How to Use Vinegar to Keep Mice Away for Good

No one wants mice moving into their home or infesting their garden. Usually, the solution to getting rid of these pests is using synthetic chemicals or traps, but there's actually a completely natural way to deter mice from invading your property and landscape. All you need is a tried-and-true kitchen staple: vinegar. Ahead, pest professionals share all the ways to use vinegar to evict mice and send them scurrying back into nature, where they belong.

Eliminate Food Smells

Vinegar is a good cleaning solution, especially when you need to deodorize areas where food was stored. And when you use vinegar for cleaning kitchen countertops, pantry shelves, and under appliances, you remove food scents that make those areas attractive to mice, says Nicole Carpenter, a pest control professional and the president of Black Pest Prevention. Simply mix equal parts white vinegar and water and wipe the surfaces thoroughly.

Soak Cotton Balls in It

Soaking cotton balls in vinegar and placing them near openings that you recently sealed with caulk or foam can keep mice away until the seal hardens, says Carpenter. "In this case, vinegar reduces the chance mice will approach, chew, or disturb the fresh seal before it cures," she says. For this, soak cotton balls in undiluted white vinegar, put them on a piece of foil or in a small bowl, and place them a few inches away from the sealed opening.

Pour It into a Small Bowl

For storage areas like garages and attics, where mice may enter more easily, set small open containers or bowls of undiluted vinegar in corners. "The concentration is stronger and lasts longer than spraying," says Kyle Turner, founder, president, and CEO of Pro Active Pest Control. Undiluted vinegar works especially well because mice have an extremely sensitive sense of smell and the acetic acid in vinegar is overwhelming to them, he says.

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Spray Around Garden Beds

In the garden, spray diluted vinegar around the edges of beds and near compost bins, says Turner. "Mice are drawn to both garden beds and compost bins, and the vinegar disrupts the scent trails they use to navigate," he says. However, Carpenter notes that the smell of vinegar fades in about four to eight hours outdoors, so you will need to reapply the mixture often for it to be effective. And avoid spraying plants directly, as vinegar is a natural herbicide that kills plants upon contact.

Clean Outdoor Furniture

During winter, mice are constantly looking for nooks and crannies to create nests to stay warm. If they can't find their way inside your home, your outdoor furniture is the next best place, particularly if the items haven't been used since summer. One way to deter mice from your porch or patio is to clean your outdoor furniture with a vinegar and water mixture before winter, says Turner. Always check the care label first to ensure the fabric can be cleaned with vinegar.