Essential oil against cockroaches, which oil are they more afraid of?

There are many hundreds of folk remedies against the familiar kitchen-garbage cockroaches.

Some have earned the recognition of ordinary people. Others have no effect on insects at all. Moreover, everyone wants an effective insecticide that does not cause any harm to people and their pets. Is there such a drug? Yes, I have. vinegar familiar to us all . Let's find out whether cockroaches are afraid of vinegar.

Effect of bay leaf on cockroaches

The spice affects the sense of smell of insects. Parasites have long whiskers on their heads. They allow you to find food by detecting its smell at a great distance.

Prussians are highly sensitive, which is why they do not like strong odors. Bay leaf helps against cockroaches because it has a pronounced aroma, which causes pests to flee from the home. The reason is the chemical effect of cineole microparticles on the respiratory organs of insects.

• irritates the olfactory organs;
• disrupts the breathing process;
• changes the sense of smell - against the background of the smell of spice, insects have difficulty sensing other aromas, which prevents them from looking for food.

These insects are very afraid of the smell of a plant, they can’t stand it, and they run away from the place where they smell it. Thus, this seasoning repels insects rather than kills them.

Other effective folk remedies

Other folk remedies also have a repellent effect on cockroaches:

1. Vinegar. Mixtures are prepared from it and used to wipe surfaces.
2. Ammonia. Its smell is very unpleasant to cockroaches. Ammonia can be used in its pure form; it is harmful to insects. But it can only be used if you send family members and animals away from home. Therefore, a solution is often used by mixing it with water.
3. Bay leaf. It contains cineole, which has a negative effect on the respiratory organs of cockroaches, so when they smell bay leaves, they try to leave the room faster.
4. Plants. Wormwood, tansy, elderberry, and mint have repellent properties. Infusions are prepared from them and used in dry form.

Folk remedies
To repel cockroaches, use soda, black pepper, and boric acid.

What oils are they afraid of?

When cockroaches detect food or water, they leave particles of their pheromones, along which their fellows quickly find their way to a source of food.

When wondering what smells cockroaches don’t like and what oils they don’t like, it’s worth noting that the smell of geranium, vetiver, eucalyptus, tea tree, cloves, lavender, lemon balm, mint, and lemongrass is unacceptable to parasites.

These esters interrupt all the natural aromas left by the pest and this disorients the insects in space. Cockroaches are not able to stay in this state for a long time and they have to look for new housing.

Video

Insect protection

Advantages and disadvantages

When using essential oil against cockroaches, you should understand that this method of control has its advantages and disadvantages.

Main advantages:

• affordable price;
• universal application;
• gentle action;
• long-term protective effect;
• ease of use;
• safety.

The disadvantage of this method of control is that it can cause allergies. Also, many plant extracts are contraindicated for hypertension, pregnancy and lactation.

How to use bay leaf against cockroaches

To get rid of Prussians in an apartment, you should use the following methods:

1. Spread dry or fresh bay in areas where insects accumulate. This can be done in different crevices, cabinets and other secluded places.
2. Make a tincture. To do this, pour 500 ml of boiling water over the package of raw materials and leave for 3 hours. Strain the mixture and spray the room.
3. Set the spice on fire. This method helps to significantly increase the effectiveness of the spice as it helps release the essential oils. It is worth considering that the leaves should smolder and not burn.
4. Use laurel essential oil. You need to add it to the aroma lamp and fumigate the room. The procedure is carried out for 3-5 days. It is important that there are no drafts in the room.

Processing rules

You should use aromatic oils as a preventive measure:

• if single “scouts” are spotted;
• neighbors have cockroaches or in the entrance and the premises are treated with an insecticide;
• there is a suspicion that the insects were brought from friends or from a trip.

There are several ways to treat the premises:

• spraying a mixture of aromatic oils - to do this, mix a cup of hot water, ½ cup of vinegar and 10-15 drops of the mixture (eucalyptus, mint, cloves, tea tree);
• using water with essential oil to wash furniture and floors indoors;
• using aroma lamps (devices where a mixture of water and aromas is heated in a container).
• dripping the mixture into places where cockroaches may live (drawers, corners under sewer pipes and drains, back panels of household appliances, etc.);
• by spraying sinks and drains with an aromatic solution at night.

