How To Kill Mosquito Larvae In Standing Water With Household Products

Mosquitoes suck — literally. While having one mosquito around is bad enough, they are known to reproduce quickly, so a minor annoyance can snowball into a much more stressful problem. If you have standing water in your yard and you've found mosquito larvae inside, you should take steps to destroy them before they cause trouble. A common recommendation is to get into the pantry and pull out a number of specific household products for this purpose, but is this really a good choice? 

The answer is yes, but there's a caveat: Some household products work better than other ones do, so you'll want to carefully consider which ones you use, and only use them as directed. With that in mind, let's go ahead and evaluate a small handful of oft-recommended products. We'll start with oil, move onto vinegar, then assess soap, and finally close out with the most controversial one — bleach.

One of the top household products that's recommended for killing mosquito larvae is cooking oil. Olive oil and vegetable oil, in particular, are often recommended for this purpose, but some also claim it works with cinnamon oil. Whichever ingredient you choose, you don't need to use too much. Simply add enough to create a thin layer on top of the water. This will likely add up to one teaspoon per gallon of water. Add the layer again if it rains. One study by Pohang University of Science and Technology found that creating this layer was effective at disrupting the survival of mosquito larvae in water by blocking access to their air supply. Keep wildlife in mind. If you're going to do this, organic oils are safer. Also, take care to avoid using these ingredients in ponds, bird baths, or other places animals may frequent. 

Now, moving onto vinegar. A number of pest control companies, including Anderson Pest Solutions and The Bug Man, recommend apple cider vinegar for killing mosquito larvae. However, you'll need to use a relatively large amount, so it's probably not the best choice for larger pools of standing water. When using it, add enough to ensure the entire body of water will be comprised of 15% apple cider vinegar when you're done. This should kill the mosquito larvae within 24 hours or less. 

One of the most-suggested methods for killing mosquito larvae is to use dish soap or shampoo. With either ingredient, you just need a small amount. Just add a millimeter of one of these to the water and move it around a bit to allow it to spread. This will lead to the suffocation of the mosquito larvae and eggs. Mr. Mister Mosquito Control recommends Dawn dish soap for killing mosquito larvae, while a preliminary 2021 study published in Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences showed that many types of shampoo are effective for this purpose.

Finally, that brings us to bleach. You probably don't want to do this. Yes, you can kill mosquito larvae in standing water using household bleach, but it's absolutely the sort of thing you only do as a last resort. Bleach can cause big problems, and dumping it around your yard risks damaging to the environment, pets, children, and wildlife. Stick to these other household ingredients instead if you want to avoid causing more harm than good.

In the end, remember that it's always better to prevent an insect infestation rather than dealing with the symptoms. To prevent the presence of mosquitoes and mosquito larvae in the first place, be sure to eliminate standing water around your yard. Cover water buckets and other containers or consider placing them upside down. Clean gutters and downspouts regularly. Be mindful of pet bowls and ensure you clean them and replace the water in them every day. Also, consider using natural ingredients and plants that repel mosquitoes, and try to keep your lawn and garden well-trimmed to discourage them from coming around in the first place.