The use of essential oils dates back thousands of years. Nowadays, thanks to the study of their properties, their benefits have been extended.
The power of essential oils for repelling insects or as an insecticide has been fully demonstrated.
These natural essences are the ideal option to fight the insects that invade my home.
Common insecticides are toxic substances that put my family at risk and also harm the environment.
I finally found what I was looking for safe, effective, and environmentally friendly. Read on, and I’ll show you how to get rid of bugs with essential oils.
How Do Essential Oils Work Against Insects?
At first, I wondered how I could get rid of insects with essential oils.
When researching, I learned about the multiple usefulness and diversity of uses they have. Then, I understood what I had at my fingertips; a magnificent and pleasant solution.
Essential oils are the result of the extraction of the substances contained inside the tissues of plants, flowers, or fruits, either by dissolution, maceration, or vaporization.
For many experts, these oils are the essence, the being of the plant, fruit, or flower from which they have been obtained. In other words, the DNA of nature.
Thus, each drop contains a strong concentration of the extracts and possesses healing, medicinal, and aromatic properties, and is a potent natural insecticide or repellent.
Several studies have determined that the effectiveness of essential oils to repel or eliminate insects is due to the presence of compounds with high levels of repellent molecules: terpinolene, citronellal, and limonene, among others.
With essential oils mixed with simple ingredients such as water, soap, drops of lemon, or vinegar, I can prepare “myself” powerful insecticides.
This way, I save time and money, get rid of pesky bugs, and contribute to sustainable development and environmental conservation.
But best of all, I protect my family. I will show you how.
Essential Oils for Repelling Insects: The Best
The strong concentration of substances and the characteristic smell of essential oils make them excellent natural insecticides.
Most of them are effective when it comes to repelling bugs. Here are the most common ones:
Peppermint Oil
The active ingredient of peppermint essential oil is menthol. It results from the combination of common mint and peppermint.
It is the most concentrated because it is extracted before the plant’s flower.
It is ideal for combating all kinds of insects, such as mosquitoes, ants, fleas, beetles, spiders, or flies.
Garlic Oil
It is one of the purest, as it is obtained directly from the maceration of the bulbs.
Its characteristic odor and its high sulfur content are quite good for repelling insects.
Cinnamon Oil
Cinnamon oil, in its time, became more precious than gold.
This oil has multiple culinary applications and health benefits. As a repellent, its powerful fragrance is unbearable for ants.
Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus oil is obtained from the steam distillation of the leaves and bark of the tree. It is antiseptic, expectorant, and antibiotic.
Together with the essential oil of cedar, eucalyptus oil repels cockroaches and keeps them away from the home.
Citronella Oil
It has a pleasant woody citrus scent.
Its properties make it one of the principal pest and insect repellents and an excellent remedy for insect bites.
Lavender Oil
Lavender essential oil is the essential oil par excellence thanks to its many uses.
As an insect repellent, it has many applications, especially when it comes to eliminating silverfish.
Orange Oil
Orange essential oil is extracted from the rind of the fruit.
Its culinary uses, anti-inflammatory, and antidepressant properties are well known.
Like lemon essential oil, it has a broad spectrum as a natural insecticide.
Essential Oil Blends for Each Insect: Insecticides
In all aspects of life, there is an answer to every question and a solution to every problem.
Although most essential oils are good repellents, some insect species are more vulnerable than others to the effect of a particular essential oil.
Now I’m ready to get rid of every intruder without having to resort to toxic products or the exterminator company. You will be too:
Flies and Mosquitoes
Summer brings those unwanted guests: mosquitoes and flies. Your day can turn into a battle as you shoo them away or swat them.
Besides being extremely annoying, they can even be dangerous to our health, as some are the main carriers of diseases.
So, say goodbye to mosquitoes and flies by using these essential oils:
- A container with a sprayer
- 7 drops of citronella oil
- 3 drops of peppermint oil
- 2 drops of cinnamon oil
Add these essential oils to the spray bottle, fill it with water, and shake well.
Use it as you would use a commercial insecticide to repel flies and mosquitoes.
Spiders
These creepy crawlies make most people shudder, and I’m no exception. Spider phobia is a very common thing.
However, their presence in the home is a reality; they love corners, dark places, the attic, and ceiling cracks.
Thanks to essential oils, you can now eliminate spiders, and it is quite simple. All you need is:
- A container with a sprayer
- 12 drops of orange, lemon, or peppermint oil
- 2 cups of water
- 5 ml of liquid soap or a tablespoon of detergent
- Juice of half a lemon
For its preparation, you have to mix well all the ingredients in the container with a sprayer.
Before applying this product to the spiders’ favorite spots, you should do a thorough cleaning so that the areas are free of dust.
