Put a Bunch of Leaves in the Toilet: No Bad Smell All Week, Repels Mosquitoes and Ants
🌿 The Claim
You may have heard this tip: place a handful of certain aromatic leaves inside or near your toilet to keep bad odours away and to repel insects like mosquitoes and ants. Sound too good to be true? Let’s unpack the idea, see what the science says — and most importantly, highlight safe first-steps.
❓ What’s the idea?
The idea goes like this:
- A bunch of leaves with natural fragrance or essential oils is placed in the toilet (for example inside the cistern, or in a small container beside the bowl).
- The natural oils or aroma from the leaves supposedly help mask or neutralise foul smells.
- At the same time, the scent and volatile compounds deter insects like mosquitoes and ants from entering or lingering.
- Result: fewer odours, fewer pests — with one inexpensive, natural trick.
âś… What the evidence supports
There is some supporting logic:
- Many herbs and leaves (like basil, mint, eucalyptus, lemon-scented herbs) release volatile oils that are known to repel insects. For example, one list of pest-repelling plants points to basil, thyme, lemon thyme and others as able to discourage mosquitoes by scent. (HGTV)
- For ants: some aromatic leaves or essential oils interfere with ant scent trails and may discourage them. One article on bay leaves noted they may help in some ant-repellent contexts. (Yahoo)
- For odours: aromatic leaves release pleasant scents which can mask less pleasant smells — so the “no bad smell all week” claim isn’t totally outlandish, at least for masking purposes.
⚠️ What the evidence does not support
- There is no strong scientific evidence that simply placing a bunch of generic leaves in a toilet will prevent odours entirely for a week, especially if the toilet is seldom cleaned, poorly ventilated or has plumbing issues.
- It’s unlikely that all insects (especially in wet/humid zones like a bathroom) will be completely repelled by the leaves – many will follow moisture, light or other attractants.
- The tip doesn’t replace proper hygiene, ventilation, and insect-proofing of bathrooms (such as sealing gaps, fixing leaks, ensuring good airflow).
- Also, what leaves exactly? The tip doesn’t usually specify the type — and effectiveness likely depends a lot on the species, freshness of leaves, how the oils release, the environment, etc.
🛠How to try it – in a safe, effective way
If you’d like to experiment with this idea, here’s a safe method you can follow:
Supplies:
- Fresh aromatic leaves (some good options: basil, lemon thyme, eucalyptus sprigs, mint leaves)
- A small breathable container or sachet (so leaves can release fragrance)
- A clean bathroom/toilet area
- Regular cleaning supplies
Steps:
- Clean the toilet area thoroughly first — remove bad smell sources (such as lingering residue, poor ventilation, standing water).
- Choose fresh, aromatic leaves: rinse them gently and pat dry.
- Place the leaves in a small jar or cloth sachet and position it near the toilet bowl or cistern – somewhere where fragrance can circulate, but out of direct contact with water.
- Ensure the bathroom has good ventilation — open a window or use exhaust fan if available.
- Monitor over the week: check for odours daily, and check for insect presence (ants, mosquitoes). Replace the leaves if they dry out or lose fragrance (after ~3-5 days).
- Continue routine cleaning/maintenance: flush regularly, use the exhaust fan, fix leaks, seal gaps where ants/mosquitoes might enter.
🧠Tips & Variations
- For better odour control, pair the leaves with a small bowl of baking soda or activated charcoal in the bathroom — these trap odour molecules.
- For a stronger insect-repellant effect, add dried citrus peel or cloves along with the leaves (many insects dislike citrus oil).
- If using eucalyptus or strong scented leaves near children or pets, ensure they’re out of reach — some essential oils/strong leaf oils can irritate.
- If ants keep coming despite the leaves, follow the ant trail back and clean with vinegar + soap to disrupt the trail, and seal entry points.
🔍 Final Thoughts
The “bunch of leaves in the toilet” trick is a low-cost, natural idea that may help with masking odours and reducing insects to some degree — especially when combined with good cleaning and preventive practices. However, it’s not a guaranteed solution for odours or pest control on its own. Treat it as a helpful supplement rather than a magic fix.
