Vinegar has been part of our households for the longest time, serving various purposes from medicinal and culinary purposes and even getting rid of pests.
Using vinegar to get rid of ground moles is an excellent choice as it’s effective and eco-friendly.
To get rid of ground moles with vinegar, mix two parts vinegar with four parts water in a spray bottle. Spray the exterior of the molehills with the vinegar mixture. Reapply every few days until the moles are gone.
This method’s effectiveness lies in the vinegar’s strong smells to repel moles. Besides ground moles, vinegar will also help remove other pests from your lawn like voles.
Keep reading to find out how to get rid of ground moles with vinegar.
Related: How to Get Rid of Voles Naturally
Can Vinegar Get Rid of Moles?
Yes, vinegar will get rid of ground moles in your yard due to its strong smell and the acid found in the substance.
Vinegar is made up of tartaric acid, water, and acetic acid, and these acids can hurt ground moles or even burn their skins.
The acetic acid, in particular, causes a burning sensation, thus driving the moles away from your lawn. However, tartaric acid may not harm the moles.
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Moreover, the pungent smell of vinegar that comes from the tartaric acid can repel moles and other rodents, driving them out of your yard.
Due to the properties of both acids, it’s possible to drive moles out of your lawn using vinegar with a higher concentration of tartaric acid and acetic acid.
Related: Best mole traps
White vinegar contains less acid than other forms of vinegar, so its effectiveness in getting rid of moles may not be the best.
On the other hand, apple cider has a comparatively higher acidic content, making it more suitable for getting rid of moles.
Also read: Best Ways to Get Rid of Rats in Yard Without Harming Pets
Reasons why vinegar is effective in repelling moles
1. Acid Combination
The primary reason vinegar repels moles is the acid combination, as acetic acid and tartaric acid serve a specific function.
Acetic acid burns the moles’ skin, and on the other, tartaric acid produces a pungent smell moles cannot withstand, making them flee quickly.
Also read: How to get rid of moles in yard with boric acid
2. The Moles’ Weaker Defense Against Vinegar
The defensive strength of moles against vinegar is weak, with the smell staying on their noses for weeks and disturbing them frequently.
In addition, sometimes, these rodents cannot create resistance to vinegar like they often do against poisons.
3. Vinegar Gets Into Hard-To-Reach Places
Moles usually dig narrow holes in your lawn connected by long tunnels that poison cannot reach easily.
However, vinegar can, so moles will sense when you pour it into these holes, making them flee.
Also Read: How to use vinegar to get rid of armadillos
You can also use vinegar as a preventive measure against ground moles; just apply vinegar to the soil around your garden’s perimeter to serve as a repellent.
Also Read: How to get rid of armadillos in your lawn
This will help prevent ground moles from using your lawn as a habitat and source of food and, in turn, causing adverse destruction.
However, don’t spray your lawn with too much vinegar to protect your grass and other vegetation.
Consider consulting a specialist to know the correct amount of vinegar to use to get rid of the ground moles without harming your lawn.
Read more: How to get rid of ground moles with dawn soap
How To Get Rid Of Ground Moles With Apple Cider Vinegar
You will need to follow the steps below to deter ground moles from your lawn using vinegar effectively.
1) Look For Signs Of Ground Mole Infestation
Before arming yourself with vinegar, make sure there are ground moles on your lawn. The signs of ground mole infestation are patches of dying and browning grass which indicate the presence of grubs in your yard, which are the moles’ primary food source.
Also read: How to get rid of grubs in lawn naturally
In addition, walk around the lawn looking for molehills which feel like large bumps. However, don’t confuse mole infestation with gopher infestation, so check the length of the tunnels coming from the hill, and if they are long, you likely have moles in your yard, not gophers.
2. Mix apple cider vinegar with water
Mix equal parts of apple cider vinegar and water in a spray bottle.
3. Spray Vinegar solution on the molehills
Spray the mixture onto the molehills and surrounding areas. The strong smell of the vinegar may repel the moles, as they have a sensitive sense of smell.
4. Repeat the process
Repeat the process every few days until the moles have moved on.
Reasons To Use Vinegar To Get Rid Of Ground Moles
Perhaps you are in the process of deciding which products or methods to use to remove ground moles that are wreaking havoc on your lawn, but you are not sure which will suit your situation best.
Below are the reasons why you should use vinegar, so check them out before deciding
- Vinegar is safe for your garden and lawn.
- It won’t harm children or pets.
- It’s biodegradable, so it won’t leave behind toxins or chemicals after killing the moles.
- Vinegar is inexpensive and effective in killing ground moles.
- Vinegar’s pungent smell repels ground moles and lingers around, thus offending these rodents’ sensitive noses in subsequent days. Ground moles don’t like vinegar’s smell.
- Since vinegar gets into places poison can, it’s effective in getting rid of ground moles and an excellent choice.
- Besides the strong smell, vinegar leaves a film over the mole tunnels, preventing these rodents from digging tunnels through that area.
- Unlike poisons, vinegar is safe for the natural predators of moles such as shrews.
- Moles cannot develop a natural resistance to vinegar.
Conclusion
It’s incredibly frustrating when you have moles infestation in your yard. Luckily there are several proved ways you can use to get rid of ground moles like using vinegar.
To get rid of ground moles with vinegar;
Mix two parts vinegar with four parts water. Mix well and pour in a spray bottle.
Spray the exterior of the molehills with the vinegar mixture. Reapply every few days until the moles are gone.
While there’s no specific research supporting or disproving vinegar’s ability to get rid of ground moles, the acid in the substance repels them.
Vinegar treatment is an excellent alternative solution for chasing away and preventing ground moles from accessing your lawn.
Reference
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – Vinegar
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.