Do Roaches Hate Lavender | + tips to get rid of them without insecticides
The start of the summer season brings with it lightweight clothes, refreshing cups of lemonade, and BBQs. Unfortunately, it also brings about the appearance of roaches.
If you’re dealing with a roach infestation in the home (or are just noticing more of these pesky critters making an appearance), there are a few things you can do.
And, one of the things you can do is to use lavender oil to ward them off!
Roaches hate the scent of lavender, which means that using a few strategically placed drops of this oil can get rid of them for good. Here’s how to use lavender oil to ward off roaches once and for all.
The Rundown on Roaches
Before we start talking about how to get rid of roaches, let’s take a minute or two to talk about what these creepy crawlies are.
There are about 4,500 different species of roaches out there. And, sadly, most of them are household pests that come into our houses for shelter, warmth and food.
Roaches aren’t picky eaters, either. They’ll eat everything from food to paper and plastics to animal droppings! And, many of us have at least a few of those items somewhere in our home.
Aside from destroying our personal products, invading our compost pile, stealing our food, and just being gross, roaches are also pretty dirty. What that means is that they’re carriers of germs, diseases, and bacteria.
When you have a roach infestation, you put yourself and your loved ones at risk of contracting harmful diseases. That makes getting rid of them more important than ever!
How to Get Rid of Roaches
Many people dealing with roach infestations immediately rush out to the supermarket and pick up an insecticide.
However, the powerful scent of these insecticides can cause asthma, allergies, and just general discomfort for many people. What’s more, most commercial insecticides contain strong chemicals. Those chemicals can be toxic if we or our pets accidentally ingest them.
The good news is that there’s an environmentally friendly (and wallet-friendly) solution you can use: lavender oil.
Roaches hate the smell of lavender (and all strong scents, actually). However, for most of us, the scent of lavender is light and pleasant.
Better yet, lavender is a smell that’s not harmful to pets. That makes it a great non-toxic solution for keeping the roaches at bay and your family safe.
Advantages of Using Lavender Against Roaches
Lavender oil has quite a few different advantages when it comes to warding off roaches.
For one thing, it’s easy to find. You can often find lavender oil at your local supermarket.
On top of that, lavender oil is safe to use. You can inhale lavender in small amounts without worrying about toxicity. That’s a big contrast to many poison-based roach sprays!
Lavender oil is also easy to apply. You don’t have to wear a mask or vacate your house when using lavender oil. Just apply a few drops to problem areas and you’re good to go!
Finally, unlike roach poison, lavender oil won’t make your home smell like chemicals. And, this scent is safe for animals.
Pro tip: you can use other strong scented essential oils (such as tee trea oil) to ward off roaches. However, just be sure to verify whether or not the scent is safe for animals first. Some animals, especially birds, have sensitive respiratory systems and cannot handle the strong odors from essential oils.
How to Use Lavender to Repel Roaches
Okay, so we’ve sold you on the idea of using lavender oil to ward off roaches. Now you just need to know how to use it!
There are a few different ways that you can use lavender to repel roaches:
- Soak cotton balls in lavender oil, place them in open containers and put them in trouble spots around the house
- Scatter dried or fresh lavender around the house
- Place lavender plants inside and outside the house
The best part about using lavender oil to get rid of roaches is that roaches aren’t the only critters that hate this plant. Mosquitos and moths also dislike the scent of lavender!
Try applying a few drops of lavender oil or placing a few lavender plants in your garden, balcony, or terrace. This can help keep these pests from coming near your home in the first place.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Ward off Roaches?
As you might imagine, the first thing to scare away roaches is to deep clean your home. This not only wards them off, but it also helps get rid of any infestations you already have.
To do this, we recommend:
- Vacuuming behind and under all furniture and appliances.
- Emptying and cleaning drawers, cabinets, shelves, bookcases, basements, and any other closed, dark places.
- Remove food from kitchen tables or shelves (even fruit should be stored away)
- Replace all bags and packaging with airtight containers.
- Place plants with strong scents, such as lavender, around the home
What Scent Keeps Roaches Away?
According to recent studies, roaches have a developed sense of smell and avoid environments with certain odors. A few types of scents that roaches dislike include:
- Citrus
- Bay leaves
- Cinnamon
- Garlic
- Mint
- Coffee grounds
- Eucalyptus
- Lavender
- Tea tree
- Vinegar
Using essential oils with these scents can help you get rid of roaches in the home.
What Smell Do Roaches Hate the Most?
Without a doubt, the smell that roaches hate the most is one of the smells that we humans love the most: the smell of cleanliness. That’s why it’s so important to clean even the smallest, hardest-to-reach spaces.
However, if you want a specific scent, lavender and tea tree oil are great scents to use. Try diffusing, spraying, or even smearing these oils in problem areas where roaches seem to gather.
