There’s nothing more relaxing than chilling in your garden when the weather warms up, especially if it’s clean and tidy and your lawn and flowers are all thriving. But the telltale rustle of an unsanitary garden pest can quickly turn a relaxing space into a nightmare battle - if you have rats.

Rats can leave droppings, spread disease, scatter rubbish and drive away other, beneficial wildlife in your garden. And while rats are generally not likely to be harmful to you if you run into one, most of us wouldn’t feel right knowing there’s an infestation of rats visiting our gardens. That’s why gardeners are being urged to use peppermint oil in their gardens this spring as the weather warms up - because rats hate it.

Peppermint oil, as well as vinegar and garlic, are three common kitchen ingredients that rats can’t stand, according to garage door firm Garolla, which has experience in trying to deter rats from garages as well as gardens.

Alastair Mayne, Chief Operating Officer at Garolla, said; “Use natural repellents. If you’re wanting an easy way to discourage pests from your home, you can use different essential oils or ingredients to deter them.

“For example, rats hate the smell of peppermint oil, vinegar and garlic. Scattering black pepper around entry points to your property will also irritate their noses and stop them from entering.

“Mosquitos and flies can be repelled by citronella or lemongrass. This way, you’re not hurting the pests invading your property, but you are repelling them so strongly that they’re unlikely to return.”

If rats are entering your home, too, there’s more you can do to keep them out - including sealing up entry points.

Alastair adds: “Seek out entry points: If rats and pests are getting into your property, one of the first things you should do is to find the source of the entry, and seal it tightly, so that they cannot re-enter. You can do this with mesh, screens, or sealant. It’s also important to keep an eye on vents or cracks under doors, as most pests, especially rats and mice, are small enough to fit in the tiniest of spaces.”