Are you having cockroach problems but worried that your repellant is damaging to your health?

Good news.

You don’t have to choose between keeping cockroaches away or contaminating your home with dangerous chemicals.

There are many natural repellants you can use to keep cockroaches out of your home.

And yes, they work!

Below, I’ll cover some of the best natural cockroach repellent available today.

Let’s get started.

1. Essential Oils:

Some of the most effective natural cockroach repellents are essential oils:

Mint Oil / Peppermint Oil

Peppermint is one of the most popular natural substances used to keep cockroaches away.

While most recommend using peppermint plants or leaves, Peppermint oil is what you should use.

There is no scientific evidence to suggest that fresh or dried peppermint is an effective repellent of cockroaches.

In contrast, research has proved peppermint oil to be an effective deterrent of cockroaches and many other insects.

Peppermint oil is a concentrated and potent form of peppermint.

In this study, mint oil was shown to be extremely effective at deterring both German and American cockroaches even after 14 days.

90% of cockroaches choose an area with no mint oil than an area with mint oil.

It’s important to note that mint oil is only effective in repelling cockroaches, not terminating them.

To kill a cockroach with mint oil, you would need to one with a concentration of at least 30% while keeping the cockroaches in a small sealed space to prevent the vapors from escaping.

Achieving the same effect in your home is unlikely.

So how do you use mint oil to repel cockroach?

There are a couple of ways.

The first method involves diluting mint oil with water and vinegar.

To be effective, remember to keep the concentration of mint oil between 3% and 10%.

If you do not have pets or children, you can increase the concentration to 30%.

Apply the formulation around the entire perimeter of your home and apply it weekly.

For indoors, spray the concentration into hard to reach areas such as voids between cabinets.

The second method you can use involves dropping mint oil onto a cotton ball.

Next, place the cotton balls where roaches are known to live and travel.

Some ideal locations are under appliances and sinks, as well as in small cracks and holes.

If you have kids or pets, place cotton balls inside small plastic containers. Then, drill holes through the plastic so the mint vapors can exit.

This way, even if your pet or child does come in contact with the cotton, they won’t get the mint oil on their skin.

Reapply mint oil every week to keep the cotton balls as effective as possible.

Orange Oil / Limonene Oil

Limonene oil or Orange oil is one of the most effective natural repellents you can use to deter cockroaches.

Other citrus fruits, such as lemons and grapefruits, are also good alternatives.

Citrus fruits have their citrus scent because of the chemical limonene.

In a study comparing eight different essential oils, Limoene oil was found to be the most effective at repelling and killing cockroaches.

To use Limonene Oil on cockroaches, combine 3 ounces of 100% limonene oil, 2 tbsp of liquid soap, and 1 gallon of water.

Place your formulation inside a spray bottle and spray it around your house or where cockroaches frequent.

You can also use a spray directly on roaches to kill them.

Keep in mind that if you spray this mixture on a cockroach, they won’t die instantly, they will likely return to their hiding spot and die within 24 hours.

On the other hand, you can also place a few drops of orange or limonene oil on a cotton ball to repel insects.

Herb Oils – Oregano and Rosemary Oil

Herb oils are a great way to repel and kill cockroaches.

Oregano and rosemary oil are two of the most effective herb essential oils for cockroaches.

But, unlike other essential oils, such as mint oil, herb oils are much less pungent.

Oregano and Rosemary oil is are effective even at low concentrations.

With only a few drops in a gallon of water, you can kill and repel cockroaches.

For example, both essential oils killed 100% of cockroaches when only exposed to mixtures with 5% of the essential oil.

Likewise, they repelled 95% of cockroaches when exposed to vapors containing only 2.5% of the essential oil.

These essential oils were able to repel and kill cockroaches at lower concentrations than any other essential oil.

Safety Measures When Using Essential Oils:

Although essential oils are natural, they can be dangerous if not used properly. 

Essential oils are highly concentrated chemicals, so be sure you use gloves when handling them.

High concentration essential oils can cause skin irritations and be dangerous if ingested. This is true for both humans and pets.

Also, a high concentration of essential oils can damage your pet’s respiratory system.

To be safe, keep essential oil concentrations lower than 30% if you have pets.

And whenever possible, place essential oils in locations where humans and pets are unlikely to contact them.

2. Garlic

Throughout history, garlic has been used for everything from cooking to medicine.

It turns out garlic is also effective in repelling cockroaches.

The best way to use fresh garlic to repel insects is to grate it and place it in areas where you don’t want insects to visit.

Studies show that whole or even peeled garlic had little effect on repelling insects.

But grating is more effective because it allows more vapor to release from garlic.

Research shows that although garlic is an effective repellent, it was not very toxic to cockroaches.

So if you are looking to terminate cockroaches, fresh garlic is not the answer.

For that, you can use a chemical inside garlic called Allium Sativum.

Research shows that Allium Sativum is effective at both eliminating and repelling cockroaches indoor and outdoor.

After 48 hours, 95% of cockroaches died with only .005 ml of Allium Sativum vaporized in the air.

While Allium Saivum is pungent, it is an effective way to eliminate cockroaches without using any dangerous chemicals.

If you are having cockroach issues outdoors, spraying an Allium Saivum solution around your home or on your garden every few days is a great way to keep cockroaches and other insects away.

3. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is another common household substance that will repel cockroaches. 

Cinnamon powder is one of the few substances that is effective both as a powder and essential oil. 

A study shows that both cinnamon powder and Cinnamon Cassia Oil were able to repel a variety of insects with a 100% success rate. 

Cinnamon is an excellent option because it is inexpensive and easy to get. 

You can apply the cinnamon around your home and inside entry points to deter cockroaches from coming inside. 

If you have a cockroach problem in your garden or plants, add a cinnamon layer to the top of your soil to deter cockroaches from making it their home. 

Cinnamon is also great for plant growth, acting as a natural rooting hormone and fungicide to protect your plants. 

You can also use cinnamon in the same way as you would outdoors. 

Add a layer of cinnamon to locations that cockroaches frequent.

You can also add it to any potential entry points you find on the inside of your homes, such as doorways, window seals, or pipe entry points. 

Another useful place to put cinnamon is under your appliances in small crevices that cockroaches would hide. 

Since cinnamon is safe for both people and pets, you can feel at peace that you won’t be sacrificing your family’s health by repelling cockroaches. 

4. Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a naturally occurring sedimentary rock.

It consists of fossilized remains from small, aquatic organisms called diatoms.

Diatoms are primarily made of a natural substance called silica.

The silica in Diatomaceous earth is useful to us in many ways.

We use Diatomaceous earth to treat high cholesterol levels and improve skin, nails, teeth, bones, and hair.

You can also rub them on your pet to fight fleas, ticks, and lice.

To humans and pets, it feels like any other powder; to insects, it is incredibly sharp.

When insects walk through it or consume diatomaceous earth, it destroys their exoskeleton.

It’s best to only use diatomaceous earth in common hiding spaces for cockroaches rather than out in the open.

While the powder is generally safe for both humans and pets, it can be harmful when ingested in large amounts.

The silica found in DE can also scar your lungs (silicosis) and cause inflammation when inhaled in large amounts.

Cockroach Natural repellant Myths:

1. Cucumbers

Using cucumbers as a cockroach repellent is a common wife’s tale.

Research shows that cucumbers are not an effective repellent against cockroaches or any other insects.

So if it seems like fewer cockroaches are present where you placed the cucumbers, it is more likely that this is because of frequent human activity.

The cockroaches are more likely to be hiding somewhere else nearby.