This post has been edited Oct. 11, 2016 to erase one ineffective recipe with a different one 🙂
Love thy neighbour… But not the freeloaders that came with him!
Our new neighbour moved in with some unwanted baggage – roaches. YUCK!
I am calm at the sight of blood and most other things that lift people’s blood pressure in general, but when it comes to some critters, I scream bloody murder! (OK, this was not intentional, but did you notice I used the word ‘blood’ three times in one sentence? I promise, there will be no more blood in this post:) Cockroaches do that twice to me, because I think they’re dirty.
I need to get rid of them ASAP – the more you wait, the more (cockroaches) you gain. But I don’t want to use any chemicals, especially now with baby in the house.
So I turned to my trusted resource – essential oils. I used to have them for cleaning and skincare a lot before I was pregnant, then I avoided most of them during pregnancy (I will explain more in some future post, there is a lot to say) and when my son arrived, I still didn’t use them as much as before to make sure he won’t get some reaction. Now with our new tenants, I’m rolling my sleeves up and I will spare not one!
Roaches and most other insects hate the smell of some essential oils (chilled citronella, Mr. Mosquito?). So spraying a well diluted mixture of the right oils can serve as a good prevention. Peppermint oil is quite universal, combined with other oils, it’s da bomb! Roaches in general hate citrus oils and mint oils (spearmint, peppermint etc.) and die on ingestion.
Preventative spray for roaches:
- 1/2 cup of water
- 8 drops cypress oil OR tea tree OR citronella oil
- 10 drops peppermint oil
Cockroaches killer spray (if they already invaded your precious home):
- 1/2 cup saltwater (1 tbsp sea salt in 1/2 cup water)
- 10 drops cypress oil
- 10 drops peppermint oil
Mix your oils and water in a spray bottle and spritz corners and hideaway places in your home (roaches tend to like dark and moist corners). Spray also your entry door frame to cut them off before they knock!
I have previously (before the Oct. 11, 2016 edit) recommended a different recipe that turned out to be quite ineffective. Well, here is something we tried and it worked: diatomaceous earth. You can apply it anywhere in your house except for areas that are consistently damp or wet. Apply along any places that can be an entry way for the bugs, where food and food remnants can be dropped; and seal off any cracks or holes where they could be hiding during the day.
You can also add cotton balls with Thieves blend into AC vents to purify your air and assure that roaches won’t be hiding there.
Happy ‘hunting’!
When using essential oils, exercise precaution like with any other chemicals. They are very (I should type VERY) potent and can be harmful to pets and children if swallowed. Do not spray on food, dishes or near open food containers.
As a source for good quality essential oils, I recommend Young Living Essential Oils.
crazyhappymotherhood 
Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth also works. Its very cheap too. http://www.EarthyHealth.com
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Love the idea! Thank you.
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Its true i was taking bath using peppermint soap in it. Then rinse my body with water then suddenly a cockroach flew in the shower fell on the rinse water with peppermint on it then it just stop moving at all.
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That was probably due to more than just the peppermint. I’ve seen roaches run across unscented soap bubbles near my kitchen sink & die from that. And seriously, I think that any creature that can be killed by SOAP of all things shouldn’t be allowed to exist. Ever.
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Great idea, and better than paying for a company to come out every three months or so.
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The roach motel is supposed to trap them, no? And peppermint oil is supposed to be a deterrent? So, why would putting peppermint oil in the motel actually lure them in?
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Hi, thanks for the point. I have since updated the post with a different recipe. The motel didn’t work like in the post I modeled it after, so I didn’t feel like it should stay on my page. Thank you for reading 🙂
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First off, thank you so much for posting this information. How often do you need to spray with the roach killer? Once a day? Every other day? Once a week? I’m just curious, because I’m use to putting several drops of peppermint oil on cotton balls once a day & I really want to get away from that.
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Hi! First, it needs to be sprayed more often, once you are sure they are gone, it just a “maintenance” issue. Once a week (or two). Make sure they don’t have an entryway back in (holes under the doors, cracks etc.) and that they don’t have a REASON to come back – uncovered food lying around, crumbs on the floor overnight and similar occurrences.
