How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes in Garage

Mosquitoes can easily find their way inside garages and similar places due to the conditions prevailing, that are favorable for their dwelling. They easily survive and breed because of some negligence from our side. There are many control methods and strategies to get rid of mosquitoes in garage and prevent them from returning. You just follow the below guide to keep your garage and surrounding environment completely free of mosquitoes.

Conditions favorable for mosquitoes in garage

First of all it is necessary to know the factors and conditions that attracts mosquitoes and also drive their growth and infestation. Than only we will be able to understand exactly, How to keep mosquitoes out of your garage?

Because of the following conditions that we don’t focus and act upon, it becomes difficult for us to get rid of mosquitoes in garage.

1. Warmth

The garage mostly remains closed most of the time and so don’t have running fans and cooling facility to keep the temperature low. Also, the garages are mostly built in a way that it faces direct sunlight or attached with homes. This makes the garage to be enough warm. And this favorable warm condition offered by garages is what attracts mosquitoes.

5. Standing water

Mosquitoes need a small amount of standing water which is enough for them to lay eggs. Garages are mostly filled with various items that can store or accidentally collect waters like buckets, unrepaired leakages, clogged water basins, etc.

2. Moisture

Moisture is required by mosquitoes to dwell and breed. Water in any form whether any leakage, clogged drainage, or damp walls may provide enough moisture and humidity that is required for mosquito breeding.

3. Darkness

They wanted a hiding space to rest in a day, we usually see mosquitoes in dark where they come out and search for humans. So, during day time they take rest and dwell in dark at places like garage.

4. Clutter and Scrap Storage

These scrap and clutter in your garage, are mostly never touched for months and years. These places becomes the perfect hide-spot for mosquitoes.

6. Gaps and Cracks

The garage is mostly not maintained and looked after as we do for our homes. There can be some gaps and cracks that can be an alternate entry points for them.

7. Lack of hygiene

Poor hygiene is not directly associated with mosquitoes but, lack of cleanliness and hygiene force us to avoid going to garage for small things. This infrequent access to garage, keeps it unattended and poorly maintained for longer period of time. And this causes other factors to happen and create the environment most favorable for mosquitoes.

8. Surroundings outside your garage

If the population of mosquitoes is higher around your home and garage than there will be more chances of your garage becoming a hot spot for mosquitoes. there are many factors in open spaces like lawn, garden, backyard, drive way, etc. that can allow mosquito infestation in your surroundings outside the garage.

How to get rid of mosquitoes in garage?

People usually get frustrated with mosquitoes during summers, as it is easier to infiltrate, being outside under sunlight, poorly maintained, unhygienic, and full of clutters and scrap, where even we avoid going at that corners, and touching due to excessive dust and dirt.

Most people use garage to keep gardening tools, or as a storage room, or unnecessary useless car related scrap which are of no-use now. So, focusing on the main factors – Warmth, Moisture, Darkness, Clutter or Scrap, Poor Maintenance, Surroundings, we can keep mosquitoes away from our garage.

We at our best, successfully piled up the most necessary and helpful tips on “How to keep mosquitoes out of your garage?” You just simply follow the below preventive steps for keeping mosquitoes away from your garage.

Steps for keeping mosquitoes out of garage

Now, as you are completely aware and know the causes for mosquitoes coming to your garage, you can take necessary steps to get rid of mosquitoes in garage.

1. Clean & Declutter your garage

A cluttered garage creates number of hiding spots for mosquitoes. Cleaning and organizing your garage will help you to get rid of mosquitoes in garage.

• Old cartons and packaging boxes,
• preserved decorating materials,
• broken toys,
• old furniture,
• old trunks and suitcases,
• paint cans,
• damaged rugs and carpets,
• old CDs and DVDs,
• old baby items like cribs and prams,
• discarded exercise equipment like treadmill and dumbbells,
• old musical instruments,
• empty glass jars and containers,
• outdated, not working lighting fixtures, etc.

You can organize the useful items with proper labels and storing them in groups with similar items. Once you organize everything, clean and sweep the floors and shelves for dust.

