Camping is an adventurous way to explore the wild beauty of nature. Camping with friends and family is a great way to spend quality time with nature, but it can be miserable due to mosquito bites.
Many different types of bugs ruin your camping plans, but mosquitoes are the most irritating and deadly insects. Mosquito bites leave annoying, itchy bumps and can also be the carrier of different diseases.
If you plan any outdoor activities or camping, you must learn how to Repel Mosquitoes While Camping. You must prepare to keep these insects, especially mosquitoes, away and enjoy camping to the fullest. This article shares practical tips and tricks to keep mosquitoes away while camping and outdoor activities.
How to Keep Mosquitoes Away While Camping? 21 Best Methods
Mosquitoes are very dangerous while camping when you are not prepared to avoid them. They may cause itching and other diseases, which may be deadly toxic sometimes. There are many different ways to keep mosquitoes away while camping.
Some essential and valuable ways are listed here.
1. Cover yourself
The simplest way to keep mosquitoes away is to cover yourself adequately. If you are not in the safety of a tent, you must protect your skin with the right choice of clothes. Wearing light-colored full-sleeve shirts and pants is very helpful for avoiding mosquitoes.
Avoid dark-colored clothes because it attracts mosquitoes. Usually, mosquitoes are more active in the morning and evening, so be careful and wear a face mask with long sleeves and pants for going on track or hiking.
2. Get the right camping gear
Choosing the right camping gear makes your camping trip comfortable and protective from bugs and mosquitoes. With a good quality tent, you must get a good screen also to cover the tent to save yourself from unwanted insects.
If you love hammock camping, you must get a good bug net to protect yourself to avoid mosquito attacks. Whatever you choose, all things must be simple and more manageable so that you spend less time assembling those camping gear.
3. Wear protective clothing
If you are not in favor of using lotion, cream, and also out of range of spray area, then there is a choice to wear protective clothing. Some companies prepared insect repellent clothes. You can use these clothes to prevent mosquito bites without any other precautions.
These mosquito-repellent clothes use a chemical called permethrin. Permethrin is an excellent insecticide that kills mosquitoes quickly on contact. It’s a great option while going hiking or exercising.
4. Make sure your scent doesn’t attract mosquitoes
Usually, mosquitoes are attracted to fragrances or scented things. These fragrances may be in your body due to your genes or using fragrant toiletries like soap, shampoo, cologne, deodorant, etc. Due to these fragrances, mosquitoes or insects will find you quickly by their antennas and attack you.
So make sure you use unscented and natural products to keep a low profile for insects and mosquitoes. Also, avoid outdoor exercising in the morning and evening because mosquitoes also attract you while you are sweating during exercise.
5. Use waterproof mosquito repellent
It’s best to choose waterproof mosquito repellent during camping. It’s not easily washed out and is long-lasting. Mosquito repellent may be a DEET-based chemical product or a natural alternative. You can use these waterproof mosquito repellents directly on your skin and on your clothes, shoes, hat, etc., to improve protection from mosquitoes.
6. Pick a dry camping site
When you are planning camping, it’s essential to choose a campsite carefully. Always try to choose a dry camping site. Mosquitoes live and breed in damp places or stagnant water.
So try to find a camping site away from standing water sources like ponds, pools, etc., to avoid mosquitoes and other insects. These pools or ponds with stagnant water are prime locations for female mosquitoes to lay their eggs.
If there is a fresh flowing water lake or river near your camping sites, it has no issues with mosquitoes but avoids damp and stagnant water sources near your camping sites to prevent mosquitoes and other insects.
7. Make a campfire
Everyone loves and enjoys campfires during camping. But mosquitoes and bugs didn’t like fire and smoke and ran away immediately. So frequent campfires are an excellent way to save yourself from mosquito bites and other insects.
Some herbs also work as bug repellent when you burn them; sage is one of them. Mosquitoes hate the smell and smoke of sage. Add some sage to your campfire and enjoy a good bug repeller.
8. Keep your tent doors shut
Always keep your tent door closed and not unnecessarily open them. When you enter or exit the camp, shut its door correctly so that bugs and mosquitoes do not enter.
9. Be careful with flashlights and lanterns
Most Mosquitoes and bugs are attracted to flashlights, and avoiding them is hard. So be careful by using flashlights and lanterns during camping.
All lights must be off when you enter or exit the camp to prevent the entrance of bugs into your tent. It’s wise to turn off the lights as soon as possible. You can burn a fire or light an essential oil candle For lighting. Also, mosquitoes hate fire and smoke and run away.
