7 Natural Ways to Prevent Mosquito Bites Without Chemicals
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7 Natural Ways to Prevent Mosquito Bites

7 Natural Ways to Prevent Mosquito Bites
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By
Deniz Sahinturk
Updated on January 23, 2026
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Warmer weather means reveling in outdoor activities like hiking, sunbathing, and barbecues. Along with these pluses, there's one tiny nuisance: mosquitos. These pesky pests, which thrive in warm weather, can put a damper on anyone’s summer fun. But there are natural ways to deter mosquitos so you can enjoy the sunshine.

When using natural insect repellents that are applied directly to the skin, it’s important to choose products that are registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), says Joseph Conlon, a retired U.S. Navy entomologist and technical adviser for the American Mosquito Control Association. If you have sensitive skin or known skin allergies, it’s a good idea to test your skin first by applying a small drop of essential oil on the inside of your forearm.

Here are seven natural ways to prevent mosquito bites.

1. Lemon Eucalyptus

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified lemon eucalyptus, an EPA-registered repellent, as an active ingredient in mosquito repellent. “It is a very good repellent,” says Conlon. “Just do not use it on kids younger than 3 years old — it hasn’t been approved for them.”

2. Catnip Oil

Many people are aware of catnip's effect on cats, but they might not know that research has shown it can also be used to repel mosquitos. According to a study published in 2024, catnip essential oil, specifically its main active ingredients called nepetalactones, can effectively repel mosquitoes. In controlled laboratory tests, even relatively low concentrations of catnip oil significantly reduced the number of mosquitoes in areas treated with the oil compared with untreated areas, showing strong spatial repellency against mosquito species such as Aedes aegypti (the yellow fever mosquito).

This oil is approved by the EPA and will give you seven hours of protection from mosquitos, according to Conlon.

3. Cinnamon Oil

Research shows that cinnamon essential oil can be an effective mosquito repellent, largely because of its naturally occurring compounds like cinnamaldehyde, which interfere with mosquito behavior and deter bites.

In a controlled lab study testing 20 plant-based oils against Aedes aegypti, a lotion with 10 percent cinnamon oil provided one of the longest complete protection times (over one hour) from mosquito bites, performing at a similar level to clove oil and outperforming many other natural oils.

4. Clove Oil

Research suggests that clove oil is one of the more effective plant-based options for repelling mosquitoes. In laboratory tests, clove oil provided longer protection from mosquito bites than many other essential oils, helping keep mosquitoes from landing and feeding.

Scientists believe that this effect comes from eugenol, clove oil’s main active compound, which appears to disrupt mosquitoes’ ability to detect and target humans. While clove oil isn’t as long-lasting as synthetic repellents like DEET, findings show that it can offer meaningful short-term protection as a natural alternative.

5. IR3535

IR3535, a synthetic amino acid, is one of the most common active ingredients in insect repellents. Repellents containing IR3535 come mostly in cream form, and are available in most drugstores. The amino acid messes with the insects' sense of smell and is an excellent repellent, according to Conlon.

“It has no toxicity and gives you eight hours of protection,” he says.

6. Use Smoke

Research suggests that smoke-based mosquito repellents, such as plant-based coils, incense, and fire pits, can help reduce mosquito activity by interfering with the sensory cues that mosquitoes use to locate humans.

Studies have found that smoke from burning repellent plants or citronella-based products can lower mosquito density and biting activity in outdoor settings, likely by masking carbon dioxide and body odors or creating conditions that mosquitoes avoid.

Evidence also shows that these methods work best in open or semioutdoor areas, and they may be more effective when combined with airflow, such as a breeze or fan, which further disrupts mosquitos' flight and host-seeking behavior.


7. Eliminate Standing Water

Any pools or puddles around your home or yard can quickly become a mosquito breeding ground. Tips to keep the area around your home free from these insects include these practices:

  • Unclogging roof gutters
  • Emptying any kids' pools
  • Changing the water in any bird baths weekly
  • Making sure rain is not accumulating in trash can lids
  • Storing flower pots or any other unused containers upside down

The Takeaway

  • Several natural methods can help repel mosquitoes by disrupting how they detect humans.
  • Certain plant-based oils, smoke, and airflow interfere with mosquito sensory cues and flight.
  • These approaches work best for short-term outdoor use and often need frequent reapplication or consistent airflow.
  • For higher-risk settings, combining natural strategies or using EPA-approved repellents offers stronger protection.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Skin-Applied Repellent Ingredients. Environmental Protection Agency. January 29, 2025.
  2. Batume C et al. Evaluating Repellence Properties Of Catnip Essential Oil Against The Mosquito Species Aedes aegypti Using a Y-tube Olfactometer. Scientific Reports. January 27 2024.
  3. Luker HA et al. Repellent Efficacy Of 20 Essential Oils on Aedes Aegypti Mosquitoes and Ixodes Scapularis Ticks in Contact-Repellency Assays. Scientific Reports. January 30, 2023.
  4. Wendimu A et al. Field Efficacy Of Ethnomedicinal Plant Smoke Repellency Against Anopheles Arabiensis and Aedes Aegypti. Heliyon. June 24 2021.
  5. Devi AJ. Citronella Incense Sticks as Mosquito Repellent and its Efficacy. Journal of Propulsion Technology. 2025.
  6. Mosquito Bites. Mayo Clinic. November 15 2024.
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Grant Chu, MD, MS, MBA, FACP

Medical Reviewer
Castle Connolly Top Doctor

Grant Chu, MD, is an associate clinical professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Dr. Chu is also associate director of inpatient East-West consult services at the UCLA Health hospitals.

He's board-certified in internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine and is a diplomate of the National Certification Board for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (formerly the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine).

He received a bachelor's degree in neuroscience from Brown University, where he also earned his medical degree. He has a master's in acupuncture and oriental medicine from South Baylo University and a master's in business administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of California in Los Angeles and a fellowship at the Center for East-West Medicine at UCLA. He has held academic appointments at the University of California in Irvine and the University of Queensland in Australia.

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Deniz Sahinturk

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