2. Repair doors, windows and entry points with screen and mesh

Check whether the garage doors and windows close completely without any gaps or cracks, if not repair them right away. Install mesh screens or mosquito nets for doors and windows, to avoid mosquitoes to enter, when you are inside the garage.

Install a door sweep if there is a gap below the garage door. Not only mosquitoes but all other insects will be restricted.

Check your walls and ceilings or window frames, for any gaps or entry points. Fill it with cement or fillers and install mosquito nets wherever necessary.

3. Eliminate standing water

The most common culprit responsible for mosquito infestation and growth is standing water. You must check and eliminate any chances or source of standing water in and around your garage. Standing water serves as a breeding platform that is most suitable for mosquitoes, allowing them to breed and grow. Check the below points extensively for standing water sources:

Inside Garage:

• Clogged gutters and drainage
• leakages in pipes and water containers/tanks
• uncovered water storage containers, left open
• water pooling due to poor garage flooring
• water leakages from roof

Outside Garage:

• Puddles and potholes in driveway
• poor drainage and crowded gutters
• old tires or uncovered containers
• Unmaintained plant pots and bird baths
• Uncovered, Wet waste in dustbins
• dripping Air conditioning units
• pet water bowls left outside
• water collected in outdoor toys and playsets
• water buildup on car covers and folded tarpaulins or shades
• abandoned vehicles which collects water

If mosquitoes find a single place with standing or stagnant water they will infest and start breeding. This should be stopped at any cost to reduce their population at this stage. Otherwise, it may not possible to get rid of mosquitoes in garage.

4. Use Mosquito Repellents and Insecticides

If the situation has become too severe with difficulties in entering your garage and severe mosquito bites which starts sucking blood in no time. In such cases of severe mosquito infestation, you can use mosquito repellents and insecticides to kill them.

• Mosquito repellent vaporizers,
• Mosquito sprays,
• Mosquito Coils,
• Foggers, etc.

These are chemical based and strong in their action to deter mosquitoes. So, should be used with caution if you have infant babies and pets with you. For safe use, follow instructions given on packaging.

5. Use Mosquito Traps

Mosquito traps can speedup the process and prevent any further nuisance from these pests. There are many types of Mosquito traps available which works on different principles.

• Sticky traps: It has sticky surface and when mosquitoes land on these they get stuck on it, and cannot escape then. Plant these sticky traps near or at entry points.
• UV light traps: These traps works by illuminating ultra violet light which attracts mosquitoes, and when they come closer they are either sucked inside through vacuum or killed by sufficient voltage current on an electric grid. Place it near the hiding spots for mosquitoes.
• DIY Mosquito traps: You can make mosquito traps using household items. One such useful DIY Mosquito trap can be made by mixing sugar and yeast with water in a bottle. The sugar mixed with water attracts mosquitoes and yeast produces carbon dioxide which lures them inside the bottle and once they enter they gets trapped.

6. Grow Mosquito Repellent plants

There are certain mosquito repellent herbs and plants that can be grown in your garden and around your garage and home, to create a natural shield against mosquitoes. These are:

• Lemon Grass / Citronella – well known mosquito repellent used extensive as a natural alternative
• Lavender – Place lavender plants inside your garage to repel mosquitoes
• Basil – Grow basil near garage door to keep mosquitoes away
• Peppermint – It is rich in menthol, releases strong minty scent to deter mosquitoes
• Rosemary – Rosemary has a strong scent that is not liked by mosquitoes
• Marigold – It contains pyrethrum, which is a known insect repellent.

Grow or place plant pots of these herbs and plants, that are known for their mosquito repelling properties. This will give a strong long lasting coverage of mosquito barrier around your home and garage.

7. Maintain cleanliness and hygiene

As highlighted above, we should maintain cleanliness and hygiene in our garage. It makes us feel good when we are visiting the garage. We don’t avoid going to, garages for small small things. And so, frequent visits and cleanliness in garage highlights any damage or neglected action, that may invite mosquitoes.

