13 Annoying Critters That Can’t Stand the Smell of Lemon

Lemon has a lovely, fresh scent that is usually appealing to most humans. However, apart from being used in everyday food items, it is exceptionally effective in repelling bugs, pests, and even certain animals. It’s widely used in different forms to repel these annoying critters, as they can’t stand the smell of lemon.

The best thing about using lemon to repel these annoying critters is that it is a natural method. Plus, since it smells pleasant to us, it won’t bother you at all! In fact, it’ll perfume the area affected by these critters. So, without further ado, let’s go over the 13 critters that can’t stand the smell of lemon and how to use lemons to repel them.

1. Fleas (Ctenocephalides felis)

Fleas are parasites that live on organic matter and blood of their hosts – primarily mammals. They initially live in shady places like long grass. From there, they eventually find their host and feed on them. They can also jump from host to host. These small, wingless insects are incredibly tiny and may look like little specks on your pet’s fur.

Fleas hate citrus smells, including lemon. The acidic properties work wonders in repelling these annoying critters from your home and pets. It’s a great natural repellent.

2. Cats (Felis catus)

Cats are small domestic carnivorous mammals. They have supple, low-slung bodies and tails that aid in balance. On average, cats are 20 to 28 inches long, with males larger than females. However, with that said, the size really varies depending on the breed. While cats may not necessarily be considered an annoying critter, in some cases, they can be a bother in your garden or around your home if you are allergic.

Interestingly, cats can’t stand citrus smells. In fact, some commercially available cat repellents also use citrus smells to keep cats away. This is because cats have an incredibly sensitive sense of smell, and the sour smell of lemon may be too much for them to handle.

3. Bed Bugs (Cimex hemipterus)

One of the worst pests you can have in your home is bed bugs. Bed bugs feed on the blood of mammals and are usually found in beds and couches. They are reddish brown in color and are wingless, flat bugs about the size of an apple seed – or smaller. Despite their tiny size, they multiply fast and can be notoriously difficult to get rid of. But the good thing is, they hate citrus scents.

The lemon scent must be one of the world’s most refreshing scents, but bed bugs cannot stand the smell of lemon. Moreover, it may even be harmful to certain types of bed bugs. However, as a general rule, although lemon may not destroy a bed bug infestation, it can certainly help keep bed bugs away from your home.

4. Cockroaches (Blattodea)

The last thing you want is cockroaches in your home! These annoying insects have a flat, oval shape with long antennae and a blackish-brown shiny exterior. Their sizes vary from region to region. Unfortunately, cockroaches are one of the most persistent pests. They have incredible survival instincts, and hardly anything you do can deter these annoying critters. But here’s the good news: they can’t stand the smell of lemon and other citrus smells. 

You can use lemon juice to temporarily ward off insects like cockroaches. If you put it in the affected areas, you can keep these annoying pests away from your home. You can also use lemon peels around the house to scare them away.

5. Mice (Mus musculus)

While mice might be cute at first glance, they’re not generally welcome in most homes (unless they’re pets!). These rodents have slender bodies with prominent ears. They are usually about 3-4 inches long and have a tail length of 2-4 inches. Mice are omnivores, with their diet consisting of grains, seeds, invertebrates, small vertebrates, and even carrion. 

Mice hate the smell of lemon, as it can be overwhelming for them. Plus, lemon can mask the scent of food, thus making your house less attractive to rodents.

6. Mosquitoes (Culicidae)

Mosquitos are small-winged insects characterized by their long legs and annoying habit of biting humans for blood. They are quite small, so they often go unnoticed, even though they can be quite loud! Interestingly, the male mosquito feeds on nectar and other plant juices, while the female mosquito feeds on blood.

The strong scent of lemon and other citrus fruits repel these incredibly annoying insects. While there’s no concrete evidence, this may be due to its strong scent interfering with its sense of smell. Their sense of smell is essential for mosquitos as they use it to find and locate their prey.

