What?
Getting dirty on the farm? (wait, that didn't sound right!) No!
Mouse bathing? No, this isn't a mouse B&B!
Getting dirty on the farm? (wait, that didn't sound right!) No!
Mouse bathing? No, this isn't a mouse B&B!
We bought all this soap because we have still had a couple of mice show up in the mouse traps we put down. No overwhelming infestation, but one or two a month is one or two too many in my book. One of you commented in my post about the mouse problem a few months back that Irish Spring soap was a deterrent. I decided to Google it to learn more and I found numerous references online to people using it that way.
So, I went out and bought an 8-pack of "original scent" which is apparently the one that works best. It was kind of hard to find in original scent at the store, but after a few stops, I found them at a grocery store. However, Amazon sells Irish Spring Soap, Original for those who can't find it at their local store.
I decided to make it go even further by cutting each bar in half. Eight bars became sixteen. I scattered them around the house in the closets, under end tables and couches, under the sinks, in cabinets, and I even tossed some under the bookcases.
I decided to make it go even further by cutting each bar in half. Eight bars became sixteen. I scattered them around the house in the closets, under end tables and couches, under the sinks, in cabinets, and I even tossed some under the bookcases.
 |
| Field mouse, please go away |
Hey, it can't hurt, right? I guess time will tell. They've been in use for a week now and there were no mice in traps. Perhaps it's working?
I'll definitely keep you posted.
UPDATE 10/2013
I've been regularly putting these down, and I can say we have definitely had much FEWER mice but we do occasionally get one. We've got traps down, a couple in each room and so we get a mouse or two each month.
The smell of of Irish Spring is not for everyone and honestly it does get to be too much for us at times so I've toned down the usage. I started cutting back a bit, just keeping it around the areas I think mice are coming in (around pipes under sinks in kitchen and bathroom). It does wear out (the smell) in about a month, so it's probably more effective in the beginning of putting it down.
UPDATE 12/2014
After using this for a couple of years, we have to say, we would judge this as "inconclusive". We definitely have fewer mice, but we also have traps down, baited with peanut butter (might should use the soap apparently, ha) and have snagged a few that way. There could be many factors of why we have fewer mice, it could even be a seasonal thing, perhaps some years worse than others. The soap worked for a bit, but I think after the scent wore off, they might have even liked it. Never saw bite marks but they were, occasionally, moved around. So something was checking them out.
I think the bottom line is that it works but then fizzles out quickly...and apparently, some varieties of mice seem to actually like it.
UPDATE 12/2016
Several of the comments are from one side to the other. Some of you swear by it and some say their mice eat it. After some research, it seems that different varieties of mice are affected differently. I suppose it's true that some like it and some don't.
Sigh...
We're still on the lookout for anything that might work the same way, so feel free to comment below anytime!
I'll definitely keep you posted.
UPDATE 10/2013
I've been regularly putting these down, and I can say we have definitely had much FEWER mice but we do occasionally get one. We've got traps down, a couple in each room and so we get a mouse or two each month.
The smell of of Irish Spring is not for everyone and honestly it does get to be too much for us at times so I've toned down the usage. I started cutting back a bit, just keeping it around the areas I think mice are coming in (around pipes under sinks in kitchen and bathroom). It does wear out (the smell) in about a month, so it's probably more effective in the beginning of putting it down.
UPDATE 12/2014
After using this for a couple of years, we have to say, we would judge this as "inconclusive". We definitely have fewer mice, but we also have traps down, baited with peanut butter (might should use the soap apparently, ha) and have snagged a few that way. There could be many factors of why we have fewer mice, it could even be a seasonal thing, perhaps some years worse than others. The soap worked for a bit, but I think after the scent wore off, they might have even liked it. Never saw bite marks but they were, occasionally, moved around. So something was checking them out.
I think the bottom line is that it works but then fizzles out quickly...and apparently, some varieties of mice seem to actually like it.
UPDATE 12/2016
Several of the comments are from one side to the other. Some of you swear by it and some say their mice eat it. After some research, it seems that different varieties of mice are affected differently. I suppose it's true that some like it and some don't.
Sigh...
We're still on the lookout for anything that might work the same way, so feel free to comment below anytime!
If nothing else the farmhouse will have a nice clean smell!
ReplyDeleteYou know, that's true. In fact, this past weekend, I was expecting it to be really strong, seeing as the house was sealed up for a week, but it was very subtle and actually kind of nice. I just hope the mice don't think so, ha.
DeleteAnd I like it too.
DeleteManly, yes
DeleteThey hate peppermint essential oil. Buy some sponges, cut them up, soak them in peppermint oil and put them down. Yeah, it'll smell like a candy factory, but the smell will dissipate and so will the mice.
DeleteI've used the peppermint essential oil but instead of sponges I put it on kitty litter inside of an old sock with a knot on the end. I had a bunch of stretched-out-elastic socks so I had a bunch to get rid of. It worked great at first but for best results I had to pick up each sock and shake the contents around to stir it up a little about once a week. The peppermint smell is a bit much for my olfactory senses but not as annoying as the rodents in the camper
DeleteWe put Bounce dryer sheets all over the inside of our motor home to keep them out. We've done it for years and so far it works.
Deletesorry but my mice didn't read this!!!!I tried this in my camper .I really thought it was working BUT I found a nest and poop . I thought I was going to out smart them with the smell of my cat so every time I brushed my cat I would put the cat fur in a baggie and through the open baggie s around the camper. SMART EH? well that's what they made their nest of. They won.
DeleteI tried Irish Spring soap in my car and all the mice did was eat the soap. It didn't keep them away at all
DeleteA cat would be best! And the best cat? A Maine Coon Cat makes the best mousers!
DeleteI tried Irish spring original soap. I also cut it into smaller chunks. Guess what - the mice chewed on it, and it did nothing to deter them. I guess they now have nice breath. Manly, but mice like it too.
DeleteHave you tried peppermint essential oil? You soak a cottonball with a few drops of the peppermint oil then place the oil-soaked cotton ball in all the places mice can get it. Replace them about every six weeks. Mice HATE peppermint!
DeleteItried the mothballs to keep mice out of a tool storage shed.
DeleteThe only thing it kept out was me. The mice did'nt seem to care.
We have had mice get in our unoccupied RV every summer when we leave for the summer and head to cooler weather. We can say that the best thing that works is to crawl under the RV and plug up every little hole you can find that the mice can squeeze through. We use caulking, steel wool and foam. Also check places inside of your hatch storage. We also go through the RV inside and plug up any entry holes (especially around your slides). We've tried the dryer sheets and the sonic mice gizmos. They didn't work. Our final idea is to leave a loud radio going, set on a timer to come off and on. Plugging up small entry points and the radio has done the trick for us. Plus, brought smiles to our neighbors when they hear the music and know we aren't there for a party! :)
Deletebahahahahahahah at Tonya above! yes, please keep us posted if this works and maybe it's just an east coast canadian thing but i haven't seen irish spring soap in years!!!
