Are you struggling with a cockroach problem? Don’t worry; you can keep them away by using natural repellents like cinnamon. Cockroaches detest cinnamon because of its strong aroma. However, now the question is; does cinnamon repel cockroaches?
Yes, cinnamon is highly effective in repelling cockroaches. Roaches can’t endure the scent of cinnamon due to its potent odor. To keep cockroaches away from your house and property, spray cinnamon oil or sprinkle cinnamon powder along their path.
Do you want to use cinnamon to keep cockroaches away but don’t know how? Stay in touch till the end of the article to get all the essential information.
Is Cinnamon Attractive to Cockroaches?
No cinnamon is not attractive to cockroaches, but you can use it to repel them. According to Kasetsart University, cinnamon is effective in repelling American cockroaches. Cinnamon is a natural pesticide that keeps roaches and other pests at bay due to its pungent odor.
You may either sprinkle cinnamon around your house or produce a spray by diluting cinnamon oil with water to repel roaches. Remember, you should use pure ground cinnamon rather than applying it directly on cockroaches if you want to throw them away with cinnamon. Make the powder of pure cinnamon and spread it around the exterior of your house to stop their entrance.
Does Cinnamon Kill Cockroaches?
Yes, if cockroaches come into direct touch with cinnamon, they may die. The fragrance of cinnamon is too potent for the cockroaches to tolerate. Therefore, when they come in contact with cinnamon continuously, it will eventually lead to their death.
Aside from killing cockroaches, cinnamon persuades cockroaches to find other places to stay. You can help keep rats out of your house by mixing cinnamon with herbs like peppermint essential oil or lavender. As with time, cinnamon may contaminate and lose its pungent smell. So, you should apply cinnamon regularly to kick roaches off your home forever.
Do Cinnamon Sticks Deter Cockroaches?
Yes, cinnamon sticks work amazingly in deterring cockroaches. Cockroaches not only hate the smell of cinnamon but are also afraid of the texture of cinnamon. As cockroaches are always searching for food and water, they are abundant in your kitchens. Thus, you should place some cinnamon sticks in the kitchen cabinets and drawers to deter them.
Moreover, to prevent them from entering your home, you should put some cinnamon sticks in the vase and place them near your main entrance. Additionally, you can increase the effectiveness of cinnamon sticks by heating them with a tablespoon of water for 15 seconds or until an odor develops. Then, place them in suspected areas of cockroach infestation to throw them away.
Why Does Cinnamon Repel Cockroaches?
Cinnamon is very beneficial for repelling cockroaches. Below are the three main reasons of cockroach repellent properties:
- One reason is that the strong scent of cinnamon prevents cockroaches from sensing food. As a result, roaches won’t draw to your home and properties.
- The second reason is that if you use powdery cinnamon, it makes it difficult for roaches to breathe. They might end up suffocating from this or feel quite congested.
- The final reason is that cinnamon might be poisonous to cockroaches. There is a chance that the components in cinnamon could kill or injure roaches, despite the lack of scientific data to support this.
How Can Cinnamon Keep Cockroaches Away?
Cinnamon is one of the most valuable natural repellents to keep cockroaches at bay. However, storing it in your kitchen jars won’t give you results. You can use pure cinnamon powder to get excellent outcomes.
The best way to get cinnamon powder is to make your own. You can buy cinnamon sticks from your nearby market and grind them. Now, you can sprinkle this powder on your home entrance, windows, and doors to deter roaches. Moreover, you can spread this powder in already-infested areas like bathroom drains, kitchen, and wall gaps.
Above all, the cinnamon smell lasts for a short period, so you should replace it regularly to maintain its potency. To increase its effectiveness, you can mix it with other spices like lavender and mint.
How to Make Cinnamon Spray for Cockroaches?
The best way to use cinnamon oil is to dilute it with water by adding some water to an essential oil. After that, apply this solution to repel cockroaches by sprinkling it over the exterior of your home and any potential cockroach infestation hotspots.
To make the cinnamon oil spray, must follow the below steps:
- About 3/4, add tap water to the spray jar.
- Add 15-20 drops of cinnamon oil to the water to dilute the solution.
- Now, spray this solution on the suspected areas of cockroach presence, like the base of your mattress, windows, door frames, kitchen, and bathroom.
How Do You Use Cinnamon to Prevent Roaches?
Cinnamon is best for repelling cockroaches, but do you know it comes in different forms? Below are some main types of cinnamon that you can use to keep roaches away:
Ceylon Cinnamon
It is authentic cinnamon. According to the New Phytologist journal, Ceylon cinnamon belongs to Sri Lanka. Due to its delicate texture, it is also known as “soft cinnamon.” Moreover, it is composed of several thin, fragile layers of the inner tree bark having a light brown color.
