Mice can be kept away by using the smells of peppermint oil, cinnamon, vinegar, citronella, ammonia, bleach, and mothballs.
The article by Apartment Guide (2020) also tells how rats hate the sound of aluminum foil and hence making balls of aluminum foil and spreading it out throughout the house keeps them away. Another simple technique to get rid of rats is to use repellents which are not poisonous.
Peppermint oil, cayenne pepper, pepper and cloves.
Mice are said to hate the smell of these. Lightly soak some cotton balls in oils from one or more of these foods and leave the cotton balls in places where you've had problems with mice.
Mothballs - Contain naphthalene and may deter mice when used in strong enough doses. Ammonia - Mimics the odor of predators' urine and can act as a repellent. Peppermint Oil, Cayenne Pepper, or Cloves - Have strong scents that may repel mice.
Baking soda is one of the most effective ways to kill mice and rats. It works by producing gas in their bellies. They cannot pass through burping or farting. It finishes off these pests painfully!
Repel rodents and insects
Rats, mice and other insect don't like the smell of peppermint, lemon, and cinnamon. Make tea with these rodent irritants and place the used teabags in places like the back of your pantry, under the kitchen sink or behind the refrigerator to repel these unwanted pests.
They are scared of bright lights and noises too. Mice have poor eyesight and thus rely on their sense of smell. They are repelled by the scent of cheese, for one.
Rodents do not like any noise greater than 30 kHz. Sound greater than this intensity will irritate these pesky creatures.
Sprinkle scents they don't like
Mice don't like the smell of garlic, onions, cayenne pepper, cloves, ammonia and alcohol. If you don't want to be driven out your home by unpleasant smells either, peppermint is another scent that repels mice.
Zinc phosphide is an acute toxicant that causes the death of a house mouse within several hours after a lethal dose is ingested. It appears to be the fastest way of getting rid of mice by reducing their population.
Unfortunately, the light inside your house is not a very effective deterrent to mice. Once inside a house or a building, they can easily look for dark areas to hide until such time as all lights are turned off. Places they can hide include inside the walls, crawl spaces, attics, and ceilings.
Classic snap traps are commonly used to kill mice within homes. For best results, these traps should be set flush to walls, with the trigger plates facing the wall. Glue boards may be effective, as well. If placed properly, the mice should become caught in the glue and unable to free themselves.
The smell of white vinegar is a natural repellent for mice. It will make them leave your home or office. Mice have a strong sense of smell and they will avoid areas where there is white vinegar sprayed or soaked cotton balls in it. It is important to note that white vinegar will not work on all mice.
One option could be to perfume your home with scents that rats hate, like ammonia or the smell of mothballs (although mothballs can be toxic to humans, too). Other options include peppermint, eucalyptus and citronella, although none of them have been proven to be effective against rats.
So, we know that vinegar helps repulse other pests, but does vinegar repel mice? Because of its pungent smell, it can help deter mice from infesting and spreading their droppings to certain areas of your home. This scent is often too intense for a rodent's sensitive nose, like peppermint and other essential oils.
Grapes/raisins, chocolate, avocado, garlic, onion, rhubarb, coffee, tea, alcohol, and walnuts must not be fed as they are toxic to mice. Lettuce should be avoided as it can cause diarrhoea in mice [4].
The theory is that the mice will inadvertently eat the snack thinking that it is a treat. Once they consume enough toothpaste with fluorine and ethylene glycol, they will eventually die.
Rat and Mice Poison - One part flour or sugar & one part baking soda (do not have to use both sugar and flour, just one or the other mixed with baking soda). Mix together and put out for rodents. Safe if the kids or pets get into it but makes rodents insides bubble up & explode.
It can take anywhere from two weeks to three months for your mice infestation to completely clear up, depending on the level of infestation. Large infestations take more time to handle than small ones.
One possible reason for an infestation could be a result of poor sanitation. Along with health concerns and other problems, poor sanitation can lead to a situation where rats and mice have easy access to food and water sources, encouraging them to move in and create a nest in your home.
Mice are elusive and often most active in the evening and during the night. When you see a mouse but no droppings it suggests that the infestation is only starting. You can check for the presence of mice droppings at the back of the microwave and fridge.