ReplyDeleteyour friend,
kymber
It did smell nice! Hmm, no Irish Spring soap huh? If it works, maybe I should have some to include in our next giveaway, LOL. Big hugs to you and J!
Deletei don't know about irish spring soap but I know that peppermint oil works for spiders and some critters but what I have used and still do in the barn is a radio and moth balls radio plays music and they think its a human and they stay away and the moth balls work on mice rats coons skunks and opossums or how ever you spell it and then once and a while I go around property edge with bleach seems to stop them to a point
DeleteBeware of moth balls, they are too toxic and can harm humans as well. Stick with less toxic stuff. Buy some cheap perfume and spray it on entire periphery of building where you think pests are coming in. Also you can soak old cloths in it, lay it near openings. They will all stay away from that.
DeleteWe've tried every trick we can as we live in a 100+ y.o. house that's had a severe problem with them, but we won't put poison down since we have cats & don't want them 2nd-hand poisoned. As near as we can figure out, MOST strong scents seem to deter them *for a while*, as do most of the sonic repellant devices, but they seem to get immune to each scent/sound sooner or later. Even the cat's litter (although it deters ground squirrels nesting against the building, if spread along the outside base of the walls) ... What's worked best for us, & it's not 100% either, is to have a bunch of strong scents and various brands/types of sonic devices, and cycle through them... After a month or 2, switch it out for the next thing on the list. Doing that, combined with glue traps in busier areas for them, and we can keep it down to a handful a yr, though its always a little worse for a bit after the first snow of the season.
DeleteAnd if it doesn't work, then the mice can clean their little feet so that they don't leave dirty marks all over the place...
ReplyDeleteHa, there is always that huh? Too funny!! :-)
DeleteAmmonia works put bottles in camper and hatches
DeleteMoth balls are good to get rid & keep pests out. They work to keep squirrels out of attics too.
DeleteThe moth balls may keep out the mice, but they will ruin anything they touch. They are poison and you can never get the smell out. DON'T USE THEM, THEY ARE HORRIBLE!!! We had to get rid of our camper because of them.
DeleteOoh I wonder if I can get that in New Zealand, or similar? We've never seen a mouse in the cottage, but we found a Mum and 4 babies living in our box of Xmas decorations out in the shed... so I know they're about. Unless Santa seriously got it wrong! Lol. Thx for the tip!
ReplyDeleteNot a merry Christmas huh? Ha. It's worth a shot.
DeleteWe tried this last year. We actually saw a mouse carry one off in his teeth!!! Didn't seem to mind the smell at all!! :-(
DeleteWe haven't caught many mice this winter in the traps in the house. Two theories are - we had quit feeding the birds for a time and there are a couple of new cats in the area we have seen roaming around. But I know the mice are still here - I opened up a garbage can we keep sunflower seeds in and saw evidence of a recent mouse visit. Oh, well, we all have to live together... But I prefer that they stay outside!!! We have lots of Irish Spring soap - Costco size purchases - will try putting a few bars in rooms we don't use much where the mice have hidden in the past. Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about the smell either it's strong in the beginning but fades after a couple of days and then actually smells fresh and clean. I agree, we all have to live together, they just need to do it outside, away from the house, ha. Good luck!
DeleteWhat would placing soap "shavings" do? perhaps the soap would last longer? Think it would work as well? And since the mice are apparently "moving" it... they might help spread it around the perimeter? hmmmm? maybe !?
DeleteI've never heard of using Irish Spring soap bars to deter mice. Please update us in a couple of weeks/month and let us know how it's working. If this works, I will keep this as a reference for future use if this problem comes up.
ReplyDeleteI had a funny thought of seeing a mouse showering in your shower with the Irish Spring soap, lol
Ha, I could see a mouse all wet and lathering up, ha. So far, knock on wood, so good. No evidence of mice and no 'sprung traps'. Fingers crossed.
DeleteWow! I would try this, too!
ReplyDeleteHey, my thinking is a) it's inexpensive, b) it smells clean and c) it can't hurt. :-)
DeleteKeep us updated. I want a mouse deterrent for our camper!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Lorilee
Working good so far. I think it might be good in a smaller space like a camper, as long as you like the smell, ha.
Deletewe have been using original bounce sheets for 5 years now, never a mouse in our camper...we use about 60 sheets in out 35 ft. camper. also steeo wool in any holes as mice won't chew through it!! anything other than original bounce will not work
DeleteI like the smell of bounce, thanks for this suggestion. Can't hurt! I'll buy a box of the original and toss some sheets around. Thanks!!
DeleteWe're campers from waaaaay back! The closest to 'fool proof'method I use to deter mice, is Charcoal Briquettes. I place them, not so strategically, all over and all under the place. After 5 to 6 months, our camper is pretty clean when we open it each season. Place them on a piece of paper towel or a Bounced sheet. Clean up is easy.
DeleteIf this works, I may try it on rats. I had one in my house that is no longer here. I expect a visit any day since I cannot believe that he died one day after I reluctantly put out poison. Hmmm, maybe the raccoon in my attic would not like Irish Spring either. The smell leaves me in sneezing fits, but that is better than critters in the house.
ReplyDeleteI like these sort of home remedies, it can't hurt, right (other than your sneezing, sorry it causes that for you). The smell goes away after a day or two (the strong smell). Hope it helps you.
DeleteYou know you could try the original coast also. I use to use it bath with, but I had to stop because the I was allergic to it. So a friend of mine, just came across it, and uses it to bath with. My friend uses it now to bath with, it still smells really good, like having on perfume, or cologne on. I thought about giving it another try, but I can't even try to use again because the smell is still so strong, that it causes me to have a asthma attack. I do have asthma, and I would advise anyone that has asthma to don't try it because you would probably have a asthma attack too. ��
DeleteI have also heard of using it tied to bushes to keep deer away. My brother uses it in his summer house when it is closed for the winter. He grates the bars on a cheese grater and puts it around on paper plates.
ReplyDeleteWow, not that's a great suggestion. I will definitely have to remember that. And grating it? That's ingenious. Probably helps with the smell being more concentrated as well. Thank you!!!
DeleteWe slice it into thick curls for our off season house. It keeps mice away quite well without the carcinogenic properties of the dryer sheets that we humans don't care for so much.
ReplyDeleteWell, heck, grating, never thought of it and now shaving into curls, never thought of that too. Thank you!!! Glad to hear some more positive recommendation for it as well. Thanks!
