What Rats Hate to Smell
WouterThere is a simple solution to get rid of rats. You can use ingredients found in your home to repel rodents, including vinegar. Rats hate the smell of vinegar and will avoid it when exposed to it. You can also spray vinegar on rat nests to get rid of them. Rats are also repulsed by eucalyptus oil and citronella.
Another effective rat repellent is peppermint oil. This essential oil has a strong odor that makes rats stay away from it. Putting peppermint oil on cotton balls can be a good way to repel rats. Alternatively, you can plant peppermint plants around the perimeter of your house.
While a rat can’t see, they use their sense of smell to find food and mate. Their olfactory organ consists of receptor cells in their nose and mucus-coated sensory tissue called the olfactory epithelium. Its cilia detects odor molecules and sends an electrical signal to the olfactory bulb in the brain, where the signal is decoded. When a rat detects a smell, it either goes in search of it or runs away.
Rats have a highly developed sense of smell, so they are very repelled by smells that they don’t recognize. Spicy food like chili and peppermint oil can act as a strong repellent for these rodents. The capsaicin in peppers makes them hot, which rats hate. A homemade pepper spray made of four cups of water, 2 ounces of hot sauce, and a tablespoon of dish soap will also repel rats. You can also sprinkle chili powder or flakes around the area where rats are a nuisance.
