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Vinegar can keep some animals at bay, like deer, rabbits, foxes, and raccoons. Keep in mind that your household pets, like cats and dogs, also don’t like the smell of vinegar. You can soak rags in white vinegar and put them up around your garden beds to keep the pesky critters from eating your plants.

In addition to a clean home, fleas dislike oils made from plants that are naturally bug-resistant or poisonous to bugs. That includes myrtle, mint, eucalyptus, and especially cedar oil. Common household remedies like baking soda, garlic and apple vinegar don’t have any effect on fleas. Don’t spray essential oils directly on your own skin or your pets (and their bedding, because it can be a skin irritant. Stay away from tea tree oil. In pure form it can be very toxic to pets. Always ask your vet if you have any questions.

Aside from a warm, cozy place to curl up, you might wonder what attracts mice to your home. Several items attract mice, including: Birdseed Pet food Water Cereal and whole grains Food scraps from the composting bin Open trash cans High-fat and high-sugar foods Unused cars—they make great homes for chilly mice Insulation in the attic Clutter Brush from your yard, including leaves, sticks, wood, and shrubs (so mice can make nests) Overgrown trees or bushes—mice love to leap from branches onto the roof Indoor nesting materials, including cloth, paper, tissues, and toilet paper Tiny cracks in the siding or foundation

Humans attract fleas with their body heat, the carbon dioxide (CO2) they exhale, body odors, and movement. Fleas love hiding in warm, dark places like hair and scalps, armpits, and groin areas. Fleas prefer to feed on pets and wildlife, but they do bite humans when other warm-blooded mammals aren’t available.