We’ve got plenty of trials and tribulations here in Singapore. Long queues and humid weather all year round may be a pain in the neck, but mosquitoes take the top spot.
If you’re a mozzie magnet, we’re here to end your misery. Be sure to stick till the end because the last tip will blow your mind.
Pour coffee grounds in stagnant water
For those with pools of stagnant water sitting around the house, try sprinkling some dry coffee grounds in them. Be sure to use aged coffee grounds as they work better than fresh ones. This pushes mosquito eggs to the water’s surface, eventually leading to their death. Whatever you do, avoid adding them to water bodies with animals.
If you’ve got coffee grounds (used ones work too) to spare, another method is to burn them. All you need to do is place the dry coffee grounds on a flat surface (e.g. in an aluminum foil on the ground) and burn it like incense. Not only does this keep pesky mosquitoes away, but it also works on other insects like bees as well. Burning coffee grounds intensifies its scent and together with the smoke produced, both help to keep insects at bay.
Wear light coloured clothing
Mosquitoes are attracted to heat. According to an online source, dark colours (particularly black) absorb heat and increases the likelihood of sweat, which in turn results in a greater release of carbon dioxide - another factor that attracts mosquitoes.
Fun fact: these pests rely on long and short-range signals to find their victim. Long-range cues include body odour and plumes of carbon dioxide. When they move in on their target, short-range triggers such as temperature and humidity (water vapour) come into play.
Moral of the story? Always opt for light coloured clothing and avoid overly vibrant /floral prints, especially if you’re heading out for a hike where chances of being bitten are higher.
Play Skrillex
As promised, we saved the best for the last. Skrillex is a well-known DJ specialising in Electric Dance Music. EDM is either a hit or a miss, and it seems that mosquitoes are not a fan of such music.
Research conducted in 2019 found that Skrillex’s song "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" reduces the chances of mosquitoes biting and mating. If this is news to you, you’re probably wondering about the science behind it. An article explains that this particular song by Skrillex contains a mixture of extremely high and low-frequency beats.
Try listening to the song on repeat for 10 minutes while focusing on a task (similar to the test conducted in the research), and see if you have stronger willpower than mosquitoes.
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Many netizens swear by these tips but why not try them out for yourself to see if they truly work? Let us know which hack you enjoyed the most and follow us on Instagram for more interesting tips!
