If you are looking for an all-natural solution to repelling mice and rats from your home, cedar might be the answer. Not only is it safe to use around humans, but it is scientifically proven to help solve your problem.
Studies* have shown that cedar wood gives off natural acids and hydrocarbons (e.g. phenols), that are harmful to mice and rats when inhaled, especially their young.
* – Burkhart, Carol A. & Robinson, James L., (1978) High rat pup mortality attributed to the use of cedar-wood shavings as bedding. Laboratory Animals, 12, pg. 221-222
Now, if you would like to use cedar as a rodent deterrent, you might be asking yourself:
Should I buy cedar blocks, balls, chips, mulch??
The form of cedar you buy doesn’t really matter as long as it is 100% pure cedar wood and there isn’t any sort of stain or coating on it which would prevent the acids and phenols from escaping. Here are a few products I would recommend:
- ACMETOP 100% Natural Cedar Blocks, 70 Pack – This bundles comes with 70 small cedar cubes which should be sufficient coverage for multiple different areas of the house. This option would be more ideal for houses that have more places with storage or clutter.
- Cedar Space Cedar Blocks, 16 Pack – This bundle comes with 16 small 100% cedar planks. This option might be better if you have a smaller house or less areas where the rodents may be more likely to nest.
Now, regardless of what form of cedar you use, proper placement is the most importance factor to success.
Where to place cedar to deter rodents in your house?
In order to determine the most appropriate places to position cedar in your home, it will help to understand a little bit about how rats and mice think, in addition to their nesting behavior.
In a nutshell, rats and mice are scared of us. They would always prefer to hide in the shadows and stay concealed. A few of the most common places to find rodents in your home would be anywhere you have clutter along with a prolonged absence of human presence. These areas make great nesting environments. Typically, this is in the garage and/or attic.
If you can identify any said locations, place the cedar on the ground level around the clutter, blocking any potential entrances into the clutter. Any potential entrances on the ground level against a wall would be key spot to place the cedar. Rodents always prefer to run along a vertical surface so they typically travel along walls, if they can. It also couldn’t hurt to throw a few cubes or a plank in between the boxes/clutter near the center of the pile. This would help prevent nesting within the clutter.
Now with that said, Cedar is not the solution to all rodent problems and should be used as more of a preventative measure versus fixing an existing problem.
Cedar will not solve an existing rodent infestation, though it will reduce the rate in which these rodents are multiplying. Upon discovery of a rodent infestation of your home, there are some specific steps you may want to follow. See here, which is applicable to both rats and mice: How to Get Rids of Rats in House.
I hope this article has been helpful for you. If you have any questions/comments, please leave them comments section below and I will respond as soon as possible.
Thank you!!
RKD
Does ceder get rid of roaches
Hi Thomas, Thank you for your question. And YES! Scientific studies have shown that cedar does in fact repel cockroaches. The evidence in this paper show that the results are statistically significant. See here: https://www.designthespace.com/eastern-red-cedar-scientific-report/
Please let me know if you have any further questions. Thank you!
The mice get into holes in the outside air conditioning unit. Which is better to prevent this? Moth balls or cedar chips or both ?
Marvalpert@gmail.com
Hi Marv! I sincerely apologize for the delay in my response. I took a sabbatical from my post as Rat King for a few years, but I am just now getting back in the swing of things! I hope that you were able to figure out your issue since it’s been a few months, but ultimately my recommendation for this type of scenario would be to block/plug up the holes with a steel mesh (like Ovsor 20 Mesh Stainless Steel Mesh Screen)or a steel wool (like Xcluder Rodent Control Fill Fabric). Mice cannot chew through steel, so as long as you are able to sufficiently block the entrance to these hole with the steel, then the mice cannot go in there anymore. Hope this helps! If you have any questions, please let me know! RKD
What advice/suggestions do you have to keep mice out of a car over the winter (about 6 months, in storage) ?
Hi Brian! I’m so sorry for the delay in my response. I took a few years off being Rat King, but now I am back!
Man that is always a tough scenario as parked cars can be a safe haven for rodents, especially as it gets cold outside. For cars that are going to sit for extended times, I would put a ton of moth balls and hanging bags of tobacco in the engine compartment. Your best bet honestly would be able to put the car in a garage, but that might not be an option for you. I would also place rodent bait stations near the area where the car will be sitting so provide a distraction. Also, a fake scare crow owl can work wonders. Be sure to get one that has a head that swivels in the wind. Hope this is helpful. If you have any questions. I am around now. Thank you! RKD