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The Best Indoor & Outdoor Pest Deterrent

Last updated on June 1, 2023

We looked at the top 8 Indoor & Outdoor Pest Deterrents and dug through the reviews from 32 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best Indoor & Outdoor Pest Deterrents.

Best Indoor & Outdoor Pest Deterrent

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Keeping pests away from our homes is a fight that a vast majority of us take part in at one point or another. Whether the pest is a mouse that is looking for a warm place or a raccoon rummaging around for his nightly meal, it’s a problem to most people who encounter it. Pest deterrents are a simple and effective way to keep these unwanted guests from doing any unnecessary damage to our properties.

Deterring pests from entering into unwanted areas is not the same as trapping or killing them. Pest deterrents are friendlier to unwanted visitors. They use varying technologies to simply scare or annoy the pests to a point where they don’t want to be there, and they will hopefully find their way to another location where they can do their bidding.

A common form of deterring pests is with an ultrasonic tool. This type of product has many benefits, like the fact that it’s safe for our pets and isn’t cruel to the pests we are repelling. The ultrasonic pest repellers plug into the outlets inside your house or outbuilding, and they emit electromagnetic waves that pests can never get used to. These annoying waves eventually drive the pests to leave the area. so they can find some peace and quiet. These simply plug into your outlets and do their job. so you won’t have to do a lot of set-up or follow-up after you have them installed.

Keep in mind that you may need to buy a handful of ultrasonic devices for a large area, and that you’ll need to be strategic about where you place them, says our home improvement expert Vicki Liston, who makes popular DIY tutorial videos.

“They are only effective in close proximity and in rooms without furniture. The sound waves travel in the same manner as light.  If there are objects in the room that can cast an audio ‘shadow,’ the desired effect drops substantially in these spots,” she says.

Liston also helpfully recommends cycling your ultrasonic device on and off for maximum effect and to keep the pests on their toes.

If it’s not the indoor pests that you are concerned with, but rather the mice and rats that like to climb into the hood of your car and chew on wires, there is a specific style of pest deterrent that covers this need. It’s a product that you place directly under the hood of your vehicle. Connected by two wires directly to your battery, this pest repellant device will emit electromagnetic waves and flashing LED lights to run the rodents and other pests away from your car. The draw from the battery is very low, they built in an automatic shut-off that will not allow the battery to drain below 10.5v just to be safe. That way, you don’t run into a dead battery the next time you attempt to start your vehicle. 

If you’re protecting a tree or vegetable garden from the invasion of hungry small critters, there is a motion-sensor activated sprinkler option that can be placed near an area that you are trying to protect. It will sense animals, and even people, before deploying a stream of water directly at them. This scares off the animals every time they try to get a nibble of your plants. This works well at night too, which is the time when a lot of nocturnal animals, like raccoons, are out looking for their food. You can even set it up near your trash cans to deter them from making a mess every night after you’ve taken out your dinner scraps and tossed them in the dumpster.

Liston also notes that some plants can do “double duty” and act as an extra layer of protection against pests.

“Planting lemongrass, marigolds, chrysanthemums, mint, basil,
citronella grass and lavender around your house and in window boxes will up your curb appeal and have six-legged potential home invaders going the other direction,” she says. “Lavender, catnip, mint, sweet pea and alliums repel the four-legged ones. Conversely, peonies act as an ant magnet so plant these gorgeous flower bushes at the far edge of your yard and attract the ants away.”

The last style of pest deterrents is much less technical and gadgety than the other options. There is a blend of essential oils that do a similar job of deterring pests from entering small indoor spaces. The Eco Defense Pest Control Pouches – All Natural – Repels Rodents, Spiders, Roaches, Ants, Moths & Other Pests – 12 Pack – Best Mouse Trap Alternative is a product that comes as a handful of pouches that contain this essential oil blend. You simply place these pouches in areas where you don’t want pests to enter or nest, and they are driven away by the odors released from the packets.

Consider making some low-tech changes to your home and lifestyle, too. For example, be sure to look for and fill any hole — no matter how small — inside your house, Liston says.

You’ll also want to be a careful shopper, she says. Remember that pests can hang out in used mattresses, couches, recliners, bedding and even antique furniture. Check for potential hitchhikers before you bring any used item inside.

Our Picks For The Top Indoor & Outdoor Pest Deterrents

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Product Overview
Our Take
Pros
Cons
 Top Pick

Mighty Mint Safe Long-Lasting Indoor & Outdoor Pest Deterrent

Don't Waste Your Money Seal of Approval

Mighty Mint

Safe Long-Lasting Indoor & Outdoor Pest Deterrent

You'll find this indoor and outdoor pest deterrent is formulated using plant-based ingredients that are safe for use around children and pets. The repellent comes in a gallon container with a built-in spray wand for easily delivery. It's extremely versatile and can be used in a garage, kitchen or outdoor garden.

Overall Take

Pleasant ScentThis indoor and outdoor pest deterrent has a fresh mint scent that is quite agreeable.

