How to Repel Mosquitoes Outdoors

The dreaded mosquito. One of the banes of the Australian summer.

And every year, barbecuers across Australia ask - how do we repel mosquitoes outdoors? There are a few things you can do to discourage mosquitoes from hanging around and to make yourself a less appealing target.

Remove sources of standing water

Mosquitoes love a warm, wet environment and standing water is their absolute favourite. If you’re wanting to repel mosquitoes outdoors, consider removing standing water such as bird baths and ponds from the area.

Wear light coloured clothes

Fun fact: according to a 2022 study from the University of Washington, mosquitoes are less likely to bite if you’re wearing green, purple, blue or white, as they don’t seem to associate these colours with food. And most of all, if you really want to repel mosquitoes outdoors, avoid wearing red or orange clothing - mosquitoes see human skin as red/orange and if you’re wearing these colours you look like a big, juicy buffet.

Use scents

But sometimes this isn’t enough and you want to really make the mozzies feel unwelcome. When you’re looking to seriously repel mosquitoes outdoors, scents are going to be your best bet.

Mosquitoes hate the smell of citronella, lemon balm, peppermint, lavender, catnip and rosemary, among others. That means the good old fashioned citronella candle is perfect. They work best when layered with other forms of repelling mosquitoes outdoors, such as clothing changes and insect repellent cream.

Mosquito repellent

Sometimes though, that just isn’t a direct enough solution. If you’re looking to really repel mosquitoes away from any tasty exposed skin, it’s time for a mosquito repellent. There are plenty of options out there, but we love the Good Riddance Tropical Insect Repellent. It contains citronella and lemon scented tea tree oil which mosquitoes hate, but, as a bonus for the humans, smells pretty fantastic to us.

Plant some plants

You can also repel mosquitoes outdoors with your choice of plants in the garden. Some plants, including rosemary, mint and lavender have mosquito repelling properties and can be a fantastic choice around an outdoor area where people spend a lot of time. They’re beautiful plants, but also serve a very practical purpose.