Cockroaches top the list of the most unwelcome guests to ever pop up at your home. The mere sight of these disgusting pests is enough to drive some of us out of the room, or even the whole house, till they are dealt with.
Besides the typical extermination approach, which can be ineffective or impractical in many cases, roach repellents offer you a way to steer those disgusting insects away, so you never have to face them in the first place.
So what’s the best cockroach repellent out there? It can get pretty confusing to choose between the numerous repellent methods and brands, but don’t worry, I will help you. Here, we’ll be giving you all the information you need to know to get rid of roaches, plus a list of the top 5 roach repellents you can get your hands on.
In this article, we’re going to review the following roach repellents:
- Eco Defense Home Pest Control Spray
- Majestic Pure Peppermint Essential Oil
- Brison Ultrasonic Pest Repeller
- MDXconcepts Organic Home Pest Control Spray
- Pest Repeller Ultrasonic Pest Repellent
Best 5 Roach Repellent Reviews
For the best insect repellents, you want to look beyond the top-brand front. Many high-end manufacturers claim their products are all that, only for you to find it’s a waste of money.
You’d be better off comparing reviews and ratings, that way you receive information from real people who tried what they’re talking about. Some brands I recommend are Eco Defense, Majestic Pure, Brison, Pest Repeller, and MDX concepts.
Eco Defense Home Pest Control Spray
Starting off our list with a natural repellent spray, the Eco Defense Home Pest Control is one of the highest-rated products on the market.
It’s a great choice if you want to ditch traditional chemical sprays for an organic all-natural roach control spray that doesn’t only repel but also kills the insects. Speaking of, it doesn’t only keep cockroaches away but also works on spiders, fleas, ants, scorpions, and the list goes on.
This spray works quickly, with a long-lasting effect compared to many of its competitors. It’s also safe to use if you’re concerned about your kids or pets being harmed in the process.
It’s a USDA certified biobased product, offering you a 60-day risk-free trial period with a full refund if you’re not satisfied with your purchase.
Pros
- Fast action
- Long-lasting effect
- All-natural
- USDA certified
Cons
- You need to know specific hiding spots of roaches
Majestic Pure Peppermint Essential Oil
Our choice of essential oil goes to 100% pure and natural peppermint oil by Majestic Pure. It’s non-toxic, made with no additives or fillers.
This potent oil has menthol which is the reason behind its minty and pungent odor, the very same scent responsible for its repellent activity.
It’s a natural insect repellent, with a strong ability to keep roaches, mice, fleas, ants, and spiders away from your home. This pure peppermint oil comes in a huge 4-ounce container that you can use as-is, or dilute 10-12 drops with water in a spray bottle which means you can make gallons of spray just from this one bottle.
This product comes with a quality glass dropper for easy use.
Pros
- 100% pure oil
- Makes for gallons of spray
- Diverse uses
- No staining
Cons
- The scent may be too strong for some people
Brison Ultrasonic Pest Repeller
Brison Ultrasonic Pest Repeller comes in a pack of 2 or 4 devices to give you a wide range of protection. It has a slender design without unnecessary baggage to keep things simple and straightforward.
Installation is super easy, they even include a detailed instruction manual. Most likely you will not need it. Just plug it into an outlet and you’re all set. A neat feature you can find is the blue night light which makes it visible in the dark.
The sound speaker is located at the front, producing ultrasonic waves of 24 to 64 kHz so it’s highly effective in chasing away all types of pests without disturbing your family or pets.
Keep in mind that you may notice an increase in roach numbers on the initial days of use as the Brison Ultrasonic Repeller drives the stubborn insects out of hiding.
Pros
- Totally safe for humans
- Simple to use
- Night light
Cons
- The night light isn’t adjustable
MDXconcepts Organic Home Pest Control Spray
Made of vinegar and essential oils such as peppermint oil, rosemary oil, and spearmint oil, the organic MDXconcepts Home Pest Control spray is yet another excellent option for controlling unwanted cockroach visits to your home.
This natural repellent can also kill insects instantly, keeping your surroundings hygienic and roach-free. It’s not toxic, deemed as safe to be used around children and pets thanks to the fact that it contains absolutely no chemicals.
The scent produced by this product plus the powerful ingredients incorporated in its formula work to disorient the nervous system of the toughest cockroaches, making it that much easier to get rid of these pests.
If you’re hoping for fast and efficient results without resorting to poisonous toxins, the MDXconcepts Organic Home Pest Control Spray is your way to go.
Pros
- Organic ingredients
- Excellent for indoor use
- Quick results
- Safe for pets
Cons
- Doesn’t provide wide coverage
Pest Repeller Ultrasonic Repellent
Last but definitely not least, I got one more product for those who are looking to skip all the spraying and get down to the repelling action. The Pest Repeller Ultrasonic Pest Repellent utilizes the latest version of a more powerful chip, producing a frequency up to 65 kHz and successfully keeping all cockroaches away.
