You might be wondering the ways to repel mice from a house, if you've noticed signs that these squeaky pests are trying to get in.
We've spoken with home improvement and pest control pros to find out their top tips for fending them off. There are plenty of easy or natural methods, such as sealing off gaps and using essential oils to repel small rodents.
For those looking to get rid of mice in the home, you'll need a two-pronged attack: stopping their access to your home, then keeping them away.
Pros reveal their top ways to repel mice from a house
Once you've identified the differences between mice and rats and figured you have the former trying to fight their way into your home, it's time to stop them.
If you want to scout out shoppable solutions, we've also curated our top-rated mice-repellent picks to help you start putting our advice into action and banish these unwanted visitors from your home.
All prices were correct at the time of publication.
1. Locate entrances and seal them
The best place to start when repelling mice from a house is by figuring out where and how they are getting in.
“Inspect your home to pinpoint mice entrance spots, such as doors and windows, cracks, and holes in walls or floors,” explains Tommy Mello, home improvement expert at A1 Garage Door Service.
From here, Tommy says you can seal these such as with hardware cloth, steel wool, or caulk (the water and crackproof GE Silicone Caulk from Amazon has over 8,000 five-star reviews from shoppers that say it's easy to clean and is unnoticeable), to keep the mice out.
“I tend to recommend simple fixes like caulking around any vents or anything that leads outside, using draft stoppers under doors with big gaps, and so on,” adds Brett Bennett, pest control expert and director of operations at PURCOR Pest Solutions.
2. Keep your house clean
Just like in the cartoons, mice love sourcing little tasty snacks — so it’s a good idea to make sure there aren’t any crumbs on the ground or clutter for them to nibble.
“Ensure your house is kept clean by storing food in air-tight containers, cleaning up spills and crumbs, and removing any pet food left out overnight,” Tommy says.
He adds you should also make sure to store everything neatly, such as by using storage ottomans and utilizing the best small space storage ideas to keep your floors clear of clutter and removing cozy spaces for mice to nest.
Size (in.): H6.3 x W4.3 x L4.3
Made from: Plastic
Price: $14.91
Keep dry food such as pasta and rice fresh and contained with the help of an airtight container, such as with this beauty from OXO Good Grips. It's quick to open thanks to its button, is dishwasher safe, and is made from BPA-free plastic. You can also stack other containers from the OXO range on top of it for ordered and satisfying organization.
Weight: 4.62 lbs.
Made from: Plastic, metal
Price: $29.94
Whenever I have crumbs in my home that I need to quickly clean up, I always reach for my Swiffer PowerMop. I'm not the only one who loves it — over 5,400 Walmart shoppers have given it five stars, too. They say it leaves floors without streaks, is a breeze to set up, and works brilliantly in busy households. The Swiffer PowerMop is available on Amazon too and I can vouch for how awesome it is.
Size (in.): H7.6 x W6.3 x L10.6
Material: Plastic
Price: $16.49
For those looking to keep pet treats away from mice, this is a great option. The flip-up lid will allow you to quickly grab snacks when you need to, but the lockable lid will keep pests away and stop the scent from getting out and luring them nearby. Along with this, it has a silicone seal to ensure freshness and is microwavable, in case you're using it for human food instead.
3. Tidy up your home's exterior
As well as making sure those interior entry points are firmly sealed up, it’s also a good idea to make sure the exterior of your home isn’t attracting mice, either.
“Prevent access using door sweeps, keep garbage bins tightly sealed, and trim away overgrown vegetation from the outside of your home,” Tommy suggests.
For those looking to tidy up their outdoor space, we recommend investing in a quality pair of pruners, such as the Gonicc Professional Pruning Shears from Amazon that shoppers love thanks to their sharpness, how comfortable they are, and their longevity.
4. Use natural solutions
You don’t need to invest in hundreds of mouse traps to repel mice from your house. Instead, we’ve got a much more natural, low-maintenance option for you.
“You can soak cotton balls in peppermint oil and vinegar, and then strategically place them around your home in small dishes,” Tommy suggests.
If you want to try this budget-friendly idea, the Mainstays Essential Oil from Walmart is just under $5, is ultra-strong, and can be mixed with other oils.
However, Brett recommends not doing this solution by itself. “You can also try using essential oils around entry points, but I would say things like this tend to have mixed results,” he says.
Volume: 1 gallons
Acidity: 5%
Price: $36.99 for two
I love using vinegar to clean the home, as it's a strong, natural solution. This multi-purpose vinegar from Heinz is ideal to have in your cleaning cupboard, as it can be used for cleaning your kitchen appliances as well as removing stains and grime. You could always mix this with peppermint oil to create a strong mice-repelling solution.
Size (in.): H4.7 x W1.46
Made from: Glass
Price: $6.99
As well as sealing gaps, it's a good idea to spray them with mice repellent. You can make your own solution by mixing together essential oils and vinegar in reusable spritzing bottle like these. It only takes 20 drops of essential oil in two cups of water to create a pungent solution. This pack contains three containers, so you can shake them up together and then place them around your home, thanks to their small size and portability. If you add a tiny drop of liquid dish soap, you can also use the solution for cleaning all sorts of surfaces. It's amazingly effective!
Size (ml.): 10
Made from: Glass, natural materials
Price: $9.95
You know what's better than one bottle of essential oil? Six bottles! This set comes with the peppermint oil you need to repel mice from your home, as well as lots of other ones you can use along with water in essential oil diffusers. Over 123,000 Amazon shoppers love this set, saying they're seriously mood-lifting.
5. Consult local pest control pros
Tried all the above and still finding signs mice are entering your home? It might be time to call in the pros.
“If the problem is truly severe, I recommend speaking to your local pest control company to help assess the situation properly,” Tommy suggests.
These have access to special tools and treatments you likely don’t have to hand and will be able to remove mice from your garage or any other part of your home safely and effectively.
By following these steps and keeping key points in mind, you’re sure to stop those meddlesome mice in their tracks.
“The most important things to keep mice from ever entering your home are sealing up access points and keeping landscaping at least three feet away from your home,” Brett finishes by saying.
If you’re still struggling, it’s worth clueing yourself up on pest control mistakes, as you could be doing something unintentionally that’s preventing results.