When choosing an aromatic oil, you need to take into account the individual tolerance of the product and the overall effect on the body.

You may need to make several attempts to find the optimal combination of scents that will be most suitable for a given room.

After some time of constant use of aromatic substances, the air in an apartment or house will, unnoticed by the residents, acquire a special smell that repels insects.

Efficiency

To ensure that essential oils are effective, certain steps must be followed correctly:

• Wipe surfaces on which cockroaches move as much as possible:
• pay special attention to the kitchen, bathroom - where there is access to water;
• treat the trash can and around it;
• in hard-to-reach places use the spray method and drip with a syringe.

It is advisable to use aromatic oils in apartments where the number of Prussians is not so large or for preventive purposes.

Is it possible to scare off cockroaches with odors?

Cockroaches belong to the order of insects from the suborder Cockroaches. Today more than 7,000 species are known. These insects are a very ancient species, and therefore have been quite well studied.

It is known that they are one of the most viable insects - they can survive for more than a month without food, and are very resistant to radiation. The eggs that the female lays are reliably protected from the external environment by a special capsule. Cockroaches have well-developed senses, especially smell. On their body there are antennae with appendages (cerci), with the help of which insects are able to identify various odors. Cockroaches perceive them differently - they remain indifferent to some, while others attract them. Of course, there are also odors that repel insects for a long time. This feature can be used in the fight against cockroaches.

Why are cockroaches dangerous for humans?

Unfortunately, not everyone understands how dangerous these insects are. Cockroaches move freely between the drain, garbage disposal, basement with rodents and attic with bird excrement. They are able to collect a wide variety of bacteria on their paws. Everything collected is carried around the apartment by insects, in particular, throughout the kitchen. The infection may end up on the table, refrigerator, or dishes. It has been proven that an ordinary cockroach can become a carrier of the following diseases:

• meningitis;
• toxoplasmosis;
• urogenital infections;
• gastroenteritis;
• dysentery;
• salmonellosis.

Cockroaches are also capable of spreading eggs of parasites such as roundworms, pinworms, whipworms, and some types of amoebas.

They cause many problems for allergy sufferers. The chitinous scales that they shed during molting are mixed with dust particles, dry residues of cockroaches, and end up on the skin, digestive organs, and respiratory apparatus. As a result, they cause dermatitis, conjunctivitis, and asthmatic syndromes.

When faced with an allergen every day in your apartment, the disease becomes chronic and does not go away at all. Children often suffer from such allergies.

There are cases when cockroaches bite a person, gnawing off pieces of the skin of the lips. Sometimes, in search of shelter, they crawl into the ear canal of a sleeping person. It is very difficult to remove him from there, since he will hide, climbing further. In such cases, you will need the help of a doctor.

Cockroaches can also be dangerous for pets for the same reasons. It happens that a cat or dog eats an already poisoned insect and the poison affects them too.

Why bay leaves are unpleasant for insects

The spice has a rich spicy aroma. It is associated with a number of active components that help deal with Prussians. These include the following:

• essential oil;
• myrcene;
• cineole;
• bitterness;
• camphor;
• pinene;
• limonene;
• linalool.

Cineole is especially dangerous for cockroaches. This ingredient irritates their respiratory organs. The substance is a powerful natural antiseptic.

It's all about the essential oils found in this plant - they give that aroma and taste to the prepared dishes. It is these oils that are unpleasant for parasites; they diligently avoid them

What to do if cockroaches don't go away

If you use essential oils to fight home parasites, you should be patient: they obviously won’t disappear in one go. Treatment should be persistently continued over a certain period of time (sometimes up to several months).

But if time passes and the problem does not disappear, then you should resort to more radical methods of struggle:

• act together with neighbors, who also clearly have an abundance of uninvited tenants;
• apply several control methods simultaneously (combine insecticides and traps);
• resort to the help of a paralyzing poison (borax is usually used, which is mixed with aromatic food and the resulting poisonous bait is laid out).

