Mousetraps aren't the only tactic for keeping mice away. This simple, natural remedy will help keep those furry little creatures gone for good.
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How to Get of Mice With This Surprising Hack
![How to Get of Mice With This Surprising Hack](https://www.familyhandyman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/mouse-in-house-GettyImages-1080903030.jpg)
It’s pretty clear that having mice in your home is not a pleasant experience; in fact, a mouse problem is worse than you thought. Even if they seem innocent, mice can damage your home and even create dangerous conditions.
However, having a home without mice doesn’t necessarily mean buying a slew of mousetraps and cheese. Mice can be easily avoided around your household by simply adding the scent of peppermint in corners where they congregate. Yes, that’s right, peppermint.
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How to Use Peppermint to Keep Mice Away
Although natural remedies aren’t always the answer when getting rid of pests (like using cucumbers to get rid of cockroaches, along with many other methods that don’t kill cockroaches), peppermint offers a successful natural remedy that works when trying to repel mice. This has to do with the nature of mice, which rely mostly on their sense of smell instead of their vision. Mice have incredibly weak vision but a strong, keen sense of smell. Which makes sense as to why mice typically go for a large chunk of stinky cheese, right?
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.
Grow Peppermint Plants for Mice
Now, you can use two ways to incorporate the smell of peppermint into your home. The first is growing peppermint plants and leaving them around the house. The smell deters them from entering or roaming around in the first place. As a bonus, you can harvest this peppermint from time to time to season your favorite dishes!
Spray Peppermint Oil for Mice
If you don’t fancy a home full of peppermint plants, then you might prefer using peppermint oil instead. Spray the essential oil in different areas of your home that mice can access. If you’re trying to catch the mice, strategically spray the peppermint oil in places that don’t have a mousetrap. In theory, this should lead them to wherever you have placed it. If peppermint doesn’t work, then try out these tips to get rid of rats.
If you have pets or small children, be careful using the essential oil. Many essential oils can be toxic to them. Keep the bottle out of their reach at all times and do your best to limit their access to the areas that you’ve sprayed the oil.