A backyard swimming pool is one of the best ways to beat the summer heat with your family. It’s convenient, fun, and exciting.
But when you start seeing bugs around your favorite hang-out place, everything changes.
Swimming pools attract insects like bugs and mosquitoes because they serve as open water for food and hydration. These pests don’t know that pools can poison them, leading to their death.
To combat bugs and keep them away from your swimming pool, we thought using peppermint oil should do the trick.
The strong scent of peppermint oil triggers the bugs’ keen sense of smell and deters them away. But it would be best if you knew how to use this essential oil.
The following ways should work:
- Create a DIY peppermint oil bug spray as a repellent.
- Burn candles infused with peppermint oil.
- Don’t forget to spray around the pool too.
- Avoid pouring peppermint oil into the pool.
We know peppermint is an effective essential oil that can relax your mind and soothe your soul. But it has other effective uses too.
This guide explores how you can take advantage of peppermint and keep bugs away from your swimming pool.
4 Effective Ways To Use Peppermint Oil for Repelling Bugs
The pleasant scent of peppermint oil can hit two birds with one stone.
While it allows you to swim more relaxed, this essential oil can help eliminate common pests like bugs, insects, roaches, and more.
1. Create a DIY Peppermint Oil Bug Spray As Repellent
The first step to using peppermint as a bug repellent is to create the mixture.
You should dilute the essential oil in the water so the scent won’t be too intense. The only ingredients you will need include the following:
- 10 to 15 drops of peppermint essential oil
- 2 cups or 473 mL of warm water
Get a spray bottle, and mix the two ingredients inside. Give them a good shake, and you’re good to go.
We recommend spraying the most critical areas around your swimming pool and deck, including cracks and holes that could turn into the bugs’ entry points.
Spray your DIY bug repellent, at least around the pool’s perimeter. But don’t expect it to work immediately. As a general rule, wait a few minutes to allow the peppermint scent to fully permeate and spread across the pool area.
A clinical trial revealed that essential oils like peppermint could only create mild bug repellents.
With this, it’s recommended to reapply or spray again across the swimming pool area for at least after an hour and a half. This will ensure your peppermint and water solution remains effective in removing bugs. It will also keep the peppermint’s scent strong.
2. Burn Candles Infused With Peppermint Oil
It’s no secret that smoke has been proven to be an effective natural insect repellent.
And because of this, fire is a successful organic insecticide. However, if you smoke out of your swimming pool area, it might make you uncomfortable or unenjoyable to swim.
This is why getting candles with peppermint oil scents can also be an effective way to get rid of bugs.
The smell from the candle’s smoke is a bug repellent, but it won’t be as intense as plain smoke. This ensures your it won’t interfere with your swimming.
However, you must note that the candle’s smoke might not be as pleasant as using a DIY bug repellent. But because it’s more economical and cheaper, more homeowners prefer candles.
3. Don’t Forget To Spray Around the Pool Too
When we say around the pool, you should include the windows, curtains, and furniture near the swimming pool. These areas can also be potential thriving places of pests, so it’s always best to spray them with your DIY bug repellent.
However, if you’re using the natural peppermint essential oil with no water, test it out on a small area first. This is especially important when you’re treating windows or furniture pieces.
Get a small cotton ball and soak it in peppermint oil. Apply on the involved area and check whether it damages the material. If it does, you can make the essential oil less harsh by mixing it with water.
Spraying peppermint oil on patio curtains is also an effective way to spread the scent faster and easier. The curtains and windscreens can also be a great way to keep insects away from your swimming pool area.
4. Never Pour Peppermint Oil Into the Pool
We know it can be tempting to spray or pour peppermint oil directly into the pool. But never attempt to do this.
Pouring directly can damage your pool’s filter and pumps because the water becomes oily.
When this happens, the oil can build up over time in your pool’s pumps and filters, leading to malfunction.
Swim Without Bugs With Peppermint Oil
Peppermint oil’s strong smell allows you to swim by your pool without bugs and bites.
Plus, the relaxing scent will make you feel calmer and brighter.
For the best solution, create your DIY bug repellent by mixing water with peppermint.
Spray the mixture around but never in the pool. Or else, you risk damaging the filters and pumps, which can lead to an even bigger problem in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the Difference Between Tea Tree Oil and Peppermint Oil?
Both peppermint and tea tree oil are effective against a wide range of pests.
However, tea tree oil is more potent against bugs alone, while peppermint oil can also be as effective against mice, roaches, and mosquitoes.
What Other Ways Can I Do To Keep Bugs Away From My Swimming Pool?
Installing electric bug zappers can trap and kill bugs around your pool area.
You can also try to get a pool cover to protect the water in your swimming pool.
Other ways involve replacing outdoor lights with yellow-tinted bulbs. The warmth from the yellow color will make your pool area less attractive to bugs.
