5 Smells Bed Bugs Absolutely Hate

Bed bugs can disturb your sleep by biting you and leaving you feeling uncomfortably itchy during the day. Dealing with these awful pests isn’t always an easy task, but there are scents you can use to help repel them.

Many people hire an exterminator to get rid of bed bugs in their homes. A professional isn’t the only option you have, though. You can try DIY methods to handle the problem and find comfort as you sleep.

The scents included here are ones you may already have on hand or are easy to come by. There are other options for smells bed bugs hate, too, but these are the perfect place to start.

Tea Tree Oil

One scent bed bugs hate is tea tree oil, and it will make them want to find a new place to live. Most bugs can’t stand the smell of this essential oil, so it can repel anything you don’t want in or around your bed. Tea tree oil can also damage bed bugs’ exoskeletons, causing them to die.

You’ll want to put tea tree oil in a spray bottle and apply it wherever the bed bugs have infested your home. The oil not only repels bugs, but it’ll also help you keep your home smelling clean.

Cinnamon

Spreading cinnamon on your bed can help eliminate bed bugs because they hate the scent. They’ll want to leave and won’t return if the smell lingers.

Many bed bug products contain cinnamon, so it’s a good ingredient to try for a DIY solution. Cinnamon contains linalool, a natural insecticide, which could be why bed bugs hate it so much.

Lavender Oil

Lavender repels insects, including bed bugs. Having a lavender plant in your home can help prevent bug infestation, but if it’s too late for prevention, you can use an essential oil to drive them away.

Spray the oil wherever the bedbugs are, and the smell of it will make them want to move. Spraying it all over your home might be the best option to ensure they leave.

Lavender oil is beneficial for more than just repelling bugs: studies show it can help improve your sleep.

Lemon

You might love it when you get a whiff of lemon, but bed bugs don’t feel the same. The citric acid in lemon juice is a natural insecticide.

Using lemon-scented cleaner can help keep bed bugs away, but direct contact with lemon juice or citrus essential oil is the most effective method. You’ll want to mix equal parts lemon juice and water and regularly spray any areas where you’ve spotted the bugs.

Peppermint

The scent of peppermint is so intense that bed bugs hate it. You can add a few drops of peppermint oil to your other DIY products or use it alone as a spray.

Another option is to find a peppermint essential oil candle to burn. Peppermint is one of the best repellent options because it makes your home smell good. It won’t be as effective as the pure oil, but the scent should help.