How to Burn Used Coffee Grounds for Mosquito Repellent
from https://edrugsearch.com/blog/burn-coffee-grounds-mosquito-repellent/

Mosquitos are the worst. A pleasant backyard barbecue can be ruined by the little bloodsuckers. When mosquitos are around, you’re too busy swatting at the bugs to enjoy food and conversation. As awful as mosquitos are, most repellants on the market are also pretty awful. If you spend a lot of time outside during mosquito season, you can spend a ton of money buying these sprays. Even worse than the cost is the fact that they can be bad for your health.

As unlikely as it sounds, the solution is coffee grounds! According to the EPA, coffee grounds are a safe and effective way to keep pests away. Coffee grounds can help repel not only mosquitos but also other annoying insects like wasps and bees. Why are coffee grounds effective? Most bugs have a very strong sense of smell. Coffee grounds have a strong smell but it’s even stronger when they are burned. This smell will bother the pests and keep them away. Insects also generally associate smoke with danger, so the smoke alone is a signal to them to find shelter elsewhere.

How to Burn Coffee Grounds for Mosquito Control

Using coffee grounds to keep mosquitos away is the best mosquito repellent. It’s extremely cheap, especially if you’re already a coffee drinker and have grounds on hand. It’s incredibly easy to do. It’s entirely natural and much safer than any commercial product. Most importantly, it’s extremely effective! For an outdoor event, you might want to set up several of these burning stations surrounding the area of the gathering.

1.) Start with dry grounds
Make sure you always use dry grounds. Then place them in a bowl covered with foil and leave it in a cool, dark place until the grounds are completely dry.

2.) Use an old bowl
Place the grounds either in a bowl or on a flat surface (like a piece of aluminum foil) outside.

3.) This is the hardest part
Burn the grounds like you would burn incense. This takes time so be patient. Find a slow burning piece of wood if you can’t get it to kindle. Always make sure your coffee grounds are completely dry!

If you are having trouble: Create a small hole with your fingers, in center of the plate and middle of the coffee grinds. Next, add some shredded paper or dry grass in the middle of the hole. Light the paper (or grass) on fire, then slowly add the dry coffee grinds to the fire until it starts burning.

4.) Set it and forget it
Choose a spot upwind of your location for best results.

5.) Add bay leaves
For an extra dose of repellent, add fresh bay leaves to the fire.