Oils and Alcohol

• Citronella, peppermint, orange and tea tree oils are all strong-smelling essential oils that can repel flying insects including mosquitoes. Mouthwash or other sources of alcohol around the home can be effective flying insect repellents. You can put straight, clear alcohol such as vodka into a spray bottle and use it around the home and on exposed skin.
  
  

Garlic

• Garlic juice is an effective homemade flying insect repellent. The natural-living website Eartheasy offers a recipe for mixing one part garlic juice and five parts water in a spray bottle. Garlic juice is commercially available but you can make it in your kitchen by pureeing garlic as much as possible and straining out the solids. Shake the mixture well before using it, and spray the garlic spray on your body and outdoor patios where you wish to keep flying insects at bay. It is not recommended to use this repellent on soft surfaces that cannot be cleaned easily because of its strong garlic smell.
  
  

Pets

• Domestic pets such as cats and dogs do not have the capability to break down essential oils that humans have, so essential oils can be toxic to them. All essential oils are toxic to cats and should never be used on or near them. Oils such as citronella and orange can be used on dog collars to repel mosquitoes and fleas. The animal advocacy group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) suggests this recipe for flea repellent on its website: Mix 1 cup of water and 5 drops each of citronella oil, eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, rosemary oil and tea tree oil. The solution is effecting against fleas and flying insects. You can put the mixture into a spray bottle and spray it directly on a dog, but not a cat.
  
  

Prevention

• Homeowners who once had high flying insect populations, such as mosquitoes, will notice a drastic reduction and even elimination of the problem when they remove sources of standing water around their property. These can include ponds that don't have a filter, plant pots full of water, swimming pools that aren't opened early enough and old tires and tire swings around the yard. Insects such as mosquitoes will lay their eggs in this water.