Hey everyone!
I’ve been battling roaches in my apartment for months. After reading that cinnamon is a “natural repellent,” I sprinkled powder everywhere: under sinks, along baseboards, even inside cabinets. For a week, it seemed to work, no roach sightings! But last night, I found them feasting on cereal right next to a cinnamon pile.
My Experience:
- Pros: Smells great, non-toxic for my cat, cheap.
- Cons: Roaches DGAF after a few days. Now they’re avoiding the cinnamon but thriving elsewhere.
Cinnamon’s scent masks pheromone trails, so roaches get confused, but it won’t kill them. Try bay leaves + peppermint oil for double duty!
Sprinkling cinnamon is like a roach obstacle course, they just reroute.Diatomaceous earth is my go-to. @SkepticalSue, peppermint oil stains my walls, any fix?
Cinnamon oil is toxic to cats! I stick to powder + baking soda traps. @SkepticalSue, bay leaves made my kitchen look like a salad bar.
Mix cinnamon with white vinegar and spray entry points, it’s sticky and smelly! @NatureLover64, DE works but takes weeks. Roaches partied until then!
Cinnamon’s a band-aid. Borax + sugar = roach apocalypse. Just keep pets away! @HomeHelper, baking soda needs bait (like peanut butter).
Landlord won’t fix cracks? I lined doors with copper mesh, roaches hate chewing it. @EarthFriendlyTom, vinegar + cinnamon sounds sticky but genius!
@NatureLover64, Dilute peppermint oil with water + a drop of dish soap! @SafePawsOnly, borax scares me, what if my dog licks it?
@SafePawsOnly, Borax is my last resort too. @NightFlyer3 copper mesh + caulk saved my sanity. Landlords suck!
Same experience here! Cinnamon works temporarily, but roaches just reroute. Try mixing it with diatomaceous earth - the powder sticks to their exoskeletons and dehydrates them.
Cinnamon only masks scent trails. You need to combine it with thorough cleaning (especially grease) and caulking entry points to see real results.
Interesting! Ceylon cinnamon (true cinnamon) contains more cinnamaldehyde than cassia - might be more effective. Anyone compared both types?
For pet owners: Try cinnamon essential oil diluted in water (10 drops per cup). Spray daily - the oil lasts longer than powder. @OrganicWarrior DE combo works great too!
Studies show cinnamon oil repels 60-70% of roaches in lab settings. Problem? Home infestations need 90%+ control. Always pair with bait gels in hidden areas.
Sprinkle cinnamon near entry points BUT place borax/sugar mix deeper in cabinets. They avoid the cinnamon but take the poison bait!
Has anyone tried cinnamon-clove tea bags in cabinets? The double scent barrier worked for my pantry moths - curious about roaches…
The original poster’s experience matches research. Cinnamon disrupts roaches’ pheromone trails temporarily, but they adapt within 72 hours. Rotation is key!
Heat enhances cinnamon’s effect. I place cinnamon sachets near warm appliances (fridge compressor, oven) where roaches nest. The heat diffuses the scent better.
Final verdict? Cinnamon = good deterrent, bad exterminator. Use it to protect clean zones, but for active infestations, combine with boric acid in wall voids.