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As nocturnal animals, mice are most active at night. During the day, they prefer to hide in cool, dark, and undisturbed places. Common hiding spots include spaces between walls, inside pantries and cupboards, behind sofas, and in old boxes or other clutter.

Exterminators can get rid of your current ant problem, but they won’t prevent ants from coming back. So it’s important to implement ant preventatives to avoid future infestations.

The primary reason ants enter your home is to find food. If they can’t find any, they won’t survive. So, the most effective way to prevent ant infestations is to clean, clean, and clean some more. 

Keep your kitchen sparkling and wash your dishes immediately (or at least give them a quick rinse and wash off leftover food). Take out your garbage and compost as often as possible and tightly seal all your kitchen containers, especially the mason jars you use to hold your sugar—sugar is gold to ants.

You can also hire a local handyperson to help you prevent future ant infestations. The handyman can seal cracks and fix leaks throughout your home, which will keep any ants from entering.

Like many animals, gophers are bothered by strong scents. Peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil,  and coffee grounds can be used as deterrents against these pests. Similarly, you can try planting lavender, rosemary, sage, geraniums, or pine trees, as these plants all have strong smells that can ward away gophers. While it may be less pleasant to work with, coyote urine scares gophers by tricking the pests into thinking your yard is a predator hot spot.

Roaches have a strong sense of smell and are repelled by a variety of potent aromas. Scents that can help deter them include citrus (such as lemon and orange), herbs like peppermint, mint, basil, thyme, and oregano, spices like bay leaves, cinnamon, clove, and garlic, as well as lavender, eucalyptus, citronella, tea tree oil, and vinegar.

You can use these scents in several ways to create an unwelcoming environment for roaches:

• Plants: Place mint or lavender plants in your home or garden.

• Powders and Leaves: Sprinkle garlic powder or place crushed bay leaves and citrus peels in high-risk areas like kitchens, bathrooms, and entry points.

• Sprays: Create a diluted solution with scents like lemon or vinegar to spray in your home. These can also be used in cleaning products or as room fresheners.

• Essential Oils: While essential oils of these scents can be used, be cautious as they can be toxic to pets if inhaled.

It is important to note that while these smells can help keep roaches away, they typically do not kill them and may not be enough to drive out an existing infestation entirely. For best results, combine these scent-based deterrents with regular cleaning. Be sure to clean up all food spills, crumbs, and dirty dishes promptly, and keep trash cans covered with a tight-fitting lid to remove potential food sources.