Mosquitoes certainly know how to ruin a pleasant summer evening, I am sure I’m not the only one that had an amazing night cut short due to mosquitoes. But will they also be able to ruin your night if you are near a fire pit?
Fire pits can keep mosquitos away, but how efficient the fire pit is greatly depends on the fuel used. Some types of wood are better than others at keeping mosquitos away. Additionally, herbs can be burnt to increase the efficiency.
So let’s see how efficient fire pits are at keeping mosquitoes away, which is the best wood at keeping mosquitoes away, and what other things you can add to the fire to make the fire pit even more efficient.
Table of Contents
How Fire Pits Keep Mosquitoes Away
The short answer is smoke. Smoke is the best mosquito repellent that exists.
Studies cited by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) concluded that smoke is significantly more efficient and safer than artificial methods like sprays and lotions.
When wood burns it releases fine particles in the smoke that make the mosquitos dizzy and unable to fly properly, so mosquitos try to stay as far away as possible.
While all wood is good at keeping mosquitos away, some types of wood are more efficient than others. So let’s see which type of wood is the most efficient at keeping mosquitos away.
The Best Types of Wood That Keep Mosquitos Away
Pinyon
One of the most efficient types of wood at keeping mosquitos away is pine, Pinyon to be more precise.
What makes mosquitoes hate Pinyon more than other types of wood is not exactly clear yet, scientists don’t have an exact answer, but it’s definitely related to the smell. Which is quite a good thing for us since Pinyon smells quite nice.
The bad thing about Pinyon is that it’s soft wood, this means that the wood will burn quite fast, and you will need a lot of it if you want to have a fire made out only of Pinyon. But luckily you don’t have to use only Pinyon you can use what type of wood you want and simply add some Pinyon from time to time, the effect will be almost the same.
A good thing about Pinyon is that it burns very clearly, so you won’t get thick black smoke from it.
To get rid of mosquitos you don’t need a black cloud of smoke, any amount will do. The important part is that smoke will come out constantly from the fire pit.
Eucalyptus
While eucalyptus is rarer than other types of wood, it also does a better job at keeping mosquitoes away.
While Eucalyptus is not native to the U.S. it has been cultivated throughout the country since the late 19th century after being brought in from Australia. So you should be able to find some without too much trouble, especially if you live in the warmer parts of the country.
Eucalyptus is probably the best wood at keeping mosquitos away, and it has been used since antiquity as a mosquito repellant. A really long time ago when insect sprays weren’t a thing people used to rub Eucalyptus bark on their skin to keep mosquitos away, and it worked.
One thing to keep in mind about Eucalyptus is that it’s great for fire pits but it can be really bad for chimneys, so don’t use it indoors.
The last thing that I want to mention about Eucalyptus is that just like Pinyon, it’s a soft wood, which means that it burns faster than most types of wood. But again, you don’t have to burn only Eucalyptus, you can use other types of wood and add Eucalyptus from time to time.
But maybe you can’t get Pinyon or Eucalyptus right now, and as you are reading this mosquitos are getting ready to attack. Is there anything that you can do right now? Yes it is, you can burn some herbs.
The Best Herbs That Keep Mosquitos Away
Sage
Sage is a very useful plant for a multitude of health problems, and apparently it also keeps mosquitoes away.
So the next time you are at the supermarket grab some fresh sage and add it to the cart. Just make sure that you get fresh sage, while dried sage can be esomewt efficient, it doesn’t come close to the fresh one. I usually grab the cheapest one I can find, there is no difference between normal sage and organic or bio sage, they are all just as efficient.
To use the sage just grab a leaf from time to time and throw it in the flames, the smell of the sage should remain in the air for a few minutes. I usually throw a leaf every 10 minutes or so.
Rosemary
Another great herb that you can throw in the fire to get rid of mosquitoes is rosemary.
Fresh rosemary is again preferable over dried rosemary. But if you don’t have fresh rosemary and you need to get rid of mosquitoes right now here is a quick tip.
