A motor control method includes acquiring a component BEMFα on an α-axis and a component BEMFβ on a β-axis of counter electromotive force of a motor in an αβ-fixed coordinate system; performing time differentiation on the component BEMFα on the α-axis and the component BEMFβ on the β-axis; obtaining a difference value between first and second multiplication values, the first multiplication value being obtained by multiplying the component BEMFα on the α-axis by a differential value of the component BEMFβ on the β-axis, the second multiplication value being obtained by multiplying the component BEMFβ on the β-axis by a differential value of the component BEMFα on the α-axis; detecting a rotation direction of the rotor based on the difference value; and controlling the motor based on a detection result of the rotation direction of the rotor.