7 Smells Mice Absolutely Hate
Mice and rats are tricky little things. You can always buy poison, but then you risk the critter dying and stinking up your house, or worse, your babies or pets get into it. Thankfully, there are several scents that rats hate so much, they’d rather stay away than have to smell them.
Even better, these are non-toxic, so they’re much safer than poison! Here are 7 smells that will keep the critters away.
Bay Leaves
Who knew that something as simple as bay leaves could be your secret weapon against rats? Just scatter a few bay leaves around your place—think cupboards, corners, or anywhere you’ve spotted signs of rat activity. Rats really can’t stand the strong scent, it messes with their noses and sends them running.
Vinegar
Vinegar is good for just about everything —yes, even good for repelling rats. Just mix some with water and you’ve got yourself a rat repellent that’s both cheap and easy to whip up. Rats really can’t handle the strong smell. Just spray it around their favorite hangouts—entry points, along walls, behind appliances. But don’t go too crazy with the strength; it should be potent enough to bother the rats, not you.
Mint
Mint isn’t just for gum and cocktails—it’s also pretty great at keeping rats away. Planting some mint around your place does double duty: it makes your yard look nice and acts like a no-rat zone.
Not into gardening? No problem. Toss some dried mint leaves or dab a bit of mint oil on cotton balls and place them where you’ve seen rats or think they might show up.
Mint is also great for repelling spiders, so it’s a win-win!
Eucalyptus
Using eucalyptus oil or crushed leaves can create an invisible barrier that rats just won’t cross. Simply sprinkle some leaves or dab a bit of oil in the corners of your garage or basement, and you’ll notice the difference.
Rats find the intense scent of eucalyptus too overpowering, making them high-tail it out of there. Plus, it’ll make your house smell nice and clean!
Cayenne Pepper
Just a little sprinkle of cayenne pepper around your home’s entry points or known rat hangouts can work wonders. Rats, like most critters, are not fans of the spicy scent. But remember, sprinkle this with care. I promise, you do not want your babies getting into it and hurting themselves!
Peppermint
Mice, surprisingly, are not fans of peppermint. Just a few drops of peppermint oil or some scattered fresh leaves can make your space a no-go zone for these critters. It’s pretty simple to use, too. Try soaking some cotton balls in peppermint oil and tuck them into those nooks and crannies where mice love to sneak around—think entryways, near the trash can, or any dark little corners.
Garlic
Grlic is a powerful deterrent against mice. For an easy fix, place cloves of garlic or dabs of garlic oil in spots like potential entry points or near suspected nesting areas. Mice find the strong odor of garlic overwhelming and steer clear.
Bonus points: garlic also offers antibacterial properties and can help keep other pests, like mosquitoes and flies, at bay.