Pest Repellent devices come in a package of 6 units, granting you a coverage area of up to 1200 square feet. Ultrasonic waves don’t travel through walls though, so it’s advised that you use at least one device per room.
It helps control the spread of roaches as well as mosquitoes, spiders, flies, ants, and many more. Since it’s a physical repellent method, it’s completely safe to use around kids and pets.
To set this device up, plug it in an ordinary power outlet about 10 to 47 inches away from the floor, and you’ll notice a blue light turning on. This is how you know it began to work, so just go about your day and let the ultrasonic waves do their job.
Pros
- Comes as a package of 6 devices
- Large coverage area
- Upgraded chip technology
- Safe for kids and pets
Cons
- Requires specific placement
What Is A Roach Repellent?
Cockroaches can be super challenging to eliminate out of your home. Of course, you can resort to killing them, but those stubborn invaders have developed their immune systems, along with their strong shells, to withstand many of the insecticides and extermination techniques available today.
A roach repellent allows you to avoid confrontation all together. We’re not talking about repellent-labeled products only, but rather the whole array of methods used to drive cockroaches away.
Basically, a roaches repeller is a substance that puts off the cockroaches from getting close to a certain area or a surface that has been treated with this material. Thus, keeping your place free from the nasty pests.
Roach repellents may be made of all-natural ingredients, chemically altered compounds, or some kind of ray-emitting device.
How Well Do Roach Repellents Work?
When you think about how well a roach repellent would work for you, it’s important that you get your facts straight first.
Tons of people are under the misconception of roach repellent being deadly to the intrusive insect, however, you should know that by no means do repellents kill the cockroaches.
Whether or not roach repellents will work is out of the question. They will work, it’s just a matter of how effective their results will be. This depends on how big your problem is.
If you’re hoping to resolve a full-blown infestation issue, then you’re going to be disappointed as applying repellents may actually cause the cockroaches to hide deeper inside the cracks and grooves, or just chase them away into the next room.
A roach repellent is more of a prevention method, and in that aspect, it brings the heat. Alicia Phillips from Auburn University discussed the topic in her thesis where she highlights the significant efficacy of cockroach repellents in prevention, especially in scenarios involving food and other items that shouldn’t be treated with chemicals.
How To Properly Use Roach Repellent?
If we take a look at the best cockroach repellents, we’ll see the majority of products falling under one of three categories: pure essential oils, a mixture of essential oils and organic materials, and Ultrasonic producing devices.
More often than not, when people have disappointing results after applying a roach repellent, it’s because they didn’t really use it properly. This is why you should know how to work with your cockroach repellent; it can be the difference between never seeing those pests again and continuing having roommates you didn’t sign up for.
Pure essential oils typically come in small containers filled with highly concentrated oils, some are even 100% pure. To get the maximum effect, you’ll need to soak multiple cotton balls in the liquid then place them evenly in areas where cockroaches were detected. Make this a semi-daily routine, and you should be enjoying the natural scents while keeping roaches out for as long as you wish.
Mixtures of organic materials, such as vinegar, and essential oils are mostly available as natural sprays. Before applying such sprays, you should always remember to shake the bottle well in order to thoroughly re-mix all the ingredients. Spray the solution in cracks, nooks, and corners which are usually favorite hiding spots for the cockroaches.
You can also spray surfaces like tables and cabinets without having to worry about the sprayed material being toxic to you or your family as these mixtures are almost always chemicals-free.
As for Ultrasonic devices, all you need to do is plug it in. However, you may have to try out different placements to determine which location seems to work best as certain items can interfere with the ultrasonic sound waves in a negative way, such as furniture and large appliances which absorb sound.
Which Repellents Work Best For Roaches?
I just mentioned two of the best ways used to get rid of cockroaches; essential oils and Ultrasonic waves. So let’s break them down to understand what makes them actually work.
First up, we have essential oils. You can consider essential oils as a natural roach repellent. They have the advantage of being non-toxic to humans, which means they’re safe to use even in tricky settings like a baby’s room or a kitchen.
Essential oils, such as peppermint oil and catnip oil, are characterized by very strong odors. These odors can smell refreshing or be relaxing to humans, but on a tiny scale of a roach, they are too overwhelming that cockroaches will flee away from the scene.
Particularly in high concentrations, essential oils are the most effective with the widest range of coverage. In such a case, you can use them if you have a relatively large area to protect. These oils, however, will evaporate within a short period of time, so you’ll need to regularly reapply the stuff.
Now it’s time we talk about Ultrasonic devices. They generally produce waves at frequencies from 20 to 65 kHz. These sounds are too high pitched for us to detect, they’re also safe for pets.
However, insects and pests can easily hear these sounds and they are extremely annoying to them, so they try to avoid being exposed to those sounds.
