25 Best Plants That Repel Mice and Rats: Natural Solutions for a Pest-Free Home

Keeping rodents out of your home doesn’t have to mean harsh chemicals or expensive gadgets. With the right plants, you can create a natural, safe, and effective barrier. Here are 25 of the best options.

25 Best Plants That Repel Mice And Rats

Plenty of plants with strong scents or unique compounds can help keep mice and rats at bay. Adding these herbs, flowers, and shrubs around your space just might convince rodents to move along.

Peppermint

Peppermint’s sharp, fresh aroma is almost impossible to ignore—and that’s exactly why mice and rats hate it. The menthol in peppermint oil is a natural turn-off for rodents.

Try planting peppermint along your home’s foundation or in garden beds. Crushing the leaves releases even more scent, or you can use peppermint oil on cotton balls in problem areas indoors.

Spearmint

Spearmint is a cousin to peppermint but has a gentler scent. Its essential oils, especially carvone, are still pretty unpleasant for mice and rats.

This plant spreads quickly and makes a decent barrier. Regular trimming keeps it dense and aromatic. Fresh spearmint leaves or oil work inside too, if you want extra backup.

Lavender

Lavender’s floral aroma is a classic favorite for people, but rodents tend to steer clear. Its oils have compounds that seem to keep pests away.

Grow lavender near doors, patios, or garden edges. Dried leaves and flowers hold their scent and are easy to stash in cupboards or storage spots if you’re worried about mice sneaking in.

Rosemary

Rosemary smells woody and strong—enough to make rodents think twice. It does well in containers, window boxes, and borders.

Snip twigs or leaves and tuck them where you’ve seen rodent activity. Fresh or dried, rosemary holds its own, and the plant itself is pretty tough and evergreen if you don’t get harsh winters.

Sage

Sage has thick, aromatic leaves with an earthy scent. If you grow it near entry points, you’ll have an extra layer of defense.

Try tossing sage leaves in pantries or corners indoors. It’s not a fussy plant—just give it sun and well-drained soil and you’re set.

Oregano

Oregano’s savory, spicy smell isn’t just for pizza. Mice and rats dislike it just as much as some bugs do.

Use oregano as a border in veggie beds, or crush the leaves to target indoor trouble spots. The scent lasts a while, whether you use it fresh or dried.

Thyme

Thyme’s tiny leaves pack a punch with their sharp, herbal fragrance. Thymol, found in thyme, actually shows up in some commercial repellents.

Grow it as a low edging along paths, or scatter sprigs in cabinets. The scent is strong for rodents, but most people find it pleasant enough.

Lemongrass

Lemongrass smells like citrus, which most folks enjoy—mice and rats, not so much. The citral in lemongrass is what does the trick.

It does well outside in warm areas or in pots you can move inside. Place fresh stalks or leaves in places where rodents might sneak in.

Basil

Basil’s scent is great in the kitchen and not so great for rodents. Sometimes the smell alone is enough to make mice and rats head the other way.

It’s easy to grow in pots or beds. Harvest some leaves and stash them near entry points, or dry a few sprigs for storage areas. No need to overthink it.

Catnip

Catnip is famous for making cats go wild, but it’s a total turnoff for mice and rats. Nepetalactone, the essential oil, is the culprit.

Plant catnip around flowerbeds if you want fewer rodents. Dried catnip in sachets works for cupboards or corners, too—just keep it away from your own cats unless you don’t mind a little chaos.

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus has that sharp, camphor-like smell that’s hard to miss. Its oil repels all sorts of pests, including rodents.

Try dwarf eucalyptus in borders, or use fresh leaves in sachets indoors. The scent sticks around even as the leaves dry out, so you get some staying power.

Bay Laurel (Bay Leaf Plant)

Bay laurel’s tough, aromatic leaves are a kitchen staple—and a rodent repellent. Mice and rats hate the pungent scent, and the leaves can even be toxic if they eat them.

Place whole bay leaves in cupboards or pantries. The plant itself does well in pots and adds a little greenery to your kitchen or patio.

Marigold

Marigolds are bright and cheery, but their strong scent isn’t so pleasant for pests. They’ve got pyrethrum-like compounds that many critters, rodents included, can’t stand.

Plant marigolds along vegetable garden borders to help protect your crops. The smell gets even stronger if you brush the leaves or crush the flowers a bit.

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum’s decorative flowers have a smell that tends to keep rodents away. Their pyrethrins show up in lots of commercial repellents, too.

Plant them near entryways to discourage mice and rats. Cut flowers indoors can offer a little extra backup.

Garlic

Garlic’s smell is notorious. Mice and rats want nothing to do with it, whether it’s growing or already harvested.

Crushed or sliced garlic is especially effective inside. Garlic plants are easy to tuck into garden rows, and you’ll get to use them in the kitchen, too.

Onion

Onions have a strong, acrid smell that’s offensive to rodents. The chemical compounds inside are enough to drive them off from food storage or garden beds.

Interplant onions among other crops for a little extra protection. Sliced onions shouldn’t be left out too long, but a few in rodent-prone places can help.

Chives

Chives, like other alliums, have a sharp flavor and scent that rodents dislike.

Use chives as a border in the garden. Inside, dried or fresh chive leaves can help keep mice out of pantries or food storage spots.

Tansy (Use With Care—Can Be Toxic If Ingested)

Tansy’s ferny leaves and yellow flowers smell strong enough to put off a lot of pests, rodents included. It’s got compounds that are toxic if eaten, so be careful.

Grow tansy out of reach of kids and pets. Dried sprigs in corners can help, but don’t use it where food is prepped.

Wormwood (Artemisia) (Also Use Cautiously)

Wormwood’s silvery leaves and bitter scent are pretty distinctive. It contains absinthin and other compounds that are toxic to rodents, and the smell alone can keep them away.

Plant it along borders but steer clear of edible beds. Indoors, just use a little and keep it away from pets and children.

Geranium (Especially Scented Varieties)

Scented geraniums can smell like lemon, rose, or mint, and rodents usually can’t stand any of them.

Grow them in pots near doors or patios. Crush a few leaves now and then to refresh the scent if you want some extra help indoors.

Camphor Plant

Camphor plants have a strong, almost medicinal aroma that rodents avoid. The leaves and wood have been used in mothballs and natural repellents for ages.

Trim leaves and put them where mice or rats might travel. The plant is evergreen in mild climates and looks nice, too.

Rue (Effective But Toxic—Avoid Where Pets Roam)

Rue is a hardy evergreen with a strong scent that keeps rodents at bay. Its oil is toxic if eaten by pets or kids, so use it with caution.

Plant rue in out-of-the-way corners or along fences. Dried leaves last a long time, but don’t use them where animals might chew.

Mint-Scented Pelargonium (Scented Geranium)

This geranium smells like classic mint, though it’s not a true mint. Rodents still don’t like it.

Grow mint-scented pelargonium in planters on decks or patios. Pinch the leaves now and then to keep the scent going and help block common entry points.