Did you know that peppermint oil is good for getting rid of mice? As crazy as it sounds, this natural plant extract seems to work.
Household pests hate the smell of peppermint oil. This includes rodents, as well as insects.
Peppermint essential oil is all we use for insect control. Because of it, ants and other six-legged creatures no longer like our kitchen. (From time to time, I put a few drops of peppermint essential oil on a kitchen sponge, before wiping down the counters. I also add a little to my floor cleaning solution. That’s all it takes to keep them away.)
We’ve also used peppermint essential oil as part of our arsenal against mice. We live in a wooded area. So we’ve needed to attack them from different angles. Peppermint has been part of our mice-control strategy.
Peppermint Oil to Deter Mice
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Mice apparently find peppermint extremely offensive. So, they’ll often stay away if cotton balls soaked in peppermint essential oil are placed where they nest, or where enter a building. Or, you could easily make an anti-mouse spray with peppermint oil.
Aggressively combating mice with peppermint may prevent an infestation in the first place, according to various other published reports. However, it probably won’t solve a serious rodent problem, in and of itself. In that case, aromatic peppermint oil can still be a useful tool, along with other non-toxic means of pest control.
Peppermint Oil for Getting Rid of Mice
Take a clean glass jar with a wide mouth. Then, put in a few cotton balls and douse them with about 7-8 drops of oil. Place the jar where mice are likely gaining access, or where you think they’re going to enter.
Peppermint Oil On Cotton Ball for Mice
For this purpose, you will want to buy peppermint oil that’s 100 percent pure and not watered down. You want it to be strong enough. But you don’t need to buy the most expensive oil on the market for this job, or for others, including body massage. That’s because very good oils are available, from a variety of sources. You can find excellent products outside of the multilevel marketing outfits.
Non Toxic Mouse Control
The mice who’d like to take up residence in your home certainly don’t need the most expensive label available. They’ll hate anything that even mildly reeks of peppermint.
For general rodent control, I highly recommend Now Foods peppermint oil. I own this brand and I use it for keeping household pests away. (It’s also good enough for personal use. I’ve also used it for mild headaches. I put diluted peppermint oil on my forehead and temples. This works very well for me.)
Peppermint Oil to Get Rid of Mice
Now brand peppermint essential oil is strong and it comes in a big bottle. This is good, because you’ll want to keep adding a few drops to the cotton as the smell decreases. The bottle shown below should last a long time. It can also be used for other purposes, such as ants and roaches. Plus the quality is good enough that you can use it for personal care too.
Essential oils don’t last indefinitely. But you should be able to keep your peppermint oil for a few years before it starts to smell off. Always store aromatic oils away from light and heat.
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Peppermint Mint Oil Mice Spray
An easy way to apply peppermint essential oil to cracks and crevices is by putting it in a spray bottle. Make sure to use a glass spray bottle. Plastic isn’t as stable as glass. So the essential oils will eat away at the plastic. Although you may not notice this happening, plastic can leach into your spray. You don’t want airborne plastic particles in your house.
Here is a really easy recipe for DIY rodent repellent spray:
- 1 16-ounce glass spray bottle (You can find it here)
- 30 drops of peppermint essential oil (You can find it here)
- 3 Tbs of alcohol free witch hazel (You can find it here)
- Enough water to fill the bottle
Fill the bottle with water, leaving enough room for 3 Tbs of alcohol-free witch hazel and the essential oils. Store this mixture in a cool dark area away from the sun.
Be very careful not to spray this near your eyes, or around pets or small children.
(You can also use this peppermint spray to keep ants off your kitchen counter. Just remember that peppermint essential oil is very strong. So do a test on a small area before using this spray on a counter with a glossy finish.)
If you can’t find glass spray bottles locally, you can order them online. Here’s the brand we use in our house.
Glass Spray Bottles For Essential Oils
Non Toxic Rodent Control
If mice have already moved into your house, the first thing you need to do is remove their food supply. Grains and legumes stored in a basement will sustain them. They are remarkably savvy about gaining access. This is one of the best ways of maintaining a rodent-free dwelling. You should also find out where they are coming in, and try to find a way to seal this space. (However, my own carpenter told me it’s almost impossible to seal a building tight enough to keep them out altogether.)
Peppermint Oil to Keep Mice Away
Also, there are a number of non-toxic pest control solutions, which don’t involve any type of poison, or setting a trap. Oftentimes, mice figure out how to remove the bait, without getting hurt. You also don’t want these traps around if you have small children or pets that can reach them.
If you don’t want to bother using peppermint oil, and refreshing it about once a week, or when the smell weakens, there’s another option. You can use ready-made mouse control pouches filled with natural essential oils. These will last for as long as a month when placed in a small confined area, such as a closet or vehicle. These pouches will also repel insects and spiders.
Non Toxic Mouse Control Pouches
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How to Get Mice Out of House
It’s important to realize that essential oils are not magic. Rodents don’t like the smell of peppermint. But they still need to eat. If you want to have a mouse-free house, it’s important to keep all food out of their reach. Mouse will also eat pet food. So make sure you don’t leave your dog or cat’s bowl unattended, if it contains food.
I also heard that it’s important to remove outside sources of food as well. For instance, if you have a fruit tree in your yard, the mice can leave your home to eat. Then, they’ll return for the warmth.
Non Toxic Mice Repellent
Peppermint oil is just one weapon in your battle against these critters. And it’s a good one, because it’s non toxic and they detest the smell.
