Candle Scents and Mice

[Pam]

Anybody else have a problem with mice in their work areas. We have a terrible time in our house with mice, thought that we had it under control. But the last couple of days I have noticed a lot of mouse droppings on my workbench(gross). Tonight I was down there again and happened to notice a votive that I had out was half eaten by the mice, I guess they are hungry, and can't get at the dog food anymore. They really like the taste of Grandma's Kitchen. Any body have any suggestions of a candle fragrance that might drive them away, I'm willing to try anything. I have a cat but she's not a big help in controlling the mouse population.

Thanks

Pam F

[SSR Candles]

Try a good strong lavender. There's not a lot of things that like that, moths included.

[fredron]

One of my best customers swears that a good strong peppermint chases mice out of his house. I don't have first hand knowledge of this, but he buys a peppermint candle in my largest size with every order.

Good luck

Fredron

[Sally]

Been having the same problem here too.

I have a mouse in the cupboard under the sink who eats just about everything. A whole new roll of dustbin sacks just had to get thrown out cos the mouse had nibbled its way right across the end of the roll. I recently read about mice hating peppermint so I put cotton balls with lots of peppermint E.O on but it didn't work at all

There's another one goes in my craft cupboard & has nibbled at some of my paraffin wax candles & the bubble wrap around my painted glass.

I hate to do this but I've now resorted to putting down special mouse traps baited with a poison gel. The gel is in 2 little compartments in the plastic container that the mice can get in & out of & it's not open for kids or pets to get to.

Sorry mice but you've gotta go!

Sally.

[Kassandra]

Try fabric softener sheets. I have heard that they really keep those critters away; apparently they HATE them

[GrayMaire]

Try fabric softener sheets. I have heard that they really keep those critters away; apparently they HATE them

I've heard this too - we're trying it this year. I was told to use Bounce, original scent - for what that's worth. So far so good - knock on wood.

Lori

[Gravity]

Make a special candle treat for it!

A little Grandma's Kitchen FO, a little wax, and a little rat poision. Let it nibble all it wants.

[Kassandra]

Great idea, Gravity, just don't mix it in with the good candles! ... unless there's a certain ex-boyfriend who deserves a special candle... lol

[DonnaGA]

Make a special candle treat for it!

A little Grandma's Kitchen FO, a little wax, and a little rat poision. Let it nibble all it wants.

Gravity, Have you tried making rat bait? I have considered a mix of wax, pnut butter & poison poured into clamshells. I don't want the mice gone, I want them dead.

[Gravity]

Nah, I've never tried it myself... but if it seems to like eating the wax w/ the Grandma's Kitchen scent... might as well appease to it's tastes with a little extra sumpin' sumpin' in there for it. Haha

[jennifer]

please don't use poison if you can avoid it. whether you have cats yourself or not, a neighbor might & their cat could get ahold of the mouse before it dies. I once had a get that happened to, the poor thing she was just looking for a snack and wound up poisoned herself.

if poison is unavoidable that's understandable but try traps first--even live catching traps if you don't like the other ones. Also there are plastic kill traps that make it easier for those with a weak stomach to empty you can get them at walmart.

[smart tart]

my mice like peppermint! Had a box of candy canes in a bottom shelf and they have eaten through the box, into the candy canes! They also seem to have a particular affinity for botanicals - most especially chamomile and calendula....lol ate through the plastic bags (but they are messy and spill so much!).....They love shea and mango butter - must keep it in the frig this time of year....As soon as it begins to get cool outside I put the traps in my candle kitchen.....hopefully I can keep them contained in that room - me the dreamer! Anyhow they eat paper if nothing else satisfies them so I guess I will just keep the peanut butter on the traps....wish they would develop a birth control for mice...seems like all they do is poop and make more babies!! They have never bothered candles, soaps, nor the fo's.......maybe I am lucky! lol here in Louisiana it will be warm soon enough....I have learned to live with these little monsters for a month or so.....don't like it but don't have a choice!

[SSR Candles]

please don't use poison if you can avoid it. whether you have cats yourself or not, a neighbor might & their cat could get ahold of the mouse before it dies. I once had a get that happened to, the poor thing she was just looking for a snack and wound up poisoned herself.

if poison is unavoidable that's understandable but try traps first--even live catching traps if you don't like the other ones. Also there are plastic kill traps that make it easier for those with a weak stomach to empty you can get them at walmart.

While poisoning is an effective method, Jennifer's right - if you're going to use poison, be careful what you use and how you use it. I have seen many unintended kills from mouse or rat poison. There is hope, however - many farm stores now sell at least one, and sometimes more, improved poisons that have no "secondary" kill. In other words, they will kill the mouse or rat that eats is first only, with no effect to downstream predators that might eat the poisoned one. I think one of the products is called "Revenge", and there's a couple more, but I can't think of them right now.

The biggest reason that I use traps and not poisons is smell... I cannot stand the smell when some poisoned critter gets off into someplace that I can't find and dies. Ugh. I may hate setting and dealing with traps, but I hate that dead smell much worse.

[Pam]

Nah, I've never tried it myself... but if it seems to like eating the wax w/ the Grandma's Kitchen scent... might as well appease to it's tastes with a little extra sumpin' sumpin' in there for it. Haha

Although this idea seems very appealing, I don't think that I will try it. My cat may decide that would be the mouse that she would kill, and eat. I guess I will just set out a zillion traps when I go away for a few days, next week and clean up the remains upon my return. I thought we had the mice under control as we caught so many that we lost count, then the poop starting showing up again.

Thanks for everybodies suggestions, I will give most of them a try and see what happens.

Thank you

Pam F

[mosaicchic]

I am anxious to hear how you make out with the special candle for mice, please keep us posted

[Sally]

Just spent some time cleaning out my kitchen cupboard again.......2 very dead mice........made me sad but I've had enough of them.

I heard one in the skirting in the sittling room last night, just hope it doesn't decide to come through into the room but if it does there will be a nice little treat waiting for it.

Sally.