As the weather becomes colder, critters will look for a spot to take shelter and find food, and the inside of your kitchen cabinets and the cracks in your pantry may provide just that. Also, if you think your house is an outlier, you better rethink it.
The house mouse and the Norway rat are the most prevalent rodents that may attack your home. Even though both species inhabit all regions of the United States, rats are more prevalent in urban and rural areas than mice are in the suburbs. You ask then, how do you keep them out? Fortunately, a simple and natural cure exists: peppermint tea.
Peppermint is a natural rodent repellent
Since mice rely so heavily on their sense of smell, the mere presence of peppermint in the form of tea or oil is enough to deter them. Mice are trained to follow the fragrance of other mice; when peppermint is introduced, they become disoriented.
Boiling a pot of peppermint tea is all it takes to get rid of those pesky rats. When the tea is done, discard the used teabags by scattering them around the house. Be generous in locations where you believe your undesirable visitors will gather. Two or three days is all it takes to eliminate mice and leave your home smelling fresh.
The effects of peppermint tea can be achieved using peppermint oil without the need for preparation. When compared to other harmful chemicals and pesticides, it is also environmentally friendly and safe for family and pets to use.
How to Use Peppermint Oil to Prevent Rodent Invasion?
Using essential oils to deter rodents can be done in one of three ways: You can use a spray bottle, sprinkle it on, or soak cotton balls. Apply a thin line of pure peppermint oil over the opening you suspect the rats are using to enter your home. This might be a window, a crack, or some other opening.
Dilute the oil with some water and spray it on a broader area if you want to cover more ground. If you can’t guess their motivation, this is the safer course of action. If you’re worried about oil getting on your floor, soak some cotton balls in undiluted peppermint oil and place them at the entrance points.
Important Considerations
Although peppermint oil works well as a deterrent, it is not a permanent solution. This means the oil needs to be reapplied every few days. You should also avoid keeping cotton balls out for too long. Little critters who have visited your home may take these as nesting material as the odor subsides.
Using a combination of natural deterrents and other methods, such as sealing off entrance points with steel wool, is the most effective way to exterminate unwanted pests from your home.