No more Mr. Mice Guy.
Mice are some of the dirtiest pests that can infest your home — they carry a variety of disease organisms, which they spread by leaving behind their feces and urine.
As the months get colder, mice often try to seek shelter, warmth and food inside homes. They particularly love NYC.
The best defenses against the offensive creatures are keeping a clean home, tightly sealing food, and blocking entry points they may use to invade your space.
Mice also have a highly sensitive sense of smell — so here are some scents to deploy to dissuade them from making your house a mouse house.
‘Tis the seasoning to get rid of rodents.
As temperatures drop and autumn rolls in, festive cinnamon stick decor and candles may serve several purposes.
“You can sprinkle cinnamon around your home, or you can use it to make a rat-repellent spray. Add a few drops of cinnamon oil to water and spray it around your home,” Fox Pest Control suggested to Express last week.
Another seasonal scent, a wintry peppermint oil may be relaxing and cozy to humans — but it’s too much for mice to handle.
“These rodents cannot stand this oil’s robust and minty smell, so a few drops around your home can go a long way in keeping them away for good,” the pros at Fox Pest Control shared.
Experts suggest homeowners use a diffuser to spread the peppermint oil around their home or apply it directly to areas where they’ve seen the tiny creatures.
Citronella is a natural insect and animal repellent distilled from grass, which produces a floral smell.
“These animals hate the lemon-like smell of citronella, so using it around your home can help to deter them,” Fox Pest Control said.
You can buy citronella candles or oils or plant the grass around your home to fend off mice and other pests.
The smell of white vinegar may not be as pleasant as cinnamon, peppermint or citronella, but it has been found to scare off mice. (It may also put off your friends and family.)
“These pests cannot stand the sharp scent of vinegar, which means it can be used as an effective rodent repellent,” a spokesperson at Fox Pest Control stated.
Homeowners can soak cotton balls in vinegar and leave them in the areas where rodents may be attempting to get in. The pungent scent will frighten the mice and mask the smell they leave behind.
Another strong-smelling common household product that helps prevent a mouse infestation is bleach.
“The pungent smell of bleach is unpleasant to these animals, so using it around your home can help keep them away,” Fox Pest Control revealed.
“You can mix it with water and spray it around your home, then monitor the area to see if the rodents are repelled after a few days.”
However, experts warn that the chemical mix is toxic to humans when inhaled or ingested and should be handled with caution.