Gardening expert shares a simple hack to keep rodents from making a new home in your garden.Katherine McPhillips, Millie Bull and Eilidh Farquhar Trainee Affiliates Writer
15:17, 30 Oct 2025
Homeowners are being urged to remain vigilant as rodents try to make new homes in gardens this autumn.(Image: Getty Images)
For those seeing an increasing amount of rats and mice in their gardens since the temperatures have dropped, an expert has shared a simple solution to help repel the rodents from making a new home in your space.
With the weather taking a chillier and gloomier turn as we get closer to the winter months, the majority of us are spending less time in our gardens.
While many of us see autumn as a time to set down our gardening tools, it is actually the season where homeowners need to be the most vigilant.
Between September and October is the prime time for rodents to start searching for a new home. As the temperatures get colder, rats and mice will take to hiding in sheds, as well as in compost or under leaf piles in order to find some extra warmth.
Worryingly, if left unattended these rodents will then stay within your garden for the winter and potentially enter into your home to find extra food when breeding begins, reports the Express.
While the first solution for some people would be to use poison, this is a hard no as gardens are full of a wide range of wildlife, such as birds, hedgehogs and local cats. By laying out poison, you may end up hurting another species in the process.
If left unchecked, rats may start entering your home in order to steal more food in winter.(Image: Getty Images)
Thankfully a gardening expert has shared a simple homemade solution that will be able to deter rodents from your gardens without causing any extra harm.
Angelo, an expert from Deep Green Permaculture, advises households to sprinkle chilli powder around their garden to keep the rats and mice away.
He explained: “Capsaicin, the compound found in chilli peppers responsible for their heat, acts as an irritant to mammals, such as humans and rodents, making it an effective deterrent.”
Rodents have been found to actually avoid chilli peppers as they contain a spicy compound called capsaicin, which causes an irritating effect to their noses.
The spicy compound in chilli peppers – Capsaicin – is a natural deterrent for rats and mice.(Image: Getty Images)
This is a powerful deterrent as rodents are known to possess a potent sense of smell, which means the aroma of capsaicin can easily overwhelm the creatures.
As a result, this will make the rodents feel unsafe in the area and quickly look for somewhere else to live during the colder months.
For those wanting to prevent mice and rats from entering their garden before an infestation begins, we have detailed how to transform your chilli peppers into the ultimate rodent repellent.
How to make chilli pepper spray for your garden
You will need:
Chilli peppersWashing-up liquidGlovesEmpty spray bottleBlender
Instructions:
First put on a pair of gloves before handling the spice. Chop your peppers, then blend them with 480ml of water. It’s crucial to use fresh peppers rather than powdered chilli as they’ll be more potent and thus more effective.Blend until you have a smooth liquid, then transfer it to a pot and bring it to a boil. Allow it to simmer for 20 minutes, then set the liquid aside to cool. Boiling the liquid is essential as it extracts the capsaicin from the chillies.Once cooled, strain the liquid through a colander to remove any remaining solids.Pour the liquid into an empty spray bottle, then add a few drops of washing-up liquid. The soap will help the solution adhere to surfaces, ensuring the scent lingers in the area.Spray the solution around fences, walls, or potential shelters like sheds. Reapply the solution twice a week or after rainfall, and it should deter any rodents from entering your garden.
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