Scents like citronella, lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree, cinnamon, and clove repel many bugs (mosquitoes, ants, flies, spiders) because these strong aromas mask scents that attract insects or are inherently offensive to them, often due to compounds like citronellal or eugenol, with lemon eucalyptus being a CDC-recommended alternative to DEET for mosquitoes. You can use these as essential oils, by burning them, placing plants, or using DIY sprays.
Combine essential oils like citronella, peppermint, tea tree, and lavender to create your own bug-repellent spray. Mix with water and a little alcohol to help disperse the oil. Place oil-diffused cotton balls in areas where pests are a problem, such as near windows, doors, and cabinets.
Eliminate any sources of moisture, such as leaky pipes, roofs and clogged gutters. Seal cracks and gaps around windows and doors with a silicone-based caulk. Remove trash often, and keep garbage containers clean and covered. Keep food in airtight containers, and clean up crumbs and spills immediately.
Peppermint - Not Just for Cooling Off
Beyond its refreshing aroma, peppermint oil deters ants, spiders, mosquitos, and flies. Its menthol content offers a cooling sensation that insects don't enjoy.
Add 5-10 drops of peppermint or tea tree oil to 240ml or 1 cup of water in a spray bottle and spray around your windows and doors to repel the spiders - they dislike the smell of both of these oils!
Natural scents like tea tree oil and peppermint oil can help repel bed bugs when used around sleeping areas. Some oils, like neem and orange oil, may help kill bed bugs or slow down their ability to spread.
They mostly use sight and vibrations to hunt and navigate. However, they are attracted to environments where their prey may be present. These insects are often attracted to sweet or pungent odors, so areas with strong food or garbage scents could indirectly attract spiders.
How long does peppermint oil keep bugs away? Peppermint oil typically repels bugs for 2–3 hours after application, but its effectiveness fades as the scent dissipates.
Lemon balm repels mosquitoes and gnats. Marigolds. Commonly grown as ornamental border plants, marigolds are hardy annual plants which have a distinctive smell which mosquitoes, and some other insects, find particularly offensive. Marigolds contain Pyrethrum, a compound used in many insect repellents. Mint.
Citronella candles are famous for their ability to keep mosquitoes away, but they are also effective against roaches. The citrus-like scent masks the odors that attract pests. How to Use: Light citronella candles during outdoor gatherings or in areas where you have noticed roach activity.
The hardest pests to get rid of often include bed bugs, cockroaches, termites, and rodents, due to their resilience, rapid breeding, ability to hide in tiny spaces, and resistance to common treatments, with bed bugs frequently cited as the toughest due to their elusive nature and insecticide resistance. Eliminating these pests usually requires professional help and persistent, integrated strategies like heat treatment, baiting, sanitation, and sealing entry points, notes.
10 Natural Insect Repellents For Your Home
By utilizing artificial light and heat lamps, you can effectively draw bugs out of hiding. Insects are naturally attracted to light, so placing bright lights outside your home can lure them away from your living areas.
Some fragrance notes naturally deter insects thanks to their powerful botanical compounds. “A number of essential oils—like citronella, lavender, peppermint, geranium, cedarwood, and patchouli—contain active ingredients that most flying insects find repellent,” explains Lisa Jean.
Japanese people keep mosquitoes away using traditional methods like katori senko (chrysanthemum-based mosquito coils) and modern sprays (DEET/Icaridin), while also employing physical barriers like fine mesh screens and avoiding dark clothing, creating airflow with fans, and using natural repellents like dried citrus peels. A unique tradition involves cute pig-shaped holders for the coils, called kayaributa.
DEET, picaridin, and natural oils like lemon and eucalyptus oil are all very common and safe ingredients found in bug repellent.
Here's a lineup of fragrant, natural bug repellents that smell amazing to humans, but are offensive to insects:
The best insect repellents use active ingredients like DEET, Picaridin, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), with DEET and Picaridin generally offering the longest and most reliable protection against mosquitoes, ticks, and biting flies, while OLE provides good, natural-derived protection. For strongest protection, DEET (around 30%) or Picaridin (10-20%) are top choices, but OLE offers comparable efficacy without synthetic chemicals. Always follow label instructions, and consider fans for added protection as insects dislike disrupted airflow.
It's masking, not repelling
“Vanilla might mask your body odor for a short time,” Dr. Bazzoli explains. “But it's not actually repelling insects. At best, you'd get some mild masking, not protection.”
Peppermint oil can not only help your home sparkle, but leave it smelling fresh. Use a diffuser to fill your home with peppermint's clear aroma, or try one of the methods below: Add 20 drops of peppermint essential oil to a spray bottle of water and use it to mist rooms, leaving its clean, energising scent in its wake.
Serious side effects
Bugs That Peppermint Oil Repels
You should never squish a spider because it can release dozens of baby spiders if it's a mother carrying eggs, attract pests with released pheromones, cause allergic reactions from its internal fluids, leave stains and odors, and you'd be killing a beneficial predator that controls other insect populations. Most spiders are harmless to humans, and squishing them can backfire, worsening pest problems or causing messes.
It has been proven that Spiders don't like the smell of peppermint. i spray around doors and windows, skirtings and I check behind the headboard before i go to bed.
Food Sources: If there are insects around your bed, spiders might come hunting. Clutter: Cluttered areas provide more hiding spots for spiders.