Peppermint oil is the safest, most natural, effective way to get rid of mice. When someone discovers they are being visited by these furry little rodents, they immediately resort to traps or poison. Traps, however, are messy, and poison is dangerous for children and pets. The problem is, peppermint oil is not widely known as a deterrent for mice. Most individuals are skeptical about trying something they are not familiar with; but peppermint oil has been proven to work. How does it work, you ask? Let me share with you how peppermint oil gets rid of mice for good.
According to the Humane Society of the United States, mice have a very keen sense of smell. This strong sense of smell provides a way of communicating social dominance, territorial markings, and survival from prey, as well as, finding food. Peppermint oil has a very strong scent, although pleasing to humans, mice hate it. The tiny, sensitive nose of a mouse can’t handle the potent aroma, they immediately run away from it.
To effectively get rid of mice with peppermint oil, you need to know where you can purchase this product. In order for this to successfully work Not many stores like Wal-Mart sell peppermint oil; try looking in the essential oils section of a health and vitamin store, such as GNC. Search online stores like Amazon.com or EBay; both sell peppermint oil, as well as, giving you a chance to read the reviews of the product. Be sure that you buy the 100% peppermint oil, not the extract.
To start, you will need to find the spots where your mice are hiding out. Next, look for mice droppings, such as, behind the refrigerator, cabinets, drawers, and storage; this will give you an idea of where to place the peppermint oil. Once you’ve done this, take cotton balls and soak them in the peppermint oil. Now, begin leaving the saturated cotton balls in the places you found droppings, followed by the paths along walls they travel. Just a caution, even though peppermint oil smells good, it is really strong on its aroma; so be careful, it can irritate your eyes and throat.
Depending on how many mice you have will depend on how long you should wait to see if it worked successfully. In my experience, mice should be gone in no more than 2 weeks; your results could be quicker. Plug up mice entryways once you are sure they are gone; the mice won’t have a place to escape if you do it beforehand. Search for mice entryways inside your home and outside, then place steel wool pads in smaller holes and board up the bigger ones. The use of steel wool pads may sound odd, but mice can’t chew through them.
Peppermint oil can also get rid of mice in cars, RVs, and storage sheds. Remember to change cotton balls at least once a month; over time they will lose their scent.
The use of peppermint oil has left my home mice free for 2 years. Follow these directions and you too will be rid of mice for good.
Humane Society of the United States
http://humanesociety.org/animals_in_research/species_used_in_research/mouse.html
www.hsus.org
