Can Essential Oils Replace Chemical Pesticides for Everyday Pest Issues?

Hey everyone!
I’m trying to ditch harsh chemicals and switch to essential oils for pest control. My first experiment: peppermint oil vs. kitchen ants. It worked… for a day. Then they rerouted around my spray! Tea tree oil helped with mold mites, but my DIY rosemary-citrus blend did nothing against spiders. Are essential oils viable for ​long-term pest prevention, or just a temporary fix? I’m torn between eco-guilt and practicality.

Peppermint oil and water (10 drops/cup) keeps mice out of my pantry! Reapply weekly. But spiders DGAF. MightyMouser, ever try cedarwood for roaches?

Clove oil KILLS roach eggs on contact! Mix with vodka as an emulsifier. @MouseHater22 cedarwood repels moths but not roaches. Try neem oil for those!

My spray: 15 drops lemongrass and 10 drops eucalyptus and 5 drops tea tree. Works on ants and flies! @MouseHater22 spiders hate citrus, add orange oil!

Tea tree and peppermint are toxic to cats! I use diluted lavender for fleas. @MightyMouser does neem oil stain surfaces?

Oils just annoy ants, they came back stronger. Switched to diatomaceous earth. @MousePatrol your blend failed my antpocalypse.

Oils are a band-aid. For aphids, I released ladybugs!

Diffused citronella 24/7 to repel mosquitoes… now my couch smells like a spa. Bugs? Still here.

@EarthFriendlyTom Neem can leave residue, test first!
@purrfect_home ladybugs are nature’s hitmen.
@HomeHelper try geraniol candles instead!

@SkepticalSue Did you wipe ant trails with vinegar first? Oils won’t work if they’re following pheromones.

@EarthFriendlyTom Thank you for the cat warning! Switching to cat-safe thyme oil. @purrfect_home where do you buy ladybugs?