Do mothballs repel mice?
Mothballs have been promoted as having mice repellent properties. It’s also said that several other pests are also repelled by mothballs.
How true is that? Let’s find out.
Mothball For Mice Control
Every homeowner experiencing a mice problem will see for any means necessary to kill these pests. Now, it’s evident that mice are quite clever and have found ways to evade traps and poisoned bait among other treatments.
CHECK: Mice And Vinegar
Although such treatments continue to work to a certain degree, they aren’t as effective in resolving mice problems.
The objective in most cases will be to use whatever works. Now, knowing what works can be a bit tricky. This is why questions such as these are asked.
About Mothballs
Mothballs are pelletized insecticides containing either naphthalene or para-dichlorobenzene.
This insecticide isn’t always in a pelletized form as it also comes in flakes, scented packets, cakes, crystals, and blocks. Its form doesn’t matter compared to what it does and the active ingredients it contains.
As the name suggests, mothballs are used for control of moths in clothing among other pests.
Are mice among those repelled? We’ll see! Like a lot of pesticide products, mothballs are useful in repelling a variety of pests including reptiles.
Let’s have a look at what you can do with this insecticide.
Pests Repelled By Mothballs
Pest control techniques applied target all sorts of bugs or creatures considered a nuisance.
Speaking, pests are mostly unwanted critters you’d rather do without. Mothballs have been used to repel skunks, dogs, cats, moles pigeons, snakes, raccoons, and squirrels.
These are only a few of several.
There are no guarantees that mothball use or application will repel any of these pests mentioned above. How about rodents? This is the main focus of our discussion.
Plus, mice are among the most destructive pests in homes. Let’s find out mothballs fare against rodents.
Mothballs And Mice
Will mothballs keep mice away?
If you’re hoping on finding relief from mice infestation through the use of mothballs, the sad news is this; you won’t! Simply put, mothballs do not have any repellent effects on mice.
Treatments have been tried a lot of times with little to no results.
The intended use of mothballs is to eliminate fabric pests and nothing more. You may have to turn a blind eye to the many claims about the efficacy of mothballs as mice repellent.
Why Mothballs Won’t Kill Mice
Apart from the few reasons given above regarding the inefficacy of mothballs on mice, more facts and reasons still need to be given to provide a better understanding.
At higher levels of concentration, naphthalene may have some repellent effect on mice.
However, the truth is, the naphthalene contained in moths isn’t strong enough to be considered unsafe by mice. This reason is enough to ditch mothball treatments for other remedies that work.
Reasons to Avoid Mothball Use as a Repellent
Aside from the fact that mothballs will do little to nothing in providing a real repellent effect on mice, it’s also a toxic insecticide to have around your home. There are lots of risks involved.
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Do Mothballs Keep Mice Away?
First off, your kids could easily mistake mothballs for candy which results in such being ingested.
Also, your pets are exposed to this product. In a nutshell, mothballs pose avoidable risks that could end up harming members of your household.
To have an idea about the level of risk involved, mothballs have been associated with causing nasal cancer among other illnesses. This is a treatment you shouldn’t consider trying out.
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There are no Guarantees with Outdoor Use
Outdoor mothball use won’t guarantee safety either.
It has the same hazardous effect as it does indoors. This insecticide can easily contaminate soil, water, and plants. This is why restrictions are guiding its use.
Find an Alternative Treatment that Works
Reliance on mothball treatments for mice problems won’t get anything done.
The longer mice are allowed to roam around your home, the more damage they cause. It’s important to seek treatment alternatives that work.
You get to choose between DIY techniques and professional rodent control
i. DIY Vs Professional Mice Control
In a bid to keep mice out of your home, you’re to choose a treatment that works. Do it yourselfers are more prone to perform the mice treatments themselves. This falls under the same category as mothballs use.
The only difference is in the type of treatment being applied.
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Alternative DIY Treatments for Mice
There are lots of DIY treatments that include the use of cayenne pepper, peppermint oil, plugging of entry points with steel wool, and growing peppermint plants around your home.
Other strategies include clearing clutter, trimming shrubs around your home, getting a natural predator (cat), as well as keeping feed tightly closed.
The list of strategies is almost inexhaustible. However, not all of these strategies work. Similar to mothballs, some repellent measures may fail outright.
You’ll have to research effective DIY treatments that work to apply to your mice problem.
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Professional Treatment for Mice
Not everyone is cut out for DIY mice treatments. Having found out your mothball treatments have achieved little to nothing, it’s best to fall back on what works.
Also, DIY alternatives can be overwhelming for many. Your best bet is to call for professional mice control.
How to Choose a Pest Control Company
Having discovered the inefficacy of mothballs in mice control, it’s best to follow a more systematic and proven approach to treatment. Who you call matters. It’s important to only go for reliable pest control services.
You want to find out how many years the company has been in business; the longer the better!
How effective are the company’s services? A sense of that can be gotten from verified customer reviews. Also, are quality audits performed on its technicians?
Are Integrated Pest Management techniques being used? These questions and more are crucial in selecting who carries out the job as you’re likely to get the best possible service.
Mothballs have zero repellent effect on mice. Plus, the insecticide is toxic to humans and pets. You may want to seek alternative treatments such as those mentioned here.