House Centipede
The centipede loves humidity because its low absorption capacity causes dehydration in dry places. That’s why it prefers baths, showers, and sinks.
Centipedes and their hundreds of legs allow them to move very quickly and, although they feed on other insects, it is not advisable to keep them in the home, as they are usually poisonous.
You already have the most effective solution with essential oils to get rid of these “bigots.” For this, you need:
- 12 to 15 drops of garlic oil
- White vinegar
- 300 ml of warm water
- One spray bottle
Once you have all the ingredients, you add the water to the jar, followed by the white vinegar, and finally the drops of garlic oil.
Shake well to mix, and voila! It’s ready to use.
It is recommended to locate the centipedes in damp spaces and spray them with this product.
The effect of the sulfur contained in the garlic and, in reaction with the vinegar, will leave the insect practically immobile, and it will be easier to sweep, vacuum, or kill it.
Cockroaches
They are one of the most disgusting and despised household insects and are also responsible for transmitting many diseases.
They are fanatical about kitchen countertops, sinks, floors, and toilets.
Their appearance and characteristic odor make them so unpleasant that all you can think about is how to get rid of them. All you need to do is:
- Cotton balls
- 10 ml of eucalyptus oil
- 10 ml cedarwood oil
- 100 ml of water
- Small container with lid
Both oils are mixed in the bottle together with water. The combination of two essential oils ensures greater effectiveness because their properties act simultaneously.
Soak cotton balls in this mixture and place them in strategic places around the house.
You can also add a splash in the toilet or in a bucket of water to mop the floors.
The result will be a cockroach-free home with a very fresh and pleasant aroma.
Ants
They say that “there is strength in unity,” and that’s what ants know a lot about. They don’t arrive in one or two; they arrive in thousands, a whole colony to invade the kitchen or the pantry.
The myth that if you kill an ant, it multiplies by 100 seems to be true. So, a drastic solution is required to make them leave and take their queen with them.
For that, you have to locate the nest, and then, with this product based on the cinnamon essential oil, they will move. You need:
- A spray bottle
- 15 drops of cinnamon oil
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
- 300 ml of water
Place ingredients in the spray bottle and shake well.
Once the nest is located, usually in cracks under the sink, holes in partitions, or door and window frames, you must spray both inside the nest and the surrounding area.
It’s also quite helpful to add this mixture to places where they gather for foraging, like pantries, kitchen counters, cupboards, etc.
Silverfish
They owe their name to their unique movement, very similar to that of a fish, and to their characteristic silver color.
Silverfish are harmless and do not cause direct harm to humans, although they are often a real threat to clothing, books, documents, and food containers.
They hide easily, and their favorite spaces are closets, wardrobes, bookshelves, and any other damp or dimly lit places.
To get rid of the silverfish, you have to use:
- 5 ml lavender oil, tea tree oil, or rosemary oil
- 250 ml of water
- Spray container
Now just add the water and oil to the container, shake, and you’re done.
Apply to silverfish-infested areas once a day until they are completely eliminated. The results are noticeable from the first moment.
Another option, which is quite favorable, is to introduce a piece of cotton impregnated with this preparation in the cupboards, drawers, or wardrobes.
Earwigs
This insect is frightening just by its appearance because judging by the pair of scissor-like pincers it possesses (hence its name), it seems to be extremely dangerous.
Earwigs are not actually poisonous, although they do occasionally nip or scratch with their pincers.
They are mainly found in the garden, but sometimes they manage to sneak into the house.
To prevent them from entering your home, or to get rid of the ones that are already inside, you can make a preparation based on:
- 1 teaspoon of citronella oil or lavender oil
- 30 ml liquid soap
- 250 ml of water
- Spray bottle
After mixing the oil with the liquid soap and water in the container, use the atomizer to spray the preparation on those places where the insect can enter.
In case you come across an earwig in front of you at home, spray it with this natural insecticide, and the problem is solved.
Final Considerations
The spray container for these homemade insecticides should be a glass container, best if it is amber or dark blue.
Avoid plastic bottles because they are subject to degradation of the essential oils.
Always be sure to mix the ingredients well before use.
To experience the insecticidal and insect-repellent properties of essential oils, it is very important that you choose 100% pure essential oils with no additives or adulterations.
Essential oils are easy to buy and do not harm the planet.
Common insecticides are often expensive, and highly toxic, and when in contact with the air, their particles are absorbed through breathing or skin.
Well, I hope I have helped you. For me, in the end, I achieved the goal, and the intruders left.
I found in essential oils an extraordinary possibility to get rid of insects naturally. I do not harm the environment or endanger the health and well-being of my family.
I even learned about the general culture and the use of essential oils in ancient civilizations.
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