Cedarcide Original Bug Spray and Repellent

How Cedarwood Oil Kills Bugs
In case the name didn’t give it away, cedarwood oil is the driving force behind the pest control products at Cedarcide. So naturally, the obvious question is: How does it work?

How does cedarwood oil (aka cedar oil) kill bugs? While the answer can get a bit technical, there are 6 basic ways cedarwood oil works to kill and repel pests like fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, ants, mites and more. Here’s a simple outline of each one.

1. Dehydration: Most bugs are extremely sensitive to moisture loss, which is bad news for bugs that come into contact with cedarwood oil. Cedarwood oil is extremely effective at leaching moisture from insects and other bugs, leaving them dried out and eventually dead.
2. It Disrupts Their Pheromones: Pheromones are chemicals that many bugs use for navigation, mating, searching for food, as well as to regulate bodily functions. Cedarwood oil disrupts these pheromones which not only disorients the insects but interferes with their fundamental bodily processes like breathing. The disorientation helps repel insects and other bugs, the interference with their bodily mechanisms kills them.
3. It Dissolves Them: Insects in earlier life stages—eggs, larvae, pupae—are extremely vulnerable, so vulnerable in fact that cedarwood oil can dissolve them on contact. In adult insects, arachnids and other bugs, cedarwood oil helps dissolve their exoskeleton. This allows the essential oil to penetrate their shell, hastening the oil’s pest control effects.
4. Emulsification: Emulsification, or the breakdown of fat particles, is another way that cedarwood oil works to control bugs. Like many organisms, bugs require fat to live. By helping disintegrate this fat into smaller, more fluid parts, cedarwood oil attacks bugs from the inside out.
5. Suffocation: As mentioned above, cedarwood oil can interfere with bugs' capacity to breathe. Unlike mammals, bugs breathe through openings located on the surface of their bodies. When faced with the lethal effects of cedarwood oil, bugs attempt to limit their exposure by closing these openings, which prevents them from breathing. In other words, the bugs suffocate themselves.
6. It Messes With Their Body Chemistry: Like most every living thing, bugs must maintain a specific chemical balance to stay alive. Any drastic changes in this balance can have deadly results. Cedarwood oil neutralizes the acidity within bugs’ bodies, effectively throwing this balance out of whack. As a result they cannot properly function, and shortly die.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I use Cedarcide Original on my cat?: Because cats like to lick their fur, and because they’re extremely sensitive to scents, it’s best to test for possible sensitivity with a light initial application. While Cedarcide Original is non-toxic, on rare occasions smaller cats and kittens have found the natural cedar scent of Cedarcide Original too strong for their liking.

If like most individuals, your cat takes no issue with Cedarcide Original, apply the formula by lightly misting your hands and massaging the spray into their coat. Be sure to apply Cedarcide Original all over—including armpits, in between toes, and around the ears and tail.

What do your products smell like? These products are toxin-free, so don't worry—there’s no nasty chemical odours. As you might have guessed from this brand name, nearly all their products have a natural cedar oil smell. Please be aware that some may find that the smell can initially be quite strong particularly for sensitive dogs.  

Where are your products made?: All of Cedarcide products are handcrafted and American made in Lewisville, TX.

What’s the difference between Cedarcide Original and Tickshield? Both products are naturally sourced insecticides & repellents designed for personal, pet and home use. Tickshield is simply an extra strength version of Cedarcide Original. (Because it’s a stronger formula, Tickshield should not be used on cats, smaller dogs, or animals under 20lbs.

Which product do I use on myself? Cedarcide Original can be used for personal use, and its extra strength counterpart, Tickshield (Tickshield is recommended for hikers, campers and other outdoor activity in need of added protection).

WHICH PRODUCT IS FOR INDOOR USE?: Cedarcide Original is a naturally sourced pesticide and repellent for indoor use.

What type of cedarwood oil do you use?: Highly refined Texas cedarwood oil is used. This cedarwood oil never contains phenols or phenolic compounds.

Can I use Cedarcide products on my small animal, birds or reptiles? These products are not designed for pets smaller than cats, so Cedarcide advise against using them on such animals. Cedarwood oil, the core ingredient in most of their products, can be harmful to birds and reptiles, so please do not use Cedarcide products for this application