6 Home Remedies That Repel Rodents

If you’ve ever dealt with rats or mice in your Pacific Northwest home, you know how unnerving it can be. Rodents may be a common pest all year long, but did you know infestations spike during the fall in Portland, Seattle, and Boise?

While there are home remedies that you can use to help repel rodents naturally, you should strongly consider contact pest control professionals instead of DIY pest control practices. Using DIY solutions can seem convenient, but can occasionally cause more harm and only lead to temporary fixes. Not only can some DIY solutions not solve the root of your pest control issue, they can often include chemicals that are harmful. Here are 6 home remedies to repel rodents that steer clear of chemicals, and unsafe practices:

Plants

Plants like lavender, elderberry, daffodils, and any type of mint plants are known to repel mice. You could plant some around your home or keep them in pots inside your home. Bay leaves and oak leaves have also been known to deter rodents. You can leave some around your home or put some in sachets and leave them in closets and drawers. This method not only makes your home look and smell nice, but it can help deter rodents.

Essential Oils

This method not only helps deter rodents but it also makes your home smell nice in the process. Essential oils that may be helpful in repelling rats and mice include peppermint oil, lemon oil, citronella oil, and eucalyptus oil. You can make an essential oil spray by mixing 2 teaspoons of oil with 1 cup of water or rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle. Then spray it anywhere you see traces of rodents. Like the ammonia spray, you can also use cotton balls. If you choose the spray method, you’ll want to reapply in about a week and if you use cotton balls, replace them after two weeks.

Fill in Holes and Use Barricades

If you notice cracks or holes that a mouse or rat may use to gain access into your home, fill them in with caulk. You can also fill in larger gaps with a mix of caulk and steel wool. Steel wool is a harder material to chew through for these rodents.

Rat and Mouse Traps

If you aren’t seeing success with your natural rodent repellants, you may need to resort to mouse and rat traps. There are traditional snap traps, glue traps, and the more humane option, catch-and-release traps. You’ll want to first identify which type of rodent you’re dealing as a mousetrap is too small for a rat.

Professional Pest Control Services

If you are dealing with a much bigger rodent infestation, it may be time to call in the experts. PURCOR has been providing pest control services to the Portland, Seattle, and Boise metro areas, and we provide pest control solutions for all types of pests. So contact us or call us today for fast, effective, and affordable pest control services.