What smell will keep rats away? 9 Different Smells Rats and Mice Hate

The presence of rats can be irking and can give you sleepless nights. These vermin rodents can live happily in any of the places and munch your favorite food; even worse, they can bite and spread diseases, and when they reproduce and multiply in numbers, they can make your home a living hell.

Unfortunately, rats are one of the smartest creatures, and they find ways by which they can escape the traps and poisons.

But, the good news is that rats have a highly developed sense of smell, and you may consider utilizing some fragrances that rats hate to keep your sweet home free of these harmful rodents.

Let’s take a sneak-peek into some of the smells that will keep the rats away:

1. Peppermint oil

Peppermint oil has inherent properties to keep mice out of your life. You can keep cotton soaked in peppermint oil, or you can even buy the peppermint oil-infused pouches to keep your house and garages rat-free.

You can hang these pouches inside your closet, cupboards, basement, etc. The packs are clean and can be used easily. You can also consider using mint-infused spray bottles to get rid of mice.

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Precautions: 

Although these products are not harmful, you should keep the products out of reach for your children and other pets.

2. Balsam fir oil

Balsam fir oil emits an odor that is offensive to the rodents. If you use balsam fir oil residues, then you can keep rats away from your houses.

You can find rodent repellent pouches with balsam oil infusions to keep the rats away from your life. You can place the pouches in the infested areas.

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Precautions: 

It would be advisable to keep the products out of reach from children as they can cause health hazards to children.

3. Citronella oil

Citronella oil not only keeps away mosquitos, but researches have proven that citronella is harmful to mice too.

Rats are intolerant to citronella due to the pungent odor that it emits. You can find citronella oil diffused rat repellents in online stores.

These repellents are quite beneficial to keep the rats away from your home and office. 

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Precautions: 

You must use this product away from the reach of children.

4. Mothballs

Mothballs have the persistent smell of naphthalene, which can deter rats to a considerable extent.

Precautions: 

You should use the mothballs in a limited quantity. Excessive usage can cause respiratory troubles for human beings as well.

When exposed to excessive naphthalene, an individual can have chronic headaches, nausea, vomiting, and other breathing troubles.

5. Bergamot

According to some scientists, the smell of citrus bergamot can keep the pesky rats out of your home and office.

Bergamot contains substances like monoterpene, pinene, linalool, hydrocarbons, etc., which are detrimental to the rats.

Precautions: 

This product is for external usage only. Ingestion of this material can lead to severe health hazards.

6. Cloves

Rats detest the smell of cloves. If you fill cheesecloth sachets with ground cloves, you can get rid of these four-legged creatures quickly.

The unwelcome rats will leave your house if you use cloves.

Precautions: 

Cloves are not associated with any side effects, but some people can experience itching in the skin.

7. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a magic spice that is not only good for our health, but due to the strong odor, it keeps the pesky rats away from your home, garages, and your office.

You can consider investing in cinnamon pouches from the local markets or online stores, and you can keep the pouches in the infested areas to see the magic.

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Precautions:

Cinnamon does not have any dangerous side effects, but some people with sensitive skin can develop allergic reactions.

8. Eucalyptus oil

Eucalyptus has a potent aroma that has the capability of keeping the rats away. Eucalyptus oil can prevent the reproduction of rats.

You can take a cotton ball dipped in eucalyptus oil and keep the same in the infested areas.

Precaution: Eucalyptus oil does not have any side effects and will make your room scented.

9. Ammonia

Ammonia solution is detrimental for the rats. You can easily make an ammonia solution by mixing ammonia with two spoons of detergent and water.

You can place the mixture in a bowl and keep it in the infested area.   

Precautions: 

You have to keep this mixture out of children’s reach, and you also need to ensure that the pets do not get near that.

Final Words:

Rats can cause many economic and health problems by spreading harmful diseases. If you see bald tails lurking out from every nuke and corner of your house, you must make sincere efforts to kick the rats out before they kick you.

Unless you have a carefree soul and believe in a live and let live philosophy, you must be too eager to eliminate these irking creatures. The above scents will help you get rid of the rats and help you live in a clean environment.