Mouse Repellent: What You Need to Know

Mouse Repellent: What You Need to Know

The best way to deal with a mouse problem is to stop it before it starts. Why should you wait until the mice have already invaded your home when you can proactively stop them from entering in the first place? If that sounds like a plan to you, then read on to learn about the best mouse repellents to keep your home mouse free.

What makes an effective mouse repellent?

Well, for starters, it does a good job of keeping the mice out. In my books, it takes a little bit more than that to be effective though. You could also set all your bushes on fire… bet that would keep the mice out. Or how about you build a moat around your house; that could probably do the trick as well. While that might be a good mice deterrent, it would probably be frowned upon, so don’t do it… seriously. So here’s what I’m looking for in an effective mouse repellent:

  • It actually repels mice. Duh!
  • It’s easy to use. I’m a busy guy, and I don’t want to spend all day every other week deploying my rodent defenses.
  • Safe to use. I don’t want a repellent that’s going to kill me, my pets, kids, or my lawn. Something natural, non-toxic, chemical free would rank high on my list.
  • Social proof. That sounds like a weird thing to look for in a mouse repellent, but hear me out. If one person says it works, that doesn’t tell me much. Maybe they got lucky. If a couple people say it worked for them, maybe they’re on to something. If 10, 20, 30 people come online to talk about not having a mouse problem, that’s something to look at. Generally the people that come online are the ones who want to complain that it didn’t work. If they actually made an effort to come online to say it did, that means something to me.

What is the best mouse repellent?

I hesitate to call anything the “best,” but here’s a couple good options for you. If you give one of them, or something else a try, please drop me a line in the comments. Sharing your experience is what’s going to help others get through theirs.

Shake Away Rodent Repellent

Shake Away Rodent Repellent is a bit different from the last option as it’s not a liquid, but instead, it’s a granule based mouse repellent. You essentially walk around your home and use the shaker to sprinkle the granules to form a defensive perimeter. It’s another all natural, non-toxic repellent that’s safe for use around children and pets. What I like about this one is that it works by exploiting a rodent’s instinctive fear of its natural predators. The product is granulated fox urine – the scent acts as a mouse deterrent as they believe their predators are nearby. Did I mention that it’s 100% organic. This is easy peasy – follow the directions (i.e. sprinkle it around your house) – and it should be an effective way to get rid of mice naturally.

Here’s what one long time customer had to say about it:

I’ve used this product for years. It works. Yes, you have to keep reapplying but it’s a granule – just shake it into corners and it never even touches your hands. Yes, it’s messy because the granules lay on the cement in the garage… but a LOT less messy than mice! I ran out a few months back. Cold weather has moved in and so have the mice. I just re-ordered. They’ll be moving out soon!

-N. Klein

If you want to read more about it, you can check it out on Amazon.

Peppermint Oil

I’ve already dedicated an entire post to getting rid of mice with peppermint oil, but no conversation about mouse repellents should be had without mentioning this essential oil. I’ll just give it to you quick. Peppermint oil is an effective mouse deterrent. Since you stuck around with me for this long, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. If you look at the active ingredients on any of these packaged mouse repellents, you know what they all have in common? You guessed it: peppermint oil… every single one of them. They might put a slightly different spin on it – some are granules, some are sprays, but they all have it in there because it works. What you do with that knowledge is up to you, but you can buy a bottle of peppermint oil for half the price of these other products. I’m just saying…

If that sounds good to you, click here to buy it now on Amazon.

Some closing thoughts…

There are a lot of products out there that can help you with your mice problems – some better than others. Hopefully this article helped you navigate the field of mouse repellents, and highlighted a few of the better ones. If you figure out the secret to keeping mice out of your home, don’t keep it to yourself – share it in the comments.

13 Responses

  1. Anonymous January 14, 2012 / 4:20 am

    Humane mouse traps can be ordered through PETA. They are inexpensive and work very well. Then the mouse can be released away from the house or at the park. Glue traps are extremely cruel and the mice sometimes chew off their feet in an attempt to get out. That is horrible for any living creature.

    • JRS February 17, 2018 / 8:58 am

      Mice live in a very small area. Once they’ve established a home, they have a 0% chance of survival if relocated somewhere else. They will die or get eaten by predators very quickly. No mouse will ever leave its nesting area due to any repellent – because the alternative is death! It’s not like the repellent will chase them away and then they can move on to a nice new house elsewhere. It doesn’t work that way with mice. They are born to know one small territory, and that’s it.

  2. Anonymous June 4, 2012 / 3:04 pm

    What do you recommend for keeping mice out of your car, especially the engine area? A mouse just did $900 worth of damage to my car’s air conditioning fan and related parts.

    • Carol Whitsel September 18, 2017 / 3:14 pm

      We had the same problem. We were advised to put moth balls under the hood. So far so good. Peppermint might just be a nice change in fragrance.

  3. Anonymous July 1, 2012 / 3:01 am

    I read that mice dont like mint and placing cottonballs soaked with pure pepppermint oil under the hood of vehicle should keep mice away.

  4. RL February 4, 2013 / 7:19 am

    Some mouse or other rodent chewed the fuel injector wires in my car and it short circuited the injector and Electronic Control Module. The tech repair bill was $500-600. The shop owner told me to pour chlorine bleach in the wheel wells and around the car tires to drive mice, rats away. I sprayed the tires, wheel wells and inside the engine compartment with bleach instead. It must me done regularly. I don’t care about being humane when they cost me $100s.

  5. Anonymous May 31, 2013 / 2:35 pm

    mothballs and mint oil both work very well.

    • Deej October 17, 2017 / 11:53 am

      Mint oil does not work and moth balls are a carcinogen and cause migraines

    • Pam September 21, 2018 / 11:45 am

      Moth balls are great for pole barns, travel trailers, under vehicles. Have done it for years and no mice.

  6. Frankie July 5, 2016 / 8:16 am

    Mice tend to enter your cars plenum ( heat, ac ) ducts under the dashboard at the floor where the heat blows out. I have yet to find a manufacturer offering a screen at this inviting entrance. You may want to do it youself.

  7. Michelle Rivera August 22, 2016 / 11:48 pm

    Thank you all for your comments I have read through all of them at this point I am willing to try anything that will help me get rid of the mice in my home I try sealing the holes with steal wool and wood boards however they manage to find they way back in I’m not certain if the plug in repellent works can anyone let me know? Thank you

  8. Lola October 5, 2016 / 11:41 pm

    I got mice in my kitchen and I just moved in , I did notice lots of patches filled with aluminum foil paper and I think that was the reason. I want them out !!!! Please help what is the fastest easy most effective way to get them out.

  9. Dennis July 14, 2017 / 3:34 am

    I put 20 drops of peppermint essential oil in a diffuser in the bedroom – the room smells like peppermint, and I saw a mouse peek its head out from under the bed.

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