3 scents wasps hate and how to use them to stop them plaguing your garden and home, according to pest experts

If you’re scared of wasps, or just want to keep them away from you, then you’ve landed on the right page, as pest experts have revealed three scents wasps hate and how to use them to deter them at home.

While there are many ways to get rid of wasps, using certain scents is a non-toxic, humane way of keeping these insects away from your patio, dining table or hair!

Wasps use scents to navigate and communicate with each other, so strong smells they don't like can overwhelm or confuse the wasp, meaning they’ll naturally avoid areas that smell of these scents.

1. Peppermint

This fresh scent is an excellent pest deterrent, hated by mice, flies and wasps. It may smell lovely to us, but wasps really don’t like it, so you should consider investing in some peppermint essential oil (£7.56 on Amazon) or planting mint around your garden seating areas.

‘Wasps really hate the strong menthol smell of peppermint oil. It messes with their sense of smell, making it hard for them to detect food or follow pheromone trails. For a natural repellent, simply add some peppermint oil to a damp cloth and wipe it around your doors, windows, or any spots where wasps tend to hang out,’ explains Daniel Stewart, pest expert at Shield Pest Control.

2. Incense

It may sound a little rogue, but wasps (like most people) hate the smell of smoke. Now I’m not saying you need to set fire to your kitchen, or intentionally burn your dinner (even though that would keep everyone away), but lighting an incense stick can help do the trick.

‘Nothing repels wasps 100%. However, wasps don't like the smell of smoke because they associate it with fire, and they think they'll get burnt, so lighting an incognito Incense Stick (£6.99 on Amazon) will help reduce the number of wasps. When indoors, light a stick and close all the windows and doors for a few minutes. Then open them and the wasps will fly out,’ says Howard Carter, bite prevention expert in partnership with Incognito.

3. Basil

There are lots of plants that deter wasps, and basil is one of them. Not only will it season your dishes and smell divine, but it will also reduce your chances of getting stung, as wasps will avoid being around its scent.

‘Basil gives off scents like linalool and estragole, which are known to confuse wasps and make your home less inviting to them. Growing a few basil plants around your patio or placing dried basil leaves near windows can help keep those wasps at bay,’ says Daniel.

You can get three pots of basil for £15.99 at B&Q, or seeds cost just 99p at Suttons.

Whether you're scared of them or not, wasps are a pretty unwelcome presence. But by using these scents, you will keep them away without resorting to chemicals.