14 Natural Ways to Get Rid of Rats & Mice [Homemade Rat & Mouse Repellents]

Rats or mice rodents are one of the most common household pests, and they are also one of the worst. Not only do the rats and mice steal your food, but they can also chew through virtually anything, causing massive damage.

The problems are further amplified when you have a barn or food storage. Apart from all of these, these rodents are also known to carry a number of different deadly diseases, which can spread through their bite or contaminated food.

It is safe to assume that anyone that has a mice or rat problem would want to get rid of them. Thankfully, there are many natural yet easy ways to get rid of them. In this article, we will discuss some of those points. 

How To Get Rid of Rats and Mice Naturally?

Below are 14 effective natural ways explained with step by step process to get rid of Rats and Mice. These methods include homemade natural rat repellent, homemade natural mouse repellent and several other natural methods to get rid of rats and mice.

1. Traps

Mouse and Rat traps come in different forms. The most common ones are kill traps, which will kill the rodent when it catches one. The other type is no-kill or live traps.

These will help you catch the mouse or rat alive. Depending upon your situation, you may use either type, but the no-kill one is usually recommended unless you have an infestation. 

Required Items:

Step by Step Process:

  • Set up your trap according to the instructions provided along with the trap. 
  • Put a few peanuts or a dollop of peanut butter inside the trap as bait. 
  • Place the trap in an area of your house that is frequented by the rat or mice. 
  • Check back after 12 hours or so, and you may have caught a rat or mouse. If it is a kill trap, dispose of the dead rodent. If it is a no-kill trap, take the rodent and release it in a wooded or secluded place. 
  • You may repeat the process for more rodents in your house. 

Precautions:

There is no guarantee that the trap will catch the mouse or rat, so you may have to keep trying for several days before they are trapped. 

2. Glue traps

Glue traps are much cheaper than regular traps but they are single-use traps. However, they are very effective and easy to use. Glue traps are also great for areas such as the kitchen or your pantry because they do not contain any poison or harmful chemicals. 

Required Items:

Step by Step Process:

  • Open the glue trap from its packaging and remove the protective layer. 
  • Fold it up if you are trying to catch a small mouse, but if you’re trying to catch rats, you should keep the trap open. 
  • Place it in an area that is frequented by the rodent. Put it in a corner or on the side of the wall or furniture. You can also slide it under furniture.
  • Put one or two peanuts on the trap as bait. 
  • When the rat or mouse walks over it, they will get stuck to the glue and become trapped. 
  • Once you find the rat or mouse, you can wrap it up with the glue pad and dispose of it in your garbage. If you find the rat alive, you may unstick it and release it in the wild, however, they may face difficulty in walking and may die soon after. 

Precautions:

Try not to get any rat glue on your hands, or clothes as it can be quite difficult to get off. 

3. Peppermint oil

One of the most common ways to get rid of mice or rats is to use essential oils. You can use a few different types of oils such as clove oil, mint oil, or peppermint oil. You can turn it into a spray or you can also wipe down the area with the mixture.

The strong peppermint scent will overpower the trail left by the rodent, which means more of their kind will not be able to follow them. 

Required Items:

Step by Step Process:

  • Mix ½ cup of water with ½ cup of witch hazel or rubbing alcohol. 
  • Add 1 teaspoon of peppermint oil into the mixture and shake well. 
  • You can transfer this mixture to a spray bottle to use as a deterrent spray, or you can wipe down certain areas with the mixture. 
  • Apply the mixture in your pantry counters, on your kitchen countertops, sink, etc. 
  • You can wipe down your kitchen table, stove, etc with the mixture as well. This will get rid of the food odor as well. 
  • Do this every day, and the mice or rats that were stealing food or destroying your stuff will stop coming. 

Precautions:

You must also protect your food and any other edible material to prevent the rats from being encouraged. 

4. Cayenne pepper

Cayenne pepper is a very hot spice and rats or mice absolutely hate it. If you sprinkle it around the areas that they usually hang around, you’ll see that they will stop coming. This is a strategic method and it could take a few tries before they go away permanently. 

Required Items:

Step by Step Process:

  • Identify the areas that have the most damage from rats or mice. 
  • Sprinkle a generous amount of cayenne pepper powder in those areas. 
  • You’ll soon notice that there is no further damage in those areas. However, you may start to see rodent activity elsewhere in your house, so keep an eye out and repeat the process in those areas as well. 
  • Eventually, after a few tries, you’ll be able to drive the rat away from your home. 

Precautions:

You must protect any food item before starting this process, otherwise, they will keep coming back for the food no matter the amount of pepper powder. 

5. Dryer sheets

Dryer sheets are very fragrant, which is why they are excellent for stuffing inside any burrows or nesting areas to keep the rodents out.

This is a great method for dealing with rats and mice outside the home. It can also be used to keep rats and mice out of certain areas of your house. 

Required Items:

Step by Step Process:

  • Find the rat or mouse burrows in your garden first. 
  • Take one dryer sheet and stuff it inside the burrow of the rodent. Do this for all the burrows. 
  • Soon you’ll see that there are no more rats running around your garden. 
  • If you want to use this to prevent rodents in your kitchen or home in general, you can put a dryer sheet in all the areas that have food or is cluttered. This will keep the rats out. 

