Does Neem Repel Cockroaches [Learn How To Use It]

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Are you tired of using insecticides and cockroach-repellent sprays to keep roaches away from your home? Don’t worry; you can solve your problem using natural deterrents like neem and all varieties of pepper. You may wonder now, does neem repel cockroaches?

Yes, neem is one of the widely available natural cockroach repellents. While neem has many herbal and health benefits, you can use it to deter roaches from your home and kitchen. What’s more, you can use neem in various forms like oil, leaves, and neem water.

Have you interested in using neem to kick off cockroaches but don’t know how to do it? Read the below guidelines to get all the essential information regarding it.

Does Neem Kill Roaches?

Yes, neem can kill roaches due to its strong scent. As cockroaches are highly sensitive to smells, if you use neem oil constantly, cockroaches may die eventually. Neem oil kills baby cockroaches and stops adults from procreating.

According to the International Journal of Research in Biosciences, cockroaches die at the rate of 35% when exposed to neem. As you raise the concentration of neem oil, the mortality rate will increase.

Moreover, you can make cockroach bait using neem oil to keep them away from your home and property.  To make cockroach bait, you can use commercial neem seed extract that kills baby roaches.

How to Use Neem to Remove Cockroaches?

Neem is a well-known natural insecticide that is safe and efficient for getting rid of roaches. However, using neem to remove cockroaches is a challenging task. Below are some ways of using neem as a cockroach repellent:

Neem Spray

One of the best ways to use neem is to make a dilute solution of neem oil with water. Here are some steps for making spray:

Neem Spray
  • First, fill the third half of the bottle with water.
  • Then pour 15-20 drops of neem essential oil and mix it well.
  • You can now sprinkle this mixture around the suspected areas of cockroach infestation in your home and buildings.

Neem Bait

Neem Bait

You can add neem oil to common cockroach bait to prevent the growth of different types of roaches especially, German and American cockroaches. For this, you can buy a gel or magic-based bait. After that, pour some drops of neem oil on it. As the cockroaches trap in this bait, they will ultimately die.

Neem with Detergent

Emulsifying neem with any detergent is the best way to get a strong cockroach repellent. For this, follow the below steps:

  • First, add 1 to 2 tbsp of dishwasher soap to 1 gallon of warm water, then mix it well.
  • After that, pour 1 to 2 tbsp of neem oil into it.
  • Now spray this mixture along the favorite areas of cockroaches, such as the kitchen, doors, windows, cracks in walls, and bathrooms.
  • Combination of Neem and Silica Powder
Neem with Detergent

Mixing silicon in neem oil is another strong cockroach repellent. If you decide to use neem oil and silica powder, it is best to prepare a mixture of silica powder & water and store it as a solution. Now, whenever you want to repel cockroaches, add 10-15 drops of neem oil to this solution and get your problem solved.

Neem & Ethanol

Neem & Ethanol

The combination of neem and ethanol is one of the strong DIY cockroach repellents. You can add some ethanol to the neem oil to make it less sticky and more effective against cockroaches. According to the Open Acess Library Journal, using neem oil with ethanol extract has the highest mortality rate than using neem leaves alone. To get this combination, mix neem oil with ethanol extract and put this solution in the areas of cockroaches attack.

Neem Oil with Other Essential Oils

To keep away cockroaches from your home, mix neem oil with other essential oils like peppermint and cayenne to get a strong deterrent. Some steps for making this combination are as follows:

  • First of all, take some water in a spray bottle.
  • Put 10-15 drops of neem oil and 5-10 drops of other essential oil into the water and mix it well.
  • There you go, apply this mixture on your kitchen shelves, cabinets, doors, and window spells to keep cockroaches away.

How Quickly Does Neem Oil Kill Roaches?

Neem oil is a powerful natural pesticide produced from the seeds of the neem tree. It is usually less harmful to potential pests but an efficient repellent for cockroaches. Although it does not kill cockroaches on first contact, if you use it constantly, it may result in the death of roaches.

Because it takes time for the oil’s chemical components to operate, neem oil takes 3 to 4 days to kill a variety of cockroaches. Moreover, neem oil is more dangerous to larvae and nymphs with soft bodies, while it is less dangerous to older cockroaches with stiff bodies.

Above all, patience and consistency are crucial when using neem oil. If you have gotten cockroach problem, apply the neem spray regularly to kill them.

