A backyard man cave is a perfect spot if you want to hide from the harsh outdoor conditions or need some time alone or with friends. Unfortunately, you aren't the only one who finds this outdoor spot attractive and calming—a good number of pesky bugs love backyard mancaves too.
And while it isn't easy to completely get rid of bugs from your man cave, there're ways you can use to lessen their annoyance and disturbance.
In this article, we'll look at tricks you can use to keep bugs away from your backyard man cave. So, keep it here!
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Add Some Insect-Repelling Plants
In as much as insects love plants, many of them can't withstand the strong scents produced by herbs such as mint, rosemary, basil, lemongrass, lavender, and garlic.
For example, the strong scent produced by garlic repels mosquitoes and flies while that from lavender deters fleas, moths, and flies.
Therefore, one of the easiest ways to get rid of bugs from your mancave is adding some insect-repelling plants. You can go for potted plants, which double as natural outdoor décor.
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Get Rid of Stagnant Water
You probably know that standing water in birdbaths, buckets, swimming pools, etc., can create comfy maternity wards for mosquitoes and other pesky bugs.
Therefore, a good way to deal with these biting bugs is to get rid of any stagnant water inside or around your man cave.
So, ensure you cover your swimming pool and keep buckets and other equipment that can collect water empty.
Additionally, for birdbaths, consider getting those with running water to eliminate the chances of unintentionally creating a breeding ground for these stubborn bugs.
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Burn Citronella Tiki Candles
Not only do citronella candles or torches create attractive outdoor décor, but they're also good at fighting bothersome bugs.
The citronella used in these torches is derived from lemongrass, a herb known for repelling bugs such as mosquitoes.
If you don't have the store-bought citronella candles, you can come up with a simple DIY citronella candle.
Take melted beeswax and pour it into a mason jar containing an affixed wick. Add a few drops of citronella oil and allow the mixture to harden before burning it. As simple as that, and you have your citronella candle ready to fight any bugging bugs in your backyard man cave.
You can combine your citronella tiki torches with lemon candles for improved insect-repelling action.
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Install a Fan
Although insects attack mercilessly, especially the bitting and stinging ones, they are wimps when it comes to withstanding a breeze.
Therefore, turning on a fan can keep your mancave bug-free. How, you ask?
The breeze produced by a fan can increase the airflow and blow away any bothersome insects. A flip of the switch is enough to get insects flying out of your man cave.
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Screened Patio Enclosures
Another effective way of keeping your mancave bug-free is by not allowing insects inside in the first place. And to achieve this, you need to get a little physical by installing a screened patio enclosure in your backyard man cave.
A screened enclosure acts as a physical barrier keeping nuisance-causing insects from your man cave.
The downside of getting such enclosures is the installation cost, which depends on your mancave’s size and the enclosure element’s design.
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Light a Fire Pit
A fire pit in the man cave is an excellent way to add a touch of warmth to your space during chilly days.
And surprisingly, a firepit also acts as a bug deterrent. Insects hate smoke and won't get anywhere close to your mancave if there're traces of smoke from the fire pit.
When lighting a simple firewood fire pit to keep yourself warm, it's advisable to use dry seasoned firewood that burns easily and efficiently.
However, when it comes to fighting insects, wet firewood is the best. This's because wet firewood burns with a lot of smoke, keeping bugs at bay.
Ensure you exercise supervision and precaution when you have a fire burning in your man cave to prevent fire accidents.
Don't feel overwhelmed about getting a functional fire pit; you can get one from our wide selection at https://mancavebackyard.com/collections/fire-pits.
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Install Sodium Vapor Lights
Bugs love light and, more so, the bright warm light emitted by incandescent white bulbs. Therefore, if you want to keep your mancave well-lit but bug-free, you've to play a little trick with your lights.
Here, consider replacing the standard incandescent white bulbs with LEDs or sodium vapor bulbs. The latter produces more yellow light, which doesn't attract many bugs compared to the white light from incandescent bulbs.
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Keep Your Mancave Clean
A clean mancave is a bug-free mancave!
Clean your mancave and keep it free from food particles and other items that can attract pesky bugs. Remember, even the tiniest food particles can attract a colony of bothersome bugs such as ants and flies.
If you need any assistance keeping your backyard mancave bug-free, contact us today at www.mancavebackyard.com, and we'll be happy to help. We're here to help you transform your backyard man cave into a paradise for your family and friends.