 Runner Up

Eco Defense Long-Lasting Pouches Indoor & Outdoor Pest Deterrent, 10-Pack

Eco Defense

Long-Lasting Pouches Indoor & Outdoor Pest Deterrent, 10-Pack

This indoor and outdoor pest deterrent uses a blend of essential oils designed to release an odor that drives away pests. The critters can't get comfortable around the smells of the essential oils, and they eventually have to pack up and go find a new place to live.

Overall Take

Low-Tech Pest RepellerThis indoor and outdoor pest deterrent provides a safe and simple method of deterring pests with essential oils.

Pros
" The spray bottle itself has a comfort handle, a smooth spray action trigger, and an adjustable nozzle to allow for pinpoint application."
 Strong Contender

TSCTBA All Natural Plant-Based Indoor & Outdoor Rodent Pest Deterrent

TSCTBA

All Natural Plant-Based Indoor & Outdoor Rodent Pest Deterrent

If mice or small rodents are an issue in your home, you'll want to grab this indoor and outdoor pest deterrent. The deterrent is safe for use around children and pets, as it's formulated using natural plant-based ingredients, such as cotton and peppermint oil. Simply remove the ball repellents and place them in areas you'd like to keep free of pest...

Overall Take

Budget-Friendly PickYou'll find the price tag on this indoor and outdoor pest deterrent is extremely affordable.

 Also Great

Angveirt 4-In-1 LED Indoor & Outdoor Pest Deterrent

Angveirt

4-In-1 LED Indoor & Outdoor Pest Deterrent

This indoor and outdoor pest deterrent uses sounds and light waves to keep critters at bay. It comes with three different modes, so you can repel everything from mice to chipmunks. The unit is even designed to automatically come on at night and power down in the day, making it virtually maintenance-free.

Overall Take

Three Different ModesYou can set this indoor and outdoor pest deterrent up just about anywhere, including your basement, kitchen, attic or garage.

Don't just take for granted what one reviewer says. Along with our own experts, DWYM analyzes the top expert reviews of the leading products and generates a score you can actually trust.
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Products Considered

We identified the majority of the indoor & outdoor pest deterrents available to purchase.
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Products Analyzed

We then selected the leading and most popular products for our team to review.

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Expert Reviews Included

In addition to our expert reviews, we also incorporate feedback and analysis of some of the most respected sources including: Trendy Reviewed, Pest Repeller Center, Heavy, Pest Control Products, No Place Called Home.

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User Opinions Analyzed

We also incorporate user reviews from the leading retailers including

Our experts reviewed the top 8 Indoor & Outdoor Pest Deterrents and also dug through the reviews from 32 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best of the best Indoor & Outdoor Pest Deterrents.

DWYM is your trusted roduct review source. Our team reviews thousands of product reviews from the trusted top experts and combines them into one easy-to-understand score. Learn more.

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Our Expert Consultant

Vicki Liston 
Home Improvement Expert

Vicki Liston writes, produces, and narrates “On The Fly…DIY,” an award-winning home improvement and DIY show of unique project tutorials for the casual DIY’er.

Home improvement and all things DIY have been Liston’s passion since she bought her first house in 2007 and she started making video blogs in 2014. She’s performed hundreds of DIY projects, from small ones to major, wall-smashing renovations and can teach you how to make a trendy DIY barn door for cheap. The proceeds earned from “On The Fly…DIY” are donated to no-kill animal shelters and rescue organizations.

What to Look For

  • If it’s mice that you are battling with, keep in mind that a mouse can fit into any hole that a standard pencil can fit into. Take a pencil with you and walk around the entire exterior part of your property; if it is your home, you may want to seal off those holes or lessen the gap below your doors with a weather stripping device. If the area is a hard-to-secure building like a barn, knowing these entry points can give you a good starting point for where to place your pest deterrent devices.
  • Look around your property for places where animals could nest and breed. It’s common for field mice and various insects to colonize a pile of rubbish that you set aside after a wind or ice storm knocked down some tree branches. From these rubbish piles, it’s only a short walk for them to find the warmth of your home when the weather cools down.
  • After identifying areas where they can enter your house and areas where they might live nearby, you just have to look through the styles of pest deterrents and get the one that is right for you. It’s common that people will deploy all four of these methods to cover all their bases. The expense of dealing with a bad infestation of pests can be a really big financial burden and general stress; taking a few steps to stop that from happening is an affordable way to have the peace of mind you desire when in your home.

More to Explore

Chemical pesticides are the predominant form of deterring pests from ruining our crops today. But the original method of controlling pest populations is by the use of larger, predatory animals, like cats. As far back as 3000 BC, there is a record of cats being raised to live in the fields and grain storage facilities do to their effective hunting abilities. If you jump just 500 years into the future, the Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia introduced the first chemical pesticide consisting of sulfur compounds. A lot of technology has developed since then, but our need for crops and the battle against pests will seemingly be a battle that lives on for the ages.

More to explore