It's fair to say that nobody wants rats in their home, so it's always good to know simple tips to help keep the pests away. During the winter months, when the weather is colder, rats are more likely to enter as they seek food and shelter from the cold, so it's always good to know a few methods to try and keep them away.

If you're worried about rats, or have seen any around, it turns out a simple ingredient can make all the difference when it comes to keeping them away. According to a housekeeping tip, it can deter the pests and make it less likely that they'll want to hang around your garden or enter your property.

It's not the only method you can use either. Just a few months ago, another handy tip was shared to keep them away, and it involved scattering a common spice outdoors.

However, another hack was shared by Mbali S Nhlapo Nhlapho who posts all sorts of housekeeping tricks online. She turned her attention to mice in one of her Instagram videos, and it's fair to say it's information worth noting.

In a simple clip, she demonstrated what to do to keep rats and mice away. Both creatures detest the smell of one particular ingredient.

In the clip, Mbali said: "Housekeeper tip. If you didn't know that peppermint oil gets rid of mice, well now you know. How do you prepare it? Of course, first, wear your gloves.

"Secondly, this is your peppermint oil. I'm preparing it on the sponge just like this. You chuck it next to the fridge, next to the door, wherever you see there are rats.

"It's easy for you to trap them. Please wear your gloves and use peppermint oil as it gets rid of mice."

While Mbali uses pieces of sponge, you could also use cotton balls and soak them in pure peppermint essential oil. Place them under sinks, near baseboards or in gardens where you see mouse activity.

You can also make a spray solution by mixing a few teaspoons of peppermint oil with water in a spray bottle. You can apply this to entry points or wherever you feel you need to.

If you didn't know, peppermint oil can be used to deter rats. It's considered a natrual and non-toxic way to keep mice and rats away.

It can repel them from areas like pantries, cars and homes, but it's considered a temporary measure and works best as part of a broader pest control strategy. To ensure it works, you need to reapply the oil to pieces of sponge or cotton balls regularly to ensure it remains effective.

Rats generally dislike the smell of peppermint oil, as its strong, pungent aroma overwhelms their sensitive sense of smell. To make the most of the hack, you should use 100% pure peppermint essential oil for the strongest scent.

While it can scare the pests away short-term, it's important to note the trick won't permanently solve infestations, but it's a good way to keep them away. If you feel rats are becoming a problem, you should always contact a pest control expert for advice.

It's also important to know that, if you have pets, peppermint oil can be harmful to them, so you should act with caution when using the product. If ingested, it can be toxic to dogs and cats so ensure they can't come into contact with it.