During fall and winter, mice and rats start to invade homes in search of warmth and food. But these uninvited guests bring diseases and destruction with them that’s why it’s better to prevent them from reaching your home in the first place. Some people do this by setting up ultrasonic pest repellents.
So do ultrasonic pest control repellers really work in keeping mice away? You will need to find other means of rodent-proofing the house because ultrasonic rodent repellents do not work. While these devices can reduce the appearance of mice and rats at first, these creatures will eventually grow accustomed to the noise.
If you’re not in favor of using toxic pesticides to kill pests, an ultrasonic pest repellent seems like an ideal solution. This pest control device emits high-frequency sound waves that only pests like rodents and insects can hear. While the concept of high-frequency rodent repellents seems great, the extent of this device’s effectiveness is still debatable.
Since 2001, the Federal Trade Commission first advised the ultrasonic pest control repeller manufacturers to provide scientific evidence about their products. Between 1985 and 1997, six ultrasonic pest control repeller manufacturers have been sued by the FTC after making exaggerated claims about the devices.
In 1995, a study from the University of Nebraska explained that after a few days of being active in a home, these ultrasonic rodent repellent devices will start to lose its effects. Mice and rats will eventually get used to the sound and continue to cause damages at home.
The results of increasing patents for the pest repeller ultrasonic device over the years are inadequate because the ultrasonic rodent repellents available in the market are still ineffective in driving rodents away from the property. This is according to a study by the University of California’s College of Agriculture & Life Sciences in 2015.
If you read the label on ultrasonic rodent repellents, you might have a good idea of how these devices work. Ultrasonic rodent repellent devices emit sound waves at a high frequency that humans can’t hear but rodents can. The high-frequency sound can drive pests crazy, causing insects to crawl away and rodents to run for cover.
To start using these ultrasonic rodent devices, simply plug it into the home’s electrical outlet. It then emits sounds that claim to be disruptive to pets. Some of the manufacturers claim that the pest repellers can even cause audiogenic seizure responses. This is characterized by wild running, convulsions, or catatonic state. By emitting a disruptive sound, rodents are forced to flee and cover. It will prevent them from breeding, communicating, gathering food, or building nests.
Manufacturers advise their customers to put the ultrasonic pest control devices in key areas where there are rodent sightings or signs of rodent activity are present. It could be droppings, gnaw marks, or footprints.
However, dozens of studies conducted by different universities and organizations prove that these ultrasonic devices don’t work or aren’t doing everything that they claim. The main reason for its ineffectiveness is the rodent’s excellent adaptive abilities and the principle of habituation.
Even though some of the store-bought pest repellent ultrasonic devices are effective in keeping the rodents at bay, there is a high chance that they will come back in a few days after getting used to the sound.
Rodents can set up their nests in different homes as long as there are gaps and crevices on the walls. Once there are rodent droppings, scratching noises at night, or food stolen from the plastic containers, keep these pests from causing more damage with the following tips:
Peppermint smell is a good repellent for rodents because it’s unappealing for them. What’s great about using peppermint oil at home is that it’s harmless and chemical-free. It is also easily available online or in the organic section of grocery stores.
To use peppermint oil, mix it with water, and put the solution in a spray bottle. Spritz a good amount of the mixture in the corners of the house or around rodent entry points and burrows. Others also apply a few drops of the oil onto a cotton ball and leave it in affected areas.
While it is a good preventive measure, this oil is just a short-term solution and won’t be very effective in the long run. There’s no stopping the rodents from breeding and damaging your home once they reach it. To get rid of mice and rats for good, it’s better to call for an exterminator.
These devices give homeowners the option to let the rodent live after catching it. The idea is that by seizing the live mouse in the house, residents can transport and release them safely somewhere far from home.
Similar to peppermint oils, mouse repellent sprays are meant to keep mice away by producing an unpleasant smell. But most of these products use different chemicals that can cause harm to humans if used improperly.
Mouse repellent sprays can only keep the rodents at bay for a short time. Once they have adapted and the odor no longer bothers them, they can start gnawing on the house’s foundation and stealing food from the kitchen.
The best way to solve a rodent infestation at home is to leave it at the hands of the expert. Even when you manage to catch a mouse or two, there is a chance that more pests are hiding in the colony. Pest control management providers have the skill and equipment to remove these pesky creatures from a home.
Another reason to call pest control services is they can offer complete pest management techniques to help homeowners prevent rodent infestation from resurfacing.
Here at Permakill Exterminating, we put an end to our customer’s rodent problems with safe and smart solutions. We also provide a wide variety of tools and techniques to permanently remove mice and rats from your home. Give us a call now to get a free estimate.
Our company is affiliated with professional organizations and accreditations in the industry recognized in the state of New Jersey and the rest of the country:
