Dawn soap is so versatile. You can use it to clean so many items around your home. In this article, we look at how to get rid of ground moles with dawn soap without destroying your yard or garden.
If you have invested blocks of time and effort to enhance your garden or lawn’s aesthetic appeal, the last thing you want to see is animals digging holes in your yard. That endangers the grassroots underneath.
If these fleecy rodents have plagued your yard, don’t worry because this piece will teach you how to get rid of ground moles with dawn soap, which also is a homemade repellent.
What You Will Need
How To Get Rid Of Ground Moles With Dawn Soap
Here is how to get rid of ground moles with Dawn dish soap:
Start by mixing 2 ounces of dawn soap with 4 ounces of castor oil and 2 Quarts of warm water, mix well to make a natural repellent for moles and other burrowing animals.
Then pour the mixture into a garden sprayer and spray your lawn liberally. Do this in the evening. Soak the mole holes with the remaining mixture.
Even though there are several ways of eliminating moles, such as chemicals, mole traps, or killing the furry rodent, homemade solution to get rid of moles of dawn and castor oil is the most reliable repellent.
A pesticide, for example, may not function well since the moles may move within its extensive path network.
Also Read: Best Ways to Get Rid of Rats in Yard Without Harming Pets
Furthermore, the critter may withstand your pesticide since it lives in low-oxygen zones where it burrows.
Dawn soap is a sure-fire recipe that guarantees to rid your yard of mole invasion. The mole repellent drives the burrowing animals away, inflicting no harm to them, you, or your lawn.
The castor oil-dawn soap mixture is absolutely safe for your household because it doesn’t have toxic substances.
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Will Dawn Dish Soap Get Rid of Moles?
Yes, you can get rid of ground moles with dawn soap. A mixture of castor and dawn soap contains the smells to repel moles. The repellent induces digestive distress and stomach discomfort, besides itching their skin.
Related: How to Get Rid of Voles Naturally
The DIY mole repellant may not cause irreversible damage but will force them to divert their burrows elsewhere.
Are Moles Bad For Your Yard?
Moles can cause severe damages to your yard because moles burrow close to the surface, it can cause harm to grass roots, leaving behind brown patches in the lawn.
Even though these animals digging holes in your yard can render your lawn unsightly, they can benefit you a great deal. They are primarily beneficial, providing several advantages to your grass.
Moles enhance soil aeration keeping the pest population in check since they feed on groundworms and insects. So, before you get rid of ground moles with dawn soap, know that they’re “helping” you take care of spiders and other pests.
Signs of Moles in Your Yard
Mounds of dirt is a good indication that you have mole in your yard. Mounds mark the entrance or outlet of an underground passage. Moles burrow under your lawn either to find food or shelter.
A few chunks of dirt signify the mole menace just getting started, but if your lawn has several mounds, at least one mole inhabits underneath it.
Read more: How to get rid of ground moles with vinegar
In your quest to uncover these burrowing animals, it’s imperative to know what shouldn’t bother you. Moles are insectivores, meaning they won’t feed on your plants or roots.
Should you catch the sight of gnaw marks on vegetables or other garden plants, chances are mice or voles have invaded your yard.
Here are some more indicators to look out for:
1) Patches Of Dead Or Dying Grass
Discolored, dying, or dead grass may show the layout of the tunnels, although it may have extensive spots. The longer the moles occupy your lawn, the greater the damage your turf will suffer.
The burrowing animals upset the roots of adjacent grasses while digging tunnels. They end up destroying the grass on the surface, resulting in brown patches in the lawn.
2) Molehills
Moles burrow their tunnels like small excavators, removing all the soil from the hole to the surface. While they do so, they leave a distinctive heaped molehill at the entry.
3) Mounds Are Far Apart
Moles are not the only animals that dig holes in the yard; gophers also tunnel channels. Nevertheless, the dissimilarity manifests in the spacing.
Molehills are typically six feet apart, while gopher heaps are closer together.
Also Read: How to get rid of gophers
4) Loose Soil
Moles’ tunneling also causes loose soil, which is a concern. Soft spots in your turf may signify a tunnel underneath.
