Safe and Effective Tips for Using Coffee Grounds as Mosquito Control

Coffee grounds are a natural mosquito repellent that can help fight off mosquitoes from your home. They work by masking the scents that attract mosquitoes, making it harder for them to find targets.

Simply spread used coffee grounds in areas where mosquitoes gather or create a repellent spray by boiling the grounds in water. While coffee grounds can help, remember to implement other preventive measures like removing standing water and keeping your lawn well-trimmed for optimal mosquito control.

How Do Coffee Grounds Repel Mosquitoes?

How do coffee grounds actually help with mosquito control? Before you start using coffee grounds as a way to repel mosquitoes off of your property. Let us explain how this common household ingredient works as a natural mosquito repellent! Mosquitoes, along with other insects, hate strong smells.

Think about citronella candles or lemongrass, which are commonly used to help with mosquito control. While citronella candles and lemongrass are not as easy to come by as the usual household ingredient of coffee, they all have strong smells which fight off mosquitoes. The compound makeup of coffee grounds is what disgusts mosquitoes and keeps them away from your home and yard.

What Kind of Coffee Grounds are Best for Mosquito Control?

Since coffee grounds have such a pungent and intense smell, mosquitoes do not like to come near it. Mosquitoes are repulsed by all types of coffee, whether it is fresh, used, or burnt. The most effective way to use coffee grounds for mosquito control is by burning them, as it creates a stronger aroma. A majority of Americans drink coffee, so it is a readily accessible item for people to grab and use as a way to ward off mosquitoes.

Fortunately, you do not have to use a special type of coffee grounds for mosquito control. Any brand or type of coffee works as long as it is unflavored. If you are not an avid coffee drinker or you do not brew your own cup at home, many coffee shops will bag their used grounds for free! Whether you choose to brew your own coffee and save the grounds, or you stop by your local coffee shop to grab their used grounds, read on to find out how to use these coffee grounds for mosquito control in your yards.

How To Use Coffee Grounds as a Natural Mosquito Repellent

There are a few different ways to use coffee grounds for mosquito control to ensure the most effective end result. Make sure to follow these steps, tips, and tricks to guarantee the outcome of keeping mosquitoes away!

Prepare The Coffee Grounds

The first step is getting your coffee grounds. Again, you can use fresh ground coffee, used or burnt. We recommend burning your coffee grounds as this creates the most fragrant odor which we know mosquitoes hate!

To burn your coffee grounds, use them as you normally would for brewing coffee. Then brew the same grounds at least one more time. You can also toss them in a dry skillet or pan to toast the grounds to bring out the fragrance. Once you have the grounds in the form you wish to use them, move on to the next steps to learn how to use coffee grounds for mosquito control.

Spread Throughout The Yard

One way to use the coffee grounds for mosquito control is to sprinkle the grounds throughout your yard. If you are trying to protect a specific area, such as your garden or pool, toss the coffee grounds on the perimeter of that area to concentrate the coffee grounds. This will protect your garden, pool, or whichever area you choose to focus on.

If you are wanting to cover a greater section, like your whole property or yard, you can spread the coffee grounds throughout the area. If you have pets or local wildlife animals enter your yard that you do not want to harm or disturb, double-check that the coffee grounds are not in easy-to-reach places. We recommend using coffee grounds if you do not have pets or any other wildlife coming near your property, as they can cause serious harm and damage to animals if ingested.

Create a New Mixture

Adding extra ingredients to your used coffee grounds for mosquito control is always a way to increase the effectiveness of your natural mosquito repellent. Mosquitos have a few scents that they stay away from more than others. By adding these other scents to the coffee grounds mixture, you can boost the benefit of your efforts!

The scents that repel mosquitoes the most are citrus, mint, lavender, pine, and chilis. Incorporating these scents, whether through drops of essential oils or adding in fresh fruit or plants, can help with keeping mosquitoes away from your home.

Create a coffee concentrate spray to repel mosquitoes from your yard

Create a Spray From Coffee Grounds

You can use the coffee grounds for mosquito control by spreading them throughout your yard; however, there are other effective ways to use the coffee grounds as well. These require a few more steps than just sprinkling them throughout your yard, but it is still a relatively easy way is helping to fight off mosquitoes.

After brewing your coffee, grab a few items to make the coffee grounds into a spray. The items you need are: a spray bottle, pot, water, and used coffee grounds. If you have any essential oils on hand, those are good to throw in the pot as well.