7. Flies (Musca domestica)

Flies are small, winged insects. They feed on a wide variety of different foods, including fruit, vegetables, meat, plants, and even feces. These annoying critters are usually found near trash or hovering over food. There are many species of flies, and their size and appearance vary from region to region. An adult housefly, for example, is about a quarter of an inch long.

Lemon oil is effective in repelling flies, as they can’t stand the smell of it!

8. Gnats (Diptera)

Gnats are tiny, flying insects that can be a pain to have in any home. While they are small, around ⅛ of an inch long, it certainly doesn’t make them any less annoying. Some gnats feed on plants, others feed on insects, and still others get nutrition from blood – just like mosquitoes.

Although gnats generally love the smell of sticky and fruity foods, they can’t stand lemon. So, if you want to save yourself from these annoying insects, you can use lemon, as the acidity is too much for them to handle.

9. Ticks (Ixodida)

Ticks are parasites that latch onto their hosts, whether they be mammals or birds or even amphibians and reptiles, and suck on their blood. They are about the size of an apple seed, but don’t be fooled by their size; they can spread a handful of diseases, such as Lyme disease. They don’t usually choose humans as hosts, but they may do so in some cases.

Thankfully, one way to prevent becoming a host to ticks is to smell citrusy. Ticks can’t stand the smell of lemon, so they won’t stick to anything that smells like it. The acidity of the lemon juice or lemon essential oil is too strong and overwhelming for them.

10. Spiders (Araneae)

Spiders are eight-legged arachnids primarily known for making webs (though not all types do!) and looking scary. There’s a wide range of sizes when it comes to spiders, depending on the species, and they act very differently, too. Many species of spiders insert venom into their prey to immobilize them, while others don’t possess venom glands at all.

There is some evidence that lemon juice, lemon peels, or lemon essential oils can repel spiders. However, the effectiveness of this method depends on many factors, such as the type of species you are dealing with.

11. Lizards (Lacertilia)

In many cases, lizards are pets. However, these reptiles are not always welcome in a home. And if this is the case, you may be looking for some kind of natural repellent. Lizards can be found all over the world, with more than 7,000 known species. They come in a huge range of sizes, with the largest being the Komodo dragon.

Lizards have a strong sense of smell. Just like a snake, they use their tongues to gather scent particles and then pull back their tongues to place those particles on the roof of their mouth. From there, the sensory receptors detect the smell to find food, detect enemies, or find a mate. These critters hate the strong citrusy smell of lemon as it may interfere with their sense of smell, overwhelming an area.

12. Wasps (Vespidae)

Wasps are winged insects with slender, smooth bodies and long legs. Almost all wasps have stingers, so you should definitely keep an eye out when around these critters! Besides insects, adult wasps also feed on sugar from nectar. Interestingly, there are over 30,000 identified species of wasps!

As wasps can be not only an inconvenience but also a danger, you should have a plan handy in case you find some wasps in or around your home. Thankfully, an easy way to deter these insects is to use lemon. Wasps can’t stand the smell of lemon and will stay away from the strong fragrance.

13. Ants (Formicidae)

There are over 10,000 known species of ants, and they are commonly found in our surroundings. Although they are small, ants are incredibly strong, with the ability to lift the heaviest weight compared to their size. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to stop them from infiltrating your home once they find a food source.

Ants can find their way into any space, but luckily, their aversion to citrus scents can be used to your advantage. Lemons are an eco-friendly approach to effectively manage ant infestations. The acid in the lemon can disrupt the ant trail, so they’ll steer clear of those areas.

How to Use Lemon to Repel Annoying Critters

You can use lemon in various ways to repel annoying critters from your home.

• Place lemon peels in affected areas around your home.
• Dip cotton balls in lemon essential oil and place them in desired spaces.
• Use scented candles to scatter the scent throughout your home.
• Put lemon juice in the affected areas.
• Boil the peels on the stove so the whole house smells like lemons.
• Make a DIY insect repellent spray at home. Mix one part lemon in three parts water and spray it in the affected areas.

Summary of Annoying Critters that Can’t Stand the Smell of Lemon

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