Hi folks,
I tried using peppermint oil after reading everywhere that roaches supposedly hate it. Instead of seeing fewer bugs, I swear I started seeing more of them, and in places they hadn’t shown up before.
I’m honestly confused — did I do something wrong, or does this stuff just not work the way the internet claims? Curious if anyone else has had the same experience.
I’ve noticed oils don’t actually stop infestations, they just mask things for a day or two.
Peppermint worked for spiders in my place, but roaches didn’t seem impressed at all.
@SleeveRolledUp Same here. Different pests react very differently to smells.
I think heavy scents can disrupt their trails, which makes them show up in spots you’re not used to.
That “sudden increase” feeling might just be them relocating after being annoyed.
@BasementSleepless Did you apply it near entry points or just where you saw activity?
From what I’ve read, repellents without a kill factor often make infestations feel worse short-term.
I tried oils once and stopped when I realized it changed behavior but not population.
@DustLineDetective That explains why people think it backfires, expectations vs reality.
Natural scents might help as a supporting step, but they’re rarely a solution by themselves.