Precautions:

This is not always effective, especially if you have a large garden or property around your house. However, it is a good temporary solution to keep the mice or rats out until you install a more permanent solution. 

6. Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has a strong smell that would keep away a lot of different animals including rats and mice.

Simply spraying it around your house or in your attic can keep the mice and rats away. However, you can also use it to wipe down your kitchen counters and your floor for more protection. 

Required Items:

Step by Step Process:

  • Mix ½ cup of apple cider vinegar with ½ cup of water and mix thoroughly. 
  • You can put it into a spray bottle and use it as a spray, or simply use this mixture to wipe down your floors or countertops. 
  • Spray it around your house, or even in your garden to keep the mice and rats away from your home. 
  • Spray it in the areas where you frequently see mice or rats, they will quickly go away.  

Precautions:

This is not a permanent solution, and eventually, the rodents may become used to the smell, so take preventative measures as well. 

7. Onion

The strong and often foul smell of onion is repulsive to rats and mice just as it is to humans. Simply leaving out a piece of onion may be able to deter rats and mice away from your home. It can also be used to deter mice away from your garden. However, it is a temporary solution. 

Required Items:

  • Onion slices 

Step by Step Process:

  • Cut up an onion into 4 slices. 
  • Take each slice and put them in places that have rats or places that may attract rats easily. 
  • You can also chop up the onions a bit more and put those slices down inside rat or mice burrows outside your home. This will drive them out of those burrows. 

Precautions:

This is a temporary solution, and you need to take additional prevention methods to eliminate rats permanently. 

8. Ammonia spray

Ammonia mimics the smell of predator urine, which is why it is a great repellent for mice and rats. You can use this as a cleaner as it is usually used, or you can sprinkle it around your garden to create an unwelcoming environment for the rats and mice.

This is usually safe to use as the ammonia evaporates eventually, however the chemical should be handled carefully. 

Required Items:

Step by Step Process:

  • Mix 1 part of ammonia with 2 parts of water and pour it into a spray bottle. 
  • Spray this mixture in the areas of your house where you see the most rodent activity. 
  • You can also spray it in tight spaces like your attic to stop the mice or rats from living there. 
  • This mixture can also be used outside. Simply pour down a bit of this mixture into the rat or mice burrows, and they will go away. 

Precautions:

Ammonia is a strong chemical, so handle it carefully. Always wear gloves while handling it. 

9. Mothballs

Mothballs have a strong chemical smell that would keep out mice and rats from certain areas in your home. For example the pantry, the attic, or the bathroom.

The mothball will evaporate and the smell will fill up the room or the area, which helps keep the rats out of the area. 

Required Items:

Step by Step Process:

  • Identify the areas where you have found rat scratches or droppings etc. 
  • Place 3 to 4 mothballs in those areas. If it is a big space such as your pantry or your attic, you can use 3 to 4 balls per corner. 
  • The mothballs will eventually evaporate and the strong smell will keep the mouse away. 
  • You will have to replace them every month or so. 

Precautions:

Do not use mothballs if you have children or pets in the house, because it can cause poisoning if ingested. 

10. Homemade Rat Repellent using Baking Soda [Homemade Rat Bait]

Homemade rat poison is much different than commercial products and it is usually much safer. It is also safe for dogs and children.

However, you should still use it carefully. It contains baking soda, which reacts with the rat’s stomach acid, and produces CO2 gas, which will eventually burst their stomach and kill them. This is a great way to deal with a rat or mice infestation in your house. 

Required Items:

Step by Step Process:

  • Mix one cup of cornmeal with one cup of sugar. Add 1 cup of baking soda to the mixture as well. Mix thoroughly.
  • Use a few spoons of this mixture on a foil or a sheet of paper as the poisonous bait. 
  • When a rat eats this mixture, it will not realize that there is baking soda in it. However, the baking soda will start reacting with the stomach acid and will produce CO2 gas, which will explode their stomach and they will die. 
  • You can then dispose of the dead rat in the garbage. 

Precautions:

The rat will likely not die instantly, so you’ll have to find the dead rat in your house to dispose of it. 

11. Homemade Mouse Repellent using Plaster of Paris [Homemade Mouse Bait]

Like baking soda bait, this is also another homemade mouse bait. Plaster of Paris can be mixed with cornmeal and sugar to create a paste that will kill the rats.

However, in this case, instead of creating a gas, the plaster will slowly harden once the rat or mouse ingests it, which will kill them. This is also quite safe yet very effective for a rat or mice infestation. 

Required Items:

Step by Step Process:

  • Mix 1 cup of cornmeal with 1 cup of sugar, and add 1 cup of plaster of Paris. 
  • Add a few teaspoons of water into the mixture and mix thoroughly. Keep adding water to it and mixing it until it forms a soft dough.
  • Make small balls with the dough and keep them in a place that is most affected by rats. 
  • When the rats consume it, the plaster of paris will start to harden, and eventually, they will die when they cannot digest any of the food. 
  • Dispose of the dead rats as soon as possible. 