DeleteI wish I would of know that before I did something real dumb. And I should of checked with someone / even the internet first. I had my husband throw a box of moth balls under our crawl space. By 9 pm we were not feeling good and our house smelled like moth balls. So 30 degrees outside we turned off the heat, opened all windows and turned on the cold air on the furnace. We are 3 wks later and all the moth balls my hubby removed from the crawl space; we have put vinegar in containers and baking soda and then we open all the windows. I am not sure when the smell will go away. It must be trapped in the carpet pad, carpet and any pocket in the house to keep the smell trapped. ( like under the washer and dryer we smell) Readers do not do this to your home, it is very dangerous to your health and the house will never smell the same again. P.S. even wrapped in blanket I have a horrible cold.
ReplyDeleteWell, first I'm so sorry you had that result. I had thought about mothballs but wasn't sure. I figured I'd try this first. I was just randomly trying something as well. Hope all get's well for you!! Come back and visit soon! And hope you feel better.
DeleteArrrrrgh I feel for you, Anonymous.... yea the moth balls specifically are poisonous to humans too. HOWEVER... there is a naturally stinky product that reminds people of "moth balls" (when in fact, it should be the other way around - this was around on the planet BEFORE mankind "reinvented" it to make "moth balls" - but get you some CAMPHOR - it has same strong pungent odor and repels moths, bugs, mice, even keeps humans out of finding your secret "stash" of whatever it is you don't want!! I can't handle the "moth balls" ( naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene either one is bad mojo!) but I can deal with the camphor (you don't want it to be too close to you as it can smother out the oxygen, but just to throw one little camphor "tablet" into a room like under the toilet or under the sink is fine...). Don't want your cats or dogs to eat it, of course, but if mice are getting in under your sinks, they are fair game, right??? Camphor tablets can be found online, usually these days in ethnic stores, etc because the smell is used as part of spiritual practices in some of the religions of the world, but it's multi-purpose - keeps the critters out. I've ordered them in a variety of shapes and sizes from Amazon as well as other places, and found them locally in our various ethnic grocery stores in the area where their incense is sold etc (And by ethnic - I've seen them in Hispanic/Cuban targeted websites; in stores like here in our area targeting people from India or Pakistan etc because some of the religions will burn it to purify and cleanse the air - it does have a unique smoke; and I guess some places like in the South in humid areas, people bought it (historically - in the days before central air conditioning) to prevent fine metal items from rusting - gunworks, sewing needles, fine carpentry tools, that sort of thing.). So anyway, just google "camphor tablets" and read around, as I have over the years, and look for it where your ethnic neighborhoods, you can likely find it in a variety of shapes and packaging (I've gotten some in hard plastic containers and the tablets are round with concave sides, and I've gotten others cut into square "columns" with each piece "scored" on the side to break off what you needed, etc. And they do evaporate so you will have to plink another one under your sink or suspected mouse port-of-entry every so often (if you can't smell it, you prolly need another one.).
DeleteAlso....we had a horrible mice infestation one year and my son and our cat (the ears of the bunch, as I'm pretty much deaf in the mice frequency) kept looking at an area of our family den, but we never could find it. The room is kind of weird as the carpeting went up from the floor about 6" along the wall (previous owners...and we haven't gotten around to remodeling)...and one day or night, I don't remember how it went, but it was dark in the room and light in the garage or there was light shining in the garage or something, and I saw a mouse-sized area of "light" coming in between the wall and the carpet. Got my man out to the garage on the other side of the wall and with flashlights etc managed to more clearly identify exactly where the hole(s) were and he plugged them up with that Expanda-Foam stuff from the hardware stores!! That did the trick - no more mice (so far, several winters down the road now) in the house...so you might want to try something like that, maybe use red or blue LED light or something like that, when both of you are down on the Farm, especially when it's bright outdoors and you can turn off the lights and darken the inside of your house and then peek around any of the places where a hole comes into the house - plumbing, heating/electric/gas lines, water lines (more or less same as the plumbing, but so humor me??), electric outlets, crawl space under the house, etc...
DeleteOf course, these comments are from 2013, so far, and I've not read on down yet to find out if for sure you've got this under control...but I just started doing a mental "gag" reflex reading about that poor lady's experience with the moth balls in their crawl space ...I was forever trying to hide my in-law's moth ball things she had around her house because I'd just get so violently ill and she claimed they didn't "affect" her (yet she complained of a lot of physical body symptoms and blamed them on other things but I really believe a lot of it was from her own inadvertent poisoning of her system using all these hazardous chemicals!)... oh well.
I am going to see if Amazon will send this soap to New Zealand. Sounds exactly what I need!
ReplyDeleteI hope they do. I'd offer to send you some but not sure exactly how I'd go about that, ha. Good luck!!
Deletegreat tips... thanks for posting it!
ReplyDeleteI just saw this post in your sidebar, and am wondering how effective the soap was in keeping mice away. Ever since I had some plumbing done, I've had an occasional mouse getting in - I'm SURE the plumbers didn't bother filling in the little extra space around each pipe where it goes through the floor, and now those "entryways" are under cabinets and completely out of reach - ARGH!!!
ReplyDeleteCan't say I enjoy the smell of Irish Spring, but compared to mice in the house? Maybe I could learn to love it!
We have had much FEWER mice but we still get an occasional one. I've got traps down, a couple in each room, and there are definitely fewer. To be honest, I used to like the smell but when there is some in each room it's a bit much even for me. I'm toning it down and keeping them just under the sinks where I think our mice are coming in. I will update this post for those who come across it, thanks for the reminder. Oh, side note, it does wear off after awhile. I would think it wouldn't hurt to drop some cut up pieces into the area where the pipes are.
DeleteThanks so much for the follow-up! Much appreciated! I will give it a try. :)
DeleteYou mention that you're putting soap around pipes where you think the mice are entering your home. If you can get to the gaps, you might try putting steel or copper wool in them.
ReplyDeleteOooh, great idea, I had read that once somewhere and forgot about that. Great idea! I'm off tomorrow to buy some steel wool to take out this weekend.
DeletePeppermint oil is what I had always heard to repell rodents. You soak cottonballs in the oil and put them where the mice are hiding out or coming in. I've even heard of people planting mint around the house to head them off at the pass.
ReplyDeleteI could do that. And I like the idea of mint around the house. It's invasive and I say 'go for it', go forth and multiply (the mint, NOT the mice, LOL).
DeletePeppermint Oil and Ammonia are temporary. Like someone told me a hungry mouse will deal with the smell when it needs to feed it self and/or babies. Now the steel wool! That works! I have not removed mine and the mice can't chew through it! I've put it in every crack and space I could find. They're gone because my house is no longer an easy feeding ground.