The thing is, for the first couple of days, the pest activity will actually increase. This happens because the Ultrasonic waves irritate the roaches causing a stir up where the pests are driven out of their hiding spots. After that, you should notice a sharp drop in roach activity, disappearing completely in a matter of weeks.
What Are The Common Mistakes When Using Roach Repellents?
As I said before, how well roach repellents work, or even if they work at all, usually boils down to whether or not you’re using them correctly. For this reason, here are some common mistakes for you to avoid.
Using many kinds at the same time
If you’re using repellent sprays, don’t spray many different kinds on top of each other.
Applying one spray layer over another, in most cases, will lead them to cancel each other out, so you end up with less effective pest control or even none at all.
Instead, apply your sprays in a concentric pattern, one layer besides the other.
Spraying too little or too much
Many people struggle to find the right balance of their spray application. If applied too lightly, natural repellents will lose their effect as fast as they appear.
If you go too heavy on the product, you may end up irritating yourself with the smell. Even if the spray is odorless, it can leave a scent if you build enough concentration.
Don’t clean up right after you apply the spray or liquid
Sweeping or mopping your house to keep it clean is great and all, but wouldn’t serve you any good if you do it just following the use of a repellent. It may seem logical to you, but you’d be surprised at how many people think they’re helping by “spreading” the product everywhere.
Unfortunately, that’s not the case as they’re only wiping away the repellent, de-applying if you may. Instead, try as best as you can to clean and mop before you do any spraying.
Rushing the results
Pest problems aren’t solved overnight. It takes time to achieve a cockroach-free environment and it’s common for people to give up just as they’re about to get the situation under control.
It’s so easy to be impatient, especially if you’re living with the gross insects, but you should do your best not to give up too soon. You might be just one roach away from total elimination.
How To Pick The Best Roach Repellent?
For the sake of saving your time, effort, and most importantly, your money, we’ll be guiding you through the process of choosing the best roach repellent that’ll suit your specific needs. Here are some of the most important things to consider.
How big is the problem?
The first step to a correct pick is sizing up your mess. If you have a slight issue with roaches, natural repellents are a great way to deal with limited spread cockroaches. For example, if your neighbor is actually the source of your troubles, a smart way to go about it is to drive the invaders away from your home. You can do that by strategically applying repellents at possible entry points.
Cockroach repellents are also useful if you’ve already eliminated an infestation and you really don’t want to go through that pain all over again. They are an excellent prevention tool to stop occasional roach pop-ups.
However, if you’re faced with a full-blown serious existing infestation, repellents are very unlikely to offer help. Even they rid you of some roaches, chances are they’ve already laid eggs, in which case, you’ll need to find a roach killer.
Do you know where your problem is located?
If you can pinpoint the exact places where the roaches reside, then using a spray repellent would be ideal for you as it can be directed to those certain spots. However, if you don’t know where is your problem coming from, spraying roach repellent all over your home isn’t a viable option.
Ultrasonic devices, on the other hand, are perfect if you can’t determine where the problem is. You can set up one device in multiple locations, thus protecting a wide area.
Outdoors or Indoors?
If you’re planning on using roach repellents outdoors, say on a camping trip, then you want something with an extended effect to withstand exposure to the elements.
But if you’re only applying the cockroach repellent indoors, it shouldn’t disrupt the daily flow of your life.
Do you have kids or pets?
Unlike insecticides, natural repellents aren’t roach poison. That being said, as safe as they are, they’re still not quite suitable for environments with kids or pets. So, if you have any, you shouldn’t use sprays, powders, gels or liquids because let’s face it, they’re trouble makers. Children and pets may scatter powder, eat gels, or accidentally inhale too much spray.
Moreover, in high concentrations, essential oils may cause irritation to the eyes and skin for humans, especially those suffering from allergies. So always make sure your kids, as well as yourself, don’t inhale or taste the substance.
As for pets, they may be sensitive to natural cockroach repellents. Cats, for example, may suffer notable allergic reactions as their bodies don’t easily metabolize essential oils.
What about Ultrasonic repellents? Well, for kids and adults, they are safe. Humans aren’t capable of hearing ultrasonic waves above 20 kHz, so you have nothing to worry about.
For pets, it more or less the same story. Dogs, for instance, can hear ultrasound but their sensitivity depends on the breed.
Final Words
No matter the method, we can all agree that cockroaches need to go. In fact, it’s even better if we don’t have to face them altogether. For this reason, roach repellents are becoming popular day by day.
For me, the Pest Repeller Ultrasonic Pest Repellent takes this one home. It depends on sound waves, so it’s super safe to use around my kids. Also. I don’t really know where those roaches may enter, so I like the wide coverage the Ultrasonic device provides as I don’t have the time (or energy) to go around spraying every inch of my home.