Precautions:

Make sure your pets or your children don’t accidentally eat this material, it can cause an upset stomach or even require hospitalization.

12. Potato Flakes

Instant potato flakes are a great non-toxic way to deal with mice and rats. Not only is this a food item that is attractive to these rodents, but it also works incredibly well as a rat killer. The potato flakes are very dry, so when a rat or mouse consumes it, they become very thirsty.

If they drink water after eating the flakes, the flakes start to re-hydrate inside their body and swell up, which causes them to die. This is a great way to get rid of an infestation. 

Required Items:

Step by Step Process:

  • In a dish, add 1 part sugar with 2 parts instant potato flakes. Mix well.
  • Put this dish in a place that may have rats or mice. 
  • In a separate dish or bowl, put some water and keep it a bit far away from the other bowl. 
  • When the rats consume the potato flakes, their body will start to dry up making them very thirsty. When they would go drink the water, their body will swell up because the flakes will swell up inside of them, which will kill them. 
  • Once you find the dead rats, make sure to dispose of them quickly. 

Precautions:

Make sure to use instant dry potato flakes only. Anything else will not swell up. 

13. Owl Feathers

Owls are natural predators of rats and mice, so if they sense that an owl is nearby, they will steer clear of that area. To make the rats or mice think that there is an owl nearby, you can sprinkle owl feathers around the area where you found the rodents. 

Required Items:

Step by Step Process:

  • Identify the areas that have rats or where you frequently see rat activity. 
  • If you find rats or mice outside your house, this method will work for them as well. 
  • Take a few owl feathers, and sprinkle them around the areas that you previously identified. 
  • Also, sprinkle them around your garden if you see rats or mice outside. 
  • Whenever these rodents see these feathers, they think that the owl is nearby and so they run away from that area. 

Precautions:

This is a temporary method to get rid of mice or rats from your home or garden. You would need to use additional prevention methods for permanently getting rid of owls. 

14. Ultrasonic repellents

Ultrasonic repellents are great for repelling mice or rats from your home. They are often unreliable, however, they could be helpful for small spaces and rooms. Keep in mind that the repellents must be specifically for rats and mice, otherwise it may be useless. 

Required Items:

Step by Step Process:

  • Place an ultrasonic repellent in an area that is being affected by rodents such as rats and mice. 
  • Simply plug it in and switch it on. If there are any rodents present in your house, they will hear this sound and become annoyed by it. 
  • They should start leaving immediately. 
  • You can leave on the repellent throughout the day as well since you will not be hearing any sound.

Precautions:

Ultrasonic repellents are not always reliable, so make sure to use other prevention methods as well. 

How to Keep Rats and Mice Away?

Below are 5 natural techniques to keep rats and mice away.

1. Remove or protect any food sources

Rats are omnivores, so they will eat everything. This means anything you may have in your pantry can be attacked by rats or mice. This is why it is very important to always store your food items safely in jars or containers that cannot be chewed through by a rodent.

You should also make sure that there are no leftover food or food crumbs on your kitchen or your floor.

Additionally, doing the dishes immediately after eating will also make sure that your utensils are not contaminated by rats. If there is no food, there is no attraction for the rodents, so eventually, they will stop coming.  

2. Seal all entry points

The most effective way to keep the rodents out of your house is to prevent them from entering. Rats and mice are excellent climbers and they can also swim very well. This is why you must protect every entry point.

While closing gaps or cracks in your wall, always use a strong material such as metal sheets if possible. If there is a sewage drain in your house, you should use metal mesh to cover up the area.

Moreover, you can protect your chimneys or your windows with metal mesh as well. This may seem difficult or tedious at first, but if you have a lot of rodents around your house, it is completely worth the effort. 

3. Caulk and steel wool

Steel wool is a material that rats cannot chew through, which is why it is a perfect material to fill in any gaps or holes in your house.

On its own, however, it is quite easy to remove, even for rats, so you must mix in caulk with it to make the filling permanent and strong.

In a container mix in equal parts of steel wool and caulk and then use a spatula to fill in the gaps and holes in your wall or floor. 

4. Keep your house clean

A dirty house is a perfect breeding ground for rats and mice. Not only will they chew through anything they find, but they will also make their burrow in your clutter. They may also breed in this burrow causing a large population in your home.

Most burrows are found in areas such as the attic or a storage room. To ensure that this does not happen, keep your house clean and remove any excess garbage from your home. 

5. Own a dog or a cat

Dogs and cats are both natural predators to rodents like rats and mice. So if you have a dog or cat, simply let them chase away the rats or mice from your home.

This is the best method because dogs and cats would kill any rodent they find, so you would not have to do it yourself. 

Top 5 Natural Repellents to Get rid of Rats and Mice

If you are looking for readily available natural repellents to get rid of rats or mice, check below listed best Natural rat and mouse Repellents.

Final Words:

Rats and Mice are invasive and dangerous to be around. You never know what type of diseases they may be carrying and what they might have nibbled on. It is extremely important to drive away any rats or mice that you see.

Now that you have read about all the different natural ways to get rid of mice and rats, it is time for you to take action and finally drive away these nasty pests from your home.