DeleteI too have heard of pepermint oil. Its not very expensive either. Try amazon or a vitamin type store.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I'm going to check that out. Thanks!!
DeleteIn central Canada the Peppermint oil does nothing sad to say.
DeleteMy mice like it; they have munched it off and on for months, which surprises me. Who'd thought anything would eat soap; not just any soap but only the Irish Spring? They haven't touched the pellets I have set out. Hmm, maybe the soap zapped them, even though I dislike harming any critters. If only it would deter the battalions of ants! That vinegar wash isn't doing the job.
ReplyDeleteLOL! They were eating it? Wow. I haven't seen any munching on ours yet, but I'll keep my eye on it.
DeleteAs for the ants problems, I found that their main attractions were canned drinks that were not rinsed off after drinking them. The ants seems attracted by the sugar in the cans. Rinsing off the cans solved my ants problems.
DeleteMix Borax and Icing Sugar to get rid of the ants and sprinkle it around where the ants are...they will bring it back to the nest to share and then they are done!! Seems to work really well at getting rid of them.
Deletereal soap is made with fats and the mice will eat it. I have had Fels Naptha soap that my grandma used to use in the laundry with mice teeth marks on it cause they could sometimes get into her basement and laundry area. soap will clean out your innards if you eat it, so it probably does that or more for a mouse. LOL
DeleteI am going to give this a try. As you said, it can't hurt and it's not too bad smelling so long as it doesn't get too strong... Thanks for the tip.
ReplyDeleteYou know that was what I thought, it can't hurt and I actually don't mind the smell, ha. We have still had a few mice, but not as many as last year, so it's possible it is helping. Unless they are eating it ha.
DeleteThis article is so funny, because I put 5 bars of Irish Spring in a car I have stored at a self-storage facility (outdoors). I have been having a *terrible* time with mice getting in it, and even red squirrels. I have no idea how they are getting in. It is very frustrating.
ReplyDeleteSo I nust laughed and laughed because I cut up my bars just like you did - though never in fewer than 4 pieces. And just this weekend, I visited the car for the first time since the bars were put inside in September. Oh yes - I also have six plastic cups, each containing 3 - 5 mothballs under the engine hood.
So the verdict is, mice eat irish spring. They've been eating it. I didn't think it would happen, but I was warned. And it did happen.
Killing the mice in traps makes the car stink of dead mice, and I live a couple hundred miles away from the car.
OH OH! Yikes! I haven't seen any eaten pieces of soap, so maybe our mice don't like it, ha. I need to keep a closer eye on it. Still even with the soap, we've had some mice appear in traps. Of course the soap isn't everywhere but oh well. We might have to try some of the other suggestions above. thanks for sharing!!
DeleteWe put Irish Spring in an drawer in an RV. They ate a lot of the soap and the drawer was full of mouse droppings but there wasn't any in other drawers that did not have the soap. Looks like it attracts them.
ReplyDeleteDoes it kill them if they eat the soap?
You know I'm not sure what it does to them. I'm guessing it can't be good for them, ha. Sorry they are eating it. I wonder if different varieties of mice might act differently? I'm about ready to try something else. Maybe it works for a few weeks and then they wise up, ha. Thanks again for sharing!!
DeleteApparently, putting newspapers in a fridge crushed and bundle while not in service keeps bugs and mice away. Cheap and worth trying.
Deletethey went there because it was "food" probably all they could find. if they can find other stuff, I'm betting they'd eat the better food. soap has fats in it so has "some" nutritional value.
DeleteThanks for the info!! I didn't think about the fat in soap. Interesting thought!! Thanks!!
DeleteMice are smarter than some realize. Meaning, something will work for a few weeks, and then seemingly "stop working".
DeleteIn reality, the mice realized they were dying and started avoiding whatever it was being used... Traps, pellets, soap, etc.
The best way to get rid of mice is to use ALL of these methods, one by one, switching it up.
Something else that apparently kills them that I haven't seen mentioned yet is powdered coffee creamed, like cream-mate. It's bad for humans and toxic to mice. :-)
Wow! That is so bizarre!!
ReplyDeleteMice are definitely bizarre little creatures. Thanks for stopping by, I saw your 'greetings from Ireland' comment, thanks so much!!
DeleteMice ate some of my soap. I wondered why my Dove and a piece of the Irish Spring were on the floor. Then, when I picked it up, I saw teeth holes. I think they were trying to take it home to share.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, do you know that a few times I was checking them, I thought that maybe they had been moved. I didn't see teeth marks but the did seem like they fell out of the tray they were in and I chalked it up to accidentally kicking it or bumping it while moving stuff around. Yikes!
DeleteI left a bar of Dial soap in the basement on a cabinet because it smells so good and the smell really lasts a long time. Some time later I noticed some mouse droppings on the cabinet, then I noticed that the soap had bite marks all over it. I put out a mouse trap and baited it with the soap shavings ~ so far I've caught two mice in two days.. This happened last year also, and I just left the bar of soap laying out where it was after no more mice were caught.. A couple of days ago, I checked the area and the bar was almost eaten up and there were mouse droppings galore! This makes me think that the BAR OF SOAP ITSELF is what attracted the mice in the first place! Critters won't stay in a place if there's no food or water for them, but who would have thought SOAP would be food for them!
ReplyDeleteLast year I left a bar of Dial soap in the basement on a cabinet because it smells so good and the smell really lasts a long time. Later, I noticed some mouse droppings on the cabinet by the soap and also noticed bite marks on the soap. I put out mouse traps (baited w/peanut butter) and caught a couple, then no more. I had left the soap on the cabinet and a couple of days ago I was in the basement and noticed mouse droppings again, and the bar of soap was almost completely eaten up! So, I baited a mouse trap with the soap and have already caught two in two days. I think the SOAP is what has ATTRACTED the mice in the first place! Critters won't stay in a place if there's no food source or water, but who would have thought soap would be food for them!
ReplyDeleteDOUBLE YIKES!! I do love the smell, but with these comments, I might just have to check it out next time and maybe it's time to pull it all up for a bit. Wow, thanks again. I'll definitely update this post with new details. :-)
DeleteI don't know if I can do the Irish Spring Soap thing, it gives me a headache. May try a few shavings
ReplyDeletein the closet. As for the peppermint route, I've bought pure peppermint oil, put it in a spray bottle with a little water and sprayed the baseboards and in my dresser drawers, even put unwrapped
peppermint gum in the dresser drawers and it maybe worked for less than a week. I even caught
a mouse eating a candy cane, so much for the peppermint. Would love to find something besides
traps and glueboards. Also something for ANTS! Thanks.