You can use it to deter cockroaches. The best way to use Ceylon cinnamon is to grind its stick and then spread the powder around the exterior of your house and other suspected areas of the cockroach infestation.
Chinese Cinnamon
In America, it is one of the most widely used cinnamons. Chinese cinnamon is made up of a single thick layer of its tree base and has a brown color. It has a strong smell and spicy taste that cockroaches hate. Thus, you can use it to kick off roaches from your home.
Although Chinese cinnamon is the best for baking and cooking, you can use its oil and powder to deter roaches. All you need to do is to dilute its oil with water, then sprinkle this solution along the pathways of cockroaches, or you may spritz crushed Chinese cinnamon on your kitchen cabinets and around your doors to keep away cockroaches.
Korintje Cinnamon
Korintje cinnamon is most frequently found in Indonesia and is a type of Chinese cinnamon. It has a pepper and clove-like smell or taste and has a dark brown color. Due to its odor, it is outstanding for throwing away cockroaches from your belongings.
The most suitable way to use Korintje cinnamon to repel cockroaches is to grind its sticks into powder. Then mix it with other repellents like pepper to make it more potent against cockroaches. Now, you can spread this powder anywhere where you think the presence of cockroaches.
Saigon Cinnamon
It is another type of Chinese cinnamon and most commonly belongs to Vietnam. Saigon cinnamon has a sharp and spicy taste. It is the only type of cinnamon that has the highest oil content. Therefore, you can use its essential oil to deter roaches.
The simplest and most effective way to use Saigon cinnamon is to use its oil spray. To make the repellent spray. Add 10-15 drops of Saigon cinnamon oil in a third half of water, mix it well, then sprinkle this solution around your entrance doors and windows to prevent cockroach infestation.
What Other Spices Do Roaches Hate?
Cockroaches hate the smell of all spices. Even though cinnamon is the best choice for keeping cockroaches away from your home and buildings, you can also use the below herbs to deter them:
Cayenne
Cayenne is a multipurpose repellent to deter animals from deer to cockroaches, especially for gardens. Although cayenne pepper doesn’t kill roaches, you can use it to repel them. To keep cockroaches away, you can use cayenne spray.
To make a cayenne repellent spray, add one tbsp of cayenne powder to one-quarter of the water. Stir it for one hour. Now, add 1 tbsp of dishwasher soap to the mixture. After that, spray this solution around your home exterior or above your plants to prevent the attack of roaches.
Garlic
The smell of garlic is a well-known cockroach deterrent. Cockroaches hate its pungent odor. To repel cockroaches from your house, you can use crushed cloves of garlic by placing them around suspected areas of a cockroach infestation.
Moreover, you can also use garlic clove to lure cockroaches out of their hiding places. Remember, you can use garlic to repel roaches, but it won’t kill them.
Onion Powder
Another spice that cockroaches hate is the onion or its powder. As cockroaches like onions, so using onion alone will not give you the desired results. You should make a DIY cockroach repellent with onion to keep roaches at bay.
For this, mix cayenne pepper, garlic, and onion powder, then place this mixture around the areas where you suspect the presence of cockroaches. Because of these spices’ smell, cockroaches stay away from areas that have been dusted with them.
Peppermint
Peppermint oil is a highly effective repellent for all cockroaches, especially for German and American roaches. If you use peppermint oil consistently, it will eventually kill cockroaches. Because of the powerful odor, you need to apply a small amount of peppermint oil to deter roaches.
Add 15–20 drops of peppermint oil to a water bottle to create peppermint spray. Now sprinkle this mixture along the pathway of cockroaches to repel them.
Black Pepper
Because black pepper contains powerful ingredients, it can keep cockroaches at bay from the region where the aroma is present. Black pepper oil is best for keeping cockroaches away from your home and kitchen.
You can buy black pepper oil from your nearby market. To dilute it, add some drops of black pepper oil in a water bottle, mix it well, then spray it around the entrance of your home and kitchen to throw away cockroaches.
Bottom Line
Cinnamon is a widely used spice that you can use to flavor meals or create a pleasant aroma in candles. However, you may use it to repel roaches. As cinnamon contains high-repellent components, it is best for keeping away cockroaches from your home or property.
Hopefully, the above article helps you understand how cinnamon deters cockroaches and how to use it effectively. Moreover, you can also use other spices like cayenne, garlic, and onion powder to get excellent results.
Above all, if a cockroach infestation is large and you can’t control them yourself, call a professional pest control company to solve your problem.
References
Svensson, U., Johansson, M., Callaghan, T. V., Kozlov, M. V., Olofsson, J., & Dahlberg, U. (2021). Long‐term effects of simulated climate change on reindeer lichens in subarctic boreal forests. Plants, People, Planet, 3(4), 483-497.
