Are you looking for natural ways to get rid of cockroaches in your home? I am sure you have tried all the pesticides available in the store. They must have made your home smell bad. So, does tea tree oil repel cockroaches?
YES, tea tree oil can repel cockroaches. It has a strong aroma that makes cockroaches run in fear. The potent smell is too strong for the sensitive receptors of cockroaches. Tea trees also hinder their way of finding food and communicating. Hence, proving it to be an effective cockroach repellent.
Tea trees can be used in several ways. You can also use it in combination with other oils. To learn more about it, continue reading.
How Does A Tea Tree Deter Cockroaches?
Tea tree oil is also an antiseptic solution. You might use it around your house for a fresh aroma. But, to cockroaches, it smells of fear. So, as soon as a cockroach smells a tea tree, it will run away. With continued use, you can get rid of them for good.
The cockroaches mainly rely on their olfactory receptors for food search and communication. The sharp smell of tea tree oil will indirectly impact it. So, they avoid living near any place with strong scents. The 2022 research on Organic Insects Repellent from Essential Oils by Adnin Afifi Nawi and colleagues shows that tea tree oil at its best concentration shows effective repellent properties.
To make cockroach repellent from tea tree oil, take a spray bottle. Fill it with 15 ml of water. Then add 15 to 16 drops of tea tree oil in it. Spray the solution all around your house.
Can Tea Tree Oil Kill Cockroaches?
The chances of tea tree oil killing cockroaches are slim. Tea tree is an antiseptic solution. So it might work on small cockroaches. Tea tree oil has a sharp smell. The cockroaches will run far away from its scent. But when you directly spray it on the cockroach, it will work by dissolving the exoskeleton.
It is not an easy job to kill cockroaches using tea tree oil. You will need plenty of oil. Plus, it also requires direct spraying on the roaches. But, unfortunately, cockroaches are fast and will run away before you even have a chance to grab the spray.
So, tea tree oil shows an effective result as a repellent. But it cannot work as a cockroach killer. Mixing it with other compounds can make it an insecticide.
How Can You Use Tea Tree To Repel Cockroaches?
Tea tree oil is an effective cockroach repellent. You can use it alone or in combination with other products. There are multiple ways to use tea trees as cockroach repellent. A few tips to utilize the tea tree are below.
Tea Tree oil In Oil Diffuser
You can use tea tree oil directly in a diffuser. If you have a diffuser, pour five to eight drops of tea tree oil into it. Place the oil diffuser in your bedroom or lounge. It saves time and energy. Seeing that, it is one of the best ways of eliminating cockroaches from modern homes.
Tea Tree Oil And Vinegar
Even when diluted, Tea tree oil gives effective results. So, you can also make a tea tree oil spray. Take 120 ml water in a water bottle. Add 15 to 20 drops of tea tree oil to it. Then pour 50 ml of vinegar into it. You can use any type of vinegar, preferably white or apple cider. Shake the solution and spray it where necessary.
Tea Tree Oil And Lemon
To make a more effective solution against cockroaches, use two things they hate together.
- All you need is a large lemon cut in half.
- Squeeze the juice in a spray bottle.
- Pour 100 ml water into it and shake it profusely.
- Then add 15 to 16 drops of essential oil to the solution.
- Shake it and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Your cockroach repellent is ready.
Now, you can spray it behind appliances, in the bathroom, in bedrooms, on the window sill, and anywhere you want.
Tea Tree Leaves
Tea tree leaves are as effective as any essential oil. Take a stem or ten to twenty tea tree leaves and place them around your house. You can put them in a large vase in your kitchen or lounge. You can also grow the tea tree plant in your garden. So, placing the potted plant on the window sill or even in a bathroom gives an instant effective result.
Essential Oils Work Best With Tea Tree Oil To Repel Cockroaches
Essential oils are aromatic. They lift your mode and have many proven medical impacts. They are extracted from plants and are also used in making perfumes. But little did folks know essential oils can also work as a cockroach repellent. So, now you do not have to spend money on chemical cockroach repellent, which produces a sharp smell.
These repellents are also hazardous for pets and children. Tea tree oil itself has shown surprising results against repelling cockroaches. But do you know you can also use it with other essential oils? Below are a few combinations you can use.
Clove And Tea Tree Oil
Cockroaches hate clove scent. Placing a few cloves in the kitchen cabinet will make them run away. But clove oil produces a sharp smell that will make them run away. Combining Clove oil with Tea tree oil will give you better results. Fill a large spray bottle with 200 ml water. Then add 15 drops of clove oil and 20 drops of Tea tree oil. Shake the solution for two minutes. Keep it handy; spray it on the roach as soon as you spot it.
Mint, Neem, And Tea Tree Oil
All of these are powerful essential oil. Combining all three of these oils will produce a strong fragrance. Take a small bottle or vial and pour 15 ml of Tea tree oil. Then add 10 ml of Neem oil and 15 ml of mint oil. Shake the mixture profusely for 2 to 5 minutes. Use it to wipe surfaces like kitchen counters and furniture. You can also use a few drops of this oil to clean floors. Another way is pouring it into sinks and drains.
Orange And Tea Tree Oil.
Orange oil is a powerful essential oil. The citrus and fruity smell of orange oil can lift your mood, but it does have a contrary effect on cockroaches. Orange oil is the most poisonous essential oil against cockroaches. It works by dissolving their exoskeleton. In combination with tea tree oil, it makes the most effective repellent and pesticide.
Given that the best part is it doesn’t smell bad like other pesticides. Take 20 ml of orange oil and add 10 ml of tea tree oil. Shake the mixture and use it around your home. So, now you can use it in a spray or directly.
Rosemary And Tea Tree Oil.
Rosemary oil is best for hair. In combination with tea tree oil makes your hair shinier and healthier. But this combination also creates an amazingly effective cockroach repellent that you can use anywhere necessary. Add 10 ml of Rosemary oil to the 18 ml of Tea tree oil. Combine both oils by mixing them for 2 to 3 minutes. Use this repellent and insecticide directly or a spray.
Conclusion
Tea tree oil is an awesome antiseptic and skin care product. But little did you know it is also an equally effective cockroach repellent. So, instead of buying expensive, pungent-smelling chemicals, use tea tree oil to eliminate cockroaches.
The tea tree oil has a strong aroma. It makes an effective repellent against cockroaches as they hate sharp-smelling compounds due to their sensory receptors. You can use tea tree oil directly or in combination with other products and oil. But tea tree oil is not an effective insecticide. You can combine it with orange or rosemary oil to make cockroach killer.
References
Nawi, A. A., Azmi, M. N. F. ., Nor Hassan, N. S. ., & Akram Khan, M. A.-H. . (2022). Organic Insects Repellent From Essential Oils. Multidisciplinary Applied Research and Innovation, 3(2), 312–317. Retrieved from https://publisher.uthm.edu.my/periodicals/index.php/mari/article/view/7119
Sharififard M, Safdari F, Siahpoush A, Kassiri H. Evaluation of Some Plant Essential Oils against the Brown-Banded Cockroach, Supella longipalpa (Blattaria: Ectobiidae): A Mechanical Vector of Human Pathogens. J Arthropod Borne Dis. 2016 Oct 4;10(4):528-537. PMID: 28032105; PMCID: PMC5186743.
