Does Irish Spring Deter Mice? Myth or Repellant - Mouse Trap Guide (2024)

Yup, you read it right. Could Irish Spring soap really keep mice out of your home?

If you have already spotted mice in your home, or if you want to proactively repel mice from entering your home, you are probably searching for the best way to keep them away. With numerous solutions and methods at your disposal, it is important you choose the best option for YOU.

Keep reading to see if Irish Spring is the right solution for your mouse problem.

The Irish Spring Soap Claim

The origin of the claim that Irish Spring soap could in fact repel mice is not entirely clear, but it was likely started by a few people who initially tried it out and assumed it worked. Irish Spring is still considered by many to be a popular mouse repellent, especially owners of RV campers, but there are as many, if not more, people who do not believe in the Irish Spring claim. So if people are both for and against the use of Irish Spring to repel mice, what’s the right answer? Let’s look at the evidence.

Does Irish Spring soap really keep mice away?

In short, the evidence reveals that Irish Spring soap DOES NOT get rid of mice or repel them. This is largely due to the fact that there is no evidence that the soap is the reason for a person’s sudden rodent repellent success. Despite the lack of evidence to support the Irish Spring soap claim, people still insist on its effectiveness. Proponents of the claim suggest that only the Original Irish Spring scent will work, and that other scents, like the Irish Spring with Aloe or the Icy Blast Irish Spring, will not work. Proponents also suggest that only the bar soap version will work (not the gel soap) and that to get the best results, it is best to shave or grade the bar soap down into small shavings, rather than place the whole bar of soap out. However, there is no evidence that any version of this method works.

To substantiate the Irish Spring soap, there must be hard evidence that the soap is the sole reason for repelling mice, which there is not. And in fact, some people have even reported their Irish Spring soap to have been nibbled on, indicating that some mice may be attracted to the fresh scent.

Do mice eat soap?

There have been many reports of mice eating soap. For example, this video shows some eating an Irish Spring bar, and this video shows some eating a bar of homemade soap.

Some soap products are known to contain a type of animal fat called tallow, which mice are known to eat, which is why many people find their bars of soap to have nibbled on.

Furthermore, certain types of soaps and detergents may be an attractive offering to mice and may also act as poison. When I had a mouse infestation in my home last year, I found a mouse dead next to my bag of laundry detergent pods, with a nibbled-open pod lying next to the mouse, as well.

At this time, it is unclear if all mice eat soap or if there are only a few varieties that do, and it is unclear if certain types and brands of soaps are more appealing to mice than others. Furthermore, mice eating soap may be a situational event. For example, in the case where all other food sources are either dried up or out of reach, mice may see soap as their last resort for food.

What can you put around your house to keep mice away?

While Irish Spring soap may not be the best solution to get rid of mice or deter them, there are many other effective solutions. To keep rodents away from your house, consider using these strategies around your house:

• Peppermint Oil: Mice hate the smell of peppermint oil. The most effective way to use this natural oil to get rid of mice is to dip cotton balls in 100% peppermint oil and then place them in and around your home.
• Cayenne Pepper: Mice also hate the smell of the natural cayenne pepper. Buy bulk cayenne pepper powder and sprinkle lines of it around the perimeter of your home and near possible entry points inside your home.
• Mouse Trap: A mouse trap, particularly a snap trap with peanut butter as bait, is perhaps one of the most effective rodent traps and methods used to repel rodents. Use these traps both in and outside your home to eliminate your rodents.
• Rodenticides: This is one of the most common methods of rodent repellents used by pest exterminators. Rodenticides are chemicals with the sole purpose of killing mice. It is best to use them by placing them around the perimeter of your home.

Remember, pests are not to be taken lightly, and when in doubt, get help from your local pest exterminator. While many of these proposed pest traps and deterrents are highly effective, a professional exterminator will often know the best solution for you and your specific needs.

Do dryer sheets repel mice?

Dryer sheets may in fact be of use in repelling pests. Why? The polyester sheets are covered in positively charged ions which produce a strong, overpowering scent to mice. It doesn’t matter what scent your sheets are (linen, tropical fruit, etc.); mice will not like the strength of the smell.

However, dryer sheets are usually only a temporary fix and should not be used on their own without the help of other methods; they have been proven to keep one or two mice (or rats away), but are not capable and not highly effective at handling larger infestations.

The bottom line is this: certain scents, such as the smell of dryer sheets and certain soaps, may act as a temporary annoyance and deterrent to your pests, but scents have never been proven to be the long term solution for an infestation. You are much better off deploying more traditional trapping methods, or better yet, contacting your local, professional pest exterminator.