Early September can be warm, but the weather often cools off as the month goes on. Cooler weather can encourage mice and spiders to seek the warmth of our homes. Peppermint oil can help with that, repelling both spiders and mice.
It makes sense to me that peppermint oil could repel mice since mice have a strong sense of smell. I'm not sure that spiders have noses, however, so I was a little skeptical of how it was going to repel them. There was a clinical study done in 2017, however, that showed that peppermint oil stopped spiders from entering an area 75% of the time, especially when compared to the control group. It didn't appear to get rid of spiders once they had already entered an area though, so I feel like September is a great time to start using some peppermint oil around the house, particularly around doors and windows to help prevent spiders from entering.
The easiest way to use peppermint oil as a repellent is to combine it with water or rubbing alcohol and spray around doors and windows, reapplying periodically.
Peppermint oil can also be used to repel mice since they don't like the smell and their sensitive notices are often overwhelmed by it, causing them to avoid an area. When using peppermint oil as a repellent, people often put several drops on a cotton ball to leave in garages or areas where mice are seen.
The nice thing about using peppermint oil for spiders or mice is that it's non-toxic and safe to use around the house. A little goes a long way, and a bottle lasts a long time.
Peppermint oil is also commonly used as a headache remedy when rubbed on the temples. It's recommended to mix it with a carrier oil first before applying since straight peppermint oil may be too strong for your skin. A roller bottle is a convenient way to do that, and we have plenty of DIY essential oil supplies at the store including rollerbottles, empty spray bottles, atomizers, and more.
Interestingly, peppermint oil may also help with memory and alertness. One placebo-controlled study had participants wear a patch infused with lavender oil and had the participants go about their day. When compared to the placebo group, participants reported feeling more alert and subsequent assessments showed the peppermint group experienced enhanced memory and attention.
