Mothballs For Mice – A Safe & Effective Repellent?

Mothballs

Mothballs For Mice

People have been trying to rid themselves of mice since the beginning of time. They bring germs and destruction to your home, nibbling on your food, electric wires, and defecating in both hidden and common areas of the home, depending on where the infestation takes place. They reproduce and eat in your home, making it less safe and in need of more maintenance.

Some solutions to mice population control in your home are, of course, dangerous poisons, and cruel and inhumane mouse traps (click here for our review of the best humane mouse trap). Some traps combine the two, containing and simultaneously poisoning the creatures. Poisons can be a hazard to your children and pets even if they are fast and effective means of killing mice populations in your living spaces.

Traps, depending on the type, can also be hazardous to pets and small children and even you if you forget about them and happen to step on one. Glue traps catch the creature and basically tires it out until it dies out of fear or starvation, a cruel way to kill another creature. Keep in mind, other options do exist. There are ways to repel mice so they are less able to colonize in your home.

How Do I Use Mothballs to Repel Mice?

There are three main advantages when utilizing mothballs as a mice control problem, availability, cost, and ease of use. You can readily purchase mothballs for mice control in most big package and hardware stores. They are inexpensive and you simply need to distribute them generously in spaces where mice infestation is a problem.

If you are not getting results, just use more mothballs, according to your needs. Mothballs are small enough to fit into tight, inaccessible areas. If you are unsure of how the pests are gaining access to your home, simply place your mothballs near pipes, cracks in your foundation, and places where decay has taken place in wood or other structures in your home.

If your infestation problem is in your garage, consider mothballs for mice control in this location. Mice often seek your garage as a refuge of warmth in the winter. Porches are often used in the same manner by mice populations so consider using some mothballs for these areas if it’s safe to do so. Place mothballs in cracks and corners of your garage where you are sure pets and kids won’t have access.

Disadvantages of Mothballs in Mice Control

Mothballs can help control a mice infestation, but there are some disadvantages to using mothballs. Kids and pets are not entirely safe around mothballs. They contain naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene. If one is exposed to too much of these chemicals or if the mothballs are left out for too long, they can slowly turn from solids to toxic vapor.The smell emitted from them are actually insecticides.

Mothballs can also be dangerous if they are chewed or eaten. One mothball can cause serious harm if eaten by a small child. Be sure to only place mothballs in spaces where kids and pets can’t get to them and be sure to dispose of them and change them to new ones if you are going to go this route. Every month is a safe changing time with 45 days being on the higher end. Their ingredients are toxic, but rat poison can actually kill people and animals so sometimes for effective rodent control, you need to weigh your options, but be very careful!

Peppermint Oil For Pest Control

Apply To Cotton Balls

A safer alternative to mothballs is soaking cotton balls in peppermint oil or placing entire peppermint plants in various locations of your home. When using peppermint oil be sure its actually potent peppermint oil and not peppermint extract found in the baking aisle at grocery stores. They can be found with aromatherapy oils at in brick and mortar health food retailers and online through retailers that sell healthy and organic products.

Peppermint oil smells much better than gross, toxic mothballs. Its non-toxic, but isn’t often as effective in repelling mice from your home. Pets are not affected by peppermint oil and its can’t hurt children unless they are allergic to the substance, which is not likely for most.Soak several cotton balls in peppermint extract and place them in high traffic areas around your house. You don’t have to worry about places where animals and kids often go, because peppermint oil is safe for them. Mice hate the scent of peppermint oil and will avoid these peppermint oil-soaked cotton balls like the plague. Mothballs are a quicker method, but peppermint oil is much safer!

Get a Cat!

Of course, you could consider getting a cat. Mice are much more likely to avoid coming to your house if you have a kitty. Though cats don’t control mice from coming into your home exclusively, using other deterrents in conjunction with your kitty to keep the population down will significantly help. Not only will you have invested in a mouse killer, but you will have gained a life-long friend!