IF your home is covered in mousetraps and posion, a budget buy may be able to help.
One homeowner shared the DIY trick he uses to keep rodents from his space.
Commenting on a Reddit post, user Kanenfawder revealed the item he swears by over any other pest control effort.
He explained that he had incorporated various methods to tackle his mice problem.
“I had mice a few years ago, and I used the standard things,” the poster explained.
He shared his top piece of advice for making mousetraps more effective.
“Mousetraps work well, try baiting them with peanut butter,” he recommended.
“The sticky traps work well if your mice are heavy enough to stick to them.”
On the other hand, he revealed he “didn’t have much luck with poison pellets.”
He pointed out that these aren’t safe to use in homes with pets or small children.
The Redditor explained that he has found a certain scent to be effective in deterring mice from his home.
“You can also use peppermint oil to ‘herd’ them out of or into specific areas,” he said.
You can get a bottle of NPOW Peppermint Essential Oil for £2.99 from Amazon.
The poster suggested using the oil for any out of reach areas where you suspect mice might be lurking.
“If they hide out behind your fridge, you might not be able to put a trap back there,” he said.
“But you can take some cotton balls, apply peppermint oil, and put them where you don’t want the mice to be.
“The scent is too strong for them, and they’ll avoid those areas.”
Pest control experts at Orkin explained why the scent works to deter mice.
WHETHER you can hear them they're scurrying around your house, or underneath your decking, there's one reason you have mice...
Fabulous’ Associate Editor, Rebecca Miller, is a gardening enthusiast. She explains why it’s not uncommon to have mice, but you should be concerned if you have rats.
“Our gardens are homes to various animals, from birds to hedgehogs to squirrels. But there’s one animal no one wants to find – mice or rats.
“Mice can be destructive, and rats are just downright scary, and send everyone into a panic.
“But mice are common all across the UK – and one or two in the garden is not cause for alarm.
“Wood mice and field mice will easily get in your home since they are small enough to squeeze in almost anywhere. However, they are more likely to shelter in garages, sheds, and outhouses because they provide easier access to the outside world.
“You’re also more likely to see mice inside during the autumn and winter months.
“As for rats, they are generally considered vermin and can spread potentially serious diseases. They tend to set up home beneath decking, in sheds or greenhouses, and compost heaps.
“Rats are mostly nocturnal so you may not see them when you’re in your garden, but there are some signs to look out for: tunnels or ‘runs’, droppings, gnawed wood, or teeth marks in crops.”
“For a species that relies on a strong sense of smell over its weak vision, mice find the potent menthol aroma of peppermint oil to be offensive and irritating to their nasal cavities,” they said.
They recommended mixing two teaspoons of peppermint essential oil with one cup of water and three to five drops of laundry detergent.
After pouring the solution into a spray bottle, the professionals suggest applying it to “problem areas where you have seen mice activity.”
The experts also advised homeowners to soak cotton balls in the oil and place them “inside cabinets or crawl spaces.”
“The smell of peppermint should drive the mice away and lead them to the locations where mouse traps are set,” they said.
