Just like you and me, mice have preferences; there are some things they love and some things they hate. Understanding how to get rid of mice involves knowing about their dislikes and using this information to keep them away from your home along with understanding things they do like, and making sure your home is not filled with them. Doing so can be tricky since they like many of the same things as people. Having a few things in common with these tiny home invaders doesn’t mean you have to live with them, though.
Find out what kinds of things mice like and dislike and how you can use that information to avoid a mouse infestation, ensuring they stay outside where they belong.
Balsam (Impatiens balsamina) is a popular annual flower loved for its bright, abundant blooms. However these tender plants can attract unwanted attention from birds, rabbits, squirrels and other rodents in search of tasty seeds, buds, and foliage. Protect your investment and keep animal pests from wreaking havoc on your balsam plants with these effective deterrents and control methods.
Understand What Attracts Rodents
Rodents like rabbits, squirrels, mice, and chipmunks are drawn to balsam plants because they provide convenient sources of food, water, and shelter. Seeds, seedlings, foliage, flowers, ripening seed pods, and moisture collected in leaf axils appeal to these hungry critters. They may also burrow around plants, disturbing roots.
Identify signs of rodent damage like chewed leaves, nipped buds, missing seedlings, burrows, droppings, and tracks. Focus control efforts in vulnerable areas and when plants are young. Be vigilant at dusk and dawn when rodents are most active.
Effective Rodent Deterrents
Physical Barriers
The most reliable way to protect balsam plants is installing physical barriers like fences, netting, and hardware cloth cages that prevent access. Use small mesh bird netting over seedlings and enclosing mature plants in chicken wire cages excludes burrowing pests.
Repellents
Rodent repellents using smell, taste, or touch create an inhospitable environment that deters pests Peppermint, garlic, and chili pepper repel with strong scent or taste Sticky barriers are uncomfortable. Apply repellents frequently, as they break down quickly.
Scare Tactics
Frighten away animals with loud noises, flashing lights, and threatening but harmless predators. Banging pots, pinwheels, plastic owls, and radios help convince pests to dine elsewhere. Rotate and move scare devices to maximize effectiveness.
Habitat Modification
Eliminate food sources, water, and shelter that attract rodents to your yard. Clean up fallen seeds and fruits, keep the garden free of hiding spots, and minimize standing water. Trim ground cover so rabbits can’t hide beneath plants.
Rodent-Resistant Balsams
When selecting balsam varieties, seek out types bred to be less palatable to rodents. Look for plants with rough foliage, thick stems, and flowers with bitter taste or odor built-in through breeding. Dwarf balsams with compact growth may also be less vulnerable.
Safe, Humane Population Control
As a last resort, trap and remove problem rodents humanely. But avoid poisons that can harm pets, birds, beneficial insects, and other wildlife. Limit nearby habitat and food sources to discourage recolonization. Work with neighbors to make the entire area less hospitable to rodent pests.
With persistence and vigilance, you can successfully protect your treasured balsam plants from animal damage. Use multiple deterrents appropriate for the pests you face. Focus prevention efforts on young plants when they are most vulnerable. Exclude access with barriers and reduce appeal by eliminating food, water sources, and shelter that attract hungry rodents to the garden.
Will Keeping Lights on Keep Mice Away?
Although mice aren’t exclusively nocturnal, they tend to be more active at night for a few reasons. They have poor eyesight and are sensitive to bright lights, which means bright or flashing lights can help keep mice away from your home, but it shouldn’t be the only deterrent you use. Their survival instincts also cause them to avoid larger animals and being active at night in the darkness helps protect them from predators, people, and other dangers.
What Smells Do Mice Hate?
Mice dislike strong, fresh odors. They tend to overwhelm rodents and their sense of smell, which scares them off. They avoid danger by relying on their keen sense of smell, which makes up for their weak eyesight. They rely on this sense to find food, detect danger, and follow scent trails as a way of navigation.
Some strong scents people often use as a natural mouse repellent include:
- Lavender – Mice can find the strong floral scent of lavender overwhelming and unpleasant
- Peppermint oil – The potent aroma of peppermint oil and similar essential oils can irritate a rodent’s sensitive nose.
- Vinegar solutions – The sharp, acrid smell of vinegar solutions can cause pests to avoid areas where it is used.
- Cinnamon – The strong, spicy scent of cinnamon can overwhelm a rodent’s strong sense of smell.
These tactics can work when used by themselves, but there aren’t clear instructions about how much to use, how to apply the scents, how often reapplication is needed, or how long the scents will remain effective. The strong smell of peppermint and other oils can quickly disappear when simply applied to a cotton ball (a common approach). This means the results of these methods can be inconsistent and inconclusive. That’s why we recommend Stay Away® Rodent, which utilizes these scents to effectively keep mice away and provides continuous protection for 30 days.
Placing scented dryer sheets around the house is another common DIY solution, however, the smells don’t last long and the results are inconsistent.
The scent of another animal, such as a cat, can sometimes scare mice away. Again, their goal is to avoid danger, so the smell of a cat or their litter box may cause the pest to go elsewhere. The scent of another house mouse may also alert them to avoid an unfriendly neighbor.
Lastly, contrary to what cartoons may have led you to believe, mice don’t actually like cheese very much. If you think about it, cheese is quite stinky and the strong smell may actually keep them from coming close to a mousetrap.
How to Prevent and Control RATS in Your Garden
FAQ
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