Cedar oil is advertised as a natural alternative to chemical pesticides. Many plants produce natural insect repellants or pesticides to prevent insects from eating them. Cedar oil is one of the few that has been produced on a significant scale for commercial sale. Many people have questions about cedar oil, and, unfortunately, there aren’t any really clear answers. However, here’s what we do know about cedar oil in pest control.
Is Cedar Oil Really Safe?
It’s always important to remember that just because something’s natural, it doesn’t mean it’s safe. We all know that some plants are just not safe to eat, and others (like poison ivy) are skin irritants. So you always need to ask whether a natural product is also a safe product.
Cedar oil, it seems, is truly a safe product. According to a recent assessment by the EPA, cedar oil is generally recognized as safe, and there haven’t been many incidents that would lead us to believe otherwise. In a 2010 assessment, the EPA noted a few incidents of eye irritation for humans, and some serious incidents associated with cats. This included the death of a cat shortly after exposure. However, it noted that all the products associated with these incidents are no longer on the market.
Is Cedar Oil Effective?
Here’s where things get really murky. Because the cedar oil products evaluated by the EPA didn’t make public benefit claims, the EPA didn’t evaluate their effectiveness. There are no good scientific studies on the effectiveness of cedar oil, so we have to rely on people’s personal experience, such as reviews.
Overall, reviews of cedar oil in pest control are mixed, with more negative than positive reviews. Cedar oil doesn’t provide consistent pest control results that would make us want to adopt it for use.
At Animal and Pest Control Specialist, Inc, we stake our reputation on successful resolution of your pest problems. We don’t make promises we can’t keep and don’t use products that we can’t stand by.
For detailed consultation about your pest control problem in the greater Denver area, please contact Animal and Pest Control Specialist, Inc today.
Ronnie came out and completed an inspection in our home. He gave us good news that we did not have an insect problem. He was very knowledgeable, courteous and professional. Although they typically do not deal with our particular problem, they were willing to do an inspection and point us in the right direction. The gal in the office went above and beyond to make sure we were taken care of. Thank you!
