How often should I spray my house with peppermint oil?

Author: Marlene Kunze  |  Last update: Sunday, May 4, 2025

To maximize the repelling effects of peppermint oil, it is essential to maintain its potency over time. One way to do this is by reapplying the oil regularly. Since the scent of peppermint oil fades over time, it is important to spray it again every few days or at least once a week.

Is it okay to spray peppermint oil around the house?

Peppermint oil can be used as an environmentally friendly solution for pests but may not be a permanent solution. Contact your local pest control professional to identify the pests and provide the best treatment solution to effectively remove the pests from your home or business.

How often do you need to spray peppermint oil to keep mice away?

Mice can enter through extremely small spaces, so even the smallest crack or hole should get a dose of peppermint oil. The scent of peppermint oil needs to stay strong in order to keep mice away. So make sure you're reapplying a few times a week to keep mice away.

How often do you have to spray peppermint oil to keep spiders away?

Open the windows in the room to allow fresh air to enter as you start to spray. Shake the solution well and spray around the house, focussing heavily on the corners, doors and windows. Repeat this process once a week. If spiders are still appearing, shorten the spray period to every few days.

How often should I spray peppermint oil?

DIY spray: Regularly apply the peppermint oil solution around ant entry points, trails and food storage areas. Reapply weekly or after cleaning for ongoing prevention.

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Can you spray too much peppermint oil?

If small amounts are swallowed, inhaled, or applied to skin or eyes, it can cause irritation and burning. Large doses can cause serious toxicity due to the menthol.

How long will peppermint oil keep bugs away?

Peppermint oil is a natural and effective way to repel wasps from your home. It is important to note that peppermint oil is not a permanent solution and will need to be reapplied regularly to maintain its effectiveness. Generally, peppermint oil will keep wasps away for up to two weeks.

How long does peppermint oil last?

How long does peppermint oil last? Though the shelf life will depend on things like exposure to light, oxygen, and heat, as a general rule of thumb, replace your peppermint oil after 3 years.

Where do you put peppermint oil for spiders?

Spiders do not like peppermint, and because they “taste” with their legs, it is an easy way to keep them away. Make a mixture of 1-1/2 cups water, 1/2 cup of white vinegar, and 20 drops of peppermint oil. Spray this concoction on windowsills, entryways, and where you find spiders.

Is peppermint oil toxic to dogs?

Peppermint essential oils or extracts—Exposure to small amounts of diluted peppermint oil may not be a problem for healthy dogs. But it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, skin irritation, respiratory problems, and ulcers in the mouth in the undiluted form or in high amounts.

Will mice leave if they smell peppermint?

The smell of peppermint oil disturbs mice and often keeps them away. Mice rely heavily on their keen sense of smell, and the strong scent of peppermint can be irritating and overwhelming to them.

What do mice hate the most?

13 scents that mice hate and can help you to keep them away
  • Cinnamon. This has a strong and spicy aroma that mice probably hate. ...
  • Vinegar. Mix some water and vinegar in a spray bottle to mist any areas where they have been seen more often.
  • Dryer sheets. ...
  • Cloves/clove oil. ...
  • Peppermint oil. ...
  • Teabags. ...
  • Mint toothpaste. ...
  • Ammonia.

Is it safe to smell peppermint essential oil?

Menthol, which is in peppermint oil, should not be inhaled by or applied to the face of an infant or small child because it may negatively affect their breathing.

What pests hate peppermint oil?

For decades, peppermint oil has served as a potent insect repellent and research has confirmed this fact. When used around entry points in the home and applied via sachets near doors and windows or diffuser or spray, it can help repel ticks, spiders, roaches, moths, flies, fleas, beetles and ants.

What scent will keep mice away?

The strong scent of peppermint is overwhelming to mice. Similarly, essential oils such as eucalyptus oil, bergamot oil, clove oil, and cinnamon oil are potent in keeping mice at bay. One study noted that eucalyptus oil applied once a day was more effective as a rat repellant than once a week.

How to use peppermint oil for pest control?

Add 10–15 drops of orange or peppermint essential oil into 230ml of water or rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle. You can then spray this solution around doors, windows, corners and baseboards. You can also spray directly on the insect to immediately kill it. Have you got any other insect-repelling tips?

What happens if you spray a spider with peppermint oil?

One study showed exposing recluse spiders to essential oils (including peppermint) for a period of 24 hours resulted in the mortality of many of the spiders. Another research study found that Peppermint Oil strongly repelled brown widows and European garden spiders, which are two different invasive spider species.

What do spiders hate most?

In addition to peppermint, which was mentioned earlier, you can try using essential oils like lavender, eucalyptus, or citrus, as spiders tend to dislike these scents. You can create a homemade spider-repellent spray by mixing a few drops of these essential oils with water and applying it to spider-prone areas.

Does peppermint attract wasps?

Peppermint Oil

Well, it turns out wasps absolutely can't stand it! The strong scent of peppermint throws them off track. Imagine their confusion when they catch a whiff of that minty freshness – it's like their GPS goes haywire, and they struggle to find their way around.

When not to use peppermint oil?

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Peppermint oil is not usually recommended in pregnancy. This is because there is not enough information to say whether it's safe or not.

Do roaches like peppermint scent?

Peppermint oil is a top contender when it comes to repelling roaches. The intense minty aroma is refreshing to us but absolutely overwhelming to roaches. The reason peppermint is so effective lies in its menthol content, which irritates a roach's sensitive respiratory system, making it hard for them to stay around.

How often should you spray your house for spiders?

First, you're not alone but, you should strongly consider a spray every six months. I recommend six-monthly spider sprays so that I can keep the insecticides residuals high. Higher residuals mean that the spray is quick acting each time. Allowing me to keep spider populations controlled effectively throughout the year.

How many drops of peppermint oil for spider spray?

To use this awesome natural repellent, simply mix 10 drops of peppermint essential oil with about 200ml of filtered water. Spray around your doorways, windowsills, corners and all those little nooks and crannies where spiders like to hang out.

What smell do bugs hate the most?

Bugs hate the smells associated with repellency, such as lavender, citronella, vinegar, peppermint, and geranium. These oils are considered a natural way of driving away bugs from your home without harming you, your family, and other animals.

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