10. Keep the site clean and closed
It’s vital to keep the campsite clean and close. Do not throw garbage here and there on your camping site. Many insects and animals like the smell of food and try to grab that food. So it is essential to clean your campsite.
Also, your camp must be closed adequately so that wild animals and bugs are not entering your tent to grab food items. A closed tent also provides you protection from mosquitoes.
Here are some tips and tricks to clean the site properly:
- Properly dispose of wasted food in a bin with a properly closed lid
- Wash properly used dishes immediately
- Clean the table or dining area right after every meal
- Don’t leave trash uncovered
- Before leaving the campsite, ensure that there are no traces of food left unattended.
11. Use bug spray
A good bug spray is the most useful and convenient way to prevent mosquitoes and bugs. To avoid bugs, you can use good quality bug spray on your tent and surrounding. You can use these sprays on your clothes, shoes, hats, etc.
Chemicals in these sprays may cause eye irritation or skin allergies, so avoiding direct contact with your skin is better.
12. Spray vinegar
Mosquitoes hate the smell and taste of vinegar, so spraying vinegar around your camping site is a great idea. Vinegar spray acts as a natural bug repellent. It provides you with a great protective shield without any chemicals.
As it has a strong fragrance, many people didn’t like its odor. To reduce its smell, you can mix dried herbs or essential oil with it and make your all-natural bug repellent. Both white vinegar and apple cider vinegar works perfectly against mosquitoes.
13. Take garlic capsules
Mosquitoes can’t stand garlic and citrus peels. So if you can rub the peel of citrus food like lemon or oranges and garlic cloves, it provides a protective shield from mosquitoes.
Taking garlic capsules is also a great idea to prevent mosquitoes from yourself. Even If you are taking garlic capsules without any smell on your breath, mosquitoes feel its presence in your body and run away from you. It’s a great natural way to Repel Mosquitoes with many other health benefits.
14. Put up screens
Physical barriers are also a significant factor in preventing mosquitoes. You can apply some extra screens around your tent to avoid bugs.
Also, if you love hammock camping, you must use net screens to protect yourself from mosquito bites. Nowadays, screen houses are available in the market. They are big enough to cover your picnic chairs and table and give you satisfactory protection from bugs and mosquitoes.
Read More: Best Tents to Keep bugs Out 2024-2025
15. Wear bug repellent bracelets
Another simple way to repel mosquitoes and bugs is to wear bug-repellent bracelets. Many people have allergies to chemicals, so they can’t stand sprays and creams applied to the skin. So wearing bug-repellent bracelets is a great option.
These bracelets do emit chemicals into the air and make a protective shield around you, which protects you from bugs attacking. These bug-repellent bracelets are best for Kids to use as direct contact with chemicals in sprays, and the cream is unsuitable for their health. These bracelets are DEET free and have natural chemicals and essential oils. It gives them more protection from bugs.
16. Go natural with essential oils
Many people can’t do well with chemicals due to their sensitive skin or allergies. So you can use some herbal and natural bug and mosquito repellent spray, which uses natural and essential oils instead of chemicals. You can make your spray by using a combination of essential oils. These oils are plant-based extracts that have the natural power to repel mosquitoes and other bugs.
To make a natural oil spray, you need a spray bottle. Mix a tablespoon of rubbing alcohol and half a cup of water in this spray bottle. Add up to 15 to 20 drops of essential oil to this spray. The essential oils which you can use are the following:
- Tea tree
- Eucalyptus
- Thyme
- Cedarwood
- Sage
- Catnip
- Citronella
- Clove
- Mint
- Basil
- Rosemary
- Geranium
- Lemongrass
- Lavender
You can use this spray on your clothes and also on your skin. Shake the spray bottle before using it, so water and oil mix well and provide the required results and an excellent natural fragrance.
17. Light candles
Nowadays, many scented candles are available in the market with essential oil. These scented candles provide a pleasing fragrance and a cozy environment and protect you from mosquito bites. These scented candles are available with essential oil, i.e., citronella.
These essential oils are extracted from plants and mixed in these candles. When you light the candle, the candle’s wax burns alongside citronella; it makes bugs and mosquitoes away and makes the whole environment comfortable and magical.
18. Run bug-repelling diffusers or a coil
Diffusers and coils are also great options for repelling bugs and mosquitoes. These diffusers and coils contain bug-repellent chemicals like metofluthrin and pyrethrum, which provide an instant protective shield around you for 10 to 12 hours.
These coils provide a powerful fragrance with smoke that repels mosquitoes and bugs immediately.
