Are Cucarachas (Cockroaches) taking over your home? I hope your answer is no but for those that squinted their eyes and said yes – I have a safe, non toxic solution for you. It’s an herb of course and it’s called Catnip. This is one of my favorite herbs for keeping those awful creatures away, especially when it rains.
Catnip is a perennial herb meaning that it grows for three or more years and usually without much care. It’s a member of the Mint family and known to many in the pet world as an over the counter legal drug for kitty cats.
The active ingredient is nepetalactone, which is non-toxic to humans and pets. Nepetalactone is said to have mood enhancing effects on cats and gives them a so called high, but I had cats around catnip and really did not notice anything. But then again they did jump around like crazy so who knows.
Either way Catnip is hated by cockroaches and they will flee from anywhere that has it. At home I place small sachets of catnip under cabinets and under appliances and near doors.
Catnip can also be simmered in a small amount of water to make a “catnip tea” which can then be used as a spray to apply around baseboards and behind counters. The best thing is that this is a natural repellent and it is safe to use around people with asthma and allergies.
To make a catnip tea you’ll need:
-4 Tbsp. of dried catnip
-16 ounces of water
-Spray bottle
-Fine mesh strainer
To prepare, boil water, add in catnip. Remove from heat and let steep for an hour or overnight. Strain and bottle. Keep in the fridge. At home this spray usually last me about 7 days.
If you have cats you may want to check with your vet to see if you should use it around them although most cats love it.
Thank you. I will try it. I found one cockroach. It must have come here in a
bag or on clothing. I hope it is not a female, so it does not reproduce. It
ran away.