera, circulating air goes a long way,” said Christopher Bazzoli, MD, emergency medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Bazzoli said bug repellents are also very effective at keeping mosquitoes away.

He recommends buying a brand with 20% DEET.

He said anything with a concentration higher than that is unnecessary.

If you don’t like the texture of DEET, you could get bug repellent with picaridin in it instead or IR3535.

And again, 20% concentration is enough.

Dr. Bazzoli said other things you can do include wearing protective clothing, using mosquito netting and dumping any standing water in your yard.

“Mosquitoes need standing water, still water to reproduce. So, trying to minimize any standing water, making sure that you don't have tires that are collecting pools of water on the inside linings, or buckets laying out, or watering cans left out. Make sure that if you have a garden feature, the pump is running,” he said.

Dr. Bazzoli said mosquitoes are also attracted to sweet and sugary scents, so that’s something else to be mindful of.

If you do get a bite, try not to scratch it because it can cause infection.

Instead, wash the area with soap and water and then apply ice or an anti-itch cream.