11 Natural Ways to Get rid of Moles from Yard, Garden & Home

Moles are infamous for digging holes in the garden, often all the way under your house. While moles play an important role in improving soil quality, for a regular garden, moles could be disastrous.

They also eat beneficial insects such as earthworms, causing damage to your garden overall. In general, it makes sense to get rid of moles as soon as possible so that you can save your garden before it becomes difficult to repair the damage.

However, there is nothing to worry about as there are plenty of natural ways to get rid of these pests quite easily. In this article, we will explore some of those natural remedies. 

11 Effective Home Remedies to Get Rid of Moles Naturally

1. Castor Oil

Castor oil is one of the most common natural remedies used by people to get rid of moles from their property. C

astor oil not only has a strong smell that can easily repel any pest, but it also makes everything taste bad for the moles, hence discouraging them from being on your property. You can easily find castor oil online or in stores. 

Required Material:

• Castor oil 
• Dish soap
• Water
• Spraying jug

Step by Step Process:

• Take a gallon jug and fill it up with water. Add 3 cups of pure castor oil into it. Add one cup of dish soap as well. Mix it well.
• Attach a spraying hose to the jug and use it to spray this mixture into your lawn or any other property that you want to protect from moles. 
• Spray some of this liquid down any mole burrows that you can find as well, which will make it even more convenient. 
• Re-apply the solution every 3 to 4 weeks. If it rains heavily, the oil may get washed off, so re-apply in that case as well. 

Precautions:

Make sure to cover your entire property, and especially focus on the holes made by the moles, otherwise they can simply dig deeper. 

2. Live Trapping of Moles

Similar to other rodents, catching moles using live traps is quite easy. It is also the most humane way to get rid of moles from your property. That being said, this method works best only if you have a few moles in your property that you want to get rid of.

If you have a huge colony of moles already in your garden, it will be really difficult to trap every single one of them. 

Required Material:

• Live mole trap
• Grub worms or earthworms 

Step by Step Process:

• First, find a suitable mole trap and lay a few dead grub worms inside it. You can also simply use food scraps but it may not be as effective. 
• Now lay out the trap near the mole hole that is most active. To determine the most active mole hole, you can look for fresh dirt outside the hole. 
• It’s usually best to lay out the traps during the early hours of the day or in the evening. Either way, wait about 24 hours before checking the trap. 
• When you have caught the mole, take it and release it away from your house, preferably in an isolated area. 

Precautions:

If you accidentally catch any other animal that you don’t intend on getting rid of, release them immediately so that the trap can remain open for the mole. 

3. Homemade Mole Trap

Moles are fairly small creatures, only about 3 to 5 inches long, so it is quite easy to catch them using a homemade trap. In fact, making a homemade trap is quite easy.

You’ll need a few items from the hardware store, but you do not necessarily need any heavy machinery or expertise, anyone can make this trap. 

Required Material:

• 3 inch diameter PVC pipe 
• Aluminum sheet 
• Aluminum wire 
• Duct tape 

Step by Step Process:

• Cut two PVC pipe segments that are about 5 inch long. 
• Take the aluminum sheet and draw two circles that are the same diameter of the PVC pipes. On one side of the circles, add a ½ inch square on top of them. 
• Cut out these circles from the aluminum sheet using a cutter. Bend the square on top to a 90° angle. Make sure the circles can now sit inside the pvc pipes, if not, shave the sides slightly so that they can.
• On one end of the pipe, make two small holes about ¼ inch apart in the pvc pipe using a drill or with something sharp. Drill two more holes parallel to the other ones at ¼ inch distance. 
• Make two holes side by side on the square on top of the circle that are ¼ inch apart. 
• Now using something round, bend the aluminum circles so that they are slightly curved. The curve should be on the same side as the bent of the square. 
• Using aluminum wires, attach the bent circles to the pvc pipes, making sure that the concave side is on the inside. Feed one wire through one hole in the pvc, then through one hole in the circle, then bring it back through the other parallel hole in the pvc and finally attach the wire with itself by wrapping it a few times. Repeat this process with the other holes on both the pipes. 
• Now take the two PVC pipes and attach them together using Duct tape, with the circles on each end of the pipes. Your homemade trap is ready. 
• To use the trap, find a mole hole and dig up the soil right next to it. When you find the tunnel that was used by the mole, simply lay the trap down in the tunnel and cover the ends with the soil again. 
• When a mole goes through that tunnel, it will get trapped inside the pipes. Check back after a day or two and if you’ve caught a mole, release it by simply removing the duct tape from between the pipes. Make sure to release it in a secluded area away from houses. 

Precautions:

Be extremely cautious while working with sharp equipment as they can easily injure you. Use protective gloves while working. 

4. Cayenne pepper spray

The smell of cayenne pepper is quite strong and it repels moles very strongly. Additionally, if the mole tastes some of the pepper mixture, they are repulsed by the taste as well.