Peppermint Oil to Repel Mice
But I don’t believe peppermint oil alone will solve a more serious infestation. If mice have moved in, you should think about trapping them. Our family also owns an electronic rat zapper, which doesn’t involve poisons and seems to be the most humane way to remove these rodents from your home.
You’ll also want to do other measures to keep rodents outside, such as storing all food in closed plastic bins and cleaning up crumbs from your kitchen every night before you go to bed.
Disclaimer
These statements have not been approved by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use essential oils, unless directed to do so by a healthcare professional.
For Additional Reading
Homemade Flea Spray With Essential Oils
Is a possum a rodent? Would peppermint work to get them from under your house?
Sue, If you have a serious infestation, I think this should be only one part of the solution. Whatever you do, an aromatic will need to be in a fairly enclosed area. Best of luck.
Got to try this, its getting to be very cold here in NE Pa. and the little mice seem to think that this just might be their home….
They do like a nice warm bed, unfortunately. 🙂
You can also empty out boxes of moth balls. That’s how we finally got them out of our attic.
Mothballs may work but I don’t want to use them or recommend them because the vapor may be toxic, according to the National Pesticide Information Center. That’s why I recommend essential oils or rodent pouches with essential oils. However, for an attic, this is an individual decision if you’re not spending time up there. I wouldn’t want to use mothballs in my living area. I’m glad to hear you solved the rodent problem though.
Mothballs do not work. I tried that.
They would be potentially one part of the solution but not the entire solution if you have a serious infestation. Lots of other things would need to be done too.
Wondering if peppermint would be a good idea to get rid of bats ??
Nancy, I just did a search and some people are recommending peppermint oil spray for bats. You would need an empty glass (not plastic) spray bottle, white vinegar and peppermint essential oil. Add 20 drops of peppermint oil to each cup of water. For each cup of water, also add 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Spray this where you think bats will be active. I can’t guarantee it will work. But it’s the best information I have.
I was wondering, I am looking for a natural way to get rid of wild mice that have moved into my home. I have pet rats and do not want to cause them anxiety but thought that the peppermint oil might work for the mice. Does anyone know if it will irritate my rats to use it?
Barbara, I’m not an animal healthcare expert, so I can’t give a definitive answer. However, if it were me I wouldn’t want to use peppermint oil near my pet rats. Some animals have an exquisite sense of smell. So they may be able to smell it from a distance. Since the smell of peppermint is supposed to repel rodents, I’d have to guess they wouldn’t like it. However, say you have your rats upstairs in a cage. You could probably use peppermint oil on the first floor near an entrance, where wild mice can enter. Maybe just focus on entryways, well away from your pets. But run this by your vet too. Thanks so much for reading my blog.
This is also great for keeping ants out of your house.
It sure is. That’s what keeps my kitchen pretty much ant free in the warmer months.
Hi! Does the mixture you spray on baseboards and in the corners affect your paint at all?? Wanted to ask before i did it.
Thanks so much!
Kayla, I can never say for sure because all materials are different. But just to be on the safe side always do a test patch on a small area before spraying on a larger area.
You mention peppermint oil mice spray in your article, but all you mention about that is using the peppermint oil in it. You don’t mention what else goes in the spray bottle. I’m sure you don’t literally mean to use just a whole spray bottle of the peppermint oil and nothing else mixed with it, like water or witch hazel. I was really interested in a spray for either prevention of mice or to get rid of them. But, I didn’t read any REAL recipe in here for a spray. Very disappointing.
Sorry about that. I went in and updated the article to include a recipe for spray. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
We just moved in to a new home and it was empty for a couple of years. There were mice droppings everywhere! We looked for the entrance points (holes in the wall or floor) We plugged ALL the holes from pipes and things coming out of the wall. (There were a lot of holes) There was a few small holes between the cabinets in the kitchen. We used steel wool with a few drops of peppermint oil to plug the holes. Then we taped the holes shut with duct tape. My house smelled clean and no more mice. We continued to watch for droppings and so far didn’t see any. Steel wool will last a long time, even after the peppermint oil evaporates, so your home will still be safe. I usually reapply every fall.
Great idea. Thanks for the tip.
I read that fabric softener sheets also work. Put them in the holes and around wherever yousee them. They don’t like the smell of it. Do you know if this really works.
Thanks so much for your suggestion and for reading my blog. I am not a big fan of dryer sheets because they contain chemicals. But I think it’s a better solution than rat poison, if they work. However, I’d much rather use natural peppermint oil instead.
Why does alcohol free witch hazel have to be in the spray recipe? I have several new bottles of it with alcohol. Will the alcohol content not work at all?
Thank you,
You can use it with alcohol but I prefer alcohol-free witch hazel, a personal preference. I am a big fan of using what you have on hand, rather than buying something new.
Very good article. Thanks. We moved into a new house and the previous owner had mint, and chives, and onions all around the house. We quickly removed them because we didn’t want to be weeding all the time, and they grow out of control. We now know why they had them them. Have not seen mice in the house but in the garage. Will have to wait til spring to find and seal all the holes. Will use the peppermint for now. Thanks again.
Thanks for reading my blog.
Will the smell of peppermint repel wild birds? I don’t want them to avoid my backyard.
I don’t know. Probably not but it’s a harmless thing to try.
I don’t know. I honestly don’t. Maybe just use the oils in the basement if you have one, your house and the garage.