Mosquito repellents you can make at home

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Keeping your yard mosquito free can be an endless battle, not only against those pesky bugs, but also your wallet.

There are affordable ways to help keep the bugs at bay without busting the budget. The cheapest way to fight mosquitos is prevention.

"There would be probably be a million eggs laying in this," said Travis Hansen, the owner of Mosquito Shield West Houston.

Hansen says thinning grass and settled dirt is a sign that your yard could be a problem area. Even though it may be dry now, the eggs are still there.

"Mosquitos lay their eggs in standing water. Once that water comes later - months, years, the eggs are still there and they will continue to hatch in a 4 to 5 day life cycle," Hansen said.

Minimizing popular mosquito breeding areas and hangouts is one of the best things you can do.

"Any sort of vegetation, high grasses, you're going to get mosquitos harboring in those areas during the day," Hansen said. "You want to keep these things pruned."

You'll also want to go around your yard and dump any standing water.

"It only takes about a bottle cap size of water, the amount of water, for them to find an area to lay their eggs," Hansen said.

When it comes to getting rid of mosquitos, there are several options. Installing a mosquito misting system or hiring a company to spray your yard work the best, but those are costly. They can cost between $400 and $2,000.

For cheaper options, you can purchase foggers and yard sprays at home improvement stores for $5 to $10 and do it yourself. Those will keep the mosquitos at bay for up to eight weeks.

Or you can make your own repellant with ingredients you probably already have at home.

Mix 1/3 each of Epsom salt, mouthwash, and beer, and put it in a spray bottle.

Another option is to puree garlic and mix in a spray bottle with water.

The mouthwash and beer concoction worked best for our tester.