Does Eucalyptus Repel Roaches? – [Must Read]

Yes, Eucalyptus repels roaches!

And it is one of the best methods to keep cockroaches away from your home, even without killing them.

So, how can you use it, how much eucalyptus essential oil will repel roaches, and whether it can eliminate them from your house?

We will discuss that today.

Let’s get started.

What Is Eucalyptus Oil?

Also called a gum tree, the eucalyptus tree is native to Australia.

However, it is found today in almost all around the world.

The extracts from this evergreen growing tree are used for its oil, gum, resin, timber, and many other purposes.

This is why Eucalyptus oil is used for medicinal purposes and to eliminate insects and other pests.

Therefore, Eucalyptus oil is a multi-purpose oil that can be used even for repelling cockroaches.

Even though we’ll discuss in detail how this essential oil works so well in repelling cockroaches.

But in short, the strong scent of oil is what roaches hate the most and get away from it.

What Essential Oils Repel Roaches?

Well, eucalyptus oil and many more essential oils repel roaches.

Here are to name a few:

7+ Essential Oils That Repel Roaches

Citronella Oil

If you want to repel roaches outside your house, try citronella oil. However, the only downside with this oil is that the effects of this oil are not long-lasting.

That means you can implement it if you have a very low or insignificant roach problem or use it frequently to eliminate roaches.

Some users have noted that the effects of citronella oil wear off within a few hours.

Cedar Oil

Another beneficial oil that repels cockroaches is cedar oil.

Even though this oil has a soft odor, cedar oil can help you repel roaches and other bugs in the house.

Lavender Oil

Even though no studies prove that the oil will repel roaches, however, many house owners believe it works on many insects to repel them.

Cypress Mulch

Cypress mulch is one of the ways to keep roaches and other bugs away outdoors. But when it comes to indoor conditions and to repel roaches, you can try cypress oil.

Many believe that this oil is a natural way to keep roaches away.

Eucalyptus Oil

Last but not least, we are focusing more on the eucalyptus oil today.

Eucalyptus oil has medicinal properties and can even be used for repelling cockroaches.

Catnip Oil and Peppermint Oil

Many believe that one of the best natural methods to repel cockroaches is by using peppermint oil. It is quite an effective and affordable option to eliminate these pesky insects.

Additionally, catnip oil is also considered to be a good alternative.

Oregano Oil

Oregano oil is one of the finest quality oils that helps in repelling cockroaches indoors, which is quite effective and is believed to be long-lasting when used.

So, these oils are found to be quite effective in repelling roaches.

Essential Oils That Kill Roaches

Essential oils are good for repelling these pesky insects. But when it comes to killing roaches, very few oils can help you.

However, even though users believe these essential oils may kill roaches, it is not a sure method that the cockroaches will be eliminated with these oils.

But to name a few oils that are effective for killing cockroaches, here are they:

1.       Rosemary Essential Oil

In a study, it was found that rosemary oil is one of the most toxic oils for cockroaches, among other essential oils, including oregano oil.

Therefore, rosemary oil can be an excellent oil for killing cockroaches naturally.

The study shows that certain roaches, such as the brown band version, rosemary oil, and other essential oils, could kill cockroaches in a specific area.

However, you can experiment with rosemary oil on a few cockroaches to test this out. You may have to find out where these insects are located.

But once you find that out, you can use rosemary oil to completely remove them from your house.  

2.       Oregano Oil

After rosemary oil, oregano oil exhibited the most toxicity for cockroaches, and that is why it can be used to kill cockroaches in your home.

Moreover, Oregano oil is a compound that lasts longer when used.

3.       Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is one of the compounds believed to have health benefits. However, this oil can also be used on cockroaches to eliminate them.

To use it against cockroaches, you can even combine it with diluted water or with a combination of water and vinegar to make it more effective.

4.       Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oils repel roaches due to their intense scent and kill cockroaches inside the home.

It is one of the most potent oils that can be used to eliminate insects from the household.

5.       Mint Oil

If the mixture contains 3% mint oil, it can help you wipe the cockroach colonies from your house. Even users believe that this type of oil can kill any hidden roaches.

Once this oil comes in contact with the bug, it will keep killing as it carries the oil to its colonies.

Does Eucalyptus Kill Cockroaches?

As you already know about several oils being natural repellents for cockroaches and some even being toxic, you might wonder whether eucalyptus oil kills cockroaches.

However, the answer is no: eucalyptus oil doesn’t kill cockroaches.

But it is for sure that this oil is quite effective in keeping cockroaches away by working as a natural repellent. It is found that cockroaches are likely to hate the strong smell of it.

Moreover, no research yet can confirm that eucalyptus oil is a killing agent for cockroaches.

