Does Peppermint Oil Repel Roaches?

So you’ve seen the first roach roaming around your furniture and need a natural solution. You might be torn in-between options, one of them always being peppermint. So you ask, “Does peppermint oil repel roaches,” or I shall waste my time, money, and resources applying the stuff around furniture in my house? Well, the answer is yes, and we explain how below. 

What Is Peppermint Oil?

We shall start from the basics and understand peppermint oil. Peppermint oil is obtained from permission my plant leaves. The Peppermint plant is an improvement of spearmint and watermint that has its roots in the middle east and Europe and later came to Asia and North America and Asia. Peppermint leaves and oil are used for health purposes and also as repellents and can be found online 

In What Way Does Peppermint Oil Repel Roaches?

Peppermint oil is obtained from the peppermint plant. If you have come across a peppermint plant, you know how pungent the smell is. This is its quality that helps roaches stay away. As much as roaches love the aroma of your food, they dislike and are irritated by the smell of peppermint. As soon as you start exposing them to this smell, their only option is to find another home or even die. 

Do insects die from peppermint oil? 

Peppermint oil not only irritates roaches and other insects such as bedbugs but also kills them out of its toxic nature. Research done has established that roaches that were exposed to peppermint died both in America and in the Uk.  

What causes toxicity in peppermint oil? 

Methone, a substance similar to methane that is found in the mint family plants is also found in peppermint. This is the toxic substance that has been discovered to kill roaches. However, in order to kill roaches with Methone present in peppermint, it needs a while of exposure which roaches rarely do. 

Therefore, we do not promise that you shall have the roaches die, but for repelling and keeping them off your house, you are guaranteed. 

As a fact, roaches never even reach near mint oil, staying with it is impossible. It has been argued that roaches stay away from peppermint because the smell signifies poisonous stuff for the. So as much as long hours of exposure to roaches to peppermint in the lab killed them, it won’t in real life. 

Related: Does Peppermint Oil Repel Mosquitoes?

Does Peppermint Oil Repel Roaches? How to Apply

Peppermint is easy to apply and allows for multiple trials to establish the best method that applies to your situation. The good thing is that it is cheap and therefore allows for a little play to establish the best way out.  

To use peppermint oil, get a mixing container and mix water and peppermint oil at a ratio of 5:1. Mix the two well then transfer into a spray bottle. Now spray the mixture in places that you have seen roaches. Common places that roaches hide include inside furniture and cupboards. Roaches come out to feed on food leftovers on the floor, on the kitchen countertops, and such other places.  

It’s even easier to apply when you do not have a spray bottle. Just take your normal first aid cotton, make balls and soak them with peppermint oil. Place these balls strategically where roaches stay and pass. You can place them in your wardrobes, your cupboards, your countertops, and along walls. Roaches won’t survive the pungent smell from peppermint and shall leave giving you the peace you deserve. 

Since roaches love to roam in the night, it is the best time to apply the fresh peppermint. You should keep renewing the amount of spray or soaked cotton balls in order to effectively eradicate roaches.  

In case the roaches aren’t responding fast to peppermint only, your best bet is vinegar. Vinegar makes the smell even intolerable forcing roaches out of your house fast. To prepare this mixture, mix vinegar, water, and peppermint in a ratio of 1:2:15. Spray the resultant mixture generously on the roaches hosting places. You can use the cotton balls method also, actually, for a better and fast result, you can combine the two application methods. 

Can You Combine Traps, Baits, and Peppermint? 

Yes, you can use traps, baits, peppermint all at the same time but not in the same area. Come to think of it, peppermint is a roach repellent, your main aim when using baits and traps is for the roach to take the bait or interact with the trap. If you apply peppermint to your traps and baits, it shall keep away roaches from interacting with the bait and trap.  

Therefore, if you have to use baits and traps, place them strategically in areas where peppermint has not been applied.  

Where to Find Peppermint Oil 

Peppermint oil can be found ready-made from trusted sources online. Still, for gardeners, it is important to have the peppermint plant in your garden. You can find the seedlings in your local nursery.  If you already have the plant, all you need to do is pick the leaves and apply them to crush them to obtain peppermint oil. The easiest way is to buy it online 

Other than roaches, peppermint oil shall help you keep away other pests like mosquitoes and so on. If you are going to plant peppermint in your garden, it is important to note that it’s invasive, therefore you should take caution and keep it restrained to prevent it from suppressing your other plants. 

So, Does Peppermint Oil Repel Roaches? 

Peppermint oil is a good natural oil roach repellent. Still, its effectiveness shall depend on the level of roach infestation, the portions in your mixture, and the intervals and period of application. For effective roach eradication, you need to repeat the application over a good period of time, like 6 months. 

Why not keep the toxic chemicals away and go the essential oils way, and when you do, peppermint should be your best bet. Always ensure that the containers with your DIY mixture are labeled. It is a good idea to keep the containers safe away from your children and pets. 

Last update on 2024-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API