Home - Garden
Plug-in Pest Repellents: Do They Really Keep Mice Out of Your Home?
By MICHELE WANKE
Many homeowners will try any method to prevent pests, such as mice, from entering their houses, even resorting to electric ultrasonic devices as a solution.
These devices produce electronic frequencies between 20,000 hertz and 65,000 hertz that are meant to deter mice by causing them to have seizure responses.
The plug-in pest repellents were advertised as effective, chemical-free, and safe for humans; however, many of these devices fall short of their promise to rid homes of mice.
Following their review process, the Federal Trade Commission researchers concluded that no scientific evidence existed to support the plug-in companies’ claims.
At most, these devices would keep out the rodents until they became accustomed to the noise and returned to nest in homeowners’ living spaces.
The University of Arizona found that mice only had a mild aversion to high-frequency noise when the sound waves were unobstructed by objects like walls and furniture.
Professionals can handle this problem for you and offer humane ways to remove the mice; if you choose to solve this yourself, you’ll need to start at their source of sustenance.
Ensure food isn’t left out or dirty dishes are in the sink, keep pet food in sealed containers, eliminate any water leaks, and close any ways for them to get into the house.