However, a study in 2018 found that lemongrass essential oil is quite effective in killing German cockroaches.

More studies and research are needed for the eucalyptus oil to repel roaches effectively.

Therefore, this oil is quite popular in treating and managing cockroach infestation in homes as a convenient and easy natural method.

Is Eucalyptus Oil Effective In Repelling Cockroaches?

Most users who have used eucalyptus oil as a natural repellent have reported that this oil is quite effective in repelling roaches.

However, there is no study about it, and it is not clear how effective it is.

Therefore, if you are facing a severe cockroach infestation in your home, you are more likely to need additional assistance besides using eucalyptus oil.

You might even need a professional exterminator’s help for severe cases.

However, if you are sure that you have only a few roaches here and there in your house, you can surely go for the more natural method, like eucalyptus oil.

How Does Eucalyptus Work Against Cockroaches?

To kill insects, there may be other compounds helpful.

But to repel cockroaches naturally, Eucalyptus oil has been an excellent agent.

However, there is no research yet to know how exactly this oil works.

However, it is believed that Eucalyptus oil has chemicals like cineole and eucalyptol that help keep these pesky insects away.

These are the compounds that disrupt the nervous system of these insects and thus help them to get away from the scented area.

The best part about using eucalyptus oil is that it can reach the cracks, crevices, cabinets, and under appliances your normal hands cannot reach.

This is why eucalyptus oil is one of the best solutions as the natural method to keep cockroaches away and even to kill some.

However, it is also true that if your house has a severe roach infestation, then using eucalyptus oil only may not be helpful to eliminate them.

How To Use Eucalyptus To Keep Cockroaches Away?

Now, it is time for the main stuff.

Till now, you already know that eucalyptus oil is expert enough to keep cockroaches away from your house.

However, it is now time to know how you can use eucalyptus oil to do so.

You can use this oil and even combine it with other things to get the most out of it in many ways.

But let’s explore the effective ways to keep cockroaches away using eucalyptus oil.

Eucalyptus Oil Spray

One of the easiest ways to repel roaches using eucalyptus oil is to use it as a spray.

To do so, you can use water to make a good solution.

First, you must take the spray bottle and fill it up about ¾ full.

Now, add 12 to 20 drops of the essential oil. To mix the solution well, you must shake it for a while.

Voila! Your super spray is ready to keep cockroaches off from your house.

You can use this spray around the baseboards, the back of your kitchen appliances, the microwave (make sure not to wet the wires), and your kitchen cabinets.

Even though the eucalyptus oil spray is not harmful to pets and humans, we recommend keeping it away from your food.

Eucalyptus Oil Diffuser

Another method to keep cockroaches away is using a diffuser.

You can put eucalyptus oil in the diffuser to spread it in the air. And it can help the cockroaches stay away from your house and make your home smell clean and fresh.

However, if you don’t want to spread the eucalyptus oil into the air, I recommend only opting for the first method.

Use Cotton Balls Soaked in Eucalyptus Oil

In this method, you must take a bunch of cotton balls, soak them in the eucalyptus oil, and wring out the excess oil to make the balls useful.

And later on, place those balls where you are more likely to find roaches.

You can quickly put these cotton balls in places such as behind your kitchen cabinets, crevices, cracks, and even behind or around baseboards.

Now, you may be wondering when to replace the cotton balls.

However, there’s an excellent way to decide that. You can find it to replace the cotton balls when you no longer smell the eucalyptus oil.

The replaceable time should usually be around 5 to 7 days.  

Also, remember that the smell of eucalyptus oil repels the roaches. Therefore, if the smell is not coming anymore, you should understand that it is time to put in the new cotton balls.

This is how you can keep cockroaches away from your house.

However this method may seem a bit more challenging, but it is also quite effective, especially when you already know where the cockroaches accumulate in your house.

Use In Combination With Other Natural Pest Control Methods

Another popular method to keep roaches away is using eucalyptus oil and other natural pest control methods.

For instance, you can use eucalyptus oil with boric acid and diatomaceous earth, another powerful method to keep roaches away from the house.

Even diatomaceous earth is used for severe bug infestation as well.

Use a Spray Made with Water, Vinegar, and Eucalyptus Oil

Another popular, easy and popular method (similar to the first) is using eucalyptus oil with water and vinegar to make the natural cleaning solution.

You can use this cleaning solution to repel cockroaches. The only difference with the first method is that vinegar will be used.

Other Natural Methods To Keep Cockroaches Away From Your House

Using eucalyptus oil is a natural method that is relatively safe and effective.

However, many more essential oils and natural herb oils can help you get rid of pesky insects inside your house.

Here are some of them:

Peppermint Oil and Other Mint Oils

Peppermint oil has one of the strongest scents.

