Overview

• A widely shared TikTok recipe from Carolina McCauley mixes two cups of water with 30 drops of peppermint oil for spraying around windows, doors and baseboards.
• Creator Chantel Mila promotes boiling lemon with rosemary for a DIY surface spray and wiping peppermint oil on ceilings, with her video surpassing 200,000 views.
• Animal-welfare guidance warns that essential oils, including peppermint, can be toxic to cats and other pets, prompting calls for caution with DIY mixtures.
• New guidance highlights citrus as a low-cost option, with orange or lemon peels rubbed on sills or soaked for sprays, and advice from retailers citing costs as low as about 30p.
• The latest update recommends equal parts white vinegar and water to mist entry points and even patios or garden paths after rain, while avoiding varnished wood and keeping up routine sealing, cleaning and reduced lighting.