When it comes to how long the oil will last, generally the cotton balls will need to be replaced 1-2 times per week as the peppermint smell quickly wears off from them. If using the spray method, that will likely need to be completed 1-2 times per week as well, or whenever the smell of the oil wears off.
Peppermint oil is an effective method for keeping mice and rats away. These rodents cannot stand this oil's robust and minty smell, so a few drops around your home can go a long way in keeping them away.
Essential Oils
Then spray it anywhere you see traces of rodents. Like the ammonia spray, you can also use cotton balls. If you choose the spray method, you'll want to reapply in about a week and if you use cotton balls, replace them after two weeks.
Place the liquid in a spray bottle and shake it well before spraying in problematic areas. Katarina adds that you should reapply the spray every two weeks to ensure the rodent stays away for good.
Add 1 cup of water to your spray bottle first. Then, add 10 to 15 drops of pure peppermint oil. Shake the mixture up well, and you're ready to go! Spray your new repellent around your home anywhere rats might get in.
Place the cotton balls in the oil and allow it to soak the oil until completely saturated. Place the cotton balls at entry points (windows, doors, or known crevices). You can also place them in spaces containing food like cupboards or known nesting locations like attics, garages or crawl spaces.
So how do peppermint oils help trap mice and rats? Pure peppermint oil contains a strong menthol scent that's said to irritate a rodent's sense of smell. You can use it to create a peppermint oil spray and spritz it on the areas where you suspect they roam in the house.
Peppermint oil and mice
Nope! It will make your home smell good, but it certainly won't get rid of your unwanted lodgers. Peppermint oil is assumed to be a great mouse repellent because, in high concentrations, it can be quite potent and mice have a very sensitive sense of smell.
Peppermint obviously has a strong scent, one that mice dislike. According to Victor Pest, peppermint contains very potent menthol compounds that irritate their nasal cavities. A whiff of peppermint certainly does keep them away. So do these best mouse repellents, by the way.
This makes peppermint oil, chili powder, citronella, and eucalyptus the most common natural rodent repellents. Chemical smells, such as ammonia, bleach, and mothballs also work as mice deterrents.
The side effects of peppermint oil include rashes, headaches, dizziness, and blisters in the mouth and nostrils. It may also interact with certain medications and may exhibit toxicity if used in higher amounts.
Peppermint oil is toxic to dogs and can cause mild to severe symptoms, including diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, and even lethargy. Peppermint oil poisoning can be fatal, especially if it's not treated as soon as possible. If you believe your dog has consumed peppermint oil, take them to the vet as soon as possible.
Peppermint contains a potent compound known as menthol, which irritates rodents' nasal cavities and disorients them, causing them to stray away from areas that contain the scent. To incorporate peppermint into your home, you can either grow peppermint plants or use essential oils.
While peppermint is generally a bug repellent, there are some types of insects that are actually attracted to the smell of mint and/or mint plants. The really neat thing is that the insects mint attracts are actually beneficial!
A quick search online explained that mice find the smell of peppermint overwhelming and confusing, so they stay away from the scent.
They'll use the same minty essential oils that they implement for treating coughs and muscle aches. However, a lot of them aren't powerful enough to repel mice. Try using concentrated peppermint oils, so it is strong enough to make mice turn away.
Any new or unexpected noise will frighten them and send them scurrying. However, once rodents get used to a sound, they will no longer fear it. This means that ultrasonic repellents can be effective at first, but if an area has plenty of food and provides shelter, the rats will have a great incentive to return.
Some are sold specifically to repel rodents. However, there is little data that these devices repel insects or are effective in rodent control. Rats and mice emit high-pitched sounds and may communicate using these sounds. Devices that use sound that humans can hear typically have no effect on the rodents.
A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that the essential oil of eucalyptus was effective at repelling mice, both in the short and long term. Eucalyptus oil has a strong smell, which contributes to its ability to repel mice.
Middle notes, like rosemary, geranium, and chamomile, often aromatically evaporate within two to four hours. And heavier base notes, like myrrh, cedarwood, and ginger can be detected by olfaction for five or more hours and may even linger for days.
Natural Armor Peppermint Repellent Spray for Rats and Other Pests is one of the best value peppermint oils you can buy. This natural, long-lasting product comes in a gallon with a spray bottle and is in ready-to-spray form. You'll love that you can use Natural Armor indoors and outdoors to protect your home from rats.
Perform a thorough exclusion and pest-proofing service on your home, sealing off all possible entry points. Set up live active traps in strategic locations where rat activity has been observed, such as near food sources and nesting sites. Monitor the traps regularly and promptly remove any captured rats.
Mix two teaspoons of peppermint oil with a cup of water and a couple of drops of detergent and put it in a spray bottle. Spray it around your vehicle as you would around the foundation of your home. The idea is to throw off the scent of the mice so they won't continue invading your vehicle.