蚊子还没大规模出动，但我已经准备好了：这3种防蚊方法真的管用 (EN)

Chengdu’s April mosquitoes have already started appearing sporadically. Though we haven’t hit the “full buzzing season” yet, being prepared now beats ending up with legs full of bites later.

I’ve tried every kind of mosquito prevention method out there—from traditional mosquito coils to various internet-famous repellent wristbands. I stepped on plenty of rakes. The “genuinely effective” methods I’ve settled on are just 3:

First: physical barriers—screen windows and doors.

This is the most fundamental, but also the most commonly overlooked. When I rented a place before with no screen windows, the direct result was legs covered in bites all summer. Later I bought window screen tape myself—several dozen yuan—and it completely solved the problem. Check your window screens for holes; patch them up if you find any. This beats any mosquito repellent product.

Second: check repellent ingredients—look for DEET and Picaridin.

There are only so many effective ingredients in mosquito repellent products on the market. After researching extensively and testing personally, DEET and Picaridin are the most thoroughly verified mosquito-repellent ingredients, and they’re even safe for pregnant women and children (with proper concentration selection, of course). Products claiming to be “pure plant formulas” generally have shorter effective periods and poor value for money.

Special recommendation: mosquito repellent spray plus lotion combo. Spray for quick partial-area treatment, lotion for long-duration protection (like coating your legs before bed).

Third: fans are a hidden weapon against mosquitoes.

This trick many people don’t know. Mosquitoes have small bodies and limited flight capability. Putting a fan in the bedroom aimed at the bed creates wind speed strong enough that mosquitoes can’t fly steadily. I was skeptical about this until one night when my AC broke and I slept with a fan running all night—zero bites. Fans not only cool you down, they’re also purely physical mosquito control.

One final note: those UV mosquito killer lamps, I tested them—they’re basically a IQ tax. Mosquitoes aren’t attracted to light.

Tags： 防蚊、夏季、驱蚊、家居