two mouse deterrents
Disclaimer: This post contains information that may be inappropriate for readers sensitive to topics concerning the death of animals. It’s my intention to share about a very effective natural way of deterring mice, but could not discuss the topic in full without sharing all our experiences. If this kind of things offends you please don’t read on through this post (unless you want a really great recipe for an herbal mouse deterrent). Thank you and please visit again soon!
Usually when you move to a new place a neighbor brings over a casserole or the postman introduces himself. Our official welcoming committee was of a much smaller, four legged variety.
The mice themselves did not bother me, but their weird little droppings in the strangest of places (oh God oh God the window sill above the bed? Were they pooping there while I was sleeping?!) were another thing entirely.
We grappled with the idea of kill vs. no kill traps. The fact of the matter is we have two cats so pretending like the mice would all lead happy lives in rolling meadows if we caught them with a no kill trap would have been disingenuous. In the end, we decided on a multi-pronged attach of kill, no kill and natural methods. That way the little mousies could play the odds and if they happened to run in to the cats’ paws or the traps’ jaws then it was what it was. It should be noted, though, that our natural and no kill armaments outweighed the barbaric methods by at least 2:1 if not more.
Full disclosure: before anyone comments about the inhumanity of mouse traps I just want to be sure you know we did NOT use glue traps, which are totally disgusting.
As a part of the strategy, we opened all the doors to the cats (they previously had not been allowed in our room, but with mice to keep at bay allergies were to be damned) and after a little bit of research realized there were some lovely-to-human scents that bother mice.
So if you’re battling a mouse or two and don’t want to go the trap route then here’s a great little recipe to mix up and put in places where they have been trouble:
Herbal Mouse Repellent
-3 parts dried peppermint
-1 part whole cloves
-1 part clove powder
-1 part cayenne powder
Mix ingredients and store in open, shallow container where evidence of mice has shown. Replace every 2-3 days to maintain efficacy.
We have seen a great reduction in droppings in those places because the spices mask the scent of anything potentially yummy for them. An added bonus is the mixture smells great and is pretty strong, so no toxic air fresheners or odor removers for us (like we would ever do that anyways). Play with the ratios a bit if you need to (the clove can be overpowering to some) to make your own mix. Another tip would be to get the materials at a grocery store that carries bulk spices – we go to Hannaford’s and I think I got all the spices I needed for a good size batch for under $4.00 because you don’t have to buy huge amounts or pay for fancy packaging. Most of all, good luck with your mice!
Little Eye Designs 