Linda
Thanks for the info. I often wonder if maybe different mice in different places just adapt to different things. Or maybe they have different "tastes', ha. I guess the better trap/deterrent is the ever elusive invention, ha. Thanks!!!
DeleteUse the Green Irish Spring Original with the very strong smell. works to repel mice around my house for aprox 2-3 weeks. My neighbour uses the Blue Irish Spring MoistureBlast which has a mild smell. that does not work for my neighbour. She say she has more mice now. Good luck!
DeleteThe mice are gnawing away on the soap. :( Surely, it has to kill them. :)
ReplyDeleteI noticed ours moved, at least in my mind I remember it where it was and it seems moved. I would think it can't be good for them but who knows. I' not sure if it works for the long term. Fingers crossed!
DeleteWe've sprinkled cats around the outside of our house and that seems to have done the trick. Not a single mouse inside the house this past winter! I saw a documentary that showed how mice and rats actually make a mental map of where food is, along with other items. Maybe changing where you place the bars (or other deterrents) every few weeks or months would help. I've heard cayenne pepper helps with deer in the gardens, I wonder if it would help with mice. Also just heard that cats and dog hair sprinkled around gardens helps keep away rabbits. Our .22 works the best, I think. I have other remedies, too. Maybe I need to do a post on them all and see what works for people. Hmmm.
ReplyDeleteNow that made me laugh. I'd love to sprinkle some cats around, ha. We could have cat hair to place around, that's not a problem. And as a back up, yeah, a .22 as well, ha. Thanks for the tips!!
DeleteA shotgun or Irish Spring soap?
ReplyDeleteThe deer in our Washington, DC, suburb are rapidly reclaiming their territory from the human takeover 50 years ago. War has been declared, but so far local governments haven’t approved the wholesale use of shotguns, so residents are resorting to other tactics. I personally chase the deer around our quarter-acre property with a super-soaker water gun filled with deer deterrent. That sort of works to protect my hostas, lilies, and shrubs, but only when I am on duty. The enemy deer now attack quite successfully from midnight to dawn.
A friend recommended Irish Spring soap. He hangs if from peripheral trees and bushes to deter the deer from entering the property. He has had only moderate success, but any success is good. So I tried it.
I cut the bars in half, drilled a hole in one end, and put the soap on a skewer. I then planted the soapcicles around my hostas and lilies and at the back edge of our property. Two days later my deer defense was gone, all 20 soapcicles, sticks included, were gone. Disappeared. No trace. Where, oh where had my soapcicles gone I wondered. I finally concluded it must have been curious neighborhood children who couldn’t resist soapcicles.
Next, I cut the Irish Spring bars into thirds and placed them discretely and strategically in among the hostas and lilies, like land mines. I even grated some and sprinkled it along the periphery to establish battle lines. Less than a week later, all traces of my munitions have disappeared. So, it likely is not curious neighborhood children.
What is eating Irish Spring soap? Is this critter roaming around the neighborhood burping soap bubbles and smelling decidedly like a clean human? More important, how can I escalate this war without a shotgun?
Desperate in Reston
dear desperate,
Deletetry cracking raw eggs into a cloth bag and hanging it in the watering can or sprayer. spray on leaves. said to be repellent to deer. it is certainly repellent to me. has to be repeated especially after rain.
or you might change for some plants said to be naturally uninteresting to deer.
deb h.
by the way, 1st man, the differing results may be that different species of mice in different areas are being dealt with. i tried the mint but the mice here didn't care. however, the 'sprinkling of cats' has worked perfectly, one in the garage to protect the birdseed and one in the house to clean the basement.
Deletewas worried that basement hunter [sebastian, an orange boy] was eating the bodies but he had been storing them in a row behind the furnace where daughter found their mummified remains. perhaps he puts them by for a time of famine--God forbid!
sebastian lets out an unearthly howl when he has made the kill.
deb h.
My 94 year old Dad (still living on his own, except I chop his firewood now) had a mouse. He put out a trap. I was over, heard a little noise and SNAP! I looked and saw a flat, grey furry form in it. Call me silly I can sit through 2 autopsies before lunch but I didn't want to dispose of the mouse, so I waited for Dad to come back from his walk. He reached under the sink ad started laughing The "mouse" was a Brillo pad, for cleaning pots and pans; the box had fallen over and spilled one onto the trap.
ReplyDeleteI am SO sorry I missed this comment. Hilarious!!! Thanks for sharing, and hey, I still get weirded out when I see one in a trap too. I just try not to make eye contact, ha.
Deletehello good to hear all this info on ridding of mice, I'm in Alberta Canada and yes we have mice not rats thank goodness! I store my summer car in my garage covered and with Original scent Irish sping soap for 9 years now and haven't seen any mice droppings. Seems to work as I put a whole bar in the trunk hanging and also inside hanging on my signal light stick on my steering wheel. I know they are in the garage over winter and I use the sonic devise plugged in the electicial outlet which has a high frequest sound to keep them out of the garage as it hurts their ears but they still come into the garage but not in my car.
ReplyDeleteThat's so bizarre that it works in some cases and not in others. I really believe it could be different varieties of mice in different places. Heck, just like we have different tastes and likes maybe they do too, ha.
Deletei will try the soap has anyone tried core salt , when i was a fisherman they used to sprinkle it on nets that were been stored in warehouses for the winter ....it did keep them away or killed them after eating it i believe .
ReplyDeleteCore salt? I"ve never heard of that, I will look for some.
DeleteWhen my wife and I returned from a trip in November I noticed our Irish Spring soap had fallen into a container of water we left in the kitchen sink. I thought that was odd, but I fished it out and put it beside the sink to dry. A couple of days later I found the soap on the stove and it had some bite marks on it. Since then I have been putting it in our small have-a-heart mouse trap and I have caught four mice in it. They seem to be very attracted to the Irish Spring soap! It's terrific bait--much neater than peanut butter, which I used in the past.
ReplyDeleteWow, using it as bait? Well hey, I guess if that works, ha. Of course, I still just can't imagine it's good for them but if it attracts them, better to have it only in the traps, right? :-)
DeleteI don't know, maybe I have odd mice, but I can tell you that mice are eating my Irish Spring. I left in on tin plates and now I have a plate full of mice droppings and chewed soap. Think I'll stick to moth balls.
ReplyDeleteYikes! We haven't seen any eaten but we could get some that like it as some point. For that reason I think we are discontinuing the test of the soap. Thanks for sharing your results!
DeleteMothballs scattered under the trailer worked for us.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that info. I will remember that!!
DeleteI use Moth balls under the camper, and we plugged all holes with steel wool, and use Bounce dryer sheets everywhere. No mice in over 3 years.
