PEPPERMINT. We may love the minty clean smell of Peppermint, but the bugs don't. It is a natural insecticide that can repel and kill flies, mosquitoes, ants, spiders, fleas, and even mice. Mix 5 drops with water in a spray bottle and use it on yourself, and around the home.
Peppermint. Peppermint essential oil might just be the holy grail of natural pest repellents to leave around your home's entry points, as it can help keep away ticks, spiders, roaches, moths, flies, fleas, beetles, and ants. Use sachets of this oil near your doors and windows or try making a diffuser or spray.
Try mixing a few drops of peppermint oil with some hot water and place it in a spray bottle. A good ratio is 5 to 10 drops of essential oil per ounce of water. Use the mixture to spray down countertops, furniture, curtains and blinds and hard-to-reach areas of the home where insects are often present.
It's not exactly clear why, but bugs — such as mosquitos — find this scent super offensive. One study published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine found that applying peppermint oil on just one arm of a participant, protected both of his or her arms from mosquito bites for up to 150 minutes.
Peppermint oil is an effective method for keeping mice and rats away. These rodents cannot stand this oil's robust and minty smell, so a few drops around your home can go a long way in keeping them away.
Peppermint oil is said to deter rats from entering treated areas. In high concentrations, peppermint oil may exhibit some repellency.
Scent-based repellents such as peppermint essential oil are one of the most effective rodent control methods that utilize strong smells to repel mice.
Many liquid potpourri products and essential oils, including oil of cinnamon, citrus, pennyroyal, peppermint, pine, sweet birch, tea tree (melaleuca), wintergreen, and ylang ylang, are poisonous to dogs. Both ingestion and skin exposure can be toxic.
Not only does peppermint oil repel ants, it also repels spiders. In fact, peppermint keeps most pests away, including aphids, beetles, caterpillars, fleas, flies, lice, mice and moths.
In short, they hate these natural essences. Peppermint in particular has a strong scent bed bugs can't take. Spraying an ample amount of diluted peppermint around your bedframe or mattress can help keep bed bugs at bay while you're enjoying your well deserved sleep.
If using the spray method, that will likely need to be completed 1-2 times per week as well, or whenever the smell of the oil wears off.
Wind and heavy rain can also damage plant leaves just enough to release plant scents. The key to the successful use of peppermint oil is spraying on a schedule. I recommend spraying every 5-7 days routinely as a masking scent. You can spray around the plants and on the soil.
Many liquid potpourri products and essential oils, including oil of cinnamon, citrus, pennyroyal, peppermint, pine, sweet birch, tea tree (melaleuca), wintergreen, and ylang ylang, are poisonous to cats. Both ingestion and skin exposure can be toxic.
Those most closely associated with repellency are citronella oil, eucalyptus oil, and catnip oil, but others include clove oil, patchouli, peppermint, and geranium.
Some peppermint oil in a spray bottle, topped up with water and a small amount of dish soap works to repel some breeds of spiders, the research found. Spray it around any area that you would expect to see spiders and it will create a barrier that will put them off, without harming them in any way.
Vinegar is one of the best ingredients to make a pest control spray out of. It is effective in repelling ants, mosquitoes, fruit flies, and many others. Creating a mix is quite simple. What's best is that it is safe for humans and pets.
Peppermint oil pest control is an effective means of repelling spiders and mice. Spiders smell through their legs, and so they're very sensitive to oils on the surface. Mice rely on their sense of smell, so they tend to be turned away from distinct essential oil odors.
Key takeaway. Peppermint oil is toxic to dogs and can cause mild to severe symptoms, including diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, and even lethargy. Peppermint oil poisoning can be fatal, especially if it's not treated as soon as possible.
Does the smell of peppermint bother dogs? Yes. Peppermint oil has a strong scent for humans, and dogs have a stronger sense of smell than humans. So, the smell of peppermint can be very high for dogs and it might irritate them and bother them.
If your dog finds peppermint oil on the ground and laps it up or licks it off their skin, it can cause serious tummy troubles. You may notice vomiting, diarrhea, stomach discomfort, lethargy, and fatigue, which are all signs that you should take your pup to the vet. Peppermint oil is toxic for dogs.
While peppermint is generally a bug repellent, there are some types of insects that are actually attracted to the smell of mint and/or mint plants. The really neat thing is that the insects mint attracts are actually beneficial!
Repel rodents and insects
Rats, mice and other insect don't like the smell of peppermint, lemon, and cinnamon. Make tea with these rodent irritants and place the used teabags in places like the back of your pantry, under the kitchen sink or behind the refrigerator to repel these unwanted pests.
You are supposed to use 100% peppermint oil and either dab it on cotton balls and place them around your home, or use a spray canister and combine two teaspoons of oil for every one cup of water and spray it around where you see the mice.
A really dilute solution of dettol shouldnt hurt but should stink enough to keep rats out - but I am still a bit cautious about spraying even highly diluted acid anywhere around my engine. I had faced the same problem with my Swift, where the building rats had chewed through a whole bunch of wires.