What does peppermint oil do for bugs?

What bugs are repelled by peppermint oil?

Not only does peppermint oil repel ants, it also repels spiders. In fact, peppermint keeps most pests away, including aphids, beetles, caterpillars, fleas, flies, lice, mice and moths.

How does peppermint oil get rid of bugs?

Try mixing a few drops of peppermint oil with some hot water and place it in a spray bottle. A good ratio is 5 to 10 drops of essential oil per ounce of water. Use the mixture to spray down countertops, furniture, curtains and blinds and hard-to-reach areas of the home where insects are often present.

How long will peppermint oil keep bugs away?

It's not exactly clear why, but bugs — such as mosquitos — find this scent super offensive. One study published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine found that applying peppermint oil on just one arm of a participant, protected both of his or her arms from mosquito bites for up to 150 minutes.

How often should you spray peppermint oil for bugs?

You'll have to apply spider-repellent spray more often than conventional insecticides. Try applying once a week at first. If the spiders reappear before the week is up, try spraying every few days. Placing peppermint plants in strategic places inside and outside your home may also help repel spiders.

What bugs hate the smell of peppermint?

Peppermint essential oil might just be the holy grail of natural pest repellents to leave around your home's entry points, as it can help keep away ticks, spiders, roaches, moths, flies, fleas, beetles, and ants. Use sachets of this oil near your doors and windows or try making a diffuser or spray.

Is smelling peppermint oil safe?

While some of the proposed benefits of peppermint oil come from anecdotal evidence, research suggests peppermint oil may be beneficial for IBS and other digestive conditions, as well as pain relief. Peppermint oil is generally safe, but it can be toxic when taken in very large doses.

Does peppermint oil attract roaches?

Under normal circumstances, cockroaches are simply too fast to be affected by brief contact. Plus, mint oil is a repellent, so the roaches will likely stay away from it. It's possible that cockroaches avoid the scent of mint oil because it's poisonous to them.

What animals hate peppermint oil?

Castor, peppermint, and spearmint oils are odors that digging and burrowing animals dislike. (This can include groundhogs, mice, moles, rats, skunks, voles, and others.)