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Keep pesky mosquitoes at bay by boiling one thing they hate

A cleaning fan shared a natural solution to help deter mosquitoes from your home and garden - and all you'll need is a common food item

Mosquitoes are known to transmit serious diseases, including yellow fever, Zika fever, malaria, filariasis, and dengue.
A cleaning fan shared a natural solution to help deter mosquitoes from your home and garden - and all you'll need is a common food item(Image: undefined via Getty Images)

A TikTok user known as Mama Mila has offered up her natural, secret weapon against pesky mosquitoes without resorting to chemicals. Chantel Mila recently took to the platform sharing savvy strategies for mosquito-free living spaces.


Rather than reaching for store-bought repellents, Chantel uses an everyday pantry staple beloved by many: coffee. She suggested that instead of discarding your leftover coffee beans or grounds, repurpose them into a DIY bug deterrent.


You can either use coffee beans or coffee grounds, so make sure you don't throw them away. Chantel laid out the method: "Mosquitos hate the smell of coffee, so boil leftover coffee beans or clove on your stovetop to repel mossies."

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Coffee
Simply boil the coffee beans or grounds in a saucepan of water(Image: Getty Images)

How to deter mosquitoes

She also recommended adding any used coffee grounds to your garden plants to ward off additional pests. Not only do they serve as a natural insect repellant, but they can double as a fertilizer.

Mosquitoes, which are known for their sensitive noses, are particularly put off by the strong odors released when coffee is boiled or burned. The process heightens the aroma, creating a repellent effect, reports the Express.


Experts at W & W Nursery and Landscaping confirm that the potent odor from burning coffee grounds functions as a mosquito deterrent. It emits substances that disrupt the insects' tracking abilities.

W & W Nursery and Landscaping point out: "Insects also generally associate smoke with danger, so the smoke alone is a signal to them to find shelter elsewhere."

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Not only do coffee grounds keep mosquitoes at bay, but they also effectively deter other unwanted pests like wasps and bees. Typically, people rely on citronella candles, incense, and chemical-based repellents to control mosquitoes.

However, coffee grounds provide a budget-friendly and chemical-free alternative. According to Gardening Know How, mixing water with coffee can also prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs in gardens.

The website elaborated: "That being said, while the coffee-water mixture did reduce the number of larvae present, it made little difference in the prevention of adult mosquitoes in the space. If considering the use of coffee grounds outdoors in this manner, it is important to thoroughly research.

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"While coffee grounds are a popular additive to compost piles, it is important to remember that they may not provide the mosquito-repelling results you're hoping for."

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