Saturday, February 13, 2010

Natural Mouse Deterrent: This works every time!

I'm not crazy about indoor cats. I wasn't raised with them and don't like the smell of them. But, I'm even less crazy about mice. Mice creep me out. I have memories of them running past my head at night during Summer camps and on mission trips. I have said that I am willing to have a cat in the house *if* we get mice. Now I don't have to!

Our old rental house in the city had mice in the walls who sounded like they were bowling at night. We were at a loss. We didn't want to set traps or set out poison, especially with such little children. Then, we found that rodents HATE the smell of peppermint! We bought peppermint oil at the local natural food store and poured some on a hand towel. We laid the towel over the vent that takes the air into the furnace and spreads it through out the house. Immediately the mice left! Probably to go night bowling at our neighbors' houses, but they were definitely gone. A couple months later, same thing, mice bowling in the walls, and the peppermint oil worked right away.

Last Summer we moved out in the country and just a few nights ago, we heard country mice in our walls. They weren't bowling, but they sounded like they were building something, maybe a nest for a big family. At our local farm supply store, we found more peppermint oil and did the same towel trick. They immediately left!

An added bonus to all of this, the house will smell minty fresh for a day or two!