Mice are a very common pest in the United Kingdom. They can nest in your home and wreak havoc on your belongings. There are many different ways to get rid of mice, including employing the services of a mouse removal specialist, but one way that is not talked about much is using smells that mice hate to drive them away.
Mice are very sensitive to smell. The reason for this is that they have a poor sense of vision so their other senses must be heightened in order for them to survive. If you want to repel mice from an area, you will need to use strong scents that will overpower their sense of smell. Here are some scents that mice hate:
Peppermint oil
Peppermint oil is a popular essential oil that is extracted from the leaves of the peppermint plant. It has been used for centuries in medicine to treat digestive problems and respiratory disorders. Peppermint oil may also help relieve pain, especially muscle aches and headaches.
Mice hate the smell of peppermint and will avoid areas where it’s used. Peppermint oil is a natural repellent that can be used to keep mice away from your home.
Peppermint oil is a naturally occurring substance extracted from the peppermint plant (Mentha piperita). The oil contains menthol, which gives peppermint its distinctive scent. It can be found in many products, including toothpaste and mouthwash.
Peppermint oil is effective at keeping mice away because they dislike the smell of menthol. When mice come across the scent of this essential oil, they associate it with danger and fear. As a result, they’ll avoid areas where it’s present or try to stay away from it as much as possible.
This is one of the most common ingredients used to make homemade mouse repellent. The smell is strong enough to keep mice away from a specific area or object. Put a few drops on cotton balls, then place them in places where mice tend to hide.
Citrus oils
Mice are very sensitive to odours, and citrus oils smell mice hate. Mice do not like the smell of citrus oils and will avoid areas where they smell them. Citrus oils are frequently used as a natural repellent for mice, but there are other ways to keep mice away from your home.
Mice hate citrus oil smells because they contain limonene, which is found in lemons, oranges and grapefruits. Limonene is also found in many cleaning products such as soaps, detergents and disinfectants. It is this chemical that makes these products smell so fresh and clean when you use them around your house or office.
Citrus oils such as lemon and orange are also very effective at keeping mice away from an area or object. However, because citrus oils are so strong, you should use them sparingly or dilute them with water before applying them to an area or object that needs treatment.
You can make your own homemade mouse repellent using essential oils like orange or lemon oil. Mix these with water and add them to cotton balls or mason jars with holes punched in them (this allows more air circulation). Place these around areas where mice tend to hide out such as cupboards or
Chilli powder
Chilli powder is another good option for making homemade mouse repellents because it’s inexpensive and easy to obtain at most grocery stores or online stores. You’ll need about two tablespoons of chilli powder per litre of water before adding it to your spray bottle or hand sanitiser container.
This is an effective home remedy for getting rid of mice because it smells terrible to them and they won’t stay around long enough for their sense of smell to become accustomed to it. Simply sprinkle some chilli powder in areas where you suspect there may be mice, such as behind cupboards or under furniture.
Onions
You can chop up an onion and place it in areas where you see evidence of mice, such as droppings or nests. The smell will keep them away from the area where it has been placed. Mice don’t like the smell of onions, so you can hang slices in your home as a deterrent. The strong scent of onions repels mice. Place a few slices where you see signs of mouse activity like droppings or scratch marks.
You can also rub an onion peel on surfaces where you suspect mice have been hiding or nesting, such as along baseboards or behind appliances.
Cayenne pepper
Mice hate the smell of cayenne pepper too so you can use this as a deterrent too by sprinkling some on top of surfaces where you think mice may be lurking.
The smell of cayenne pepper has been proven to repel mice, as well as ticks, ants and other pests. The best way to use cayenne is by mixing it with water and spraying it on the places you don’t want the mice to go. You can also mix cayenne pepper with flour and sprinkle it around your home.
While the smell of cayenne pepper may be effective against mice, it can also be harmful to you and your family members if you are allergic to this spice. It is therefore important that you know how much cayenne pepper you can use.
Lavender
Mice hate the smell of lavender. You can use a lavender-scented spray or even better, you can grow a lavender plant, which will repel mice from your home naturally. Or you could make up your own solution:
Use 1/4 to 1/2 cup lavender buds or flowers per 1-quart water in a spray bottle to repel mice from your home. Shake well before each use, then spray surfaces in affected areas until wet but not dripping wet with the solution. Replace this solution monthly to keep it fresh and effective at keeping mice away from your home.