The most popular essential oils used to control cockroaches

Not only cockroaches are afraid of strong, rich aromas, but also other insects that penetrate a house or apartment: moths, fleas, ants and other pests. Various essential oils can be used as repellents. The following are in demand among consumers:

1. Eucalyptus. It is characterized by green or yellow color. The smell is sharp, minty. Used in anti-inflammatory and cold remedies (ointments, sprays). The main component in it is eucalyptol, which irritates the sense of smell of cockroaches. It also contains minerals (potassium, silicon, iron), vitamins, aldehydes, acids. It has many beneficial properties for the human body. It is not recommended to use it if there are hypertensive patients in the house, people suffering from epilepsy, or pregnant women. Eucalyptus oil for cockroaches is most effective due to its strong odor. Sold in bottles with capacities from 5 to 100 mm. The average price is approximately 100 rubles.
2. Lavender. It is often used in the cosmetics industry, making fragrances for perfumes, creams, and lotions. In medicine, it is added to ointments; it has a calming property, the ability to restore blood circulation, and normalizes a person’s mental state. The essential oil has a faint yellow tint and pronounced floral and woody bitter notes. Its structure is complex, it contains about 150 different components. Main active ingredients: coumarin, cineole, geraniol. Lavender against cockroaches is not recommended for use in the home of pregnant women, allergy sufferers, people suffering from epilepsy, anemia, and hypotension. The product is packaged in bottles with a capacity of 5, 1, 15 mm. Average price – 150 rubles.
3. Tea tree. It is one of the most advertised and popular products. It is used in medicine and cosmetology. The composition contains active components: diterpene, cineole, monoterpene. It is the terpenes that determine its effectiveness. Tea tree essential oil has antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial properties. The color is light yellow, the aroma is sharp, spicy, rich. It contains notes of pine needles, camphor and sawdust. Aromatherapy with its use repels cockroaches and at the same time disinfects the air in the room. It should not be used if there is an individual intolerance, when there are small children, pregnant or nursing mothers in the house. It goes on sale in glass bottles with a capacity of 5 to 25 mm, costing from 54 to 187 rubles.
4. Lemongrass. It has a rich yellow, reddish, dark orange color. The peculiarity is a rich aroma, in which lemon and herbal shades are clearly expressed. The oil contains many components. The predominant ones are: limonel, citral, myrcene. It also contains B vitamins and minerals (iron, magnesium, zinc). It is used in medicine, it relieves redness and swelling after insect bites, and has a repellent effect against cockroaches. It is not advisable to use it by hypertensive patients, people with an excitable nervous system, pregnant and nursing mothers. The products are packaged in glass bottles with a capacity of 5-10 ml. The cost ranges from 70 to 230 rubles.
5. Clove. It has a specific odor due to the main active ingredient – ​​eugenol. It has antibacterial properties and is used for infectious diseases and for dental preparations. It is contained in Zvezdochka, an insect repellent. Clove essential oil can cause allergies; you should not use it if there are small children (under 2 years old), hypertensive patients, pregnant women, or people with nervous pathologies in the house. Packaged in glass bottles with a capacity of 5, 10, 30 ml, average price - from 80 to 230 rubles.

Essential oils In the fight against cockroaches, cedar, anise, mint and geranium oils are used. All of them have a repellent effect.

• chamomile – contains pyrethrum, which is a strong insecticide;
• lavender - this combination repels any insects, including moths;
• mint, wormwood, tansy - plants have an unpleasant aroma for pests;
• eucalyptus - the plant also includes cineole, so the combination of herbs has a stronger effect;
• anise - has an irritating effect on the respiratory organs of pests.

A few words about oils

I would like to highlight a few vegetable oils.

Preparing for decisive action

There is something irresistible about setting traps and waiting for the catch, and with cockroach traps the thrill is the same as any other hunt.

When you're faced with an intruder or an entire population of pests, you know it's time to awaken the hunter in you and start creating and setting traps. You can't just let disgusting little creatures infest your home.

Of course, you can go to a hardware store or online and buy a few commercial traps; many are willing to try making their own traps.

Strong chemical odors

Not only natural but also some chemical odors repel cockroaches. Insects cannot stand it if the rooms smell of ammonia or boric alcohol, kerosene or turpentine. However, these pungent odors in high concentrations are harmful and poorly tolerated by people, and therefore require extreme caution when used.