Throw the rosemary in a little bit of cooking oil, let it sit in the oil for 10 minutes. After the time passes thru the excess oil and then throw some rosemary in the fire. By doing this you will reactivate the rosemary and its effect will be greater. You can also do this when cooking with rosemary.
Final Thoughts
So fire pits can keep mosquitoes away, but thou efficient they are depends on the wood that you are using. Overall there is no bad wood for this, but there are some types of wood that do better than the rest.
If you don’t have access to Pinyon or Eucalyptus, and the mosquitoes are getting really annoying you can always throw some fresh sage or rosemary in the fire, this will be just as efficient.
Common Questions
How do I prevent rust from appearing on my fire pit? In order to prevent rust you can:
- Move the fire pit in a dry room, or any place with a roof should prevent most rust from appearing.
- Cover your fire pit using a metal or wooden lid, or a synthetic cover. But make sure that the fire pit has cooled off before you cover it.
- Removing the ash from the fire pit is also very important, as ash absorbs a lot of humidity from the air.
- The most important thing that you can do is to regularly clean and inspect the fire pit.
How do I remove rust from a fire pit? To remove rust from a fire pit you can use:
- Vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Soft drinks
- Baking soda
- Potatoes
- A mix of them
- Commercial products like: WD-40 and CLR
After you remove the rust you should get some Sandpaper, Spray Sealant, Spray Paint. After that you should remove all the paint using a coarse grit sandpaper, then use a finer sandpaper and remove all scratches. Apply a thin coat of sealant, after it dries apply the pain, and then another coat of sealant. Make sure that you try to make the coatings as even as possible, otherwise the paint will come off.
How long do fire pits last? A fire pit can last anywhere from one year to a lifetime. It all depends on how well you maintain it.
In the case of wood burning fire one of the most important things that matter is what you are burning. Things like magazines contain chemicals that can damage the fire pit. Wood that has been painted or treated in any way will also damage the fire pit. So only burning firewood will increase the lifespan of your firepit.
Removing the ashes is also very important. Ashes absorb humidity from the air, so letting them sit in the fire pit for long periods of time is like having your fire pit filled with water.
In the case of gas fire pits it’s extremely important to dust them off. Dust doesn’t only leave an unpleasant smell but over time it can damage the interior of the fire pit.
For both types of fire pits it is also extremely important how you store them, leaving them uncovered year round, will drastically reduce their lifespan.
What is the best wood for a fire pit? The best wood for a fire pit is hardwood, which one you choose is up to you. If you choose one from this list you shouldn’t go wrong:
- Oak
- Ash
- Mapl
- Walnut
- Mahogany
- Hickory
- Beech
Just make sure that the wood you choose is seasoned and not green, if you get green wood you will have to leave it to season for at least 6 months.
While softwood is not a great choice for a fire pit, it can be a great addition as you can use it to light the fire or add pleasant smell.
And remember to stay away from driftwood, construction wood, wood with things grown on it and vines.
How can I successfully start a fire pit every time? Every successful fire is built using 3 layers:
- Tinder – burns quickly and ignites the kindling
- Kindling – the middle layer that will will get ignited by the tinder, and will help
- Firewood – the wood that maintains the fire
The tinder is what will start the hole fire up. As tinder you can use newspaper, tree bark
fatwood or leaves. The tinder doesn’t have to burn for long periods of time. It just has to burn long enough to light the kindling.
The kindling is the part that makes or breaks the fire. Most unsuccessful fires don’t light up because they lack kindling. Softwood is usually a good choice for kindling, some of the best and most common options are: Pine, Poplar, Cedar and Spruce.
Tinder on it’s own doesn’t have the ability to light the firewood, this is why you want to use kindling which can light up firewood, but can’t maintain a fire pit on its own.
Firewood is what you use to maintain the fire in the fire pit. Hardwood is the best choice for firewood. Just make sure that what you are getting is seasoned wood, not green wood. Green wood is wood that has been recently cut, so it still has a lot of moisture inside of it. Seasoned wood has been chopped up and left to dry for 6 to 12 months, which makes it perfect for any fire.