A clever mum has shared how to make a homemade mosquito repellent to ward off the pesky pests.
The main ingredients are common breakfast choices, and she sprays the mixture on everything, even her kids.
Annie Jomama (@anniejomama), a wife and mother, enjoys sharing glimpses of her family life online.
In a TikTok video, she showed how to keep mosquitoes away from your home.
She shared the benefits and uses of “mosquito repellent that actually works.”
It consists mostly of coffee and is also great for gardening.
“I sprinkle coffee grounds in my backyard, on my windows and doors and it really works,” one viewer commented.
“That's amazing!! We did the same thing. We then learned that coffee grounds can be dangerous for dogs if ingested. So diluted coffee was a safe option for us!” Annie replied.
The first step was to brew about 6 cups of strong coffee before moving on to the next part.
A good rule of thumb is to measure out about 1 scoop per cup.
Then she filled a spray bottle with half coffee and half water to dilute it.
That's all you need to make your own DIY repellent.
From that moment on, she said, “No matter where you spend your time, make sure you squirt.”
For her, that includes her grassy yard and favorite outdoor seating area, which she admits is usually where she's most likely to get bitten.
In the video, she made sure to give it a generous soak in the DIY solution.
“I don't know why, but mosquitoes like to congregate here,” she said.
She makes sure to reapply it every day.
Tips to keep pests out of your garden
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- Plant companion plants such as peppermint to repel mice.
- Install a Garden Net Pest Barrier ($8 on Amazon) over your flower beds.
- To repel slugs, fill an open-top container with beer and place it in the soil.
- To repel ants, flies, and spiders, spray plants with neem oil ($9, Target).
- Sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth on Flower Beds, $8.26, Amazon.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of dish soap, 10 drops of peppermint oil, and 4 cups of water and spray the mixture on your flower beds.
- Place egg shells around your plants to protect them from slugs and snails.
Since children spend a lot of time outdoors, spraying them with the coffee mix was an important step.
If you're worried about the lingering smell, there's no need to worry.
Annie said it leaves a faint coffee scent and doesn't stain clothes.
She usually gets bitten multiple times within minutes of sitting in her favorite chair, but on TikTok she didn't get a single bite.
“The stronger the flavor, the better” when it comes to caffeinated mixes, Annie wrote in the comments.
TikTok users were excited to try it for themselves.
“Amazing! I want to try this. The mosquitoes are awful in Georgia,” one person commented.
“I live in Bakersfield and this is the worst. I'm sick of getting stung on my legs. I'm going to try this. Thanks. Hope it works,” another user commented.
