Getting Rid of Ground Moles Naturally
You may be tempted to use chemicals to control pests like ground moles. However, using chemicals has its own risks that you need to consider. For example, using chemical pesticides can result in the death of other beneficial insects in your garden and lawns.
Additionally, excessive use of pesticides can also lead to the poisoning of birds and other wildlife animals in your yard or garden. Fortunately, you can control ground moles naturally without affecting other animals in your yard.
If you have noticed holes on your lawn or you have seen the ground moving, then your yard is likely infested by moles.
While getting rid of these pests is difficult, there are several natural remedies that can help you solve this problem. You should know that controlling moles is not an easy task, so you’ll need to be patient and persistent.
10 Ways to Get Rid of Ground Moles Naturally
Getting rid of ground moles is a tall task for many homeowners. This is because these rodents can cause much damage to your lawn and gardens.
The tunnels created by ground moles are usually a nightmare to most gardeners, as they can destroy the structure of your garden or lawn, resulting in unsightly brown patches.
The fact that ground moles are nocturnal animals makes it difficult to get rid of them. However, this should not discourage you from getting rid of pesky animals. There are several ways that you can use to get rid of ground moles.
Following are some ways that can help you get rid of ground moles naturally…
1. How to Get Rid of Ground Moles With Dawn Soap
Dawn dishwashing soap is a hot topic when it comes to getting rid of moles. There are two common ways people use this soap to deter moles: soaking the soil with the soap or making a spray from the soap.
To soak the soil, fill the mole’s tunnels with water and then pour in about 1/4 cup of Dawn dishwashing soap. The soap will seep into the tunnels and coat the inner wall, which can suffocate and kill the mole.
Some people prefer to make a spray mixture using Dawn dishwashing liquid and castor oil or peppermint oil. The theory behind this method is that moles hate the smell of these oils.
To make this spray, mix 2 tablespoons of castor or peppermint oil with 1 gallon of water and 1/2 teaspoon of Dawn dishwashing liquid. Place in a spray bottle and spray on your lawn where you’ve seen signs of moles.
2. How to Get Rid of Ground Moles With Castor Oil
Castor oil has an unpleasant taste and smell that deters moles from entering your yard. It also makes their tunnels collapse so that they cannot move around easily.
Simply mix 1 part castor oil with 10 parts water in a spray bottle, shake well and spray on the molehills as well as areas you suspect might have mole activity.
Castor Oil and Laundry Detergent
The powdery consistency of laundry detergent will also make it difficult for them to move around in their tunnels, so they’ll be more likely to find another place to live!
Just mix 1/2 cup castor oil with 1/2 cup dishwasher detergent and 1-gallon water in a bucket or sprayer.
Spray the mixture into their holes and around your lawn every day until you see results (which should be within a couple of days).
3. How to Get Rid of Ground Moles With Dry Ice
Dry ice is nothing but carbon dioxide in solid form. You can use it to eliminate moles by simply placing them into their burrows. Once the dry ice melts and converts into gas, the gas will kill the moles.
If you want to use this method, make sure to wear protective clothing such as gloves and goggles since it can be extremely cold and harm your skin if you’re not careful.
Also, keep children and pets away from dry ice as it is dangerous for them too.
- Identify where the ground moles are active. Look for areas in your yard with dirt mounds or raised tunnels, or listen for gurgling sounds underground (which indicates a mole is digging).
- Pour 1 cup of dry ice chips into each mole hole, using long-handled tongs and wearing heavy gloves to handle the dry ice safely.
- Cover each hole with light soil or grass clippings after placing the dry ice inside. This will keep the carbon dioxide gas from escaping too quickly.
- Watch for activity in the mole holes; if you see any activity, add more dry ice chips until the mole stops trying to dig out of the hole.
- Refill holes that settle over the next few days with more soil or grass clippings until the mole abandons its home for good. Moles don’t like to live in areas where carbon dioxide levels are high, so this method should get rid of them permanently.
