No, there is no scientific backing from the EPA or CDC that Irish Spring soap repels mosquitoes.
Yes, Irish Spring soap can be used as a natural insect repellent. It has a strong, fresh scent that mosquitoes find unpleasant, helping to repel them without the need for harmful chemicals.
Mosquitoes hate the smell of lavender, citronella, clove, peppermint, basil, cedarwood, eucalyptus, peppermint, lemongrass and rosemary. They also hate smells such as smoke, for further insight, see our exploration on, does smoke keep mosquitoes away.
Written by Dan Gray on May 10, 2023 — Fact checked by Jessica Beake, Ph. D. New research analyzes the interplay between soap scent, the body's unique odor profile, and mosquito attraction. Researchers say coconut-scented soaps were among the most effective at repelling mosquitoes.
Repelling Pests Irish Spring soap is renowned for its ability to deter certain pests due to its strong fragrance. Grate the soap into shavings and scatter them around your garden beds. This can help repel common pests like deer, rabbits, and even certain insects.
For a "foolproof recipe" that banishes mosquitoes, combine 1/3 cup witch hazel and 1/3 cup water with 40 drops of eucalyptus essential oil. "Mosquitoes detest the strong aroma of eucalyptus, so this easy homemade mosquito repellent is sure to be a winner," says Harlow-Ellis.
“Covering up as much as possible during the summer is really important, and applying an EPA-registered insect repellent, with ingredients such as DEET and picaridin,” McMeniman said. For people who prefer botanical products, he recommends oil of lemon eucalyptus.
Dawn, a commonly used dish soap, contains surfactants that disrupt the exoskeleton of insects, leading to their dehydration and eventual death. This property makes it an effective bug repellent, as it can deter a wide range of insects, including flies, ants, and mosquitoes.
Do Irish Spring soap shavings in the trash mosquitoes and flies? “This could have a repellent effect, specifically on flies looking for nearby trash,” says Crumbley. “Putting the soap in the garbage also protects it from environmental factors like rain and sunlight, potentially making the soap's potency last longer.”
Birds, frogs, tadpoles, fish, toads, salamanders, spiders, red-eared slider turtles and many types of insects all play vital roles in keeping the mosquito population at bay. Some creatures, like the small brown bat, can catch up to 600 mosquitoes in just one hour.
As a household cleaner, Pine Sol is formulated to clean surfaces and leave a fresh scent, not to repel insects. Its ingredients do not include any compounds known to deter mosquitoes effectively.
Put some type of insect repellent on your body.
This is the most common method people will try to repel mosquitoes away from them. You can find your typical bug spray that contains DEET at most stores, and this method works fairly well.
Highly fragrant bar soap, like Irish Spring, scattered around your yard and garden can repel many types of animals that have a delicate sense of smell. Gather old soap remnants and hang them from trees or around the perimeter of your garden to stop mice and deer.
Can vinegar keep mosquitoes away? Vinegar, particularly apple cider vinegar, has a strong scent that repels mosquitoes. Creating and spraying a vinegar solution or placing vinegar-soaked cotton balls around your outdoor area can help keep mosquitoes away.
Garlic spray is used throughout the Disney parks
Mosquitoes notoriously hate the smell of garlic, so a liquid garlic extract is sprayed around the park every day.
Mosquitoes are drawn to human scent, but certain natural odors can keep them away. For those enjoying time outdoors, using repellents like citronella, eucalyptus, or lavender offers a chemical-free way to repel these pests. These essential oils are effective and provide a pleasant scent.
DEET is a widely used repellent that deters pests by making it harder for them to smell humans. Despite being effective, it has faced controversy over potential health and environmental impacts, including skin irritation and toxicity concerns. Some countries have even banned DEET due to these risks.
using good quality insect repellents. wearing the right clothing to protect your skin from bites. using a mosquito net.
Which repellent works best? N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) remains the standard by which all other repellents are judged. DEET was developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and was registered for use by the general public in 1957. It is effective against mosquitoes, biting flies, chiggers, fleas, and ticks.
Studies have shown that the scent of dryer sheets is not strong enough to deter mosquitoes for a long period of time, and they may even attract other insects.
There is simply no evidence taking vitamin B will offer any significant protection from mosquito bites. In reality, if there was even moderate scientific evidence that taking a vitamin supplement could prevent mosquito bites, our supermarket shelves would be full of “mosquito repellent pills”.