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.
Some people have found that they can deter rats from coming onto their property by using certain smells and aromas. The most effective smells are essential oils, specifically; peppermint, castor, and citronella.
One option could be to perfume your home with scents that rats hate, like ammonia or the smell of mothballs (although mothballs can be toxic to humans, too). Other options include peppermint, eucalyptus and citronella, although none of them have been proven to be effective against rats.
Ammonia – Another odor that rats can't tolerate is the pungent smell of ammonia. By mixing two cups of ammonia, one-quarter of water, and two teaspoons of detergent in a bowl, you can keep rats away from the home. Mothballs – Mothballs are also effective rat repellents. They are also easily available in markets.
Baking soda combines with the stomach acids to produce carbon dioxide gas which rats are unable to tolerate. In turn, it builds up within their system and eventually causes internal blockage and rupture. Soon enough, you will have the rat-free environment you always deserved.
In addition to plants, rats also dislike certain spices like peppermint, cloves, cayenne pepper, and chili. The smell of these near your bird feeder will also deter rats.
Pest Control – Eucalyptus is an effective remedy against pests like pantry moths, mice, or rats. To keep these pests out, place cotton balls moistened with two drops of eucalyptus oil in cabinets and drawers. For rodents, like mice or rats, the goal is to keep them outside where they belong.
All you need to do is mix 2 – 2 and a half cups of ammonia, 100 – 200 mL of water and a 2-3 spoonful of detergent in a bowl. Then, put it to places where rats are usually seen. The smell of ammonia is very pungent that it instantly kills rats.
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.
You can repel rats from your home and garden with scents they dislike, such as clover, garlic, onion, hot peppers containing capsaicin, house ammonia, used coffee grounds, peppermint, eucalyptus, predator (cat) scent, white vinegar, and citronella oil.
Peppermint Oil
On a cotton ball use no more than 5 drops of 100% peppermint essential oil. Spread the oil on areas that you want rats to avoid, in your case, around the garden.
Smells and Odors that attract rats
Odors and smells that come from pet waste, pet food, garbage containers, barbecue grills, birdfeeders, and even from unharvested fruit and nuts from plants can attract rats and mice.
Essential oils that may be helpful in repelling rats and mice include peppermint oil, lemon oil, citronella oil, and eucalyptus oil. You can make an essential oil spray by mixing 2 teaspoons of oil with 1 cup of water or rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle. Then spray it anywhere you see traces of rodents.
Vinegar. The pungent smell of vinegar is also a natural way to repel mice and rats. These pests cannot stand the sharp scent of vinegar, which means it can be used as an effective rodent repellent.
Citronella oil is a natural, plant-based repellent used to deter rats. The extracted oil is from the leaves of citronella plants. The scent of citronella can reduce a rat's appetite, which is why it is an ingredient in pest control.
EarthKind founder, Kari Warberg Block, tested using peppermint oil for pest control extensively in her farm equipment over a 3 year period. Kari says, “It would work for a couple of weeks, and then just lose its scent.
Avoid harmful foods such as onion, citrus fruits, walnuts, rhubarb, grapes, raisins and chocolate. Avoid sugars and high-fat foods such as dairy. Rats like sweet and fatty food, but it can cause health problems if they eat too much of it, so only use these as treats and rewards during training.
Failing to report a rat infestation is not wise – they do not disappear of their own accord and they will likely spread.
Eucalyptus or Peppermint oil can repel rats because they hate the smell. Another way to use a rat's sense of smell against them is to plant peppermint and catnip in strategic places. Diatomaceous earth is non-toxic to humans, but it can dry out rats until they die.
Hawks and falcons hunt by day, and owls typically hunt by night. Owls are especially dangerous to rats because they hunt at the same time that rats forage for food. The Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicenis) is North America's most familiar and widespread large hawk.
For a relatively minor infestation, it will take around 3 weeks to eliminate rats. This is when you have a couple of rats scuttling around, but it's nothing serious. On the other hand, if you have a severe infestation, it can take up to 3 months to solve.
Mice or rats die in 24 to 36 hours when exposed to baking soda due to its strong alkalinity, which is well beyond the levels they can handle. Baking soda is natural and mice or rats cannot discriminate between it and food. It does not have to mix with poison or other substances for mice or rats to ingest it.