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Seeing a mouse or discovering their droppings is all it takes to declare war. Getting tiny rodents out of your home will be your biggest priority. There are many tales and myths regarding how you should handle mice. One of the popular methods involves Irish Spring soap and mice. So is Irish Spring soap a legitimate way to deter mice?
Let’s take a deeper look!
Does Irish Spring Soap Keep Away Mice?
While there are many effective ways to keep mice away, Irish Spring soap is not one of them. Shawn Wood made a YouTube video showing how mice react when they find a soap bar. Like food and other treats, they typically taste it.
While you might think the soap could cause some health issues for the mice, it doesn’t. The University of California regularly exposed mice to soap and found the only effect was “disrupted liver integrity and compromised liver function.” This was after regularly exposing the mice to triclosan (an active and primary ingredient in soap) for six months. This amount of exposure was the equivalent of 18 years of exposure in a human.
So while the makers of Irish Spring soap would likely enjoy you buying their product, it’s not going to help keep mice and other critters away. You’ll want to find something that is more effective.
What Do People Get Wrong About Irish Spring Soap and Mice?
Many people errantly assume that Irish Spring soap will keep repelling mice. However, there’s practically no evidence to support this claim. If you’re serious about keeping mice away, you will want to find a more effective method.
Houston’s Channel 11 KHOU even reached out to Colgate-Palmolive, and their representatives said, “Our Irish Spring bar soaps were not tested to keep flies and rodents away. We, there, would not have this information as our products were not intended to be used in this way.”
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What Is the Most Effective Way to Keep Mice Away?
To deter mice, you first need to clean up their mess. Look for any signs where mice have assembled and clean it thoroughly. Use antibacterial wipes to kill germs and bacteria.
The next thing is appropriately storing all your food and any items attracting the mice. Put food in air-tight or hard plastic containers. This will help ensure the mice can’t smell or access your food. Mice are determined, especially when they get hungry. If they can smell something, they will do their best to get to it.
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Now that everything is clean and you’ve stored them properly, you need to locate where they’re gaining access. If you don’t seal up holes and other access points, they will find their way back into your space. Use steel wool and gap sealant to close holes and crevices. Mice are agile creatures that can squeeze into some rather tight spaces. Ensure you’re diligent with filling in gaps.
Pro Tip: These tips will ensure you keep mice out of your camper for good!
What Will Keep Mice Away Naturally?
While Irish Spring soap might not do the trick, there are some natural options for keeping mice away. Mice typically hate the smells from items with peppermint oil, cayenne, pepper, and cloves. Some homeowners use products or essential oils to soak cotton balls and place them around their homes. This creates a clean and fresh smell and keeps mice from coming near your home.
Many homeowners have found that an indoor or outdoor cat can remove mice. As the saying goes, when the cat’s away, the mice will play. So if you want to avoid having mice, you may consider adding a feline friend as a family member.
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Is It Worth Trying Irish Spring Soap to Keep Away Mice?
Having mice enter your home can be a massive mixture of negative emotions. Not only will it frustrate and disgust you to discover mouse droppings, but you’ll also have to replace food and clean again. While we don’t recommend trying Irish Spring soap, we recommend taking action. Getting your home clean, setting traps, and sealing up entry points are essential to keeping your home free of mice.
It would be best if you kept an eye out for any signs of mice getting into your home. Looking for chewed-up material and droppings will be the first signs. However, if you face a severe infestation, you may hear mice scurrying through your walls and ceilings as you try to sleep. The little creatures will practically tease you as they invade your home. Take action and return to enjoying your home free of mice!
Have you heard any other myths about mice?
Last update on 2024-10-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Steel wool is great for plugging holes and gaps to keep mice out. BUT – steel wool rusts and if not noticed quickly can leave a stain. For years I have used bronze wool. Same as steel but bronze doesn’t rust, lasts almost forever. Hard to find in stores but can order from the big box stores including WM, HD, Lowes, and of course Amazon. Not much cost difference.