Using a 2:1 ratio between water and coffee grounds, boil the ingredients together to create a concentrated spray. Let the liquid reduce to make the spray more concentrated. Toss in a few drops of citrus (such as lemon, grapefruit, or orange) or floral (lavender, eucalyptus, pine) essential oils to enhance the liquid.

Once you have reduced the solution to about 8 ounces or enough to fit into your spray bottle, let the liquid cool. Transfer to the spray bottle.

Now you can use the spray throughout your yard similarly to how you would sprinkle the coffee grounds for mosquito control throughout the property. The spray makes it more concentrated, and it is easier to focus on specific areas rather than tossing the coffee grounds throughout the yard.

Spray the solution on your fence as a way to track the perimeter of your property. You can spray it on the edge of your pool or deck to fight the mosquitoes from a more populated area of the area. If the mosquitoes are attacking your plants, spray the liquid near those plants! This is a very versatile way to use coffee grounds for mosquito control.

How Often Should I Put Out Coffee Grounds for Mosquito Control?

It is completely up to the homeowner as to how much effort they want to put into this process. It can be as simple as throwing fresh coffee grounds throughout your yard in less than five minutes. Of course, the longer the process, the more effective it will be in warding off mosquitoes. If you burn your coffee grounds, make a concentrated solution, or add other ingredients to your coffee ground mixture, it will end up being more effective. However, it does take more time.

There is also no way to say or even estimate how often you need to complete these steps. If you have bad weather, and it causes the coffee grounds to get washed away in the rain or wind, you will need to replace the coffee grounds more often! In the southeast part of the United States, it is likely to be rainy and humid throughout the summer. This means the coffee grounds are likely going to need freshening up often.

To keep up with it, we recommend checking the areas every few days to ensure the coffee grounds or spray is still in the original spot you place it. If mosquitoes get through the protective barrier you build around the perimeter of your yard with the coffee grounds and/or spray solution, they can lay eggs. This creates an even larger problem! It’s best to stay consistent and spray or spread new coffee grounds every few days to ensure mosquitoes are not coming in to breed or nest.

FAQs – Coffee Grounds for Mosquito Control

Q: Will coffee grounds kill mosquitoes?

A: Coffee grounds will not kill mosquitoes. Coffee grounds are used to repel mosquitoes away from your property, but the coffee grounds will not kill them.

Q: Will coffee grounds harm my pets in the yard?

A: Coffee grounds can harm your pets if they are ingested. If you chose to spread the coffee grounds throughout your yard in their regular form, we recommend keeping coffee grounds out of reach of your pets. Of course, there is the possibility for the wind to spread the coffee grounds throughout your yard without you realizing it. This is why we always suggest calling the professionals to help with fighting mosquitoes!

Q: What types of coffee can I use? 

A: As long as the coffee is unflavored (no vanilla latte beans!), the grounds will work.

Q: Will the coffee grounds fight off other bugs and insects?

A: Most insects do not like the strong smell of coffee or the other essential oils you may add to your mixture or spray solution. By spreading coffee grounds throughout your yard, you are helping to fight off other bugs and pests!

Q: How much coffee grounds do I need to repel mosquitoes?

A: Of course, we wish we were able to give a concrete number on how much coffee grounds are best for mosquito control on your property. However, there is not a one size fits all when it comes to “do it yourself” mosquito repellent projects. Keep track of how often you are spraying and stay consistent every few days to ensure the mosquitoes are not laying eggs and breeding in your yard.

Q: Why do coffee grounds repel mosquitoes?

A: Mosquitoes, along with other bugs and insects, hate smelly things! Coffee has a strong smell,  that a lot of humans love! To our benefit, mosquitoes do not like the bitter and potent smell of coffee grounds. One man’s trash is another’s treasure! Don’t throw out your used coffee grounds anymore; instead, use them as a natural mosquito repellent in your yard!

For Better Mosquito Protection, Call the Pros

You read through the “how-to’s” of using the natural household ingredient, coffee grounds for mosquito control, but there are definitely risks to using this method. It is not a full-proof way to get rid of mosquitoes from your property. There are always risks when completing a “do-it-yourself” mosquito control project. Remember to take into account the potential harm that coffee grounds can do to pets and other wildlife entering your yard.

Yes, using coffee grounds for mosquito control is an easy way to help ward off mosquitoes, but there is always a better and more effective way! Calling the professionals at Mr. Mister Mosquito Control is the best way to eliminate mosquitoes from your home and surrounding areas.