Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

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RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I spent $20+ on two 4-oz. bottles of 100% pure peppermint essential oil. Saturated about 30-35 cotton balls and spread them around inside my 1800-1900 square foot house, especially in the kitchen. Used a whole bottle. The house reeked of peppermint, but it was a good reek. I thought this was going to be great.

During the first five days, I'd occasionally hear a mouse-like sound, or see a furtive movement out of the corner of my eye, but I did not see a mouse. I convinced my self that the noise was my own stomach and that the movement was only a reflection in my glasses. On day six I opened the small kitchen drawer that holds our flatware. New mouse droppings everywhere inside it--including next to the cotton ball I had saturated and put inside this small drawer, which still was giving off potent peppermint odor.

Later that day I saw a mouse come out from behind our clothes dryer where I had tossed two saturated cotton balls. I opened the second bottle of peppermint oil and tossed two more heavily-saturated cotton balls behind the dryer. The next morning I watched a mouse come out from behind the dryer, do an amazing acrobatic act for about 30 seconds, then turn around and go back behind the dryer again. So much for peppermint repelling mice.

I think the people on this site who tell you that 100% peppermint oil works are either: (1) wishful thinkers; (2) people who just spoke too soon; or (3) people who work for companies selling peppermint oil. Even if my second application of peppermint oil had worked for another five days (and I don't think it worked in the first place), $10-worth of peppermint oil every five days comes to about $750 a year. But since it doesn't work anyway, what does that matter?

Post by nimbleswitch

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

How often do you have to refresh the peppermint oil? are there any other humane/natural solutions? I just moved into a condo in Boston. It's an old building and i have mice that seem to come in and out of the baseboard heaters. No way to plug them up. I put 100% peppermint oil around the heaters and in other places I thought they might come in and I still see them. I didn't notice them the first day or two. Is this something that should be done every day or so? I'd appreciate any advice on how to move these guys along with out hurting them. Thanks!

Post by alibuck

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

We had trouble with mice getting into our motorhome while stored in the yard. We went to Tractor Supply and in the rat poison section there was a box containing 4 small canvas bags with some kind of natural stuff in it that keeps mice and rats away from the area you place them in. We put all four small bags in our RV four months ago and haven't seen any evidence of mice since. The bags have a nice scent to us, but apparently rodents don't like it.

Post by bsmoreland

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I had good success with peppermint oil. It has kept mice out of my underground spring house and water tank house, where they were always nesting before. I made a long-term peppermint scent dispenser using oil lamp parts from Lehman's Hardware in Kidron Ohio. They sell a Canning Jar Oil Lamp Adapter for $1.95, and a #2 oil lamp burner for $2.95. Put these together, screw the adapter onto a 4 oz canning jar containing peppermint oil, turn up the wick, and you have a non-stop mouse deterrent that lasts for months on one fill.

Obviously, you don't light it! I'm sure peppermint oil is highly inflammable.

Post by BobAcland

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I think the replies here show that it doesnt work in all cases. There may be other factors in play lie age of house, type of mice, type of area etc I'm trying this for the first time today as we've a pretty bad mouse problem, will let you know how it goes.

Post By Sboy (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

Use it in my RV. Had mice last winter, none this year since using the oil. Ordered online.

Post By Rick (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I am so gonna try the peppermint oil! I have purchased it previously at our local pharmacy so I know you can purchase oil there. I used it to make Christmas candy one year and FYI, the fumes are very strong and will burn your eyes and can cause skin irritation so BEWARE! Other than that, I am gonna try it. I got nothing to lose...except mice! Yuck!

Post By ree (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I am so gonna try the peppermint oil! I have purchased it previously at our local pharmacy so I know you can purchase oil there. I used it to make Christmas candy one year and FYI....the fumes are very strong and will burn your eyes and can cause skin irritation so BEWARE! Other than that, I am gonna try it. I got nothing to lose, except mice! Yuck!

Post By ree (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

You can buy peppermint oil off of ebay for like $4.00.

Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I am trying to use peppermint oil too. I have a mouse problem and its absolution disgusting. I killed one of them with a glue trap and felt horrible for it and now I am looking to other remedies to get rid of them. I brought the oil off of ebay and its the strongest thing I ever smelled, its from india. I put cotton balls around the house soaked in the oil. I am not lying the scent was so strong at first I smelled the peppermint outside and I live on the second floor!! lol. So far I found more droppings on my counter(absolutely disgusting) not as many so I put more like 5 more cotton balls on my counter and around the oven . I refuse to give up hope. so I will let you know if the oil works in a week or so.

Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

it worked for me for a while but, now I have at least one mouse in my room for the past week and I cant seem to catch him or get rid of him! he has out smartered my traps twice! lol and I also think I have used to much peppermint oil in the past 6 months. I had brought some empty boxes in to pack stuff because we are in the process of moving and I think maybe that is how one of mice come in! because, before that I had No Problems at all!

Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

Yes I have one little mouse that keeps coming to my room. I have no food in here because I checked thoroughly today and it's clean. He was in my perm box last night. for what? I don't know. I'm going to definitely try this. My friend told me about crushed peppermint and water. I didn't believe her so I looked it up. A peppermint stick is 100% peppermint right or no?

Post By MoMO (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

Hi all! If the peppermint doesn't work for you, try spearmint. In aromatherapy classes, they recommend it!

Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I have a cat. Time to try the peppermint oil.

Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)

Going to try the oil. Heard used cat litter works too

I guess when the mice smell the big cat pee they get scared. I don't have a cat and would feel pretty weird asking someone at work for some used cat litter. Anyhow, they get near my water heater and I'm going to try the oil today.

Post By J (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

How long does it take for the peppermint oil to "repel" the mice ? I just put cotton balls filled with peppermint oil around my apt and just saw 2 mice .

Post by Tiredofmice

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil is $20 at GNC. Instead, buy it at iherb for $10, Now Foods Peppermint Oil, 4 oz. Use code HIT028 to get $5 off.

It does get rid of mice and ants! Also, mix it with a little oil or aloe vera and put on your dogs paws to calm them when it storms.

Post By J.White (Guest Post)

Where to buy the Peppermint Oil

You can get it from any organic store. You have to get PURE peppermint oil. Nothing else will substitute.

My cousin has been a janitor for years and says its the only thing that has worked for him to get rid of mice for the last 25 years. This is the time of year that they want to come into your home so its time to get some. Absorb cotton balls in it and put them around your home. They will not come back!

Post By Sassymama22 (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

Can you use a plant? We bought a trailer from a deary and it's full of mice. I take in foster dogs so I cant use bait and stuff that can kill the dogs cindysfarm17565 AT yahoo.com please if anyone can help email me. They are eating the wiring etc and I don't have any other home to move into. Thanks, Cindy

Post By Cynthia F (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

Were do you get peppermint oil? Dick

Post By Dick C. (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

To those who have found that Peppermint doesn't work:

You must use pure pure Peppermint Oil - usually sold as 'Essential Oil' or 'Aromatherapy Oil'. Don't waste time and money using 'Peppermint Extract' as used for flavoring - baking, drinks etc - as it just won't work. (mice may actually quite like it!)

In the UK you can buy pure peppermint aromatherapy oil from herbalists, health food shops etc. 'Holland & Barrett' stock it
http://tinyurl.com/4vnjkk Works well for me!

Post By Mike (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I have been using Peppermint Oil to deter the mice from our summer home for three years now. As we open the house in the spring, and when we close it in the fall. I bought cheap disposable aluminum muffin tins, cut them to make individual cups, and put the peppermint oil cotton balls in them. That way there is no mess from the oil. I haven't seen any mice in three years now, and the house smells pleasant.

Post By mamadole (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

Sorry, but this fails at getting rid of mice. I own pet mice, and have feed them peppermints, out of everything I've ever feed them (outside of there store brought food), they take to the peppermints the most. In fact the only reason I'm here is because I googled peppermints and mice. I had heard in the past that mice are detoured my mint, but this time i was looking for proof that they liked mint. This method would not work. Get a cat but then again they really don't work, unless they've been trained to hunt mice (get a stray cat)

Post By Parris (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

This is the second day, I used McCormic's peppermint oil, and it did not work. The mouse just sat on the cabinet starring at me when I went to the kitchen. Time to get a cat.

Post By Jonathon (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

Hi

Yesterday I filled a plastic spray bottle (like you'd use for your ironing) with PEPPERMINT CORDIAL bought from a supermarket. Then went around all the areas the mouse was visiting and sprayed it....result?....NO MICE!....it's cheap and chearful.....

regards
Peppermice

Post By Peppermice (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

Please someone answer my question. I am going to try some peppermint oil today, how come it works for some people and doesn't work for others. It doesn't make sense if it's 100%. Then what do you think is the problem because I need help bad. I also ordered Reddicks but it have not been shipped yet.

Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I bought my peppermint oil at GNC, I just started using it, hope it works!

Post By heidi (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

Go to http://www.bodyoilsny.com/ . We carry the best pepperment oil to get rid of mice.

Post By michael (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

It works! What a blessing. I have been traveling miles with my have-a-heart traps to relocate them. It's exhausting. I am rural, so there are mice AND RATS. Wonder if it works for all rodents. Thanks.

Post By olga (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

Is peppermint oil the same as pure peppermint extract? That's all I can find so far.

Editor's Note: Peppermint oil is different than peppermint extract. Extracts contain a high percentage of alcohol. You should be able to find food grade peppermint oil for making candies or essential oils for perfume or candlemaking. I would look at hobby stores or online.

Post By star (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I saw Susan's post a month ago. I live in nyc and every so often, get mice. I tried twining's peppermint tea leaves and peppermint oil. It works great!

I think one needs to replace the cotton balls every 3-4 weeks. Presently, I just dripped drops of the stuff around my apartment, but I may have dripped too much in this room, as the peppermint smell (even though I generally like the smell) is irritating my throat and burning my eyes some. So if you're sensitive like I am, use the cotton balls or q-tips because if you put more down than you yourself can stand, you can at least minimize the smell yourself. Now I have to suffer with this more than strong peppermint fumes irritating me from dripping drops on the floor. -wen

Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I am going to try it tonight to see if it really works. We've caught three mice with the traps, but there is still one or more floating around in the house. I left the trap down in the kitchen were I heard it. Sometimes these little critters are too smart. If this doesn't work am gonna try the potato flakes.

Post By jackie (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

We've had mice in our walls for 10 years. We've tried everything. The peppermint oil does work. It's FANTASTIC!! For the first time in 10 years we don't have any mice. It worked in the garage too!!

Post By Kristi (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

What about chipmunks? Will the oil work for them too?

Post By Lauren (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I tried the Peppermint and I no longer see mice dropping however I do hear them at night but I don't see any drop. I will continue to use...thanks

Post By Peggy (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

Worked for me..when I opened up my camping trailer in 2007, it was loaded with mouse droppings. When I closed it in 2007, I put peppermint oil in cups throughout the trailer (would suggest using glass as it seems to melt the plastic cups). When I opened up this past weekend, I could still smell the peppermint, and not one mouse dropping in the trailer. It is so worth it to me!

Post By Pam (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

THANK YOU! I'm going to try it tonight! The little fellas got in my new car, grrrr.

Post By Heather, MO (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I am using the peppermint oil tonight for the first time. I caught two mice using the glue traps with peanut butter, now they won't go near them. I put cotton balls SOAKED in peppermint oil all over my house as well as 4 snap traps. So I guess I will see in the morning if I have caught anything.

Post By Jewel (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I hope this works. I'm so tired of mice. How about the glue boards? I tried them and I found the dropping, not the mouse.

Post By dijo (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

YES IT WORKS! I am so petrified of mice that I cry literally! I used 100% Peppermint oil....no mice...no droppings!

Post By Joy in Baltimore (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I have set traps and they still trip them. I have a dog but I am gonna do on good cleaning and get some peppermint oil. Will it hurt the dog? I don't want these little fellas dying in my walls...eeewww. I just want them gone?

Post By beth (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

be sure to use peppermint oil- not extract. the extract contains a sugar alcohol that attracts ants.
you can also plant mint but be very careful as it is invasive and spreads like wildfire once fully mature. we planted some near our camp near the water and hit it with the weed whacker once a week and it keeps them out of the camper in the winter. getting rid of the mice also helps keep the snakes away. the peppermint essential oil works good in the months when the plants are dormant.

Post By rebecca (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I am trying peppermint tea, it has the same smell just not intense though, hopefully it works, I placed all the cotton balls near traps so hopefully if it doesn't work and attract the mouse it will get trapped!

Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)

we will see

We have just saturated our house with 100% peppermint oil so I will posted a message in a couple of days of whether it worked or not. One thing for sure is that our house smells wonderfully.

Post By ramsey (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

Upon the advice of my cleaning person, I put a cotton ball soaked with peppermint oil into a rodent hole in my bathroom to repel the mice. The next morning I found a large dead mouse in my bathtub. This stuff must be toxic and cause a mouse to seek water. Is it a repelling or killing substance? Based on this experience I would not put it where pets could eat it.

