How To Keep Bugs Out Of Your Pool
It’s hard to ruin a fun day at your pool, but bugs love to try their best to do so. Whether it be water bugs, flies, mosquitoes, or even wasps, there’s nothing fun about swatting bugs away while swimming. Luckily, it’s easier than you may think to keep bugs out of your pool.
The best ways to keep bugs out of your pool are to put citronella oil and candles near it and cover your pool at night. Remove debris from the nearby grass and mow your lawn regularly, so bugs are less attracted to your pool. It also helps to hang a bug zapper and plant flowers that repel bugs, such as marigolds, basil, and lavender.
Ideally, you should regularly skim your swimming pool with a net to remove larvae and keep bugs away. Follow along as we explore how to keep bugs out of your pool.
What Keeps Bugs Away From A Swimming Pool?
1. Use Citronella
Many plants contain citronella, such as lemongrass and citronella geraniums, and it’s a great way to keep bugs out of your pool. This powerful essential oil smells strong enough to repel bugs, even if it smells great to humans. Plants that contain citronella can keep bugs away, but oils and citronella candles are more powerful.
That’s why so many people light citronella candles and torches near their pools. The scent is much stronger in candle and essential oil form.
2. Cover Your Pool
It goes without saying, but the best way to keep bugs out of your pool is to cover it. Granted, this won’t help when you swim. However, it will at least stop bugs from laying eggs and nesting in your pool overnight.
This can help keep bugs, mosquito larvae, leaves, and debris out of your pool. Pool covers can also help you save money on water bills as the water won’t evaporate as quickly. This won’t keep bugs out of your pool when it’s uncovered, but it can significantly lessen the problem.
3. Treat Your Pool For Algae
Many pests, such as water bugs and backswimmers, go into swimming pools to find algae. That’s why you are more likely to find bugs in your pool when you have an algae problem. Luckily, it’s easy to get rid of algae in a pool and make it less appealing to bugs.
First, you must scrub and vacuum the walls and floor in your pool to dislodge the algae. Next, you may want to shock your pool with a high dose of chlorine. Be patient, as you may have to shock your pool up to 4 times before the algae dies.
Make sure to wait 24 hours before swimming after you shock the pool to avoid side effects. Otherwise, you can put algaecide in the water to kill algae in your pool.
4. Keep Your Yard Clean
The dirtier your yard is, the more likely you are to find bugs in and around your pool. Tall grass and debris in your yard are attractive to bugs like mosquitoes and even ticks. A clean lawn can also help keep frogs and snakes away from your pool.
Bugs and snakes are drawn to tall grass because it provides a food source and shelter from the sun. Mow your lawn at least once per week and regularly remove debris, leaves, and sticks. You can also spray your grass with essential oils, like lemongrass and mint, to keep bugs out of your lawn.
5. Treat The Water With Larvicide
Not only do bugs hover around pools, but they also lay eggs in them. Mosquitoes love to breed in pools, and they leave their larvae behind. Eventually, the larvae will hatch and lead to even more mosquitoes around your pool.
You can avoid this problem if you put larvicide in your swimming pool to ensure that the larvae never hatch. Mosquito larvicide contains Methoprene that is strong enough to kill larvae. Make sure to follow the directions on the container, as you don’t want to put too much in the water.
That said, you must still take other measures to manually remove larvae as needed. For example, you can target larvae with a net and pool vacuum just to play it safe.
6. Turn Off The Lights
Who doesn’t love a spontaneous nighttime swim? As fun as night swims are, they also leave you vulnerable to bugs. That’s especially true if you turn lights on in and around your pool, as that will attract bugs.
You may not want to swim in the dark, but it’s a worthy trade-off if you want to avoid bugs dive bombing you. Light attracts many types of bugs, such as mosquitoes, flies, and moths. Luckily, you can use alternatives, like citronella torches, so you don’t have to swim in total darkness.
They may not be as bright as pool and landscape lights, but they will at least keep bugs out of your pool. Otherwise, you can simply rely on the natural light from the moon without worrying too much about bugs.
7. Plant Flowers That Repel Bugs
Do you keep flowers around your swimming pool? If so, you may want to mix it up and plant some flowers that repel bugs. Everything from citronella geraniums and basil to floss flowers can keep bugs out of your pool.
Many of these flowers are beautiful, easy to take care of, and grow in most climates. Herbs like rosemary and lavender are great options, and you can even use them as seasoning when you cook. Keep these plants as close to your pool as possible for the best results.
8. Hang A Bug Zapper Nearby
Electronic bug zappers can let you enjoy your time outside without getting mosquito bites. They are often shaped like lanterns, and you can hang them or set them on tables. That said, you must put bug zappers on stable surfaces to make sure they don’t fall over.
Most of them are battery-operated, but you can also find solar-powered bug zappers. Of course, you must never put your bug zapper in the pool itself. Simply put your bug zapper in a spot where it will easily attract and kill bugs.
Summing It Up
Use citronella oil, candles, torches, and plants to keep bugs out of your pool. Cover your pool at night, so mosquitoes don’t lay eggs in the water. Turn off your pool lights, so bugs aren’t drawn to your pool and make sure the surrounding yard is clean. It’s also a great idea to remove algae from your pool and regularly add chlorine to the water.
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Nick Durante is a professional writer with a primary focus on home improvement. When he is not writing about home improvement or taking on projects around the house, he likes to read and create art. He is always looking towards the newest trends in home improvement.
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