Therefore, many homeowners claim that peppermint essential oil can easily keep many species of cockroaches away from home.

You can try opening the bottle close to your face to know how strong it is, and you’ll understand why. Thanks to the eye-watering fragrance!

As mentioned earlier, peppermint oil is also toxic to some roaches; therefore, the spray you will make by using this oil may work more than repelling these indoor insects.

To make a stronger solution, you can use 1 part vinegar and two parts of water to make the spray even more effective.

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender oil is known for its calming scent.

But if it is mixed with other essential oils, it can be a good and natural repelling agent for cockroaches.

According to research, you can use lavender oil with essential oils to increase its effectiveness against roaches.

The essential oils with which you can use lavender oil are:

• Citronella Oil
• Lemon Oil
• Rose Oil
• Basil Oil

You can follow the steps to use the potent mixture of lavender oil with the essential oils.

Take a bottle, lavender oil, water, and any mentioned essential oils (Citronella oil, lemon oil, rose oil, basil oil) to make a spray or cotton balls.

If you are uncomfortable diffusing the solution in the air, you can use it as a regular spray to spray over the areas where cockroaches accumulate the most manually.

Citronella Oil

Citronella oil is one of the compounds that is commonly used in outdoor products such as repellent candles.

Therefore, it also helps to keep insects like mosquitoes, gnats, and other flying bugs at bay.

However, coming to use as cockroach repellent is not that effective compared to the already mentioned methods.

The quick evaporation of citronella oil doesn’t allow it to sit longer to make cockroaches run away from that place.

It is estimated that citronella oil lasts for an hour or two. Therefore, it is better to use other methods if you have a medium to severe cockroach infestation.

Many houseowners suggest mixing citronella oil with the other essential oils, diluting it with water, and spraying the mixture to make it more effective.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is the natural antiseptic and insect Repeller.

It is even toxic to some cockroaches, and when mixed with water and vinegar to make a solution, it can easily be sprayed in cracks and gaps to keep cockroaches at bay.

However, if you plan to use tea tree oil alone, you might not get the desired results.

You might need it to mix with the other essential oils to get better results.

Once you mix and make a solution, you can use it in the spray bottle to spray the solution in the cracks, crevices, and other places.

Cedar Oil

Cedar oil has a pleasant aroma but can also repel roaches as a natural agent.

To use it, you can dilute a small amount of the cedar oil with water and spray wherever needed in the areas of cockroaches.

Tips for Using Essential Oils to Repel Roaches

Even though most of the methods mentioned are natural, here are some tips to get the most out of essential oils to repel cockroaches.

1. Most methods mentioned here are of natural herbs or plants, but you should always keep them away from your food items or kitchen. If you want to get rid of cockroaches in the kitchen, you can prefer using cotton balls instead of spray to make them safer and less spreadable.
2. Oils other than peppermint oil, oregano oil, and eucalyptus oil are not effective in repelling roaches. Therefore, you can mix those oils with other natural insect repellers, water, vinegar, and other things to make them more effective.

Can Eucalyptus Oil Be Used To Repel Other Types Of Pests Besides Cockroaches?

Eucalyptus oil smells very strong, so that it can repel other types of pests besides cockroaches.

Many house owners believe it can efficiently work against mosquitos, flies, and ants because of its strong smell.

However, the effectiveness of eucalyptus oil can vary depending on the pests and the quantity of oil used.

In case of severe infestation of cockroaches or any other pests, calling a professional exterminator is what we recommend.

Is Eucalyptus Safe To Use Around Pets And Children As A Cockroach Repellent?

If something is not harmful to your body, that doesn’t mean you can eat it.

Many people may also be sensitive to the strong smell of eucalyptus oil.

Therefore, we recommend you keep the Eucalyptus or any other essential oil away from the reach of children or your kitchen and food items.

What to Expect When Using Essential Oils As Cockroach Repellents?

One of the best parts about using essential oils such as Eucalyptus or peppermint oil is that you may find the oil’s fragrance beautiful or appealing.

However, I know it is pretty subjective, but still, most people find the aroma of essential oil quite appealing.

And when used as cockroach repellent, you can expect to find a beautiful aroma around your home that may or may not be appealing.

However, you may always want to keep the essential oil away from small children if you have any.

It may not work for severe infestations.

Another key point to remember while using essential oil as a natural cockroach repellent is that it may not work for severe infestation.

If you have a tiny roach problem, using essential oils may work.

But in case of severe infestation, you may need the help of a professional exterminator.

FAQs About Eucalyptus Oil

Summary: Does Eucalyptus Repel Roaches?

Now you know that using Eucalyptus for repelling roaches is an excellent natural method.

Also, many other essential oils can keep these nasty insects away from your house.

However, in case of severe roach infestation, you might want help from a professional exterminator.