DeleteAwesome, thanks for sharing that!! Bounce sheets too!!!
DeleteI heard about the soap so decided to try it. Stored the trailer and a week later when I took the soap up to where it was stored those little buggers had shreaded almost a whold roll of toiler paper that was under the bathroom sink. So a whole pack of soap went everywhere. I had also heard of pepermint oil sprayed around pipe openings working as well so I sprayed babywipes with pepermins oil and water mixed and shoved them along side the pipes that I could reach. Also sprayed it everywhere else I figued they could get in. So with the pepermint oil and soap scents we should have one lovely smelling trailer in the spring and hopefully those little monsters will have found a new home to live at.
ReplyDeleteI hope it works too. They can get into everything can't that? And it's so frustrating!! I hope you have success, come back and let us know! Thanks!!
DeleteI tried Irish Spring and they ate part of the bar. Now I am trying peppermint oil and sticky traps, I really hope it works. I am scared to death of mice and wish we could get rid of them forever.
ReplyDeleteI haven't done the peppermint thing (and the sticky traps just seem too cruel to me since we aren't there all the time). I'm not afraid of them but the thought of them getting into our stuff creeps me out, ha. Good luck, keep us posted!
DeleteI live in the country & used to get infestations... I fought bravely with DeCon & other toxic chemicals, which always made my house reek of dead mouse... they would crawl under house & die..ewww. Anyway a several years ago I decided to try electronic pest repellents. OMG these babies WORK! You can get them at Walmart in the aisle with the flea spray, ant baits etc. They come in packs of 3 in a yellow back package, they are about the size of a golf ball & plug into a standard outlet. Trust me... these will get rid of those mice. I love them! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this info! I have seen them and have often wondered about them. I do have a few I bought from a shopping channel but I don't think they work. Maybe the ones you have are the right ones, ha. I will try that. Thank you!
DeleteWe bought those plug in repellent and they were a waste of time and electricity. I would love to find something that actually works without poisoning the earth
DeleteI'm always looking for a way to deter mice. Like someone mentioned above, we hate to kill the little critters, we just don't want them in our cabin or garden. We've been using a live trap and relocating them, but it is a never ending battle. Guess we need to toughen up. - Margy
ReplyDeleteI hate to kill them too, I must say they are so darn cute and they are just doing what they do. Wish they would do it elsewhere, ha. Since we aren't at the farm full time (yet) we have to use repellants and try to keep them away that way. We have used traps too, humane and quick kill and it just kills me when it happens. I understand, trust me. Maybe we'll get hardened eventually, ha.
DeleteDon't know about mice (though I will try it), but I have a friend that hangs Irish Spring Soap chunks from her fruit trees to keep the deer away from them (it does work for her).
ReplyDeleteOh, that's a good idea. We had a problem with some deer rubbing on the trunks of some young fruit trees. I will try this, thank you!!
DeleteI have a mice in my shed what should I do?
ReplyDeleteWe keep our Soap in the big Drawer under the Bath sink and it included IRISH SPRING when we got back from a winter trip we found that the mice made their home in the drawer with the IRISH SPRING, so my mice did not seem to mind it and maybe liked is since that is where they made their nest.
ReplyDeleteOriginal Irish Spring certainly is strong enough to repeal many things. Peanut butter, I agree, is the best trap bait.
ReplyDeleteWe have a few in winter because they are seeking a warmer place.
Placing a piece of steel wool around the piping openings had deterred some invasion here.
Dad built a better mouse trap. Five gallon bucket with three gallons of water, a perfectly balanced board on top fastened to another. He glued corn on the board. When the mouse steps on the trap door into the bucket he tumbles. Far less risky than putting out mouse poison.
Noisy mouse, every night in the cupboard. Wife wouldn't allow cruelty to animals, so I tried the 5-gallon humane trap, with a little outside ramp up to the top, then peanut butter smeared inside, starting 1" below the rim. Theory: mouse leans in and excitedly eats the PB, lower and lower til it loses grip and falls into water. After a week, PB was disappearing down to the 2" level but no mice in the water.One sleepless night, while wife was nestled in her bed, I set up ambush and simply terminated the target with my BB gun, catching it in the act of peeking over the ramp. After-action report to wife was that the mouse had hilariously fallen into the water and was then gently released into the wild.(Note to authorities: this event, designated as "Classified," occurred many decades ago, in another state, and wasn't really me, and I don't officially have a BB gun.)
DeleteI did the same thing with peanut butter and got the two chipmunks that were living in my walls
DeleteTry mixing a tablespoon of Tabasco sauce, half a cup of dishwashing liquid and a gallon of water. Put it in a spray bottle and spray where they frequent. I haven't tried it yet, but it APPARENTLY works as a deterrent. Knowing my luck, my mice (who are ballballsy little bastards who climb on my bed, jump off windowsill and survive Ratsak) will love spicy food...
ReplyDeleteWe had a problem with them chewing through the bathtub waste pipe. We sprayed citronella oil all over the pipes and areas near water, Problem solved
ReplyDeletewits end - have spend £££ on traps, poison, more traps and finally called the local council pest control for help. Hopefully they will come soon. In the meantime my dog keeps me awake at night barking at what he hears behind the walls, under floors, etc. I have not caught one creature yet, but they have eaten several bars of flowery soap which are stored in the shed next to the house. Shredded cardboard gave them away! Those magnetic electronic devices are my last resort but have heard some negative reviews. Anybody, please help! 'End of my wits'
DeleteTry getting a cat, works for us. If you see mice due to a lazy cat, reduce food intake of cat, cat will then become active again.
ReplyDeleteWe have thought about that, but not being there full time makes it a bit difficult.
DeleteI use bait stations with bait blocks! Safe for kids and pets and you never find anything but maybe a bit of fuzz!! We live in the country and mice happen! I do this in the house, camper, and all the machinery type/sealed outbuildings!
ReplyDeleteWe have put a few of those around now, and they seem to be working. I hate using it but if it works....
DeleteHad hoped the soap could be used as a deterrent, but maybe not. Last winter I caught quite a few mice in our garage with a 5 gallonbucket baited with birdseed and accessed by a ramp.Walked my little guests down the hill across the road and past the creek before releasing them in owl territory. Used a very big bucket, some mice can jump amazingly high. I'm expecting quite a few visitors this fall as our extensive network of mole runs seem to be abandoned and there are many holes in the readjust big enough for moles/voles to go in and out of. I'm hoping the local fat feral cat keeps coming around, too, but I guess, I won't be adding Irish Spring to my arsenal, sigh, but I certainly will be getting my 10K steps in most days walking the mice to their new home
ReplyDeleteWOw!! That's a great idea though, I will have to check that out online. Thanks!! And we love that you relocate them.
