Rats and mice come indoors more in the autumn as they as trying to find shelter during the cold weather, but there is a simple way to stop them from coming near your home. 

CJ Palmer, a pest control expert and founder of Nature Guard Pest & Lawn has shared that rodents are highly sensitive to smell and exposing them to certain scents will overwhelm them. 

He said: “When dealing with a rat infestation, it is essential to understand effective methods of deterring them. One approach is to utilise odours that rats find repulsive, as they rely heavily on their sense of smell.”

Both rats and mice have poor vision which means they rely on their noses to search for food or look for predators, and well away from areas they cannot sniff out properly.

However, you do not have to buy a pricy rat repellent as many natural deterrents will keep these pesky rodents away from your home and garden. 

How to keep rats and mice away from your home 

Peppermint

Peppermint is one of the best natural solutions for deterring rodents due to its pungent spicy scent which will naturally irritate mice and rats. 

CJ explained: “Peppermint oil is a non-toxic and environmentally friendly solution, making it a safe alternative to chemical rat repellents. It is derived from the peppermint plant, which contains high levels of menthol, a compound that rats find extremely unpleasant. 

“When exposed to peppermint oil, rats experience a strong sensory aversion, causing them to avoid areas where the oil is present.”

You can plant mint plants around your garden or you can soak cotton balls in peppermint oil and then place them around your home to repel rodents. 

Make sure to swap the cotton balls weekly to keep the scent fresh and it should help stop mice and rats coming onto your property. 

Garlic

It may sound strange but growing garlic or spraying garlic oil around the garden is another way to prevent rodents from becoming an infestation. 

CJ said: “As a natural rat repellent, garlic emits a powerful scent that is known to repel rats and other pests. Rats have a highly developed sense of smell, and the strong odour of garlic can be overwhelming for them. This makes garlic an effective deterrent in keeping rats away from certain areas.”

This scent may be mouthwatering but it contains sulfur compounds that rats will avoid as it will irritate their nose and can make them uncomfortable. 

This is another simple way to keep rodents away but make sure not to spray a garlic oil solution around your home and only in the garden as it can take a while to get rid of the smell.

Eucalyptus

Rodents hate eucalyptus due to its strong smell but it also contains compounds that will greatly irritate their noses and stop them from making a nest in a certain area.

CJ said: “Eucalyptus trees are known for their oil-rich leaves, which contain a compound called eucalyptol. This compound is responsible for the characteristic scent of eucalyptus and is also known for its antimicrobial and insect-repellent properties. 

“Eucalyptus essential oil, derived from the leaves of the tree, has been used for various purposes, including pest control.”

All you need to do is make a homemade spray made out of one part eucalyptus oil and one part water. 

Simply spray the solution near windows, doorways or any other part of the house you suspect rodents could come in contact with such as cupboards and underneath furniture.