How do you keep rats away?

Rodents, annoying invaders

Mice and rats sometimes invade the cellar of a house, or the partitions of apartments in some older buildings, without anyone always knowing where they've come from. All it takes is some major work on the lower floors to dislodge the rodents and bring them up to your apartment. It's not always easy to get rid of these intruders, who are both a material and a sanitary nuisance. They represent a number of dangers, such as damage to installations, walls or the electrical network, with the risk of short circuits and fire.

More generally, the presence of rats or mice means the presence of germs likely to infect inhabited areas - germs contained in the saliva, urine or droppings of these rodents. So, from a health point of view, it's essential to take matters into your own hands to get rid of the rats in your home. While the most brutal methods can be effective, some people prefer gentle methods, which are not necessarily less so. A fag or bait may catch a rat and kill it, but what about its fellow rats? On the contrary, essential oils have many qualities and act both preventively and correctively to effectively repel rats and other rodents.

Which essential oils are right for scaring off rats?

When combined in the right doses, essential oils can create a repellent action against rodents. This synergy should be achieved with the following essential oils, respecting the doses indicated in brackets:

• Laurel essential oil (50 drops)
• Clary Sage essential oil (100 drops)
• Peppermint essential oil (50 drops)

This mixture should be used by soaking pieces of absorbent cotton, placed in places where rodents are likely to visit regularly, such as the cellar, attic or behind furniture. Just a few drops are enough, as the scent of essential oils is very powerful, especially for small animals. Laurel is known as an effective rodent repellent. Placing a bunch in strategic places is a classic way to get rid of them.

Noble Laurel essential oil has an even greater effect, maximizing the spread of its characteristic camphorated scent, which rats find difficult to tolerate. Similarly, clary sage, an aromatic plant with an easily recognized herbaceous odor, and peppermint, which contains a very high level of menthol, have odors that are not appreciated by rodents. The synergy of these three essential oils will effectively repel animals.

The power of essential oils, created by the very high condensation and concentration of these principles and elements in a small quantity of liquid, means that you can effectively combat the presence and invasion of rodents by diffusing the scent of these plants, which are naturally repellent to them. So don't hesitate to use and abuse these three essential oils, and place them in numerous places in the infected dwelling, so that the rats no longer know where to live and flee for good. What's more, while the scent of peppermint or sage is unpleasant for rats, it will fill your home with a pleasant fragrance for your nostrils.