How Do You Use Neem Oil to Deter Cockroaches Indoors?

Getting rid of cockroaches from your house is a burdensome task. Thus, you should take immediate steps to kick them off. Here are a few strategies for using neem oil to throw roaches away from your house and prevent an infestation:

  • To make a neem spray, you should have neem oil, water, a spray bottle, and neem powder.
  • Add some neem oil to a bottle after filling it with water.
  • Now close the bottle, shake it well, and sprinkle this mixture directly on cockroaches or their nests.
  • If you want to use neem powder, spray it on the cockroach-infested areas at night and do it every night until no more roaches are left behind.

How Do You Use Neem Oil to Deter Cockroaches Outdoors?

Cockroaches love to live in areas that have their food and water supply. It may be your home and garden. If you notice the presence of cockroaches outside your home or in your yard, take immediate action to prevent their entry into your home.

Below are some tips to deter cockroaches outdoors:

  • The most important thing to repel cockroaches outside your home is to have neem oil, a garden sprayer, water, and neem powder.
  • Mix equal parts of neem oil and water in a garden sprayer, then spritz the solution around the exterior of your home, especially crevices, and cracks in walls.
  • Furthermore, you also use neem powder in your garden or yards to deter cockroaches.
  • To eliminate cockroaches, spread some neem powder around your house or yard on a sunny or clear day.

How Do You Use Neem Oil to Deter Cockroaches from Vegetable Gardens?

Cockroaches are more than a disease. They create havoc by destroying your crops and spreading deadly diseases to your plants and vegetables. Even though taking help from a professional pest controller is the best choice, you can remove roaches from your garden using neem oil.

To get your problem solved, mix neem oil in water and spray this mixture directly on the leaves of plants. It would be best if you constantly whisked your solution since oil and water sometimes get separated. Additionally, you can mix it with insecticidal soap to make it more strong cockroach deterrent.

Above all, when you buy neem essential oil, read the labels on jars to mix the right amount of oil and water because every company has different oil concentrations.

What Other Natural Things Repel Cockroaches?

Although neem is the most powerful and best choice to repel cockroaches, you can use some other natural repellent to keep them at bay. Below are some of these repellents:

Tea Tree Oil

It is an essential oil and is best to repel all types of insects. To repel cockroaches add forth-half of tea tree oil in two cups of water, then spray this mixture around your house and other suspected areas of their infestation.

Borax and Sugar

You can kill cockroaches quite effectively by combining borax and sugar. Firstly, mix borax and sugar in three to one ratio. Now scatter this mixture along the pathways of cockroaches to keep them away.

Cayenne, Garlic, and Onion Powder

Using spices is one of the most convenient methods to kick off cockroaches from your home. Make the mixture of all three spices, then sprinkle this powder everywhere in your house where you suspect the presence of cockroaches.

Diatomaceous Earth

It is an organic repellant made from calcified algae. As the cockroaches come near this deterrent, their exoskeleton gets dehydrated. In regions with a high concentration of cockroaches, you can either spritz diatomaceous earth or use it as bait to kill them.

Baking Soda

This repellent is a simple and affordable method to keep cockroaches away from your home. You can make an excellent homemade cockroach bait by chopping up a few onions and adding baking soda. Now spread this mixture in your kitchen and entrance of your home, the odor of onion draws cockroaches, and baking soda kills them.

Final Verdict

Cockroaches are deadly insects. They damage your crops or plants and spread harmful diseases by contaminating fruits and vegetables. If the cockroaches make their home in your house, removing them is a difficult task. Rest assured that if you use the above advice, you can get rid of them.

While the neem plant has many health benefits, it is best at keeping away cockroaches from your home and properties. You can use neem oil alone or mix it with other repellents like ethanol and detergents to keep cockroaches at bay.

Finally, as a parting piece of advice, if you have a large cockroach infestation, call an expert pest control company to solve the problem.

References

Rosemary, U. , Nestor, A. and Abalis, O. (2018) Efficacy of Azadirachta indica Leaf Powder and Ethanol Extract on Adult Periplanata americana under Laboratory Condition. Open Access Library Journal5, 1-14.

Achio S., Ameko E., Kutsanedzie F. and Alhassan S. (2012) “Insecticidal effects of various neem preparations against some insects of agricultural and public health concern”, International Journal of Research in BioSciences (IJRBS), 1(2), pp. 11-19.