Pest expert swears by £3 ingredient rats 'hate' - and it won't damage your lawn

One expert has hailed a simple but effective £3 hack to deter rodents without harming your grass or beautiful blooms

Whether it's smelly bins or fallen fruit, rats will constantly try to invade your garden in the hope of finding food. Even if you maintain your waste well and make sure there's no edible food for them to feast on, our back yards make a great hiding place for rodents.

Many methods to deter rats from your garden require potent products laced with chemicals, which can also cause problems on your lawns and flowers as well as pose a threat to your pets and children. Luckily, there is a humane and more natural hack to shoo the creatures away without harming your garden or loved ones.

"They are a very intelligent species," warns Jordan Foster of Fantastic Pest Control. "The critters are experts at hiding and will wait for you to go to sleep at night to come out of their burrows so they can wreck your yard or garden."

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Jordan claims that rats 'hate' peppermint and advises uses an oil-based version of the strong scent as a deterrent. "Place cotton in the burrow after it's been dipped in peppermint," he recommends. "You'll need to change the cotton every three to four days, but the rats won't stick around for too long."

You can pick up peppermint oil from a slew of online including Amazon, where a bottle will set you back less than £3. Other natural deterrents include placing onions in the most common entry point for rats, making sure to replace them every few days to prevent rotting and keeping rats at bay.

Keeping your grass cut short to prevent the animals from being able to hide is also good practice. "Making beds with onion, garlic, and leeks is a great way to keep rodents and other pests at bay as they hate the stuff," Jordan added. "Once they smell it, they'll run away." However, the ace warns that onions are 'especially dangerous' for dogs as they're toxic if consumed. Therefore, if you have pets, it might be better sticking to using peppermint oil.

"Taking sprinklers and birdbaths off your lawn can be tricky, but it's a good idea," Jordan continued. "Rats can't survive without water, so this would be effective as they'd stay away." Make sure you still allow your lawn the water it needs to continue thriving. Otherwise you'll risk ending up with a patchy surface.

Are you struggling with rats in your garden or home? We would like to hear from you. You can contact us by emailing stephanie.balloo@reachplc.com