Peppermint contains a potent compound known as menthol, which irritates rodents' nasal cavities and disorients them, causing them to stray away from areas that contain the scent.
Mint is widely recommended as a rat repellent on many sites on the internet. Apparently rats do not like the pungent smell and it is enough to keep them away from your home, garden, or anywhere else you have a rat problem. There are various ways in which it can be used. Spray.
The idea behind natural repellents, dryer sheets, mothballs, and peppermint oil is the same — rodents rely almost exclusively on their sense of smell, so putting something smelly out will offend their complex olfactory sense and make them go away.
This makes peppermint oil, chili powder, citronella, and eucalyptus the most common natural rodent repellents. Chemical smells, such as ammonia, bleach, and mothballs also work as mice deterrents.
Peppermint Oil
On a cotton ball use no more than 5 drops of 100% peppermint essential oil. Spread the oil on areas that you want rats to avoid, in your case, around the garden.
Baking soda combines with the stomach acids to produce carbon dioxide gas which rats are unable to tolerate. In turn, it builds up within their system and eventually causes internal blockage and rupture. Soon enough, you will have the rat-free environment you always deserved.
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.
Mint (leafy green – herb) – This is a useful leafy veg full of herby flavours. Some rats insist on grooming this into their fur, it is thought this is to act as an ant parasitic. Rats fed on mint generally have a lovely minty smell. It can be fed raw and even dried.
Spread peppermint oil, cayenne pepper, black pepper, or cloves around the home's exterior to prevent the rats from entering the house in the first place. Apply your substance of choice generously along the line between your foundation and the ground.
Smells and Odors that attract rats
Odors and smells that come from pet waste, pet food, garbage containers, barbecue grills, birdfeeders, and even from unharvested fruit and nuts from plants can attract rats and mice.
For effective prevention of rat returns, your peppermint oil should be long-lasting. This is why one of the options in our review is proven to stay as long as two months.
Pest Control – Eucalyptus is an effective remedy against pests like pantry moths, mice, or rats. To keep these pests out, place cotton balls moistened with two drops of eucalyptus oil in cabinets and drawers. For rodents, like mice or rats, the goal is to keep them outside where they belong.
Mint plants have an aroma similar to menthol, which rodents don't like, and it tends to repel them. Plant mint indoors and outdoors in areas where you have seen mice or rats to keep them away without the use of chemicals or traps.
Ammonia. This is known as a cleaning agent, but it also acts as a poison to mice and rats. All you need to do is mix 2 – 2 and a half cups of ammonia, 100 – 200 mL of water and a 2-3 spoonful of detergent in a bowl. Then, put it to places where rats are usually seen.
Peppermint oil is said to deter rats from entering treated areas. In high concentrations, peppermint oil may exhibit some repellency.
Peppermint obviously has a strong scent, one that mice dislike. According to Victor Pest, peppermint contains very potent menthol compounds that irritate their nasal cavities. A whiff of peppermint certainly does keep them away.
Lavender has very a strong aromatic scent and is quite effective at repelling rats, mosquitoes, and moths. Alternatively, to growing this herb, you could sprinkle a few stalks around the base of plants in your garden creating a barrier and keeping rats at bay.
But, with its versatility, white vinegar is a good place to start. The smell of white vinegar is also effective for repelling other pests such as rats, roaches, spiders, and ants.
Is Eucalyptus Poisonous to Rats? No, eucalyptus oil is not poisonous to rats. The smell repels them because it is not pleasant. You can use this oil to keep rats away from your home or garden.
Advantages. It's cost-effective: Using salt to deter rats is one of the most cost-effective methods of keeping these rodents at bay. Salt is readily available in most homes and hence doesn't require you to purchase additional products.
While rats might leave a nest temporarily if disturbed, they will likely only nest somewhere else close by, no doubt creating multiple nests that exacerbate the issue. On top of that, there's also a risk that they will return to the same space if you haven't properly dealt with the nest.