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What about plugging up bottom of base boards with silicone caulking and under counters and cabinets where i see them crawling about all the time. Then spray the base boards with either eucalyptus or peppermint oil or maybe a combination of both oils??
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If peppermint repels the roaches, why would they enter a container soaked with peppermint soaked on the cotton balls?
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Hmmm, totally valid! Maybe that’s why my roach motels stayed empty. The peppermint in the spray repelled them and they didn’t give the little houses another look 😉
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Hi, for the cockroach killer, would it be alright to use iodized salt? Thank you
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Any salt should be ok.
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I thought the same thing, “Why would you use peppermint?”
I’ve noticed German roach babies since our neighbor moved in. Gotta love duplexes.
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You can also purchase peppermint plants, Mint and spearmint plants , put them in your kitchen at night, the roaches hate the smell of them.
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The salt water & essential oil mixture seems to be clogging up my spray bottles. Any suggestions? Thanks!
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Hello! Is the salt properly diluted? Or too much salt? Some sprays get clogged just with water use (or not really clogged, but stop working because of cheaper plastic that wears down). Try skipping the salt and using distilled water or hazel witch, if you have it around.
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Hi,i am new in here,just from experience let you guys know that don’t leave your garbage at night in your home or don’t put the garbage container inside the cabinet, don’t leave any food or container open and DON’T PUT ONION in your cabinet or in your house keep them in the fridge or outside of your house trust me it will help and before going to bed clean your counter tops and floor from any food or crumbs, and if you have any pet keep their living space clean ,I hope this tips helps you guys because it helped me
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Hope this works as my new neighbor brought her pets with her and now they like to visit. I have cats so can’t use roach proof. Will try this one today thanks
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I surely hope one the methods works for you! The faster the better, you don’t want them to start feeling at home 😉
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The peppermint can kill cats so be careful please.
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A good point to make. Usually cats will avoid an area they don’t like (because of the smell), but it’s good to remember that they can ingest some of the oil by mistake depending on where it’s sprayed.
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I personally have not used Diatomaceous Earth but I have read a lot about it. It is deadly to insects but should be used with care. You should add a side note saying not to use it in places where beneficial insects (honey bees, ladybugs, etc…) can get to it. Inside your house is fine but not in gardens and flower beds. Thank you.
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A very good point about gardens, thank you, Clara.
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Can cypress oil be substituted for tea tree or eucalyptus oil in the roach killer spray?
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Yes, Gina, you can combine Peppermint and Cypress in about the same dilution ratios.
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Hi I live in GA .. Yes one of the breeding grounds for ROACHES. I hate them. I have tried so many things and end up using Raid and as we all know that adds up. I bought that peppermint pear away spray and it drives me away more than the roaches. I’m fed up and worn out. Please PLEASE HELP ME……
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Hi Keri! I am so sorry, we live now in Middle East and there is no way of not having them around here either 😦 Try diatomaceous earth and some glue traps.
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that; really odd – you mention that mint and citrus work against cockroaches, but none of the oils you suggest is from a mint or a citrus. Why is that?
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Peppermint is from the mint family. You can also substitute with Spearmint or Wintergreen (same family), but Peppermint is most easily accessible essential oil.
There are many recipes that I haven’t mentioned, perhaps it’s time for another cockroach post 🙂 You can use lemon wedges in places with cockroaches, the smell alone repels them.
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Thank you. Very informative. Glad to know these way (natural of getting rid of the bugers.
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My appartment is infested i think they are coming from d/s unit , what can i do ? They come and spray one a week won’t help
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You need to identify which ways they’re coming in and block their entrance. Put diatomaceous earth across their paths. Try spraying more often than the company sprays.
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Something I was told by an exterminator is that peppermint oil works to repel rats and mice because it interrupts their senses so they wont cross it. Maybe this is the same for the roaches.
I can’t wait to try the remedies. I have seen a few tiny ones, and I know their in the buildings because my neighbor warned me. If I can keep them from coming out of the walls I will be fine with that. I literally lose my appetite when I see one, it makes me feel like my whole kitchen is dirty.
