I have mice in my attached garage. I ran out and purchased several little bottles of peppermint oil and saturated many cotton balls and put them all around. The mice are practically laughing at me. I do not want to kill them, just repel them. Help.
Hi all who love animals but not when they don't pay rent ..ok my girl is 22 months old. I have a box room that looks like ww3 behind the fridge I found a 12inch doorway for these guys to walk though what bothered me was the cute little size of the first one i saw they breed at the rate of fire I realized that there must be a whole nest waiting to breed again ok I went and got 100%pure p-mint oil put half in an old atomizer with a bit of water and set the nozzle to a fine mist.
I just did the centers of the rooms (always leave your enemy an escape route kinda thing) i did this one hour ago its night time and there going nuts hopefully they will retreat to the zone that's not my home next I'm gonna give the place a blast of scrubbing mopping and shaking sweeping furniture beating surface disinfecting the I'll do the cotton wool p-mint doormen. I will keep you all posted as tonight is the proof for me.
WOW well done for the oil its like the exidous im keeping quiet and watching these little beggers chat as they leave its actualy quite scary that i thought there was only a few im so graetfull that the good lord saw fit to make peppermint arrrgh no theres another one they look pissed glad it works cant realy see myself hiting somthing as pathetic as a doormouse i knew there was a way just hope there gona stay gone ive still got to do the boarder patrol but so far so good :)
OK first of all, mice are in heat every 5 days and can pop a litter at your house every 21 days. I guess I would do more than just make them smell good with peppermint. The mint factor is to plant that around the outside of your home. It is like weeds when it gets going and has good roots too. This is to DETER them away and not hid around your house.
Once they gain entrance, you have to poison or trap. The best is the sticky traps. My son's home was taken over by the mice that came in to the house in the fall cold. 15 caught in 1 day. No food, drawers, etc are safe. Even get into the oven not in use.
If you have pet feeding areas, vermin love that--not only mice. One trade off, if you have snakes in your yard, you don't often get mice. Natural enemies. Mickey Mouse is not real, but your problem is. Put your thoughts elsewhere to a humane society, etc and just plain trap/poison those mice. Think of the germs and disease they bring into the house. You or them!
PS. I love the peppermint on the cotton ball--use it all the time for sinus issues. Tuck it in a pocket, stick it by your pillow.
Don't use moth balls. They are terribly toxic, and smell terrible. I would prefer the mice. For proper mouse control, you need a cat, or maybe two. Anything else is a waste of time. If they are in your garage, it is only a matter of time before they are in your cupboard eating the rice, cereal, and crackers.
You can't repel mice. They don't take hints. You could trap them, I suppose, or set out poison, figure out where they are coming in, and cover the holes with metal. It is just so much easier to have cats. Besides, they purr.
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Request: Peppermint Oil for Mice Control (02/24/2010)
We were told to use peppermint oil to get rid of mice. We were told to put a few drops of it on a cotton ball then place it where they or you think they come in.
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Request: Peppermint Oil for Mice Control
Archived on 02/24/2010
We were told to use peppermint oil to get rid of mice. We were told to put a few drops of it on a cotton ball then place it where they or you think they come in. What we would like to know is how much is a few drops and can you use any type of peppermint oil or does it have to be the best?
Thanks, Gene from WI
Feedback:
RE: Peppermint Oil for Mice Control
Peppermint Oil is very effective at keeping mice out of cupboards, etc. Just put a few drops on a cotton ball and put in cupboards, etc. Replenish every couple of weeks. Peppermint oil can be purchased at most health food stores.
To answer the question below about ants: peppermint is an excellent ant repellent. So you needn't worry about it attracting bugs.
(11/28/2007)
By Uzuri
RE: Peppermint Oil for Mice Control
Put peppermint soaked cotton balls in aluminum foil and poke holes in it. Mice can't bite through foil. (12/18/2007)
By BJ
RE: Peppermint Oil for Mice Control
When I opened my camping trailer in the spring of 2007, it was loaded with mouse droppings. When I closed my trailer in the fall of 2007, I put peppermint oil in glass cups (will melt plastic ones) all over the trailer. When I opened up this past spring, not one dropping anywhere. I don't care how much it costs, I'm sold. (05/30/2008)
Use a pure peppermint oil. You can order off the internet. Three years ago I had a bad mouse problem. I started with the oil. Not one mouse, or dropping since. I can't praise it enough. I use small cotton balls and saturate them. I put them out by the garage door, the interior entrance door, behind the dryer and frig and under the kitchen sink. I change them out every 2-3 weeks. So worth it. (05/30/2008)
By Fran
RE: Peppermint Oil for Mice Control
Make sure you use pure peppermint oil and not extract. You buy this at health/vitamin stores in the essential oils section. (09/28/2008)
RE: Peppermint Oil for Mice Control
You can also use panti-liners cut into one inch strips to make mini-stickups in hidden places. (baseboards behind drapes, under or in cabinets) They are discreet since cut into small strips. Just expose less of the glue strip if concerned about the damaging surface of your cabinets. (10/04/2008)
By Stick'Ems
RE: Peppermint Oil for Mice Control
I put a few drops of peppermint oil in the cabinet, and in the drawer without a cotton ball. The smell stays until you wash it. (10/11/2008)
By sone978 AT aol.com
RE: Peppermint Oil for Mice Control
Peppermint oil? Forget it.
At least for me, didn't work. And the oil I used was so strong it made me dizzy. At first I thought; must be part-mouse. But since it didn't work on them, I just realized how I hate peppermint. What did work was cayenne pepper sprinkled around the area.
Note to the person with the stove problem: If you have access to the area underneath the stovetop (some stovetops are lid-like), then sprinkle the pepper liberally, coating the area, then close the lid. Sprinkle behind the stove, and underneath if possible. (10/22/2008)
By Ed
Peppermint Oil for Mice Control
Take a mesh metal scouring pad and pull it apart. Wrap a section of the looser mesh around the cotton ball with oil. The claim is that mice (and rats) can't eat through the metal. Another recommendation is using the pulled mesh to block any suspected openings that the vermin use.
I find that taking wads or tufts of cat hair (from combing my cat) and stuffing them in under dressers and furniture will reduce traffic. I've used both salvaged garlic clove bags or retired knee-high nylons stuffed with cat hair for "repellent sachets". (11/01/2008)
By Lotto
RE: Peppermint Oil for roaches Control
Diluting the peppermint oil works, as well full strength. (01/31/2009)
By Jeannie
RE: Peppermint Oil for Mice Control
For the people that say the cotton balls are disappearing: mix peppermint oil with cayenne pepper and dip the cotton balls in the solution.
The peppermint oil irritates rodents but it eventually will evaporate. Once it has evaporated the rodents like the cotton balls for nesting material. However, they will not take the cotton balls with the cayenne pepper as it will burn and irritate them, too.
To be most effective you should replace or re-dip the cotton balls ever few weeks. One or two drops will evaporate rather quickly. I'd recommend a bit more than that by saturating the cotton balls. You may want to protect wood or painted indoor surfaces by placing the cotton ball on a small glass candle plate. (04/18/2009)
I have used peppermint oil for years with great success. It can be a little hard to find pure oil, but can be done. I also planted peppermint plants around my deck in order to create another barrier before entering the house. It is a great ground cover that spreads easily and is very fragrant when you cut it down. It is next to impossible to kill. I put my cotton balls in every room, because I want to ensure I leave no area untouched. Also, at first you will feel like you are in a candy store with the smell of peppermint, but you do get used to it. (09/29/2009)