Of the listed substances, ammonia (ammonia) or chlorine is most often used, which are mixed with water used for cleaning premises. You can simply pour ammonia into a saucer and leave it in a secluded place. Alcohol fumes will be harmful to cockroaches.

Boric acid, which has the ability to kill insects, is added to special food baits.

Unpleasant odors for insects will appear after cleaning if you use water diluted with drugs such as gasoline, kerosene, mothballs or vinegar.

And if the room is being renovated, even the smell of oil paint, wallpaper paste or synthetic detergents used during cleaning can help get rid of cockroaches.

In addition to household products, you can use chemicals specially designed to combat cockroaches. Their action is based on the effect of toxic insecticidal vapors on animals.

Moreover, the composition of the drugs is designed in such a way that a person does not feel an unpleasant odor, as happens when using ammonia or gasoline.

Precautions

If you are allergic to strong aromas, the spice should be used very carefully. The pronounced odor of the plant can cause adverse reactions in pregnant women and young children. This also applies to small pets and birds.

When fumigating a room with smoke, the windows must be closed. Therefore, after the procedure you should leave the apartment.

According to reviews, some products can quickly absorb the aroma of spices and even acquire a bitter taste. This feature should be taken into account when placing spices in food cabinets.

Bay leaf for cockroaches is an effective remedy that helps cope with harmful insects. To achieve good results, you need to choose the right method of using the product and follow safety precautions.

Safety precautions for working with oils

Using oils against cockroaches.

The aromas will accompany all residents of the apartment and house, and will also affect pets. If it is noticed that:

• shortness of breath appeared;
• there is a lack of air;
• headache;
• fatigue;
• animals behave strangely;
• drowsiness;

you need to stop using any products based on essential oils. With severe intoxication, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and even convulsions appear.

So that your efforts are not in vain

Soda baits will only be effective when all other cockroach food has been eliminated. Therefore, before laying out the balls, you need to put everything edible in places inaccessible to cockroaches.

Cockroaches are as unpretentious in food as they are picky. If they are offered the same bait for a long time, they will begin to neglect it. Therefore, we change the components. Every two days you need to lay out fresh balls, which are optimally prepared with new additives - for example, alternating sugar with onions, vegetable oil with eggs.

Not a single bait, but you shouldn’t forget about hygiene either. To ensure that the efforts to prepare and lay out soda traps are not in vain, it is necessary not only to hide food, but also to treat water sources. Soda ash (not to be confused with baking soda!) is sprayed in sinks, toilets, bathtubs - subject to mandatory flushing and subsequent washing. It is unacceptable to get into food products.

Baking soda is good because it is safe for humans and pets. But when working with it, it is better to wear household gloves: sodium bicarbonate has the property of drying out the skin of your hands. After work, just wash your hands and apply baby cream.

Source

• remove all layers of old wallpaper;
• fill existing holes and cracks on surfaces;
• cover the ventilation holes with fine mesh;
• check the water supply and eliminate all leaks, adjust the taps;
• Take out the trash regularly and cover the bin with a lid at night;
• store food, cereals, fruits and vegetables in places specially designed for this purpose;
• wipe the sink dry and do not leave dirty dishes behind;
• periodically treat baseboards with special disinfectants.

Anyone who wants to live in a clean apartment and not see cockroaches in their living space will adhere to the above recommendations. The main thing is to maintain cleanliness and maintain order in everything, preventing the appearance of “uninvited guests”.

What else are cockroaches most afraid of in an apartment?

Bright light

The fact that when the lights are turned on at night, insects begin to scatter in different directions does not mean that cockroaches are afraid of light.

The cockroach is a nocturnal insect and its reaction to light is rather a way to avoid danger and that is why it never settles in the light. And dark places require a sufficient level of humidity and protection from major dangers.

It is a myth that cockroaches are afraid of light; it is rather a danger signal for the cockroach.

Low temperature

Cockroaches are unable to maintain a constant body temperature, as they are cold-blooded insects. Insects are able to live and reproduce comfortably at temperatures from +2 to +28 C.

Temperatures below -1 cause death within half an hour.

A similar situation occurs if the temperature is above +28C. At this temperature, humidity decreases and in the absence of water sources, cockroaches first stop reproducing and then die.

