Best mice deterrents

Many people with mouse problems seek ways to solve the nasty problem by deterring or repelling the mice, rather than killing them with traps or poisons. There are a lot of reasons to take this approach. For example, poisons are hazardous to have on one’s house, especially for houses where small children or pets are present. Poisons can also be harmful to the environment. Traps that kill mice are also hazardous to pets and children, and the spring loaded traps can even pose hazards to the person setting them if not used with great care. And there are people who want to take a humane approach to mouse control. Poisons, baits and traps can cause excruciating death to the mice. Glue traps, for example, trap the mice with glue, and then the mice starve to death. Finally, issues with disposing of dead mice are enough to decide against traps and poisons for some people.

With some of the best mice deterrents, all of this unpleasantness can be avoided in the first place, because with repellents and deterrent, the mice stay away. Mice deterrents are available in tens, maybe hundreds of varieties and used correctly can be extremely effective in keeping mice away from one’s home in a nontoxic, environmentally friendly and humane way. Plant derived mice deterrents are an excellent place to start. The most commonly used plant extract used in the best mice deterrents is peppermint oil. The strong scent is enough to irritate the delicate nasal membranes of mice so that they are repelled from any area that has been treated with the repellent. In face, some people plant peppermint around their house for this purpose. Of course in many climates, mints die back in the winter, which is also the time of year mice are looking for somewhere warm and dry, so using a commercial repellent is a recommended technique in addition to planting peppermint. Peppermint oil can be used straight from the bottle, but dabbing it on a cotton ball and either leaving the cotton balls around mouse “entrances” or applying the oil directly to areas such as where pipes enter one’s house (which is also where mice sometimes come in). Peppermint oil can be purchased at many health food stores and even larger grocery stores.

Perhaps a more practical solution is to buy a product advertised as mouse repellent or deterrent that contains peppermint oil as an active ingredient. These types of products are readily available online, and many come with ready to spray trigger spray handles, which makes it much faster and easier to apply. If used outside, it will need to be reapplied more frequently as the weather wears it off. The peppermint oil repellents are also available in pellet form, which can be scattered throughout one’s garden or around perimeters of houses, sheds, or barns.

In summary, deterring mice from one’s property is almost always more desirable than waiting for them to become a problem in the first place. Peppermint oil is the ingredient in many of the best mice deterrent, and will provide an excellent way to deter mice.