Evicting Mice

For those who live in the country, the season is upon us that critters are also seeking shelter for the winter.  Most of us have experienced a mouse in the house, and those of us in the country probably experience it quite regularly.  There used to be an "old saying" about building a better mouse trap.  Well, I haven't, but I have discovered a way to make them feel unwelcomed.

First, of course, I have a cat, but he doesn't live in the house, so for a time, I think the mice actually sought shelter from the cold and the cat by coming indoors.  I hate emptying mouse traps, and eventually living in the country, it seemed as if the mousetraps were just fixtures.  I theorized the mice knew how to work around them.

One day at the farm store, my country girl life was changed!  I saw a "mouse repellent" for sale.  I looked at the ingredients and voila, I had that.  I then got to thinking about the places mice don't usually seek refuge and it made sense.  I make my own tooth paste, so that means at least twice a day, the lid comes off of my tooth detergent jar and the aroma of peppermint fills the air.  I've never seen any signs of a mouse in that bathroom.

I've now done this consistently for 3 months and for the first time since moving to the country over 8 years ago, I've not seen a trace of a mouse in the house.  I considered drawing an illustration of them packing up and moving when I took action.  Granted, they never lived long in my house, but those illustrations would involve traps and death . . .

Here is what I did.  I placed peppermint oil on cotton balls, set them on gauze in all the closets, laundry room, and pantry; refreshing the oil monthly.  In the kitchen, I placed the oil on napkins and set them in the corners of my counters, so the entire room is affected by the fragrance.  I almost forgot, as I think this is essential.  Under the kitchen sink and guest bathroom, where the plumbing comes in, I have a peppermint gauze right by the pipes.

For the first time in over 8 years, I've gone an entire season without a battle.  I have claimed the dominion granted to me by our Creator!  No creeping things creepeth in my home any more.  HalleluYah!

And G-d said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  Torah of Holy Scripture