Your home should be a haven, a welcoming space where you can relax with loved ones, so discovering unwanted visitors has taken up residence is far from ideal. This is particularly true when discussing rodents such as rats and mice, widely regarded as troublesome pests.
These creatures are drawn to properties for two primary reasons: food and shelter.
The initial steps in protecting your property against rodents involve eliminating any readily available food supplies and blocking potential entry points throughout your property's walls or foundations.
If they keep getting in, specialists at Wild Out Animal and Pest Removal suggest using white vinegar as a deterrent, though they emphasise its effectiveness increases significantly when paired with one essential natural ingredient.
Vinegar possesses a powerful, distinctive aroma that interferes with the scent pathways rats and mice depend upon for navigation, reports the Express.
Whilst it won't eliminate or capture mice, the odour can successfully "deter them" from particular locations.
They explained: "Rats and mice rely heavily on smell to find food and move safely; vinegar's sharp acidity can overwhelm this sense, encouraging them to seek out more hospitable spaces."
Nevertheless, "vinegar is best used with another deterrent" as an element of a comprehensive prevention approach.
The pest management specialists recommended: "Combine vinegar with a strong-smelling essential oil like peppermint for extra repellent power.
"This creates a more potent, multi-layered scent barrier that rats and mice are less likely to tolerate.
"The combination also improves the smell for humans while boosting the deterrent effect, helping protect vulnerable areas with an enhanced natural formula."
Experts at Innovation Pest Control concurred, explaining: "The strong scent of peppermint oil or peppermint extract with vinegar may irritate a rat's sensitive sense of smell and push them away from certain areas."
It's important to bear in mind, though, that keeping on top of cleaning, spraying and refreshing vinegar-treated materials is essential for continued success -- a process that can prove rather labour-intensive.