Also, sometimes pets carry unwanted or food items to the garage that may rot there, these may invite rodents that can do some damage in your garage.

8. Regular garage inspections

Regular garage inspections are necessary and will hint you for any required checks and repairs. Recheck for any new clutter, that came in last few days or weeks. Check for mosquito traps for their proper working and functioning, battery replacement or refilling of any type or improper power connections, if any. Also, recheck for any damage in door and windows for any holes and vents.

You should inspect your garage once in a month. Never ignore any signs of water seepage, damp walls, water pooling, uncovered utensils and water containers, etc.

9. Take care of your surroundings outside garage

Apart from actions that you may need to take inside the garage to prevent mosquitoes, there are many factors that drive mosquitoes from outside. The breeding zones and infestation hubs, outside will drive a swarm of mosquitoes inside your garage. You must take care of the following, outside your garage too:

• Piles of lawn grass and leaves
• Dustbins with wet waste and garbage
• Puddles and potholes nearby
• Tree holes and stump
• Clogged and Jam gutters
• Cracks and leakages in water pipes and tanks

List of Causes that contributes to Mosquito growth and breeding

Lastly, we must understand that if proper care is not taken while preventing mosquitoes, than it is not possible to get complete protection. We must look in and around our surroundings together to reduce the overall population of mosquitoes than only we can get considerable reduction in mosquitoes. Below we have provided a overall checklist for a Mosquito Free Surrounding.

Checklist for Mosquito Free Surrounding:

• Standing water in uncovered containers,
• Uncovered Trash cans/Dust bins and Recycle bins
• Water in Bird Baths,
• Clogged drainage and crowded gutters,
• Puddles, potholes and cracks holding water in driveways,
• Leaking faucets, water pipes and tanks,
• Saucer under Flower pots with excess water,
• Piles of wet leaves and grass clippings,
• Old tires left in garage or backyard,
• Unused swimming pools,
• Unmaintained fountains,
• Children playsets and water tubs in backyard,
• Uncovered rain barrels and water ponding on roofs,
• Water collection in roof valleys,
• Open or uncovered septic tanks,
• Dripping water from Air Conditioners,
• Poorly maintaining and excess watering in yards,
• Stagnant water in basement,
• Marshy, damp mulch in gardens,
• Hollow fence posts made of wood or metal, filled with water,
• Piles of wet and cluttered fire wood,
• Standing water on pool covers,
• Water around garden hoses and sprinkler systems,
• Damaged or absence of mosquito nets and screens on windows and entry areas,
• Outdoor footwears boxes, shoes and boots filed with water,
• Animal foot impressions creating tiny water puddles in wet & marshy lands,
• Water logged beneath grass piles,
• Water seepage in outdoor rugs and mats,
• Outdoor water bath tubs and open Jacuzzis,
• Poorly maintained attics and basements,
• Water collected on outdoor benches in gardens and public places,
• Wet landscaping fabric,
• Water collected in outdoor ashtrays and other things, that are not used frequently;
• Water in uncovered compost bins,
• Uncleaned and neglected bird feeders
• Unattended cleaning supplies, buckets and wet mops, etc.

Conclusion

Mosquitoes in garage can be very irritating and difficult to rid of them, if you have no idea about their entry points and causes of their attraction. Once you are aware of the main factors and conditions that are favorable for their growth, you can develop a strategy based on our preventive steps and tips, explained above. Your mosquito prevention strategy should be well structured and suitable as per your circumstances.

First focus on finding their breeding and infestation hubs like standing water, uncovered water containers, etc.; which can be inside or outside your garage.

Secondly, make sure to seal the entry points with mosquito nets, screens, and fillers in gaps or cracks. Repair leakages and damp walls, clogged drainages, stagnant water, etc. Declutter your garage, and organize and maintain with proper cleanliness measures.

Thirdly, make use of mosquito traps and natural repellents. You can simply grow plants that are known mosquito repellents. Do regular maintenance and inspections to avoid problems becoming more severe.

Finally, the last resort, if it’s becoming difficult to prevent or control for you with yourself alone you can go for pest control services.