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 mouse deterrent 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 (as do these other top mouse repellents, by the way).
Grow Peppermint Plants for Mice
You can use two methods to incorporate the smell of peppermint into your home as a mouse deterrent. The first is to grow 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.
Safety note: If you have pets or small children, use the essential oil with caution, because it can be toxic in high doses. Keep the bottle out of their reach at all times and do your best to limit their access to the areas where you’ve sprayed the oil.
