Can You Kill Mosquitoes With Bleach?

By Staff WriterLast Updated December 11, 2023

Adult mosquitoes cannot be killed with bleach. However, mosquito larvae can be killed by bleach. It is not recommended to spray bleach at adult mosquitoes.

Bleach is legally considered a pesticide. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states that any bleach with a minimum of 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite that kills bacteria and kills fungi is a pesticide. Mosquitoes need standing water to breed. The best protection is to drain standing water or to turn the objects upside down to prevent water collection. If there is standing water, 1 tablespoon of bleach for every 50 gallons should suffice for killing mosquito larvae. Once a week, a bleach and water solution can be used to spray down the items on which standing water collects.