Did you know cockroaches can run up to three miles per hour and squeeze through cracks as thin as a quarter? These arthropods are notorious home nuisance pests.
Luckily, there are many ways to deal with insects, thanks to DIY culture. Read on to discover how lavender can repel roaches.
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Why Should You Eliminate Cockroaches?
You should eliminate cockroaches because they can carry diseases, make allergies worse, and make your home dirty.
Cockroaches contain allergens that exacerbate asthma. They also carry diseases and bacteria, including salmonella and streptococcus. If those reasons aren’t enough, imagine living in your refuse and dead skin because that is precisely what roaches do.
No one wants bugs in their house, but roaches give new meaning to icky and gross. These scurrying pests reproduce rapidly, and where you see one, another is always hiding out of view.
If you suspect cockroaches, a pest control professional can help you rid your home of unwanted pests, while lavender can help you maintain a roach-free home.
How to Repel Roaches with Lavender
Lavender invokes calming sensations and thoughts of hot bubble baths and bedtime. The pleasant, herbaceous scent can also deter many insect invaders. Cockroaches have heightened olfactory senses and hate the smell of lavender and any other herb you can think of.
While lavender won’t eliminate any current infestations, it will help keep your home bug free once you resolve your pest problems. The lavender smell deters pests from entering your home. It won’t actually harm any invaders that find their way into your kitchen or living space. Still, you can use lavender in several ways to repel roaches and other insects.
Lavender Essential Oil
We can thank 2008 for the rise of essential oils. While that lavender oil in the back of your medicine cabinet might not be helping you fall asleep more quickly, you can use it to repel roaches.
Roaches despise powerful smells. Be sure to look for 100% pure lavender essential oil. Soak a cotton ball in lavender oil and place it in areas you have seen roach activity, including under cabinets and appliances. Replace the cotton balls when they dry out.
Lavender Spray to Repel Roaches
Natural pest control methods are readily available in many commercial and local hardware stores. Lavender-based sprays are a great way to cover a large area of your home. The liquids contain lavender oil, a natural cockroach repellent.
Lavender’s calming scent comes from the chemical, linalool. DIY lavender sprays are easy to make at home if you do not have access to a store-bought option. Mix a few drops of lavender oil into some water and add it to a spray bottle.
Spray surfaces, concentrating on cracks, crevices, and anywhere roaches might enter. Be sure to head outdoors and spray near any plumbing and electrical entrances around your home.
Planting Lavender
You don’t need a green thumb to benefit from the pretty purple flower. Lavender is an aromatic perennial that will come back every year with minimal effort. Planting lavender around your yard, garden, and in containers on your porch can help repel insects, including roaches.
Lavender plants deter cockroaches and other insects like mosquitoes, giving you a pest-free yard you can enjoy year-round. Plant lavender in containers and place it near entrances, cracks, and crevices for maximum effectiveness.
Dried Lavender
If you would rather not go around spraying your house with lavender oil, you can opt for the dried version of the plant. You can use dried lavender in multiple ways, including:
- Sprinkle loose, dried lavender into cracks, crevices, and behind appliances to repel roaches
- Create lavender sachets to store in closets, under sinks, and near plumbing holes
- Use lavender as potpourri in decorative arrangements
Long-Term Solutions
Regardless of your delivery method, it is essential to remember the smell of lavender is only a deterrent. It will not harm insects or cockroaches.
No one wants to live with pests in their home, especially prehistoric roaches. Luckily, you can take steps to eliminate pests once and for all.
- Seal entry points, cracks, and crevices
- Maintain a regular cleaning schedule
- Clean food messes and dirty dishes promptly
- Tidy up your landscaping
- Hire a professional to provide routine pest control
The best approach to repelling cockroaches is a multi-faceted one. Regular cleaning schedules and DIY scent-based deterrents like lavender are great tools to add to your arsenal. There are many scents cockroaches can’t stand. Fortunately, lavender is one we humans can get behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Some Alternatives to Using Lavender to Deter Roaches?
Alternatives to using lavender to deter roaches include other strong-smelling herbs, such as peppermint and bay leaves. You can increase the effectiveness of lavender by mixing it with other scents like citrus oil, peppermint oil, tea tree oil, eucalyptus, catnip, and other essential oils.
Remember, roaches have a highly developed olfactory sense, so you don’t need a lot of oil to repel them. Alternatively, you can use the dried versions of the herbs like you would lavender.
Read More: Essential Oils That Help Kill And Repel Cockroaches
Is It Safe to Use Lavender to Deter Roaches?
Yes, it is safe to use lavender to deter roaches. It is safe for humans and animals. The benefits of using lavender oil for pest control are plenty. There is no need to worry about toxicity, and it will leave your home smelling herbaceous and relaxing.
Repelling Roaches With Lavender
It is safe to say roaches hate potent smells. However, what they hate the most is a clean living environment with no dark, damp corners to hide. Lavender is a valuable and pleasant-smelling DIY prevention method, but it can get expensive. Long-term prevention and a multi-faceted approach are always your best option.