19. Don’t use scents
Mosquitoes are powerfully attracted to fragrance. Some fragrances they like, and some are not. Many scented soaps, shampoos, and detergents, even your body’s sweat smell, attract mosquitoes to attack you.
Make sure before going on camping to wash all your clothes with unscented detergent. Also, use unscented soap, shampoo, cologne, etc., to prevent mosquitoes. Instead of good flavored, scented perfumes, use vinegar, garlic, or essential oil sprays to get a bug-free environment.
20. Bring along herbs
There are many different natural herbs and plants available that can repel mosquitoes and bugs immediately. You can use these herbal rubs on your skin or their essential oil in sprays. Also, the dried versions of these herbs are used on a campfire or candle burn to avoid bugs and mosquitoes.
Some of these natural herbs are the following:
- Mint
- Eucalyptus
- Lavender
- Citronella
- Rosemary
- Sage
These fresh herbs, essential oil, and dried herbs are all useful in repelling mosquitoes and providing comfortable surroundings.
21. Light a fire
Lighting a fire around your camp is an ancient and effective way to repel mosquitoes. Mosquitoes hate fire and smoke; it’s another reason that scented candles help in repelling mosquitoes.
A campfire with a little herb like sage will protect from mosquitoes more than anything else. Lighting a campfire provides a safe surrounding for sitting outside and enjoying nature without the tension of bugs and mosquito bites.
Final Thoughts: How to Repel Mosquitoes While Camping
Camping is a great activity to explore nature closely, so don’t let bugs, insects, or mosquitoes stop you from enjoying your precious moments. I hear this question frequently; “how to repel mosquitoes while camping?”
This article discusses all possible hacks and tips you can follow to get the answers to this question. You can use mosquito sprays and diffusers or coils to avoid mosquitoes. But if you are not chemical-friendly, many natural ways exist to help repel mosquitoes. Essential oil spray, vinegar spray, herbs, garlic, and safety measures help repel mosquitoes and bugs. I hope you all enjoy your mosquito-free camping afterward.
Read More; How to get rid of meat bees while camping?
Frequently Asked Questions: How to Repel Mosquitoes While Camping
Following are the frequently asked questions about how to repel mosquitoes while camping.
1. What color light keeps mosquitoes away?
Answer: Yellow or yellow-tinted colored light proved effective in repelling mosquitoes. Yellowish, orange and pink-tinted lights are less attractive to mosquitoes. It includes sodium vapor light, dichroic yellow, etc. Bright white light attracts mosquitoes more. White fluorescent bulbs or mercury vapors are not suitable for camping.
2. Do mosquito bracelets work?
Answer: Yes, mosquito bracelets work well when you use them with other methods of repelling mosquitoes. The only use of bracelets is less effective as these bracelets focus on one body part. Chemicals emitted from these bracelets are not enough to make a protective shield around your body. So it’s better to use some spray or mosquito repellent method alongside these bracelets. These bracelets are best for kids.
3. Are bug-zappers effective against mosquitoes and flies?
Answer: Unfortunately no, these bug zappers are not effective against mosquitoes and flies. Mosquitoes mostly find their prey by smelling Carbon dioxide and their body smell. These insects are not only attracted to light sources. These bug zappers are not working appropriately against mosquitoes and flies and are not recommended.
4. Are ultrasonic devices effective?
Answer: No scientific evidence supports that ultrasonic devices are effective for mosquito repelling. Many studies prove that ultrasonic devices do not affect insect and mosquito repelling.
5. What smell will keep mosquitoes away?
Answer: Mosquitoes hate the smell of vinegar and the smoke of the fire. All bugs and mosquitoes immediately disappear if dried herbs like Sage are added to the campfire. Also, essential oil sprays keep mosquitoes away, like lemongrass oil, citronella oil, etc.
6. What repels mosquitoes fast?
Answer: Add some sage to the campfire. Its smoke repels mosquitoes fast. Also, the spray of vinegar and essential oils repels mosquitoes like magic. As mosquitoes hate vinegar odor, they run away immediately. Essential oils like rosemary, thyme, citronella, lemongrass, lavender, tea tree, etc., also play vital roles in preventing mosquitoes.
7. What will naturally repel mosquitoes?
Answer: Natural essential oil sprays are used to repel mosquitoes naturally. These oils include cinnamon oil, citronella oil, peppermint oil, catnip oil, eucalyptus oil, lavender oil, neem oil, lemongrass oil, soybean oil, tea tree oil, geranium oil, thyme oil, and rosemary oil.