Mice and rats are more likely to come into homes in the winter to look for shelter (Image: Getty)
Rats and mice tend to scurry into homes during winter in search of warmth and food, but there are a few natural methods you can try to stop them from coming into your home.
Many people are reluctant to use poison, traps or other potentially dangerous remedies to get rid of rodents, as it can be too big a risk if you have any children and pets
Sally, an expert from Diamond Pest Control, has instead suggested using strong-smelling deterrents to get rid of rats or mice as they are vulnerable to many natural scents.
She said: “These rodents may have poor eyesight, but they more than makeup for it with their other senses. Their acute sense of smell is mostly used to find food, and also to detect predators.
“They can smell food from long distances, which is why they can so easily find your kitchen. What this also means, though, is that we can use this superpower against them.”
Spices like cayenne pepper are a simple way to deter mice and rats (Image: Getty)
What scents do mice and rats hate?
Spices
Hot peppers and chillies are excellent at keeping rats and mice away as the pungent spicy smells will greatly irritate them.
Sally said: “House mice also hate anything hot. This includes Chilli peppers and cayenne pepper. Chilli peppers can be placed around your cupboards and home, and cayenne pepper sprinkled in these areas.”
A simple way to use spices as a deterrent is to add one tablespoon of cayenne pepper to an empty spray bottle and fill it with water. You can also add a few drops of washing-up liquid to help the spicy solution stick to surfaces.
Then simply spray the mixture on windowsills, doorway gaps and other areas you suspect rodents may be getting into your home.
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Peppermint oil is one of the best scents to keep mice and rats away (Image: Getty)
Essential oils
One of the best natural remedies to keep mice and rats away is peppermint oil or other essential oils due to its strong smell overwhelms rodent senses and makes it uncomfortable to stay in a place with that scent.
Sally said: “Some of best herbs or aromas for house mice are said to be peppermint, eucalyptus and cedar wood. You may want to purchase an essential oil diffuser.
“These are relatively cheap, and can be placed in your kitchen, other affected areas where mice congregate or near the cracks and holes where mice exit. You can also place fresh peppermint herbs wherever food is stored.”
If you do not have a diffuser, simply place essential oil-soaked cotton balls in places where you suspect rodents may be entering your home. The cotton balls will need to be changed regularly to keep the scent in place, but this is a simple way to deter rodents.
However, it is important to know that many essential oils are toxic to cats and dogs so make sure to do your own research on them if you have pets.
Plants like lavender can deter rodents due to its strong perfume scent (Image: Getty)
Plants
Lavender is as its powerful fragrance scent may be pleasant to humans but will disorientate them.
Not only do strong smells irritate mice and rats but it makes it more difficult for them to sniff out food and predators which also makes it less likely for them to stay in the area.
Other are rosemary, sage, and marigolds so having them in your home can help keep them away.
If you own pets, using plants may be a better solution to deter rats and mice but certain flowers, like essential oils, can be toxic to animals so be careful to do your own research if you have pets.