5) Sudden Growth Of Weeds
Many people are astonished to learn that a rapid increase in weeds might show a mole infestation in their yard. It is because the furry creatures disturb and overturn the soil.
By destroying grass and introducing new dirt, they provide optimal conditions for weeds to thrive.
Also read: How to get rid of moles in yard with boric acid
Other Ways Of Getting Rid Of Moles
1) How To Get Rid Of Ground Moles With a Trap
If you’re seeking a quick remedy that won’t rip the wallet, vinegar might be the solution. Follow the steps below to rid your lawn of moles with traps.
a) Make A Mole Trap
Take a milk jug or a two-liter soda bottle and cut off its top third. Invert the lid to form an open funnel.
b) Attract the Moles
Apply a citrus-scented or sweet oil on a dishrag or paper towel and lay it at the bottom of the snare to attract moles.
c) Bait Your Mole Trap
Use a tablespoon of peanut butter to entice your trap. The peanut butter is inviting enough to lure the moles, but it’s also adhesive to keep moles inside the bottle.
d) Position The Trap
Set up your trap near tunnels or molehills along major channels without upsetting the area.
e) Get Rid Of The Problem
The preceding step will culminate in capturing the first mole. Wear gloves and use a shovel to secure the burrowing animal in a plastic bag.
Dispose of the mole in an area you consider fitting but away from your lawn.
2) How To Get Rid Of Moles In The Yard With Boric Acid
Using boric acid solution is a cost-effective method of ground moles in areas having crisscrossing tunnels. It is efficient because moles spend more than half of their life underground.
Soaking burrows with water is impractical. However, a boric acid solution (a mixture of borax and water) will suffice.
The soil will absorb the mixture, which has the smell to get rid of moles.
3) Killing Moles With Marshmallows
- Start by removing all potential food sources for moles. Their primary food is snails, bugs, and invertebrates, although they eat other things.
- Place three to five marshmallows per hole and watch the magic unfold.
- Put marshmallows at the exits of every tunnel you see.
- Repeat the process until you lessen mole activity.
Final Thoughts
In summary, to get rid of ground moles with dawn soap:
Procedure:
- Boil water in a kettle.
- Pour 4 ounces of castor oil into the jar and add 2 Quarts of warm water.
- Add 2 ounces of dawn soap, then stir or shake the mixture.
- Pour the mixture into a garden sprayer.
- Spray your lawn liberally. Do this in the evening.
- Soak the mole holes with the remaining mixture.
DIY mole repellant stands out because of its simplicity, affordability, and effectiveness. However, make sure you follow the procedure for successful mole extermination in your yard.
Does dawn dish soap kill moles?
Dawn dish soap does not kill moles. It will only repel them.
Reference
- The National Wildlife Federation: Moles
Hey there, I’m Derek Schew, a writer for Lawnholic.com, where we cover everything and anything related to lawns. As someone who’s spent countless hours tending to my own lawn, I’m passionate about sharing my knowledge and helping others achieve the perfect yard. From lawn care tips to product reviews, I’m committed to providing our readers with the most accurate and up-to-date information available. So whether you’re a seasoned lawn enthusiast or just getting started, I invite you to join our community and discover the joys of a lush, green lawn.
How do you know if you have gophers or moles? Are marshmallows harmful to moles? Thank you and I will await my answer.
Hi Marcia,
You can tell the difference between gophers and moles by the appearance of their burrows and the damage they cause to your yard.
Gophers create extensive network of underground tunnels and push dirt to the surface, leaving mounds of dirt with a crescent-shape.
Moles, on the other hand, create mounds of dirt that are round, symmetrical and conical, resembling miniature volcanoes, with the dirt appearing fluffy and having occasional clumps on top.
Marshmallows are harmful to moles because of carrageenan a substance that is found in commercial-grade marshmallows.
When moles eat marshmallows, carrageenan – the extra ingredient in commercial-grade marshmallows – slows down their digestive system since they cannot digest it and eventually die.