The Toilet Paper Hack That Might Help Keep Mosquitoes Away

Summer is one of the most magical times of the year: long warm nights, BBQs, water sports, and vacations abound. But then, they arrive — mosquitoes, the little flying vampires that attack us in our sleep and have us waking up covered in bites. Bug spray can work but not everyone wants the chemicals on their skin, and yes there are mosquitos candles which are great until the wind blows them out. So let us introduce you to a new, if slightly weird, smoky hack to keep mosquitos away requiring nothing but toilet paper, toothpaste, and a glass bottle.

To make it work you just take a bunch of toilet paper and twist it together firmly into a thick rope shape. From there, smear it with a minty toothpaste — ideally one with peppermint or eucalyptus, since those are ingredients that mosquitoes hate. Then take a glass bottle and slide your minty toilet paper rope halfway into it so that the other half is left hanging out of the shop and light the exposed end on fire. From there, you'll want to blow the fire out so the toilet paper is left to smolder and smoke like incense, and this minty smoke will float off into the air, repelling any mosquitoes that are buzzing around.

Now, it should be noted that this is more of an anecdotal hack than a guaranteed fix, but it's cheap, easy, and relies on one of many household staples that repel mosquitoes like magic. And sometimes, the best hacks are the ones passed on by word of mouth rather than scientifically sound studies. It's worth a try, especially if you're unknowingly making mistakes that are attracting mosquitoes to your home.

So like we said, this hack is anecdotal, and the effectiveness probably depends on a few things such as how much toothpaste you use, the size of the room you're trying to repel mosquitos from, and probably even the type of toothpaste you smear on the toilet paper. It has to be minty as fruity flavors or ones that lack menthol will only produce smoke but not the right scents we need for this to work.

That being said, if it does work, then it's really satisfying to watch everyday items get repurposed into something incredibly useful in a really low-effort way. Just be really careful, as any open flames, even small ones or smoldering embers, in the home can be dangerous. Keep an eye out and don't keep the smoking toilet paper next to any curtains, books, or anything else that is flammable.

So if you're stuck at home with no bug spray and your ankles are getting nibbled, a little homemade minty torch could be all you need for some peace. And if you really enjoy repurposing household items into crafty projects, use the toilet paper roll from this hack to turn them into stylish home decor instead of simply throwing them in the trash.