If they continuously taste and smell cayenne pepper on your property, they will be encouraged to leave the area. This method is great for getting rid of small and large amounts of moles.

Required Material:

• Cayenne pepper
• Dish soap
• Water
• Spray bottle

Step by Step Process:

• Mix a few drops of dish soap into water in a spray bottle. No specific amount is necessary. 
• Add 2 spoons of cayenne pepper into the water, and shake the bottle to mix it up.
• Shake the bottle again before using it. Spray inside any mole holes that you find, and around your garden.
• If you spot a mole nearby, you can also spray it directly on to them to scare them away. 
• With continued use, the moles will be discouraged to stay in your garden and leave. 

Precautions:

Cayenne pepper can cause burning in your eyes and nose, so be careful while using the spray. 

5. Flooding

Flooding the mole out of its hole is a sure way of getting rid of it. It isn’t great for a huge number of them, however, it is a very effective technique.

Flooding will suffocate the mole and force it to come out of its hole. Then you can trap it and release it elsewhere.

It is important to note that making the ground wet can actually increase the chance of moles digging holes, so always take additional preventative methods along with this method. 

Required Material:

• Big water bottle
• Water

Step by Step Process:

• Fill up a big bottle with water. Preferably a gallon bottle. 
• Cover the bottle with a piece of plastic or your hand and turn it upside down. 
• Place the bottle on to the mole hole and release the water. 
• Soon you’ll see that the mole has swam up, and it can also go directly into the bottle. 
• Once you have caught the mole, you can take it and release it in an isolated area. 

Precautions:

Always make sure that the mole is actually inside the hole before proceeding with this method. You can ensure that the mole is active by checking the dirt around the hole. If it’s fresh dirt, then the mole is inside. 

6. Peppermint

Peppermint is widely used as a natural insect and pest repellent. Its strong smell is great for driving away small creatures like moles, while being safe for pets and children.

It’s quite easy to find readymade peppermint solutions, but you can also make your own at home with some simple ingredients. 

Required Material:

• Peppermint oil 
• Witch hazel 
• Water 

Step by Step Process:

• In a container mix half a cup of water with half a cup of witch hazel. 
• Into this mixture add two teaspoons of peppermint oil. 
• Mix it well and once it is homogenized, pour this mixture down any mole holes that you may find.
• Additionally, you can also spread some of this mixture around your property to further prevent moles from entering. 
• The strong smell of peppermint will drive away the moles from your property quite quickly. 

Precautions:

Only pour this mixture into the active mole holes. Identify active holes by looking for fresh dirt around the entrance. 

7. Mothballs

Mothballs are not just great for insects, they are also great for getting rid of moles. Mothballs have a very strong scent that are great for messing with the olfactory sense of moles.

The strong smell drives moles away from your garden quite effectively. Mothballs are quite cheap and available almost everywhere. 

Required Material:

• Mothballs

Step by Step Process:

• Identify the mole holes in your garden or property. Drop a few mothballs into each of the holes. 
• You can also leave a few mothballs around the hole, however be careful that your pets do not accidentally eat it. 
• Repeat this process every 4 to 5 weeks for a few months to get rid of moles completely. 
• Once the moles are gone, fill in the holes to discourage the, from using the holes again. 

Precautions:

Be extremely careful that your pets or children do not accidentally eat these mothballs as they are quite toxic. 

8. Predator Urine

Coyotes and Foxes are natural predators of moles. Moles do not see well, but they have excellent olfactory senses, which means as soon as they smell fox or coyotes, they run away from that area.

The best way to utilize this fear against them is to use predator urine. Simply spray some coyote urine in the areas that you have seen the most mole activity, and soon you’ll see that all moles are gone. 

Required Material:

• Fox or Coyote urine 

Step by Step Process:

• Identify the areas that have the most mole activity. You can find active holes by looking for fresh dirt around them. 
• Sprinkle or spray some fox or coyote urine around the active holes. You can also pour some down into the hole itself. 
• Spray some extra predator urine around your garden to really enhance the smell. 
• You’ll soon find that the moles have escaped as they think that a predator is nearby. 

Precautions:

Fox and Coyote urine can also drive away other animals, so use it carefully. 

9. Use Noise

Moles rely highly on their sense of smell and sense of hearing. So, naturally, they are afraid of loud noises and they would run the opposite way as soon as they hear the commotion.

You can go about it in a few different ways. You can blast some music on a radio or use a predator sound machine, which essentially plays hawk and owl sounds on repeat to make the moles think that a predator is nearby. You can also hang some wind chimes in your garden for extra noise. 

