Virginia Tech researchers recently released a peer-reviewed study that could help you fight off mosquitoes this summer.
Researchers were curious about whether different soaps impacted people’s “attractiveness” to mosquitos. The study participants used a variety of brands including Dove, Native, Dial and Simple Truth, so researchers could see how different soaps interacted with the body’s natural odors, and how each combination effected mosquitoes’ interest in a subject.
According to the study, those who use flowery soaps and fragrances attracted the most mosquitoes, which wasn’t a huge surprise to researchers. After all, “mosquitoes rely on plant nectar to get some sugars needed to sustain their metabolism,” the scientists noted.
“Just by changing soap scents, someone who already attracts mosquitoes at a higher-than-average rate could further amplify or decrease that attraction,” said Clément Vinauger, an assistant professor of biochemistry and co-principal investigator on the study, wrote in the press release.
The study revealed that coconut-based products were a mosquito deterrent.
“That was very interesting for us because there is other evidence in the literature that elevating certain fatty acids, such as those found in coconut oil derivatives, could serve as a repellant for mosquitoes and other insects,” Vinauger said.
Mosquito Magnet recommends eucalyptus, rosemary, lavender, peppermint and lemon scents to keep mosquitoes from targeting you.
Going forward, the researchers plan to look into the duration of various scents and the variables of when and how often people bathe.
“We also need to study the duration of these effects. What if you shower in the morning? The evening? We need to answer these questions in our future work,” said Vinauger.
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