If you want to keep mice away, then one of the best things you can do is plant lavender plants in your garden or have some in your house. Mice hate the smell of lavender and will avoid it at all costs! If there’s a lot of lavender around your home, then you’re less likely to have problems with mice coming inside.
Garlic
The smell of garlic is a natural repellent for mice. Garlic contains allicin which is an oil that acts as an irritant to rodents. The mice may not like the smell of garlic, but because it is such a strong scent, it can linger for a long time after use. For this reason, it is best to use garlic powder rather than fresh cloves in homemade mouse repellents.
This method should be used only as a last resort because it can be quite messy and unpleasant for humans as well as mice.
Sprinkle some in corners and along walls where they might be travelling. Garlic is a natural rodent repellent that’s safe for humans and pets to use. Garlic oil can be used in ultrasonic pest repellers, but it may take several days for it to repel mice and rats.
You can use this fact to make a natural mouse repellent that will keep your home free from mice for up to six months.
Use 1/4 cup of flour, 1/4 cup of corn starch and two tablespoons of garlic powder or crushed garlic cloves to make a homemade rodent repellent. Mix the ingredients together and store them in an airtight container until you’re ready to use it.
Sprinkle the mixture around your home in areas where mice have been seen or are likely to hide — under appliances, behind bookshelves and inside cabinets — wherever you see signs of mouse activity or droppings. The smell should drive them away within hours (or at least long enough for you to call an exterminator).
Pineapple juice
Mice hate the smell of pineapple juice because they associate it with predators like cats and dogs who often eat pineapples. If you don’t like the idea of using mothballs or would instead use something more natural than chemicals, try spraying or soaking cotton balls or rags with pineapple juice and placing them near areas where mice have been seen.
You can also put a couple of tablespoons in a spray bottle full of water and spray down areas where they’ve been seen before using other methods. This is not only very effective but it’s also cheap and easy!
Mothballs
Mothballs are probably the best-known natural repellent for mice. Mothballs come in different sizes and strengths, so you can find one that works well for you. They also come in different scents, so try them all until you find one that works best for your situation.
Mothballs are an inexpensive and easy way to keep mice away. Mice hate the smell of mothballs, which is why they do not like to live in areas that house them.
Mothballs are made from naphthalene, a chemical that has a strong odour when it is heated up. The odour is so strong that it can be detected by humans at very low levels.
Mice have tiny noses and cannot smell the mothball odour until it reaches a specific concentration in the air. The odour does not affect humans, but people should not be exposed to large amounts of naphthalene because it can cause nausea and headaches.
Conclusion
Mice have a strong sense of smell and are easily repelled by certain scents. Some of the smells that mice hate include:
- Peppermint oil. Peppermint oil is a natural repellent that can be used to keep mice away. Simply place a few drops of peppermint oil on cotton balls and place them in areas where mice are likely to enter your home.
- Cinnamon. Cinnamon is another natural repellent that mice hate. You can sprinkle cinnamon powder around your home or burn cinnamon incense to deter mice.
- Vinegar. The pungent smell of vinegar is also effective at repelling mice. You can mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle and spray it around your home.
- Citronella. Citronella is a well-known mosquito repellent, but it can also be used to keep mice away. You can burn citronella candles or incense or spray citronella oil around your home.
- Ammonia. The strong smell of ammonia is another scent that mice hate. You can mix 1 part ammonia with 10 parts water in a spray bottle and spray it around your home.
- Bleach. Bleach is another standard household product that can be used as a rodent repellent. You can mix 1 part bleach with 10 parts water in a spray bottle and spray it around your home.
- Mothballs. Mothballs emit a strong, pungent smell that these animals cannot stand. You can place mothballs in areas where mice are likely to enter your home.
It is important to note that these smells may not be effective in deterring all mice. If you have a serious mouse infestation, you may need to call a professional pest control company.
Hire a mouse removal specialist. Eliminate Solutions are the pest control expert regarding mouse removal from your property. Get in touch today for a free no-obligation quote.
If you are looking for pest control in Aberdeen and surrounding areas, get in touch with Eliminate Solutions today!