Required Material:

• Predator sound maker or small radio. 
• Windchimes (optional)

Step by Step Process:

• As mentioned above, you can use different devices to create noise that will scare off moles. You can install a predator sound maker, typically they emit hawk and owl sounds. They emit the sound periodically to make it seem like a predator bird is nearby. 
• You can also use a radio and keep it on constantly. Although this may cause other animals to become distressed as well. It can also be annoying to you. However it is a cheap option and very useful for those who wish to use it on their farm. 
• You can also hang multiple wind chimes around your garden to utilize the breeze blowing through your garden to create noise. It may also be pleasant to hear. 

Precautions:

There is no guarantee that this method will work. The moles may simply relocate. This is why you should keep an eye on the movement of the moles and act accordingly. 

10. Motion-activated sprinklers

Using a motion-activated sprinkler is a great natural way to get rid of moles in your yard. Moles are no exception to that.

These sprinklers are triggered by any sort of motion in front of them, so as soon as a mole comes up on the ground, they will get a spray of water, which will drive them away from the area immediately. 

Required Material:

• Motion activated sprinkler
• Water hose

Step by Step Process:

• Motion activated sprinklers usually come with a stake that you can use to install it directly into the ground. 
• Once installed, attach a water hose to it and turn on the water supply. 
• As soon as any mole walks by, it will get a spray of water on it, which will scare away the mole. 
• Even if the mole does not leave immediately, after getting sprayed by water a few times, they would be discouraged to stay on your property any longer and leave. 

Precautions:

You can get sprayed by water from the motion-activated sprinkler as well, so make sure to avoid them while walking around in your garden. 

11. Ultrasonic mole repellents

As we already mentioned, moles have great hearing, which also means that they can hear very high-frequency sounds that are inaudible to humans. Compared to a radio or a noise maker, these are far less annoying for humans since they do not make any noise.

That being said, you should always purchase an ultrasonic repellent that is specifically made for moles, otherwise, it may not be effective. 

Required Material:

• Ultrasonic mole repellents

Step by Step Process:

• If your ultrasonic mole repellent requires batteries, then install them. 
• Then use the stake provided on the device to drive it into the ground directly. Use at least 4 to 5 of them around your garden. 
• Switch on the device, and it should start working immediately. 
• As soon as the moles hear this ultrasonic sound, they would perceive it as noise. 
• After a day or two, you’ll see that the moles have gone away. 

Precautions:

Make sure to buy the ultrasonic repellent that is specifically made for moles, otherwise, it will not work. 

5 Natural Ways to Prevent Moles

1. Get rid of the food source

Moles eat earthworms, grubs, and some other insects from underground. They generally do not affect plant roots, so there is no need to protect your plants.

To get rid of earthworms and grubs, you can use a soil pesticide meant for these insects. It is worth knowing that earthworms play a huge role in soil quality, so if you want to plant saplings in the ground, it may not be a good idea to kill earthworms.

But, if you just want to get rid of the moles but do not have any plans of planting trees in the soil, then you can use this method effectively to keep moles away from your garden.

As for grubs, you can use beneficial nematodes or milky spores to get rid of them in an eco-friendly manner. 

2. Add repellent plants in your garden

While it is true that moles do not eat plants, they can certainly be deterred by using plants. Alliums, marigolds, and daffodils are some of the examples of plants that moles hate.

They dislike the smell of these plants and do not usually go near them. So to protect your garden while also adding beautiful flowers, you can plant a few of these flowering plants in and around your garden.

Do not plant them in pots, instead of planting them directly in soil for maximum efficiency. Moles are likely not to attack your garden if you have these plants there already. 

3. Create an underground fence

The only sure way to keep moles and other burrowing pests away from your garden is to create an underground fence that prevents these animals from digging inside your lawn or property.

To make this underground fence you would first need to dig a trench about 5 to 6 feet deep all-around the property that you want to protect. Then you must install a mesh wire inside the trench, with at least 2 feet of wire above the ground.

Also, create a bend in the mesh wire facing outwards while placing the mesh inside the trench, this makes sure that the moles will not be able to dig downwards. Finally fill in the trench and your underground fence is ready. 

4. Allow Owls to nest on your property

Owls and Hawks are natural predators of moles, so the sight of an owl will definitely keep moles away from your property.

While you can always install a decoy, real owls will scare away moles way more effectively. To encourage owls to nest in your property, you can install a few owl boxes.

5. Get a dog

Dogs are hostile towards moles and other rodents. They do not eat them, but dogs will definitely kill a mole if they see one.

Moreover, the smell of dog urine will also scare away moles. Letting a dog roam around freely in your yard will definitely keep moles away from your property. 

Top 5 Natural Repellents to Available Online to Get rid of Moles

If you are looking for readily available natural repellents to get rid of moles, check below listed top Natural/Organic Repellents.

Final Comments:

In conclusion, Moles are not welcome in our gardens. Getting rid of them is quite easy as you saw in the article.

Using these simple methods, you can eliminate mole activities in your garden quickly and easily without any risk to you or your pets. So it is now your turn to utilize these methods and get rid of moles from your garden today!