DeleteOnly thing I found that works is mothballs. They smell awful but if you keep them in control you can remove them beginning of Summer and put them back in when Winter rolls around.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that!
DeleteSince this past Friday, I have not seen hide nor hair of a mouse in my infested house until Tuesday night. That Friday I had purchased 3 scented wax warmers and plugged in two of them. I stayed up past midnight, (a rarity since that's when it's showtime for the mice) and noticed I didn't hear the usual hustle and bustle. No signs of poop anywhere for the next few days. I was elated and searched the internet to see if there was a connection. The only thing I found was the pepper mint oil and a you tube vid of a guy who got rid of rats burning essential oils. Tuesday night, when I came home, I noticed that the smell from the wax was less intense, it was now day four and sure enough a mouse scurried across the kitchen floor. I replaced the wax cubes and this morning, inspected and no droppings anywhere. So the maximum usage seems to be 3 days with constant use. I don't know if this will deter them indefinitely, but so far so good.
ReplyDeleteSo were the ones you had just peppermint scented? That's some great ideas thank you for this. I will do some googling!!
DeleteI put bounce fabric softeners with lavender in between any holes or places I think they may have been coming in. I also planted mint all the way around our house where I could, but one side is our cement driveway so couldn't put it there, but have found that we rarely have a mouse anymore. We were getting a lot of field mice in the previous years, so happy to say we haven't had one in so very long, but still keep a couple of traps set just in case. Our cat used to bring them inside every now and then and left them on my husbands desk, I guess as a present for him. She hasn't done that for a long time either. I think she just gets fed too well!
ReplyDeleteOOH, planting mint around the exterior is a good idea. That stuff grows like crazy and spreads so that's a good idea. And fabric softener sheets? Hmm, I'm willing to try that!!!
DeleteAs for the cat "gifts" d
Oops, hit enter by accident. Was going to say, don't you just love those "gifts"? Our feral outside cat in town brought a baby bird to the back door the other morning. Lovely. :-)
DeleteMy girlfriend has a mouse problem and asked me for a bar of my soap when she said it's for getting rid of mice i had to google it hopefully it works but im worried she'll always think im at her house because it will smell like me lol
ReplyDeleteLOL, now that's funny! I hope it helps. And hey, if it helps her remember you, all the better. Sorry for delay in replying. :-)
Deletecan't you use a potato grater and take off some of the soap then it will be fresh again . or wash your hands with it a couple of times and put it back for them just kidding with the last comment.
ReplyDeleteYou know, that's not a bad idea. I might try it. Thanks for that.
DeleteI had heard of moth balls working but I had small dogs at the time and didn't want to take chances. The steel wool works okay, but I've seen them still get past it. I used expanding insulating foam spray. They chewed at it but didn't get past. Then I put collars (like those Elizabethan collars that animals wear after surgery, but made for pipes and hoses). I also repaired the rodent barrier under my coach. Very easy to do. If you own a camper check out a mobile home supply shop. They sell the mesh and adhesive spray. The barrier is often cut into when someone does a plumbing repair and it is often not patched after, allowing rodents to get into your house. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the idea about that. I didn't know about the mesh and spray, will check that out. Thanks!!!
Deletewe've had good luck with Rat and mice deterant, in our garage... by using clean cans,(soup, etc) with a small rag that is soaked with Ammonia or vinegar. I usually check & re moisten the rag about once a week. while Im out in the garage doing laundry. we havent had any hits on the traps for months now.
ReplyDeleteWow, I will try that in the barns for sure!! Thanks!!!
DeleteMouse deterrent-peppermint essential oil
ReplyDeleteWe've heard that, haven't tried it yet though.
DeleteMy mama always put steel wool around her pipes under the sinks and anywhere there was space for a critter to enter. Keeps them out, they won't chew it. If that is where they are getting in.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea, thanks for that!!
DeleteHi- Irish Spring is widely available in Canada- if Trump is elected, y'all can move up here and buy some. Seriously, though, this trick also works to keep deer and other varmints from eating your vegetables and flowers. Just shave some Irish Spring around the garden- it doesn't seem to hurt if it drops onto the plants, either. Unlike cayenne pepper, you don't have to re-apply it after it rains.
ReplyDeleteLOL! That made me laugh!! Thanks. I didn't know about deer but I will be glad to try that out.
DeleteI understand you need to use copper mesh not steel wool. Rodents can easily chew steel wool mesh but not copper. You should stuff the hole with copper mesh (sold on Amazon or you can use copper brillo pads which is cheaper) and then there is a foam spray that you spray on to keep the copper in place and the spray is scented so that mice don't like it and they cannot chew through it.
ReplyDeleteCopper mesh? Wow, thanks for that info. I will look into that. Awesome!!
DeleteThe foam spray I was talking about to spray after you've stuffed the copper mesh in is GREAT STUFF Pestblock Insulating Foam Sealant. the pestblock has a smell they don't like and they cannot chew through that and the copper mesh. I understand you only do this on the inside of your home or garage. If you want to plug a hole on the outside you use the copper mesh only (no foam) as it will oxidize and blend in if you use the mesh only.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this. I will add that to our list. Thank you for the research!!
DeleteI know this is an old article but I recently have been cleaning a ranch house here in thebTexas Hill Country where there has been an ongoing battle against the mice (due to previous neglect). I took notice that although most of the infestation had been brought under control, the mice ate or chewed a bar of Dial soap that the guys had left. I thought this was interesting. Not only did I have glue traps all around the bar of soap after the first time I realized this but the mouse or mice never would be in the trap when I went back. They or I'm beginning to suspect a RAT is chewing the bathroom cuborard boards. So IDK.
ReplyDeleteReally? Wow!! That is crazy. I guess mice will eat anything, maybe they adapt to their surroundings, ha. Thanks!! And good luck to you! Keep us posted anytime!!
DeletePut crushed cloves in a nylon stocking.place in all spots mice would love. Put everywhere when closing up for winter . This truely works!
ReplyDeleteREALLY? Funny thing is, we love the smell of cloves, ha. We will try this. Thanks!!!!
DeletePlant spearmint, lavender and/or citronella plants around your property. ..especially around potential vermin entry points. They can't stand the smell.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this, I will have to check that out. Mint definitely grows well here. Lavender a bit harder but I'll try.
DeleteWe tried this in our camper over the winter and it did NOT work. The Mice actually seemed to like Irish Spring, so much that they ATE it.
ReplyDeleteThen pooped all over.
Next year it will be cloves and cedar.
Wow, that's crazy. I wonder if some species of mice like it? Cloves and cedar certainly will smell good to us, ha.
