Mosquito-free home: A guide to what works and what doesn't

As the national capital battles one of its worst dengue seasons, experts suggest natural methods like neem and coconut oil concoction or garlic to keep the mosquito-borne tropical disease at bay.

As the national capital battles one of its worst dengue seasons, experts suggest natural methods like neem and coconut oil concoction or garlic to keep the mosquito-borne tropical disease at bay.

Here are a few natural and harmless ways to get rid of mosquitoes in your house:

* Neem oil acts as a great indoor mosquito-repellent owing to its smell that wards off mosquitoes. One can make an effective insecticide by mixing neem oil and coconut oil in equal proportion and rub it on the exposed parts of a body.

* Another natural method to keep mosquitoes at bay is to plant Tulsi near the window panes. The plant has properties that do not allow mosquitoes to breed.

* A mixture of lemon oil and eucalyptus oil is extremely effective in warding off mosquitoes naturally. Both have the active component cineole in it carrying antiseptic and insect repellent properties, which makes them effective when applied to the skin.

* Garlic might smell bad, but that is exactly why mosquitoes stay away. All you need to do is crush a few pods of garlic, boil them in water and spray the liquid in the room.