The perfect time to enjoy outdoor party life is finally here, and you can hardly wait to get started.
But along with the backyard barbecues, wonderfully planned picnics, ball games, fireworks at the park, or even gardening experiences, comes the unwelcome visitor – the mosquito.
You may cling to the idea that the hordes of mosquitoes will only bother for a short time before you hand it to them, but these insects are hardy.
They resist all kinds of repellents, sprays, candles, or anything you throw at them. The sad fact is these small (and seemingly harmless) insects have a special ability to ruin a great time.
Your family, guests, and, unfortunately, even your pets may find it very difficult to enjoy an event regardless of how well planned and beautiful it seems.
One of the mosquitoes’ strong abilities is that they remain persistent even amidst weather attacks. These annoying insects will continuously disturb you with bites.
Even worse is that they carry serious diseases and viruses such as Zika virus, malaria, dengue fever, West Nile virus, and more.
But how do you enjoy your outdoor time on those beautiful summer nights with all these persistent bloodsucking insects biting you? Or even worse, how do you enjoy your experience without the worry of catching mosquito-borne viruses?
Burning coffee grounds
You’ll be glad to learn that burning coffee grounds is a perfect solution to keep these little insects at bay. Used coffee grounds contain many chemical components after brewing. When burnt, the smell becomes stronger as components, such as caffeine and diterpenes, are released into the air. This chemical composition in coffee makes the grounds effective repellents for various reasons;
– First, the grounds are a safe insect repellent keeping, not just the mosquitoes, but other insects such as bees and wasps away. Burnt coffee grounds are natural components with no compounds added to them. Other repellents in the market are pretty awful. Most are made from unnatural elements, which can be harmful to your health.
– Second, coffee grounds are highly effective in repelling mosquitoes. By far, the grounds are a better control technique than most repellents, hence offering greater comfort and convenience when outdoors. Repellents such as candles are not only ineffective in eliminating mosquitoes but may perform worse than using protection at all. The burning candles produce heat and carbon dioxide, both of which attract mosquitoes even more.
– Besides, when burned, coffee grounds produce a strong and pleasant scent. The grounds are most potent when burned. They radiate such a strong scent that repels mosquitoes and other insects. This is because most bugs have a very strong sense of smell. They associate strong scents with danger and will look for shelter away from the smell. In addition to the scent keeping off insects, the burnt coffee grounds will fill your outdoor air with delicious aroma while neutralizing other odors in the environment.
– Coffee grounds are also an affordable option. In a world where over two billion cups of coffee are consumed every day by over 1 billion individuals, coffee grounds shouldn’t be difficult to find. If you’re a coffee drinker who uses coffee grounds to make your everyday Cup of Joe, used coffee grounds will be great for your wallet.
How do you burn these coffee grounds?
All you need to burn coffee grounds are the following:
- Dry coffee grounds
- Aluminum foil
- A plate, bowl, or flat surface
- A march or lighter
- Charcoal lighter fluid (optional)
Step 1:
Take your left-over coffee grounds from your coffee maker and put them in aluminum foil. Set them in a cool and dry place until completely dry; wet coffee grounds will be inflammable. Avoid placing the grounds in a damp and dark place as they will develop mold.
Step 2:
Place the aluminum foil in a bowl or on a surface in your outdoor space
Step 3:
Add a few drops of charcoal lighter fluid to enhance flammability to the coffee grounds, (this is entirely optional). If you saturate the grounds they’ll burn within no time.
Step 4:
To burn the grounds, take a long match and light the fluid and allow it to burn and light the coffee grounds. If you didn’t add the charcoal lighter fluid, light the coffee grounds instead. The grounds will begin to smoke after they start burning.
If the grounds burn with a flame, smother it by placing a damp towel over the bowl or surface that contains the grounds; this will leave them smoking and smoldering.
Step 5:
Select a spot upwind so that the scent will fill your outdoor location and repel the insects. Alternatively, place your burning coffee plate in a central area where the smell covers everyone in the space.
If it’s a large gathering, why not place several of the coffee ground repellents in strategic areas of your garden or backyard so all your guests can enjoy their peace?
To add the potent to the repellent, add fresh bay leaves to the burning coffee burns.
The next time you’re planning an outdoor event, there’s no need to worry about the nuisance caused by insects. Consider putting to good use the plenty of used coffee grounds. The intense smell from the burning coffee grounds will undoubtedly upset these smell-sensitive insects, and they will stay away. Note, only burn the coffee grounds as mosquito repellents outside where there’s adequate ventilation. Also, take caution when dealing with fire and the flammable lighter fluid.
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