If you’re tired of the roaches inundating your home and you’re trying to get rid of them without using harsh chemicals, you’re in luck. There are a number of home recipes you can use to get rid of roaches.
Some methods will kill the roaches and other methods will repel the roaches and keep them away. Peppermint oil is a great roach deterrent. Cockroaches hate the smell of peppermint oil and it can be used around your safely to keep them out. You can dilute peppermint oil with water and spray it in your kitchen or bathroom to repel the roaches.
Mix peppermint oil with listerine or vinegar and use this as a great homemade repellent. Keep reading to find out how to make these easy recipes.
This article will explore how to use peppermint oil to repel roaches at home including some easy recipes.
How peppermint oil repels roaches
Peppermint essential oil has a strong smell that most people love, but fortunately, roaches hate it. Cockroaches have a strong sense of smell, and once they smell the peppermint, they’ll dart away in the opposite direction, which means they’ll leave your home and stay away.
You should always use 100% pure peppermint oil as the base of your recipes. This means that it won’t be diluted or mixed with another oil. This will give you the right concentration when you follow our recipes below.
If you start with a diluted peppermint oil the final recipe may not be strong enough to repel the cockroaches.
Just keep in mind that using peppermint oil on its own doesn’t kill the roaches, but it does a great job of repelling them so they stay away for a while.
Peppermint oil recipe to repel roaches
The best and simplest way to repel roaches with peppermint oil is to make a spray that consists of a water bottle filled 3/4 full with water and add 15–20 drops of the pure essential peppermint oil.
Next, use that bottle to spray the mixture to repel the roaches.
Spray the peppermint oil mix on kitchen cabinets, behind the appliances, and on the appliances themselves. You can spray it around your microwave, toaster or the back of your coffee machine.
Always keep your kitchen clean and remove any crumbs. Any small amounts of food left on your kitchen benches or floor will attract roaches. Clean your floors with a dilute vinegar mix to keep it clean. Roaches hate the smell of vinegar.
For more on repelling roaches with vinegar, check out my article here: Does Vinegar Kill Cockroaches? | 8 Simple Tips to Keep Roaches Away
The more the peppermint scent is spread around, the more the roaches will try to avoid the area.
If you’ve noticed roaches in other rooms in your home, you can spray the mixture where you’ve seen them. Diluted peppermint oil will not damage furniture and walls but spray on a test site out of the way if you are not sure.
It is extremely rare for anyone to be allergic to peppermint, you can freely spray this mixture almost anywhere to repel cockroaches.
There are lots of great recipes you can make at home to repel cockroaches. You can also use several “recipes” that combine peppermint oil with other ingredients and that also do a great job of keeping away dangerous cockroaches.
More peppermint oil recipes that repel cockroaches
There are loads of recipes you can use to keep away roaches in your kitchen and throughout your home. Check out these easy recipes for peppermint oil deterrents.
1. Peppermint oil and vinegar recipe
In a spray bottle, add two parts water to one part white vinegar, then add 10 drops of peppermint oil and spray the infected areas.
2. Peppermint oil and listerine
In a spray bottle, mix one cup of water, one cup of Listerine mouthwash, and 5–6 drops of peppermint oil and spray the infected areas.
Keep in mind that just going around the house and spraying everything may not work; you have to first determine which areas are experiencing roaches so that you can target those areas.
Remember also that roaches especially love areas that are damp and dark, so these are the first areas you need to check. Here are the most common areas where roaches are found, and therefore, they are the main areas that need to be sprayed:
- Around and behind all of your cupboards
- Any small openings you see in your walls
- Under the kitchen sink
- Behind your refrigerator
- All corners in your bathroom
- Attics and rooms that aren’t being used
- All dark corners in your home
- In your drain pipes and toilet bowls
- All drain openings in the bathroom and kitchen
You’ll have to spray this mixture around these areas regularly to keep the roaches away since there will always be new roaches trying to creep into your home. Regular spraying produces the best results when it comes to keeping the roaches out of your home.
Precautions when using peppermint oil to repel cockroaches
That being said, there are some things to watch out for if you choose to use peppermint oil to repel roaches. The first thing to keep in mind is that children under the age of eight should not be exposed to too much peppermint oil, so when you’re spraying your home with the peppermint oil mixture, keep the children in another part of the home.
The same goes for pets, and this is perhaps more important because peppermint oil may harm certain pets. Keeping your pets away when you’re spraying is always a good idea.
It is always better to be safe than sorry, so you might even consider wearing goggles and gloves when you’re spraying any type of mixture containing peppermint oil to get rid of roaches
If anyone in your family experiences any allergies to peppermint oil, switch from peppermint oil to tea tree oil, lavender, or eucalyptus, all of which are just as effective as peppermint oil.
Conclusion
When trying to repel cockroaches from your home, you don’t have to use harsh over-the-counter products filled with chemicals to get the job done. Instead, peppermint oil is easily available and inexpensive as well.
Just make sure you prepare the mixtures according to directions and never spray them directly at anyone, including pets and children.
While peppermint oil won’t kill the roaches in your home, it does a great job of repelling them, and this is almost always the next best thing.
I am an accredited practicing dietitian, experienced gardener and a dedicated cook. I love writing and sharing my experience so you can learn from my successes and mistakes.