4. How to Get Rid of Ground Moles With Mole Traps
Moles are subterranean creatures that live off of grubs and worms. They tunnel underground to build their homes and find food, creating ridges and holes on the surface of your lawn. In order to catch a mole, you can use traps that kill or allow you to relocate the animal.
There are many types of traps available at garden supply stores that you can use to get rid of ground moles.
You can either opt for a lethal trap or a live one that removes moles without killing them. The former is more effective but less humane while the latter requires some extra effort but is safer for animals.
- Locate tunnels and mounds in your yard by checking for ridges, holes, or raised soil. Moles rarely travel more than 100 feet from their nest, so these signs indicate where the animals live.
- Pick a long-handled shovel or garden fork to dig the trap and remove the dirt from the area around it.
- Dig a hole just below ground level near one of the mole’s tunnels. The hole should be large enough to accommodate a mole trap.
- Place a mole trap into the hole so that it is flush with the ground surface. Set off any trigger mechanisms on the trap by pulling them tight against the body of the trap and securing them with safety pins or wire.
- Check your traps daily, as moles can be killed quickly or injured when caught in traps.
5. How to Get Rid of Ground Moles With Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds work because the moles don’t like the strong smell of coffee. Simply sprinkle coffee grounds around the areas of your yard where you see moles or find their tunnels.
The coffee grounds will disrupt the soil so that it is harder for the moles to dig and find food. You also can use a spray bottle to spray water on the coffee grounds, so they get into the tunnels better.
Make sure to reapply the coffee grounds after heavy rain or after a few days, as they will wear off over time. You may have to reapply them several times before the moles give up and go elsewhere.
Coffee grounds are commonly used as fertilizer because they contain nitrogen and potassium. They also contain caffeine, which is toxic to moles if it builds up in their system after multiple visits to your garden. Because of this, they will avoid any place that smells like coffee grounds.
6. Do Moth Balls Get Rid of Moles in Your Yard?
Mothballs can be used as a natural repellent to get rid of moles. The strong smell of mothballs deters moles from entering your yard, while the chemicals in them are toxic to moles and kill them eventually.
You can place mothballs at the entrance of the tunnels or even inside the tunnel system. Just make sure that you do not use too many mothballs because this could be harmful to children and pets.
Instructions:
- Put on gardening gloves since handling mothballs can cause skin irritation.
- Choose an area of your yard where you suspect moles are tunneling or where you’ve seen their tunnels in the past.
- Use a small shovel to dig narrow holes into the soil at each end of a mole tunnel. The holes should be about 2 inches deep and 2 inches wide if possible.
- Drop two mothballs into each hole. It helps to crush the balls slightly before dropping them in so they’ll release more fumes faster.
- Fill the holes with dirt and tamp them down firmly to seal in the mothballs as well as possible so they won’t come out while you’re working. The fumes from the mothballs should seep through the ground and drive away any moles living in that tunnel, which is why it’s important to fill the holes back up rather than leaving them open at ground level.
You can use this method on all of your known mole tunnels, or just those that are actively showing signs of being used.
7. Get Rid Of Ground Moles With Cayenne Pepper, Garlic & Onions
Being warm-blooded creatures, moles don’t like spicy foods such as cayenne pepper, garlic, and onions because they irritate their mucus membranes and respiratory tract when smelled or ingested by them.
Although they are not harmful to pets and children, they are unpleasant to the moles and will make them find somewhere else to dig.
- Step 1: Fill a coffee can with 1 cup cayenne pepper, 1 cup crushed garlic cloves, and 1 cup diced onion. Add 1 gallon of water and cover the top with a lid. The mixture will keep for about one month in an airtight container.
- Step 2: Mix 2 tbsp. cayenne pepper with 2 cups water in a spray bottle or garden sprayer. Shake well before using on the lawn or garden area where there are mole tunnels or mounds of dirt. Spray each tunnel entrance or mound thoroughly with the mixture every two weeks until no new signs appear.
