Pests are a serious issue to have in your home; no matter what kind of pest it is, you must take them seriously and eradicate them as soon as you can. Mice are one of the most common pests and one of the worst of them; if you see a mouse in your home, you have to take action right away. Mice reproduce very quickly, and if you see one mouse, odds are good that there are more. Many homeowners live with a feeling of unease caused by finding mice or rodents in their homes. Finding mice can incite feelings of surprise and fear, whether finding it in your kitchen, bathroom, basement, attic, or dining room.
However, did you know that rodents look for shelter indoors? They do this mostly during winter months or cooler temperatures during other seasons. Once they are inside, mice can cause more than just an unpleasant infestation. Mice are likely to gnaw through wires from inside your walls, which can increase the risk of an electrical fire that burns your entire home. They also bring health issues such as contaminating your food, kitchen equipment, and table surfaces with bacteria carried on their bodies, such as salmonella.
The best option for getting rid of mice permanently is to hire a professional extermination company specializing in rodent removal. Rodent poison is very effective; however, it should only be used by those trained to do so. Other less dangerous options that are quite effective including rodent glue traps and rodent snap traps. There is conflicting data regarding the use of mouse repellents; however, below you can find other natural options that may be worth trying.
Peppermint As Natural Repellent for Mice?
Many people are skeptical about using natural remedies when getting rid of pests; they are not always the best option for all kinds of infestations. However, peppermint is one of the best natural and most successful remedies to repel mice. But what keeps mice away? Mice rely more on their nose; on their sense of smell instead of their vision. Peppermint, of course, has a strong smell, which mice dislike. Mice have a strong sense of smell that amplifies each scent, which explains why mice tend to search for food by sniffing around. Experts claim that peppermint contains very potent menthol compounds that irritate their nasal cavities, so you can be sure that the smell of peppermint can be an excellent mice deterrent and keep them away for a while.
You can use two methods to incorporate the smell of peppermint into your home. Firstly, you can grow peppermint plants and put them in the garden around your house; this is the simplest way to do it. However, if you want to know the other method, we invite you to keep reading to learn how to use peppermint as a repellent in your home.
3 Easy Steps to Use Peppermint Oil as A Mice Repellent Correctly
Make Sure You Purchase The Right Product
If you choose to use peppermint oil indoors instead of putting peppermint plants around your home, you must make sure you purchase 100% pure peppermint oil or any other product specifically created to serve as a mouse repellent. Make sure you look for 100% pure peppermint oil when you search online. Otherwise, it could not fulfill its purpose.
You can also find peppermint oil in health food stores. However, let them know that you are using it to repel mice, and they can tell you if the product you are buying can satisfy your needs.
Use The Correct Amount of Peppermint Oil
When you are using peppermint oil for mice, you have to use the needed product quantity. As we said above, the peppermint oil smell has to be strong enough to act as a mice repellent, so the more you apply, the better results you can get. Some experts recommend using four to six drops of oil on a cotton ball to stop mice getting into your home.
Choose The Correct Locations
There are three steps to place your peppermint oil correctly to repel mice.
#1. The first thing you have to do is place all the peppermint-soaked cotton balls in areas where mice are more likely to go through to enter your home. The Humane Society International also recommends using wool balls for this purpose. In any case, you must not overlook this step of the process. Otherwise, you are sentencing your home to a mice invasion.
Remember that mice have to smell the peppermint oil before entering your home to ensure that this product acts as a repellent. If you place peppermint oil after the mice got into your home, they are more likely to stay inside due to the peppermint oil smell blocking their entrance. When this happens, mice look for a place in the house without the oil scent.
#2. A problematic feature of mice is the pheromone trail they leave inside your home; these trails attract more mic, specifically males, who are searching for the female mice to reproduce. Peppermint oil is an effective way to mask those pheromones. You only need to locate the areas where the mice run through and place the cotton balls there.
#3. Last but not least, you can also put the peppermint-soaked cotton balls in places where you do not want mice to explore. It is an excellent method to catch them by not allowing them to hide in areas such as the bedrooms, the kitchen cabinets, under big furniture, or inside your closets.
Other Smells Mice Hate
- Ammonia.
- Mothballs.
- Chili Oil or Powder
Remember, you can only use peppermint oil as a mice repellent, but it is not the best choice to remove mice that live inside your home already. In that case, it could only prevent more mice from coming in while you get rid of the ones inside your house. If all of these steps fail, it may be time to call in an extermination company specializing in rodent removal.
If you’re looking for the right team to handle the issue for you, Synergy² is here to help. We provide trusted services throughout the area, so contact us for the best pest control services around.
Feel free to read more about us and decide if Synergy² is the right company for you. We have over 270 Five-Star Google reviews for pest control service in the Jackson metro area (Jackson/Madison/Brandon/Ridgeland). Check out our newest location reviews for pest control service in Jackson, MS here at Synergy² Jackson Pest Control!