Are Old Coffee Grounds the Key to Being Mosquito Free in Illinois?

If you despise putting on bug spray and lighting one million citronella candles to keep the mosquitoes away each summer, you probably have the perfect answer sitting in your kitchen cabinets right now.

Illinois Bug Problems

Summer just began, but I have already hit my dealing-with-bugs limit thanks to the cicadapocalypse that Illinois just lived through. Unfortunately, the bugs aren't done with us yet and the mosquitoes are just warming up. Since slathering on bug spray and chemicals every time we step outdoors is the absolute WORST, I'm all in for trying natural methods to keep the bugs at bay this summer.

The other day this post showed up on my social media feed, and it was enough to make me start saving the used grounds from all my K cups...

Have you ever tried burning coffee grounds to keep mosquitoes away? My mind is a little blown right now.

How to Use Coffee As a Mosquito Repellant

The  post above may show burning coffee grounds to repel mosquitos, but you don't actually have to set the grounds on fire to keep the sucking bugs at bay.

I found an article from Mr. Mister Mosquito Control that says;

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 article does state that burning coffee grounds is the most effective way to repel mosquitos because you're throwing smoke into the mix, (which mosquitos also hate), but just having the fragrant grounds in a bowl on the table or sprinkling them throughout your yard will help too.

Are Certain Coffees Better at Repelling Mosquitos?

I did a little reading and most sources agree that it doesn't matter what brand of coffee grounds you use to repel mosquitoes, but it is important that it is unflavored.  If you want to amp up the repelling power just mix peppermint, lavender, or citrus oils into your grounds too.

Good luck, and please let me know if this works for you!

Here are some natural ways to repel mosquitoes in your yard...