# Mice - Peppermint Oil



## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

I have learned something in the past few days, and I think it may be working. The person that told me about it has used it in a cabin that had mice when they moved it.'

My cat was chasing, catching, bringing to me, releasing and redoing the chasing catching, etc. Mouse last Thursday evening.

First time I'd seen the mouse, I have steel wool around all the lines coming into the house (mobile home) that I can get to. Never seen a mouse before - 

Well, friend told me that mice do not like peppermint. To get peppermint oil and put everywhere I think they could come in, and they will not come because of the smell.  Put the oil on cotton balls (I used makeup type cotton pads) and bought the oil. Last night the mouse was chased and caught, and it got loose and went under a bookshelf.

So, I've put a out some more peppermint oil on cotton pads. 
Tonight no mouse, so far, anyway.

I did put two of the peppermint oil pads, on the air intake air filter, so the whole place would be peppermint scented.

The peppermint oil is a bit expensive, but if this works, it's well worth it. Not a poison, so won't hurt if my cat gets into it. Not a something that will kill the mouse in a place where it will rot and smell.

I hope this is really working. I can live with this. 

Side benefit, I just read a thing about peppermint being a relaxer - so will be good for the house.

Just thought I'd share.


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

I've heard that too, and they say it really does work, but I hope I never have to find out...I just HATE the smell or taste of mint anything, lol! I know, I'm weird. :teehee: Now cinnamon, I could go for that!

Good luck!


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## Becka (Mar 15, 2008)

Oh thank you, Angie! I have a mouse living in my car and the other day it ran around while I was driving. :viking: I wanted to poison it but was afraid it would stink up the car forever. Gotta try the peppermint!


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

I rubbed peppermint oil all around my drawer edges and it didn't faze the mice. They still got into my silverware :yuck:. 

Someone else had mentioned that they don't like the Bounce dryer sheets. So, I tried that too. They shredded it for bedding.

I'm even having trouble with the snap traps. They don't seem to be as sensitive as they should be. The mice keep getting the food off of them without setting them off 2/3 the time. Even if I stick the food to them with peanut butter. On and under the trip bar. I've discovered though, that they really like bits of hot dog and lunch meat much better then pn butter(they leave it).

I'm going to get the powdered plaster today and mix with oats, like what was suggested in Countryside, and see if that helps curb them some.

I'm really having a problem with the nasty little things this year for some reason. And I even have an inside cat that's a good mouser. He'll open the cabinet doors to get to them.

I hate mice.....


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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

We have a houdini mouse this year too! It must be the year for them or something. It has managed to steal the bait off the snap traps every single time, DH even smushed cheese into the little tab so it was stuck on there and it still ate it all without setting it off. So I bought glue traps, last night it pushed the glue traps off the shelves and went about its business without being caught. This morning the puppy ran into the pantry when DD opened the door and stepped on a glue trap. Catching my own dog was NOT the idea. *sigh* I don't want to poison because I worry about the dogs getting hold of a dead one.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

I use carmel on mouse traps,squish it on real good. It works on their teeth just like it does on ours and they struggle to get it all off the trap.Snap. 
Peppermint Oil is also useful to halt nausea,put it on a cotton ball in a plastic baggie and breath in.


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## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

Terri in WV said:


> I rubbed peppermint oil all around my drawer edges and it didn't faze the mice. They still got into my silverware :yuck:.
> 
> Someone else had mentioned that they don't like the Bounce dryer sheets. So, I tried that too. They shredded it for bedding.
> 
> ...



We've never had any luck with peanut butter. They eat it off without tripping the trap. But I've found if I take WHITE bread (they don't seem to like WW bread) and ball it up real tight and make sure it's stuck to the trap good. Part of it under the little pointed thing on the trap. They have to work to get it off and it trips the trap.

I think the peanut butter gets soft and they just lick it off.


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## songlady (May 15, 2011)

There's a kind of trap that you can get that you don't even have to bait. :happy: :happy: It looks just like the old fashioned mouse traps except that it has a yellow thing on it. Brand name is Victor. Just snapped a pic of it so if I can figure out how to post I'll do that. You really don't have to bait it and they really do work. :clap: I've caught mice with them quite a few times. Works better than my cat does LOL.:hrm: They should probably be found in any hardware store, our little local one carries them so I imagine biger ones do too. And although I'm in Canada you should be able to get them in the states too. Mice don't have any border crossing problems it seems. :grin: :grin:


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## songlady (May 15, 2011)

I can't get the darn picture to post but if you google Victor snap traps you should find a pic of it. The only one I've ever used is the one with the yellow thingie on it. I hate mice!!! This does work and no I'm not a troll just tryin to help out.


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## ryanthomas (Dec 10, 2009)

Supposedly works on bats, too. I have an old old house with bats in the attic. I started diffusing peppermint oil in the attic a couple months ago. Haven't seen any bats since, but I'm not sure if they're gone.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

i put little cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil all over my place out in the country last fall. i still got the mice. i've been cleaning up after them for a few days now. i hate them too. i go out in the daytime but am unable to sleep there. i haven't seen one just the mess they make. probably went out for the summer. 

i have the victor traps but i have to bait them. haven't seen the others. mom always had peppermint on hand. she would use it for a stomach ache i think . a few drops in hot water with a little sugar. ~Georgia.


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## bama (Aug 21, 2011)

i work in a place where i have bags of feed and grains stored in my office space. of course, there are tons of mice that chew into those bags daily. i hate the mess they make, and i despise cleaning up after them and their little bodily functions! grrr! LOL

i have considered getting some peppermint oil and trying it out there. where did you get it?


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

I went to a health food type place. Not so much foods as suppliments, oils and such. But, I bet you could try natural stores and such as that.


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## doodlemom (Apr 4, 2006)

If you have a patch of mint. Harvest and shred it and stuff it loosely in a jar then pour cheap vegetable oil (for rodent use) in getting rid of bubbles and cover the top with oil so no air is touching the mint. Leave in for 30 days. Extra virgin olive oil if for culinary is what I prefer.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Thanks doodlemom. I was wondering if that would work. I need to plant mint outside, I have spearmint, but need some peppermint.


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## doodlemom (Apr 4, 2006)

bama said:


> i work in a place where i have bags of feed and grains stored in my office space. of course, there are tons of mice that chew into those bags daily. i hate the mess they make, and i despise cleaning up after them and their little bodily functions! grrr! LOL
> 
> i have considered getting some peppermint oil and trying it out there. where did you get it?


Peppermint oil will not stop mice from a known grain source. Been there, done that. It will turn them off exploring for a nest area away from a food source. My tool shed had no food, but mice went in-worked. Rabbit shed-didn't work.


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

Watch planting mint, Angie, it's very invasive.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

I have spearmint that was here already and the patch gets larger but with a lawn mower, it stays in a general area, and I was thinking of containers of it around, or maybe let it go wild around my mobile home and make it totally a bad smell to the mice.


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## ryanthomas (Dec 10, 2009)

AngieM2 said:


> Thanks doodlemom. I was wondering if that would work. I need to plant mint outside, I have spearmint, but need some peppermint.


Spearmint is supposed to have the same effect as peppermint.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Then when my spearmint comes back out, I need to harvest some and try it.


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## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

Becka said:


> I have a mouse living in my car and the other day it ran around while I was driving!


I think I would have died!!! Yikes!!! Hope you can get it out of there!


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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

If you're using herbed oils for human consumption be sure to refrigerate, they can be a source of botulism otherwise.


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