Not only are mosquitoes incredibly annoying insects, but they can also carry harmful diseases and viruses. Moreover, mosquitoes can surround any stagnant body of water, like your pool.
So, does chlorine keep mosquitoes away?
Chlorine is one of the most effective methods to keep mosquitoes away. In fact, if you keep your pool adequately chlorinated, mosquitoes are less likely to hang around your backyard, let alone lay their larvae.
In this article, we explain in detail the effect of chlorine on mosquitoes and mosquito larvae, as well as other methods to keep mosquitoes away. So, keep reading to find all the answers.
Does Chlorine Keep Mosquitoes Away?
Simply stated, chlorine can be an effective way to keep mosquitoes from annoying you. The reason behind this is that chlorine has a very pungent smell that, even in small quantities, can deter mosquitoes.
Additionally, mosquitoes can’t breed as effectively in the presence of chlorine.
While chlorine in the pool can help deter mosquitoes, it’ll be more effective if you keep the water moving. Water circulation is necessary to keep mosquitoes away from a natural pool that doesn’t even use chlorine.
Running the pump in combination with chlorinated water is a sure-fire way to keep the mosquitoes away.
How Much Chlorine Does It Take to Kill Mosquitoes?
Pools are generally maintained with a chlorine concentration of 1-3 ppm. This is great to keep the water sanitized against bacteria; however, this level of chlorine is not enough to kill mosquitoes or larvae.
To truly have a chance at killing mosquitoes with chlorine, you’ll need to shock the pool with a high concentration of chlorine. Unfortunately, once you’ve shocked the pool you’ll need to keep out of the water until chlorine levels return to a safe concentration.
On the other hand, chlorine is pretty effective in killing small mosquito larvae. So, if mosquitoes somehow get into your pool, their larvae are unlikely to survive.
Other Methods to Keep Mosquitoes Away
While bleach can act as a great mosquito repellent, it isn’t the most practical option, especially since regular exposure to bleach can greatly harm you.
Yet, mosquitoes can also carry life-threatening pathogens. So, you have to employ other ways to keep mosquitoes away from your home and yard.
Mosquito Dunks
Mosquito dunks are small donut-shaped larvicide disks that will float on your pool’s surface. They contain a natural bacterium that is lethal to mosquito larvae, but safe for humans and pets.
Throwing in these dunks will cause the larvae to starve. However, you may need to monitor the dunks to ensure they don’t get entrapped in the skimmer. You may find it best to only keep them in the pool when the pump is not running.
Mosquito Traps
Mosquito traps are an incredibly effective solution to completely eliminate mosquitoes from your home. However, to get the most out of your mosquito trap, you should make sure to place them in strategic spots around your home.
The great thing about mosquito traps is they can be placed indoors and outdoors. Additionally, you can pick a mosquito trap that doesn’t contain any chemicals or pesticides as a safer option.
You can also make your own mosquito trap using sugar water and yeast. The yeast will set off a reaction that attracts mosquitoes, but instead of feasting on the sugar water, they’ll drown.
Bug-Misting System
Mosquito misters regularly spray mosquito repellant at intervals of time. This means your yard will always have a certain concentration of insecticide, thus keeping mosquitoes at bay.
You could also hire a company that performs routine mosquito fogging around your lawn.
Ultimately, you may have to keep your family and pets away from the lawn for a while after the mosquito repellant has been sprayed to avoid inhalation of any toxic chemicals.
Maintain Your Lawn
Mosquitoes find their home in weeds and overgrown grass. If you regularly cut the grass and trim your hedges, your yard will be an uncomfortable habitat for mosquitoes.
Regularly Clean the Pool
A dirty pool is a great breeding ground for mosquitoes, even if it’s chlorinated. That’s why you need to regularly clean your pool using filters and pool nets.
Additionally, if you catch any mosquito larvae in your pool, quickly get rid of them, as they can hatch in only 48 hours!
Keep the Pool Circulating
Mosquitoes tend to lay their eggs in stagnant bodies of water. Fortunately, pools typically circulate water at least 8 hours a day.
Running the pump regularly will prevent the mosquitoes from infesting your pool.
Mosquitoes are more active during the nighttime. Allowing your pump to run for a bit after the sun has set will further ensure mosquitoes are laying eggs in the pool.
If you use a solid cover, you may need to clear it off periodically after a rainfall in order to avoid the water from stagnating.
Use a Pool Cover at Night
Since it’s quite common to turn the pump off at night, this leaves the pool stagnant for mosquitoes to lay their eggs. Routine use of a cover at night will help keep mosquitoes and bugs from infesting your pool.
Place a Fan Near the Pool
Using a fan is a simple but effective way of getting rid of mosquitoes. The air that the fan pushes towards the pool will make mosquitoes struggle to stay around the pool area.
Also, it will create a breeze that will help you relax on hot summer days. However, it might not be the most effective method, as once you turn off the fan, all the mosquitoes will return to the pool area.
Landscape with Scented Plants
While it may seem odd, mosquitoes have a very perceptive sense of smell. Their sharp sense of smell helps them find their host for blood.
This sense of smell also causes certain scents to be off-putting to them, such as:
- Citrus
- Catnip
- Rosemary
- Basil
- Lavender
Establishing plant-life that provides these scents in your yard will be an effective way to help keep the mosquitoes at bay.
Final Takeaway
So, does chlorine keep mosquitoes away? The answer is yes! Chlorine is one effective tool to keep mosquitoes away from your pool. It’s an excellent repellant, but unfortunately, it may not be enough to kill an adult mosquito.
Luckily, there are other things you can do to keep mosquitoes away, like using mosquito traps, a bug-misting system, and regular cleaning.
Happy (Pest-Free) Swimming!
Husband and father of three (actually, four if you include the pool). I’m an avid DIY-er and weekend warrior that enjoys taking up new projects around the house to help us maximize leisure right at home. I enjoy researching and sharing various tips, tricks and knowledge to help others make their home an oasis.