DeleteWe tried the Irish Spring also and just like Jennifer the mice loved it. The best way we catch mice is with the old fashion wooden base traps with small pieces of cotton balls rolled up and pushed on the part of the trap where everyone puts peanut butter or cheese. That stuff just rots. They like the cotton balls because they use it for their nests but it takes a lot of work to get it off and more often that not they spring the trap and are caught. Give it a try.
ReplyDeleteWhat a smart idea about the cotton balls as bait. They DO love stuff like that for nesting. Thank you for that smart idea!!!
DeleteI'm sure you've already heard this, but . . . Get some cats. They'll keep the place mouse free and give you love and affection. Be aware, they may present the carcasses to you as a thank you gift.
ReplyDeleteLOL, yes, when we are out there full time, we'll definitely have some cats (and we are cat lovers for sure!). Ha, I've heard about the "gifts". Gotta love cats!!
DeleteI have a 1968 Airstream that has/is been damaged by vermin,so the battle goes on
ReplyDeleteThe mouth balls did not work for me. The smell is awful and lasts fooooreeever. The house next door was abandoned for a while and had blackberry brambles in the back yard front to back, side to side above the roof line . When they cleared the kit we were invaded by RATS big, ugly, creepy, scary, nasty, scary, smart,rats. I've tried everything except the Bounce dryer sheets. As far as the traps go,I set them everywhere to no avail. So I saw a you tube video about coyote traps (they look like mini bear traps) at in a box of sawdust, barely covered. That did work. I'm going to try it (the sawdust in a box trick) with the regular traps and see if that gets the smaller mice. The coyote traps close over the mice instead of on them like they do the rats. I recommend wearing gloves to not leave your scent. I hate vermin, No, really! Hate them. Loved the comments here. :) thank you
First of all, we love that you have a vintage Airstream, one of the most beautiful campers ever built. Mothballs do leave a smell that never seems to go away. Rats are so scary, I hate them. Mice bad enough, but rats are just like giant mice, ha. We don't have rats, but I will google about the sawdust idea. Thanks for the tips. And good luck, keep us (and everyone) posted!
DeleteWow! Good luck, Lisa G!
ReplyDeleteAmen to that!!!
DeleteUse Fresh Cab natural botanical pouches.We put them in our RV including the cargo holds.
ReplyDeleteI've seen the Fresh Cab, several people have mentioned that. Will have to try it out I think....
DeleteAn old wives tale is to use horse apples. They grow abundantly on Bois D'arc trees. According to a friend it really works.
ReplyDeleteI know what horse apples are, but how do you use them? I'd plant a tree to use them if I thought it might work. Thanks!!
DeleteGlenda Osborne: I'm so sorry, but, i didn't understand anything other than"apples". Would you new so kind as to elaborate? :) thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa, I asked too, hopefully we can get some more info.
DeleteI order pure essential oils. Peppermint extract will not work. I like to mix peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen and eucalyptus with a carrier oil like mineral oil. Fill a spray bottle and mist the parameters of your rooms. It smells great to us, but they hate it. I've had great success with it in our very rural lakeside community.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this info. I will definitely try this.
DeleteWe have used dryer sheets in our antique car for years and never see a sign of a mouse. We just bought our first camper and will be using them in there too.
ReplyDeleteAny particular brand? Bounce? Thanks!!!
DeleteWe have always used Bounce dryer sheets in our antique cars and RV and they work great! My hubby says they have to be Bounce sheets. :) I'm very generous using them as I don't want to see one remnant of a mouse, so I put them everywhere I can think of, drawers, cupboards, vents and just lay them around on the furniture and floor.
DeleteMy husband also found some smelly bags in the mouse trap area at Fleet Farm that are supposed to help keep out the mice and he puts those in the "basement" storage compartments and under the hood, etc.
Try using a product called Fresh Cab....botanical rodent repellant. It works. Find it @ www.earthkind.com. I also use dryer sheets & spray them w/essential oils when the scent fades.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this info, some others have mentioned Fresh Cab. Will look for it if works. Thanks!!!
DeleteI have used steel wool for years because pipe on roof for bathroom/kitchen exhaust fan had no cover. When steel wool in end of pipe, no mice. Before, a couple per year in attic. Would have more, but abandoned cats like me. Just wish the cats would leave lizards alone. Also will help if food kept in glass with screw on lids. I have no problem with using mouse traps because the mice carry diseases. The only time poison grain worked is when I put my birds Sunflower seeds in with poison ones. Mice will chew on wood in attic and wiring. Sometimes when exhaust pipes are run through roof, inside attic they are taped(scrap pipe used or whatever). I could put my hand inside of pipe because with age or mouse nibbling, tape came off.I shoved steel wool that I stretched out so would fill area. Air still flowed through. My son did same on the roof. Thanks for Borax mixed with powdered sugar for hint to kill ants. I have tried other hints on Pinterest, but so far did not work. At least, not completely. I live in the desert in USA and there are nine different ants according to pest control. Fire ants worst outside. Lately little tiny(put my hand in middle of them before saw them)light orange ones inside. They seemed to be after water. I use borax for some cleaning & laundry additive, so easy to try.
ReplyDeleteYou are wonderful for posting all this valuable info. I'll have to come back to this and try it. Thanks so much for taking the time to share with everyone.
DeleteI used BOUNCE sheets. The mice didn't seem to like them, so I'll use them again this year! 😉
ReplyDeleteBounce sheets!! I have used those just to keep luggage fresh but I like the idea of maybe that helping with mice. Thanks!!
DeleteYou should check out this guy's homemade mouse trap--could work really well in your barn!
ReplyDeletewww.frugal-living-freedom.com
Go to the website, then to the section on the left "Self Reliance" then to "Do it Yourself" and scroll down to the section "Functional Areas" where you will find the link to mouse traps.
DeleteThanks for this info. I just checked it out and he's got lots of great ideas on all sorts of stuff. Thanks for this info (and sorry for delay reply). :-)
DeleteWell today is the first day of my Irish spring clean day. I am hoping to cut down on the mice in my 100+ year old home(and yes it's that old and I rent) landlord swears there has never been a problem, I have been here 11yrs There's a problem! Non the less I don't do chemicals because I have 3 children a dog a cat(great mouser bit can't keep up). I have sprinkled soap using a cheese grader and from all the post on this post also using dryer sheets,my house smells GREAT!
ReplyDeleteI hope something works for you. We have had luck, so far but not sure what it is that ultimately is working. The dryer sheets smell wonderful don't they? Keep us posted!!
DeleteThat's awesome, Jessica! Lol....Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteI heard peppermint oil will keep mice and spiders away. I have not personally used it yet but I will be trying it soon.
ReplyDelete