What scent do cockroaches hate?

Author: Dayton Dooley Sr.  |  Last update: Saturday, January 24, 2026

What smells are cockroaches afraid of? Cockroaches are repelled by the smells of peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, citronella, and cedarwood oils. These scents can be used as natural deterrents to keep them away from your home.

What smell will keep roaches away?

While peppermint essential oil is an effective cockroach repellent, there are a few other oils that are proven to be effective too. These include citronella, cinnamon, cedarwood, and tea tree. All of these essential oils are derived from plants, so they won't cause a fire.

What do cockroaches hate the most?

Peppermint oil, cedarwood oil, and cypress oil are essential oils that effectively keep cockroaches at bay. Additionally, these insects hate the smell of crushed bay leaves and steer clear of coffee grounds. If you want to try a natural way to kill them, combine powdered sugar and boric acid.

How do I keep roaches away at night?

How to Keep Cockroaches Away at Night
  1. Maintain a Clean and Tidy Home. ...
  2. Eliminate Food and Water Sources. ...
  3. Seal Cracks and Openings. ...
  4. Harness the Power of Natural Repellents. ...
  5. Utilize Roach Bait Traps. ...
  6. Elevate Your Sleeping Environment. ...
  7. Employ Ultraviolet (UV) Light Traps. ...
  8. Seek Professional Pest Control Services.

What scents attract roaches?

They are especially attracted to starch, sugar, grease, meat and cheese. Decaying food items are particularly delicious for a hungry roach in search of his next meal. These household pests are often attracted to very strong smells, such as garbage or compost, but can quickly find small crumbs or a drop of grease.

5 Smells That Roaches Absolutely Hate (Natural Roach Repellents)

What is a cockroaches' biggest weakness?

Cockroaches are blessed with an amazing sense of smell. This is what they use when seeking food and mate but at the same time, this is also their weakness. A cockroach's sense of smell can be used to get rid of them.

What is the number one smell roaches hate?

Mint. It has been said that cockroaches dislike the strong smell of mint, so using this scent in your home can be effective in keeping these pests away.

Will leaving lights on keep roaches away?

Leaving the light on doesn't deter cockroaches effectively because they can navigate in low-light conditions. While they're mostly active at night, they may still come out in search of food or water. During the day, cockroaches hide in dark areas not directly exposed to light.

Do cockroaches climb on beds?

Yes, cockroaches can crawl into beds. They are attracted to warmth, moisture, and food sources, which may lead them to seek shelter in and around sleeping areas. To prevent this, ensure your bedroom is clean and free of food debris. Also, consider using a bed bug-proof mattress protector and pillow covers.

What's the best repellent for roaches?

Tea tree oil is frequently cited as an effective natural repellent against cockroaches. Many homeowners attest to its efficacy, noting that while its scent is tolerable for humans, cockroaches find it particularly abrasive and avoid it.

What is a cockroaches worst enemy?

Insects and Arachnids

Strangely enough, one of the most prevalent kind of predator that cockroaches face are fellow insects! The emerald cockroach wasp, Ampulex compressa, for example, has an unusual way of preying upon cockroaches. The wasp stings the cockroach's brain, which paralyzes the cockroach.

Do roaches hate pine sol?

There's a long-running joke that cockroaches could survive the apocalypse, as getting rid of unwanted roaches is difficult if you have an infestation. But if you want to kill them on contact, all you need to do is reach for your handy bottle of Pine-Sol! Considered a "contact insecticide," it kills them quickly.

How do I get rid of roaches permanently?

Get Them Out!
  1. Remove clutter.
  2. Vacuum well and often. ...
  3. Wash hard washable surfaces with cleanser (ammonia and water works well).
  4. Dust out of sight spaces with boric acid powder. ...
  5. Use roach baits near hiding places like behind pictures and wall hangings, under sinks and undersides of furniture.

What air freshener do roaches hate?

Roaches hate the smell of certain essential oils like peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, and citronella.

How often should you spray peppermint oil for roaches?

DIY spray: Spray the solution in areas prone to cockroach infestation, such as kitchen cabinets, under sinks and around appliances. Apply every few days for the best results.

What sounds do roaches hate?

[ Pure Bops Playlist ] • Pure Bops Get rid of cockroaches using 30kHz ultrasonic waves that insects hate. If you play the sound continuously in the place where you see the roaches, they will disappear and never come back. Use an old cell phone to play it all the time. Using a good speakers makes you get a better result ...

What can roaches not crawl on?

Surfaces Cockroaches Cannot Climb

There are some surfaces in our homes that are usually too smooth for cockroaches to climb. These include: Porcelain. Glass.

How to keep roaches away while you sleep?

How to prevent cockroaches in a bedroom
  1. Keep your bedroom very clean, including vacuuming rugs regularly and changing bed linens often.
  2. Not eating or storing food in the bedroom.
  3. Eliminating clutter that cockroaches can hide in.
  4. Running a dehumidifier to keep moisture low, as cockroaches thrive in humid spaces.

Will roaches bite you?

It may surprise you to know that cockroaches are, in fact, able to bite humans. There have been reported cases of cockroaches biting fingernails, eyelashes and calloused skin on hands or feet. Cockroaches will also eat dead skin cells. However, cases of cockroach bites are extremely rare.

What are roaches afraid of?

Ways To Repel Cockroaches From Your Home

Due to their strong sense of smell, cockroaches dislike several pungent herbs and spices, including cinnamon, citrus, thyme basil, citronella, basil, mint, garlic, coffee grounds, peppermint, and bay leaves.

What time of night do cockroaches come out?

You may have heard that cockroaches are nocturnal, but have you ever wondered why? As it turns out, they have specific activity rhythms where they tend to be inactive during the day and start to hunt for food at night. This usually happens around 4 hours after the lights go out.

What is the best thing to keep roaches away?

Cayenne, Garlic, and Onion Powder. Try heading over to your spice rack to concoct the perfect mixture to ward off the roaches! Walk around your home and sprinkle all cockroach-prone areas with this spice mixture. Cockroaches can't stand the smell of these spices and will avoid all areas sprinkled with them.

What is the number one roach repellent?

The best roach killer, based on our research, is the advion 383920 Cockroach Gel Bait; a commercial-grade roach killer set that is easy to use and lasts months after application. It can kill all sorts of cockroaches, including the American and German variety, and it's even safe to use if you have pets or kids.

What candle smell do roaches hate?

Roaches hate Yankee Candle.

Well, roaches hate those scents, along with mothballs and citronella.

Is there anything that kills roaches instantly?

Ethanol Directly Kills Cockroaches

While white vinegar won't kill those pesky insects, ethanol—also known as common alcohol—will kill cockroaches. Cockroaches are particularly sensitive to ethanol and a direct hit from it will take them down.

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