Water scarcity

Cockroaches fear the lack of water even more than the lack of food. In the absence of food, cockroaches can feed on paper, wallpaper, wood and shoe glue, any organic matter, and various garbage, so leaving the insect without food is half the battle, the main thing is to leave it without water.

Any spills on the floor and all vertical and horizontal surfaces must be wiped dry. The sink and bathtub should be dry. Such control will reduce the hatching rate of new individuals, and with prolonged action, it will completely destroy cockroaches in the house, and will also avoid a new invasion.

FAQ

What smell do cockroaches fear more: vinegar or laundry soap?

Odors that are annoying to insects will be revealed after cleaning if you use water diluted with vinegar. Parasites are not afraid of laundry soap.

What will help kill cockroaches faster: vinegar or its alternative

If you want to get rid of Prussians faster, use special insecticidal products. They are more expensive and toxic to humans, but insects are destroyed in a day, maximum 2 - all that remains is to collect dead cockroaches and think about preventive measures.

Can these folk remedies be used for bedbugs or not?

Vinegar does not kill bed bugs, but only repels them with its scent. If you use it without errors, then you will forget about bloodsuckers for up to six months.

How does apple cider vinegar help?

Apple cider vinegar does not have a pungent aroma. A fruity smell, on the contrary, may interest insects.

How often can it be used

The odors of vinegar disappear quickly, so to consolidate the effect, the treatment will have to be carried out every day for several weeks.

When should you not use vinegar?

Dangerous vinegar vapors have a good chance of triggering an allergic reaction in the respiratory tract and nasopharynx.

Do not use vinegar if your family:

• Allergic reaction to vinegar in close relatives;
• chronic diseases - allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, hay fever, urticaria;
• individual intolerance to acetic acid.

What affects the effectiveness of the product

An important role is played by the quality of vinegar and compliance with proportions when making the solution.

The method will be effective against a small number of parasites and provided that the area is treated regularly.

Disadvantages of Essential Oils

The ability of plant aromas to only repel insects narrows their scope of application, but this cannot be considered a disadvantage, it is only a feature.

To more completely clean a room, these products should be used in combination with insecticides of synthetic or natural origin.

Volatile oils have high and versatile biological activity, and have a strong effect on the body:

• calm or stimulate the nervous system;
• normalize blood vessels and relieve spasms;
• can cause severe allergic reactions.

The wrong oil or a combination of oils can cause an unexpected reaction in the inhabitants of the apartment, especially if children, pregnant women or elderly people live in it.

The smell can be a strong irritant, even in small doses causing irritation, headaches, and shortness of breath in sensitive people.

One such remedy is lemongrass oil. If you use it for a long time, you will experience a sharp deterioration in health in patients with hypertension, children and pregnant women.

Essential oils should be stored in special, tightly closed vials in a dark place protected from the sun. Children or pets should not have access to them.

You need to be especially careful when using essential oils in a room where cats live. It is for them that most of these products are toxic, so you should not drip them on the floor.

Soda and sugar

To prepare the bait, mix sugar (powdered sugar) and sodium bicarbonate in equal proportions. The powder is scattered in places where cockroaches accumulate. It is advisable to use strips of thick paper for this - this makes it easier to clean the room.

The condition of the mixture is periodically checked and replaced as necessary.

What smells do cockroaches like?

Many people prefer to deal with uninvited guests using homemade traps. These are some devices that allow you to catch and neutralize the population of cockroaches. Insects are lured into such traps using aromatic products whose smell attracts cockroaches. The following are suitable baits for them:

• meat (raw, smoked, dried);
• various sweets or regular sugar, vanilla is quite suitable;
• butter;
• beer;
• sweet fruits.

Using these products, you can also prepare a poisonous substance. It is advisable to treat the entire apartment with this mixture, especially the bathroom, kitchen and staircase.

Onions and soda

The combination of onion and baking soda is used in several recipes for baiting cockroaches.

Recipe No. 1

You need to take:

1. 50 g powdered sugar;
2. 50 g flour;
3. 50 g coarsely grated white onion;
4. a pack of baking powder for dough;
5. 100 g sodium bicarbonate;
6. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil;
7. enough water to form a thick dough.

The dough is formed into small balls the size of a pea and placed in areas where cockroaches are common.