Unfortunately, rodents in UK homes are a common occurrence and are usually due to the pests looking for both food and shelter. The unwelcome visitors are unpleasant to look at, can carry diseases and can cause health problems. Rats and mice are also very destructive, chewing through walls, wiring, cupboards and insulation.
Banishing rodents without professional help can be tricky but there are certain ways to deter them.
Now, a home expert at HomeServe has offered their top tips on how to deter rodents from entering the home.
The expert said: “Damage to the home is commonplace with rodents chewing through wires, damaging furniture, or even creating fire hazards by nesting in, or around, electrical items.
“Due to their highly tuned sense of smell, strong scents such as peppermint oil are overwhelming and unpleasant for them so can be used as a deterrent.
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“Try leaving cotton wool balls with eight to 10 drops of peppermint essential oil in the corner of rooms or near suspected entry points (you’ll need to refresh them every couple of days or so).”
Peppermint oil can be found online, in health and beauty stores and in pharmacies.
Superdrug Habitual Pure Peppermint Essential Oil costs £4.99 from Superdrug.
Holland & Barrett Oil of Peppermint Liquid costs £5.99 while Miaroma Peppermint Pure Essential Oil costs £6 also from Holland & Barrett.
Peppermint essential oil costs £3.89 from eBay and Peppermint Essential Oil Pure and Natural costs £7.96 from Amazon.
With summer approaching, experts from HomeServe are also predicting a peak in callouts for wasp and hornet issues.
This is based on an average call increase of 150 percent in the past two years, when compared to non-summer months.
However, rodents are still the biggest issue. Unsurprisingly, London is the epicentre for rodent callouts with a third (36 percent) of calls coming from the capital.
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Keeping both the interior and exterior of the home tidy also gives rats fewer places to hide.
Rubbish bags with food inside should be kept in metal bins with a secure lid on top.
Pet food and birdseed debris should also be cleaned up regularly and stored in secure containers.
These should be kept above ground level to stop rats from nibbling at the containers.
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