How to Have a Pest-free Patio and Outdoor Area

There is no doubt that a patio is a place for relaxation and comfort. After a long day at work, retiring to your outdoor area can be therapeutic. Also, one can use it to attend to guests. But what happens when you don’t have a pest-free patio?

Regardless of the benefits of having a patio area, some people do not enjoy it. In many cases, staying on your patio and outdoor area can be hell due to pests and bugs.

Until you know how to keep your patio and outdoor space pest-free, you will not get to enjoy the benefits that come with having one.

These pests do not care about your comfort on your own patio. Getting rid of them is the only way you can use your patio and enjoy the comfort and relaxation it brings.

In this article, I will discuss several practical steps to take in other to have a pest-free patio and enjoy your outdoor area.

Things to do to Have a Pest-free Patio

Clean up your patio

The first step to ensuring that those pests that make you uncomfortable in your patio are gone for good is cleaning your patio. Regardless of your patio size, structure, or design, you need to make sure it is clean to get rid of pests in your patio. 

After having a nice meal with your family or friends on your patio, there is every tendency that there would be drops on the floor. This would definitely attract ants and other pests if not cleaned up—the cleaner your patio, the lesser the pests that get to disturb you. 

You might be wondering how often you should clean your patio. Well, cleaning your patio depends on how well you use it. A bachelor that spends more that at the office can clean his patio once a week or every 2 weeks. But a man who is married with children, especially little children, might get his patio cleaned every day or every time it is being used. It is left for you to know when to clean it.

Also, it is crucial that you wipe and sweep off liquid and edible substances as soon as they pour or fall. Cleaning up your patio can provide a long-term solution. Other ways to keep your patio clean and repel pests are mowing the grasses, getting rid of stagnant water, sweeping dirt, etc. 

Burn Citronella Candles

These Citronella candles can serve as an outdoor insect repellent. Also, some people refer to this candle as a mosquito repellent candle. Burning citronella candles on your patio can be an effective means of getting rid of pests on your patio.

This insect repellent candle does not have a side effect on humans and can help chase insects quickly. Also, this insect repellent candle can give your patio a beautiful aroma and a nice glow at night. Another candle that can serve this same purpose is the Geraniol candle.

Although this might be an effective means of keeping insects and pests away from your patio, it is not a long-term or permanent solution.

Change Your Outdoor Lighting

If you have a white bulb and have watched closely, you would notice that bugs and flies are very attracted to white bulbs. Having white bulbs on your patio can attract pests, and changing the color of your bulb would be of help.

It is advisable you get yellow bulbs or sodium vapor lights as the yellow glow does not attract insects.

Get a Bug lantern

Getting a bug lantern for your patio is another effective way to free your patio from pests and insects. This bug lantern gets to attract bugs into the light and then kill them.

Although when using this bug lantern, it is advisable to keep them away from your dinner table or food. 

Spray Hydrogen Peroxide 

Spraying hydrogen peroxide on your patio and outdoor space is an effective way of repelling pests and insects. Just get hydrogen peroxide and mix it with water, and you are good to go. With the mixture, spray your patio surface and boundary, and also make sure you do not spray it around drinks or food as it can be poisonous. This can serve as a good insect repellent for the patio.

Get a Fan

Getting a fan for your patio can be a means of repelling insects, especially flying insects like mosquitoes and house flies. The breeze the fan produces would be enough to blow them away.

Grow Herbs and Helpful Plants

Growing some plants around your patio can serve as an insect repellent. Plants like Lavender have a pleasant smell, although insects hate it and would not stay in an area where this plant is. Also, Garlic and rosemary plant can repel biting insects. You can also choose to have a chive and lemongrass garden as it can help keep at bay other pests.

Also, planting flowers such as calendula and marigolds can be of help to your patio as they would not only add color to your patio but serve as a natural insect repellent. 

Apply Mouthwash

Mouthwash can help make your patio free from insects and pests. All you need to do is mix the mouthwash and water and spray it around your patio.

Insects hate the smell of mints, and mouthwash would repel them. This can act as a quick fix but won’t last for long.

Make Use of Essential Oils

Essential oils can help deter insects and pests on your patio. Just spray water alongside eucalyptus, Lavender, citronella, and witch hazel around your patio. You can also spray it on yourself while enjoying your patio, and you will have a pest-free patio.

This can serve as a natural bug repellent for yourself or your patio to prevent insects. Make sure that you don’t spray them on foods or drinks.

Insect Repellent Device

There are insect repellent devices that can help keep pests away from your patio. All you need to do is plug and play, and you get to watch pests go away. This insect repellent device is very effective and can help you enjoy your patio. 

Main patio pests and how to handle them

Here are the 4 major outdoor patio insects that disturb and simple hacks on how to contain them

Ants

Make sure that you sweep and clean up your patio after every meal. Also, use soapy water to clean areas where ants have been; by doing so, you get to remove their pheromone trails that invite repeat visitors.

Bee

Don’t plant plenty of flowers around your outdoor space, as flowers naturally attract bees due to the pollen and nectar. Also, avoid leaving empty cans or sticky remnants from honey, ice cream, syrup, or other foods because they attract bees (and ants).

Flies

You can stop flies from flying around your outdoor patio by hanging insect netting around your patio and closing the net when spending time on your patio. Also, using fly strips would help as it would attract the flies and get them stuck.

Mosquitoes

Preventing mosquitoes from being a pest in your outdoor living space can be as simple as burning citronella candles when on your patio or making sure there is no stagnant water around your patio.

Know this…

You deserve to enjoy the comfort and relaxation that comes with owning an outdoor patio, and the tips shared in this article will definitely help you.