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That same feeling! They make the place look like it’s dirty 😦
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The old green pomalive dish detergent kills roaches,so im going to mix some peppermint oil in the dishsoap and see what happens.
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If the dish detergent kills roaches, maybe you can save your oil 🙂 But I think it’s worth a try!
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I HAVE A TERRIBLE INFESTATION. I AM USING EO TO SPRAY NOW. AND GETTING RID OF CLUTTER THAT THEY ROCHES LIKE TO HIDE IN, IE; CLOTHES, THAT I WAS TRYING TO GIVE TO AN ORGANIZATION FOR PEOPLE THAT MIGHT NEED THEM IN THE COLDER MONTHS…….BUT I HAVE BEEN USING ALCOHOL, I/3 OF SPRAY BOTTLE, A BIT OF DAWN (I USE BLUE) DISH DETERGENT, (ENOUGH THAT YOU CAN SEE THE MIXTURE A BIT BLUE) AND FILL THE REST OF THE SPRAYER WITH WATER.) . I AM USING TEA TREE OIL AND EUCALYPTUS OIL AND GOING TO ADD A BIT OF DAWN THIS TIME…..I KNOW FOR SURE THAT THE ALCOHOL MIXTURE WORKS….I JUST RAN OUT OF ALCOHOL.
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Also make sure you don’t have any cardboard in the infested area. They looove hiding inside the crevices.
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What do you mean moderation
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Thanks for posting this! Great info!
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What can I use instead of cypress eo? Maybe white fir?
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I don’t have any experience with that. You can definitely try it, as white fir still repells some insects.
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I use peppermint oil and water in a spray bottle with 4 5 drops of dish soap. Shake and spray. They hate it. Also works for repelling squirrels in my outdoor planters. Mist the outer lip of pots 2 to 3 times a week.they hate it.
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That’s a nice recipe!
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What’s the difference between the alcohol that is suggested in the post versus the dish soap in your recipe?
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Sandi… with the alcohol mixture. How much tea tree oil and eucalyptus oil do you add?
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I read that bay leaves are excellent at repelling cockroaches. Is that true?
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I haven’t tried that, but it’s worth a try. Maybe even bay laurel essential oil.
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Hey guys!
I just wanted to let you know that I tried the peppermint oil and spruce oil with salt water on a small roach earlier and it worked! The roach wasn’t moving. I wanted to be sure if it actually was dead so I kept going back to check on it. Yup, it’s dead! This stuff really works! If I would have known how easy it was to get rid of roaches and spiders with essential oils I would have started early instead of investing on chemicals. I wasted so much money and time. Thank you for sharing your recipes!!! Now I can have some peace of mind.
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Way to go ❤
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What about orange oil , I have a hubby that can’t stand the smell of peppermint , but he may have to deal with it, I also have a nosy dog , but these roaches have got to go they’re everywhere including my bed help
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Actually, orange is very good too. Make a spray with some dishwashing liquid or liquid soap, add a few drops of orange and spray where they hang out. If you spray it directly at cockroach, it might crawl away, but will die of suffocation, as the soap will clog its airways.
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Love this idea thanks! And I just got some more peppermint oil. Peppermint is supposed to repel mice as well right?
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Yes, peppermint is quite the multi-tasker in repelling ALL kinds of animals 🙂
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Taking care of a cockroach infestation is no one’s dream weekend plan. But sometimes the Universe decides to punish us for some past life mistakes and put a cockroach or two in our homes. It’s not an easy task at all and often we are wondering if there is any way to get rid of the pests without the very toxic chemicals, advertised to be most effective. Luckily there are many effective homemade cockroaches repellents that you can try and we have gathered information on the best ones just for you. By using special pesticides, you will probably notice results almost immediately, but not everyone is prepared to protect their family from the toxic chemicals that come with it. So, here is how to get rid of cockroaches with homemade remedies, which are the most effective natural, harm-free solutions for a cockroach infestation.
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