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Do Citronella Candles Keep Mosquitoes Away?
Citronella is widely advertised as an effective mosquito repellent. It is made into candles, sprays, and lotions, but are any of these products reliable mosquito repellent options?
If you light a citronella candle outside during hours of heavy mosquito activity, you might see a decrease in the number of mosquitoes around you, but this effectiveness won’t last long. Citronella candles are often only helpful for a couple of hours.
About Citronella Oil
Citronella oil occurs naturally in leaves and grass. It has a brownish-yellow color and a distinct scent with citric and floral notes. Citronella oil has many purposes: it can be used as an insect repellent, perfume, food additive, antifungal agent, and a wound-healing agent. Citronella candles have become a popular commercial product marketed to repel mosquitoes and an assortment of other insects.
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Do Citronella Candles Actually Help?
Citronella oil works to keep insects away by masking the scents we give off that attract them to us. The scent of citronella obscures our natural body odors that mosquitoes can easily pick up on. But can you rely on citronella candles to keep mosquitoes away? Research has shown that citronella oil combined with vanillin can protect people from mosquitoes for three hours, and mixing citronella oil and DEET can provide over six hours of protection. However, citronella candles offer little protection on their own.
Can Citronella Plants Repel Mosquitoes Reliably?
Lemon-scented geraniums and other plants sold as “citronella plants” will not keep mosquitoes away for you. In order to make use of citronella oil, you must deliberately extract it from the plant’s leaves by rubbing or crushing them. When you’re looking for reliable mosquito control options, it’s important to leave the work to an experienced mosquito exterminator.