The odor of cockroaches can be quite unbearable if left unaddressed.
Since they are so common, many people search for ways to prevent them. You must remember that what works for one cockroach may not work for another.
Here are some ways you can kill roaches naturally. So, what smell do roaches hate?
Cockroaches are well known for their bad smell. Some even say the stink is worse than that of rotten eggs.
However, not all roaches smell the same. Some cockroaches actually smell bad to others, and dislike certain smells.
For instance, some roaches don’t like the smell of flowers or citrus. These roaches are also known as nile roaches or lemon roaches.
Most roaches, however, hate the smell of citrus or vinegar. This is why some roach traps contain vinegar.
In other words, roaches don’t like the smell of citrus or vinegar.
What Smell Do Roaches Hate?
Contents
Roaches are known for being pests that can infest your home, making it messy and smelly.
Research done by the University of Florida found that roaches are repelled by the smell of peppermint and lavender.
The study was carried out on German roaches, but the results may apply to other kinds too.
The researchers found that roaches avoid peppermint because of the menthol it contains while lavender is avoided because of linalool.
The roaches were more sensitive to linalool and menthol than humans, so the researchers concluded that these chemicals could be used as natural repellents.
The researchers found peppermint and lavender to be more effective than commercial roach repellents, which were contaminated by mold and bacteria.
Essential oils are safe to use indoors, but store-bought traps may contain harmful ingredients that can damage your health.
While peppermint and lavender work against roaches, these essential oils should not be used as substitutes for pest-control products.
You can also use essential oils as air fresheners, or in diffusers to help get rid of indoor odors.
You can even use them to help get rid of sweat stains from clothes, or to repel insects away from your home and yard.
Why Do Cockroaches Hate Certain Smells?
Cockroaches can detect the scent of a chemical called isopentyl acetate in food containers such as ice cream buckets.
Cockroaches and palmetto bugs also detect carbon dioxide released when food is being processed.
Although essential oils have been proven to be effective against many insects, they may not be able to completely get rid of a cockroach infestation.
How Long Will These Smells Repel Cockroaches?
If there is an existing infestation in your home, it may take some time until these scents can completely eliminate the roaches.
However, using essential oils as air fresheners may keep them away until the infestation is completely exterminated.
In addition, the odors may linger in the home for some time after the infestation has been eliminated, so you should try to avoid using musky-scented chemicals in your home.
While essential oils may effectively repel cockroaches, other remedies for getting rid of them include removing food and water sources from the home, sealing cracks that let in moisture, and eliminating clutter to keep the pests from hiding in the nooks and crannies of your home.
Cockroaches may avoid the area where scents are used since the smell of these oils is unpleasant to them.
How To Use Scents And Smells To Repel Cockroaches
Cockroaches are among the most annoying pests that your home can become infested with.
They are highly resilient and can survive on almost anything. This makes it difficult to get rid of them completely.
However, you can use a variety of natural odor-repellants to keep them out of your home. These include peppermint, clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, bay leaves, and spearmint.
Peppermint
To get rid of roaches, you can brew some peppermint tea and spray it around the house. The strong aroma will repel roaches from the house.
Clove
The strong aroma of clove oil works in the same way. You can sprinkle some cloves around the house or just spray the clove oil into the areas where you think roaches are hiding.
Cinnamon
To get rid of roaches from your house, you can use cinnamon sticks and place them in areas where roaches are hiding. The strong smell of the cinnamon will repel roaches from your house.
Eucalyptus
To get rid of roaches, sprinkle some eucalyptus leaves around the house where you think roaches are hiding. It will not only repel roaches but also smell good.
Bay Leaves
You can sprinkle bay leaves around the house where you think roaches are hiding. The strong smell of the bay leaves will repel them from the house.
Spearmint
You can spray spearmint oil around the house where you think roaches are hiding. The strong aroma will repel roaches from the house.
Also Read: How to Get Roach Smell Out of Electronics?
Conclusion
It’s never easy dealing with cockroaches at home, especially when there are large numbers of them in the house or when you can’t even see them.
Cockroaches are tough little buggers but they can be eliminated with the use of the right techniques to get rid of them.
There are various methods you might try to do away with these nasty pests from your home including the use of pesticides and insecticides to get rid of them completely. They won’t always work because these insects are highly resistant to most pesticides.
Using odors and smells they detest is one option you have to keep these pesky creatures out of your home permanently.
To fully reduce your roach infestation, you may need to use a combination of the above techniques to fully eradicate the problem completely.
Maintain a clean home, correctly store documents, inspect food and containers before eating or cooking, eliminate moisture sources and use.
