# repelling mice?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repelling-mice/347164>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 5, 2006, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repelling-mice/347164 "2006-03-05T18:43:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![al129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6de8d8/32.png) [@al129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/al129)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2006, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repelling-mice/347164/1 "2006-03-05T18:43:35Z")

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Hi there,

I live in a rural setting, and do have a 2nd car that I seldomly use. recently I found out that mice are making nests under the hood …

what are my options to repell mice? … are there any more or less natural tips and tricks?

I seem to recall that hair (of what animal, I dont remember) seems to work  
cheers and thx  
alfred

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**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2006, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repelling-mice/347164/2 "2006-03-05T20:57:11Z")

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I suggest sprinkling a little used catbox sand around the driveway occassionally.

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**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repelling-mice/347164/3 "2006-03-06T02:25:53Z")

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I’ve had good results with mothballs. But that was inside a vehicle (in my case, a trailer) - might not be quite as effective under the hood, where ventilation is likely to be better.

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**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repelling-mice/347164/4 "2006-03-06T13:12:12Z")

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I’ve heard peppermint oil is very effective, though I doubt it will actually drive mice away from existing nests.  
When I bought my house it had been sitting empty for over a year and was overrun with mice. After trying all sorts of methods, I found the perfect, and most effective device at my local hardware store.  
[The rat zapper 2000](http://www.pestproducts.com/rat_zapper.htm)  
No more mousies. It kills them, but it’s an instant death.  
Apparently if it’s left for long in one location, rodents will start avoiding it, so it would probably work if you left it under the car.

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**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repelling-mice/347164/5 "2006-03-06T13:48:10Z")

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I wonder if one of those gimmicky sonic devices would work? also, if they’re under the hood, they are probably in the trunk and inside the passenger compartment, too. If you aren’t averse to poison, D-Con works well. I’ve seen other non lethal products at my local big box hardware type store, but I can’t recal any names at the moment.

On a side note, when I saw the thread title, I read it as RAPPELLING mice and had a vision of the little creatures descending a wall with ropes and tackle, wearing guns and packs, all the while chanting, “Hut, hut, hut, hut, hut” like the swat team in the _Blues Brothers_ movie.