Post By Gail (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

It worked for me. We purchased two havaheart traps, used the bucket with ramp and dog kibble at the bottom trick and placed the cotton balls wherever I had seen droppings away from the traps. Of course we also stopped leaving our dry dog food out all day. Miraculously we captured 17 mice in 6 days and I haven't seen a mouse turd since the oil went out. We are very, very happy.

Post By Suzanna (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

Nope, peppermint oil did not work for me, but I did catch 22 mice in four days when I bought a humane trap and let them go one mile from my home hoping they will not find their way back!

Post By Sandy. (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

Does this work with rats as well?

Post By Cindy (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

Unfortunately, this did not work at all for me. I continue to see mice scurrrying when I didn't expect to EVER see them again. I used 100% pure peppermint oil from a health food store. Now I just have balls of cotton all around the house!

Post By Jacquita (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I was so frustrated with Mickey and his friends so I got a bottle of Peppermint Oil from Whole Foods on Monday. I've been pouring drops of oil along the base boards/mice path nightly and I have not seen any droppings for the past 3 days. I hope it's the answer to my problem. I'll continue to do this until I move out. LOL

Post By Darline (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

i heard you can put moth balls around the areas and they hate the smell. sue

Editor's Note: Mothballs do deter a lot of things but then we have a lot of people coming back to find out how to get rid of the mothball smell. They also can be harmful to pets. Use them with caution.

Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

Lindberg Nutrition or health food stores sell 100% peppermint oil. I am trying this one out today to get the squirrels out of my flower beds.

Post By Cali gal (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

Where do you buy 100% peppermint oil?

Post by Patnmare

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

i have tried the peppermint oil and it doesnt work the mice just steal the the cotton balls and ripe the apart and you find them in different spots and i did use real peppermint oil so dont waste your time doing this

Post By jill (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I really hope this works. I have only found evidence of one mouse, but I want to get rid of them before they become a bigger problem. Plus I am expecting my first child in less than a week and definetly need an all natural solution to this matter.

Post By mikesondra@yahoo.com (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

how much oil, how often

Post By maureen (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I'm excited to try it. Have the peppermint oil and cotton balls...just need to put them down. How often do you put new cotton balls down? Do you know how long it lasts?

Post By Korey (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

My problem is mice attacking my car!!!!!! I have spent a fortune and alot of lost time with the car in the garage. I tried the bounce sheets but I would like to try the peppermint oil. Where do you think the best placement of the oil would be? I have some old stockings that I filled with cotton and the oil and have stapled them on polls around the parking area so far.
help!!!!!!

Post By whitecj@telenet.net (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I didn't work at all! I put the cottonballs all over the house, the 100% pure essential oil that I bought at a health food store. I really believed in this, but the mouse just walked right over it and right into the trap. BANG! At least I got one, but I was really hoping it would scare all the mice away. There was 3 cotton balls with 3 drops each within three feet of the trap. And they have only been there for 24 hrs. Maybe my mice like mint? Any other suggestions?

Post By Anna (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I didn't work at all! I put the cottonballs all over the house, the 100% pure essential oil that I bought at a health food store. I really believed in this, but the mouse just walked right over it and right into the trap. BANG! At least I got one, but I was really hoping it would scare all the mice away. There was 3 cotton balls with 3 drops each within three feet of the trap. And they have only been there for 24 hrs. Maybe my mice like mint? Any other suggestions?

Post By Anna (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

It works great for me and makes your house smell good thank you

Post By Philhammond . (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

What does the peppermint oil do to the mice?

Post By LeKenya (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

how often do i put the oil on the cotton ball?

Post By ingar (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

I wonder how long the cotton ball dipped in the Peppermint would last. How often would this need to be done to keep the mice away?

Post By Sue (Guest Post)

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

RE: Where do you get Peppermint Oil?
You can purchase Peppermint Oil in your local Health Food Store also some of the Super Grocery Stores that have a large health section might carry them. Just buy the cheapest one that says 100% Pure Essential Oil. One small bottle will last a very long time. If you have any questions you can e-mail me.
speavoy@rogers.com

Post by suzi_q_6873

RE: Get Rid of Mice Naturally With Peppermint Oil

Where do you get peppermint oil?

Post By Meari (Guest Post)

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