Mosquitoes are attracted to some soaps in particular: here’s what they are and which instead work as a repellent.
Mosquitoes are really annoying insects. Especially during the summer period, there are plenty of them, ready to haunt our evenings and nights, so much so as to give us no respite. They arrive during this season but apparently, they are not entirely absent in the fall and winter. Although, fortunately, to a lesser extent. In addition to the sting they leave, they create disturbance due to their repeated buzzing.
This sound is due to the rapid flapping of wings which, according to experts, is even a love call. However, many people, compared to others, are more affected by these insects. There are various causes to be linked to this ‘attraction’, if we want to call it that, but specialists have discovered even more: some soaps may attract them more than others.
Mosquitoes are attracted to some soaps: which ones are and which ones repel them
According to research by Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, United States, mosquitoes are attracted to certain smells, which are indirectly due to the soaps used. There are some that have a greater attraction, while others work as a repellant. Experts have proven these statements by putting a very effective method into practice. They characterized the body odor of four volunteers, before and after washing with four different soaps, namely the Dial, Dove, Native and Simple Truth.
Each person had their own smell but after using the substance for washing, there was a change in the olfactory sensation. Biologist Chloe Lahondere said that each of us smells different even after using soap: “Our physiological state, the way we live, what we eat and where we go all affect our smell. And soaps drastically change the way we smell”. The researchers then had the opportunity to discuss and understand which fragrances are able to have a greater ‘interest’ and which instead are not.
Apparently, using Dove and Simple Truth increased the attraction of mosquitoes towards some volunteers, but not all. IThe Native, on the other hand, tended to reject them. As reported, for these insects it is not the most abundant chemical substance that acts as a magnet, but the specific associations and combinations of soap but also of our personal body odors. In fact, it is the relationship between the various substances that determines the attraction or aversion. However, there is a particular smell that they don’t like and that works as a repellent, that of coconut. Experts therefore recommend using products that smell like this plant.