- Step 3: Sprinkle cayenne pepper directly onto mole tunnels at any time or after rainwater has washed it away from other plants in your garden. To protect other plants from being burned by the cayenne pepper, pour it into a salt shaker first when applying it directly.
8. How to Get Rid of Ground Moles With Human Hair
Moles hate the smell of human hair and will avoid places where there is a strong concentration of it around the garden and yard area.
To get rid of these pests, place a handful of human hair into mesh bags or nylon stockings and bury these at intervals around your garden or yard area where you suspect there may be mole activity.
Human hair is one of the most effective repellents against ground moles. The hair gives off a scent that mimics the smell of a predator, scaring the moles off before they have time to damage your yard.
Ground moles have an extremely sensitive sense of smell and will avoid areas where they can detect human hair.
- Cut up human hair into 1-inch pieces using scissors.
- Place the cut hair in a mesh bag or sock to keep it contained while burying it under the soil.
- Put on gloves to protect your hands from sharp objects in the ground, such as rocks or broken glass. Use hand tools such as a shovel or trowel to make holes about 4 inches deep in the ground around your flower beds, garden or yard; this is where you will bury the mesh bag of human hair.
- Fill in each hole with soil after placing the mesh bag inside it. Be sure to push down hard with your trowel as you refill each hole so there are no gaps remaining above ground level.
9. How to Get Rid of Moles in Yard with Tobacco Powder
The nicotine content in tobacco powder is a potent poison for moles and they will avoid it like the plague. Simply sprinkle a small amount of tobacco powder on the molehills and tunnels.
This method kills the moles very quickly, but it is toxic to other animals and humans, so keep pets and children away from the area until the powder has been washed away by rain.
Tobacco powder can be purchased at most hardware stores and can be scattered on the soil around plants and trees in your yard to keep moles out of these areas.
You should reapply the tobacco powder after heavy rains or when it begins to lose its scent, which is generally after about two weeks.
10. How to Get Rid of Moles in Yard with Boric Acid?
If you have a mole problem in your yard, use boric acid. Boric acid is a naturally occurring pesticide that has been used for many years to control pests. It is safe for the environment and does not cause harm to plants or animals.
Use boric acid to kill moles by placing it in their tunnels. The moles will ingest the boric acid and die within two days. Borax is a mineral with a similar chemical structure to boric acid, but it is not as effective at killing moles.
Since boric acid is toxic to humans, you should wear protective gloves when preparing the mixture. You will also need a funnel for pouring the liquid into the mole tunnels.
The recipe for this homemade mole repellent is very simple: mix 2 tablespoons of boric acid with 1 cup of water and pour the mixture into one or more mole tunnels using a funnel or other instrument.
11. How to Get Rid of Ground Moles with Vinegar?
There are two ways to get rid of ground moles with vinegar. You can make a homemade spray, or use vinegar directly.
How to Get Rid of Ground Moles With Vinegar Spray?
Mix 5 oz. of apple cider vinegar and 1-2 oz. of hot pepper sauce in a large spray bottle filled with water and shake well. Spray this solution in the tunnels, holes, and entrances of the moles’ burrows.
How to Get Rid of Ground Moles With Vinegar Directly?
Pour apple cider vinegar directly into the moles’ burrows or holes at nights when they are most active. The smell will irritate them and force them to leave their burrows for good.
In summary, ground moles can be found in any size yard, especially if it is lush and green with a lot of worms. These are their favorite type of lawns because there is plenty for them to eat.
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Allan Wilson who in the offline world has an extensive background working in research, analyzing statistics, improving work processes, team leading, and implementing training to improve results and now thanks to more than 3 years dedicated to this site is now also a highly regarded researcher of brands.
Allan has a long history of developing brands online way back before blogging existed creating websites using HTML code in Notepad. Allan established brands in the Info Product Marketing arena such as infoproductmarketing, ebookresellerkit, reprintrightsmarketing, along with many other successful websites (and a few failures along the way). Allan has also authored numerous ebooks, owned and operated membership sites, created eLearning courses, and more.
