Instead, we recommend using tried-and-tested techniques to prevent a future mouse infestation or eliminate an existing one.

(Even the articles promoting peppermint oil as a mouse deterrent acknowledge that it won’t get rid of mice: they’ll simply go to a different spot in your home without the smell.) However, there is no scientific evidence supporting this claim. Peppermint oil will not deter mice, nor will it get rid of mice already living inside your home. This idea probably originated because mice and rats have a strong sense of smell. Why peppermint oil? The authors of these articles claim that peppermint oil is overwhelming and confusing to mice and rats and acts as a deterrent. The articles also advise you to re-apply the peppermint oil regularly, as the smell dissipates quickly. Articles online tell you to put peppermint oil on cotton balls and scatter them around your house where mice tend to enter.

Can peppermint oil be used to get rid of mice?īloggers and natural living proponents claim that peppermint oil can be used to get rid of mice. Is there any truth at all to them, or should you steer clear? Keep reading to find out. Let’s look at a few of the most common claims out there. Homeowners, many of them desperate to get rid of the pests plaguing their home, end up wasting precious time and money on essential oil-based, DIY pest control. Quite a few articles found on the Internet (particularly Pinterest) would have you believe that there’s an essential oil cure for any pest-from mice to bed bugs. After all, if it works and it’s natural, what could possibly go wrong? Using essential oils for pest control, on the surface, sounds like a great idea.

Peppermint oil for bugs