How to Get Rid of Ground Moles With Vinegar (Expert Guide Plus Tips)

Will vinegar get rid of moles in the yard? Or is this just another tale? Yard moles and vinegar sound like such an odd combination – and you’d be forgiven to dismiss the solution as another hack.

However, there’s a reason vinegar is so effective at getting rid of ground moles. Let’s delve deeper into how to get rid of ground moles with vinegar.

Also Read: Eliminating Moles With Dawn Soap

Can Vinegar Get Rid of Ground Moles?

Vinegar can get rid of moles in your lawn. Vinegar contains acetic and tartaric acids, which, in high concentrations, are enough to repel ground moles. Tartaric acid is responsible for vinegar’s pungent smell, which is repulsive to moles. Acetic acid is highly corrosive when it touches the mole’s skin.

Since vinegar is liquid, it can reach deeper into moles’ nests. Perhaps a reason that will keep vinegar on top of the best methods to get rid of ground moles is the moles’ inability to develop a resistance against vinegar.

With solutions such as poisons, a few moles will die, and some will survive. The survivors develop resistance against these poisons rendering them ineffective in the future.

But with vinegar, moles don’t stand a chance. So, they’ll keep off your yard as long as they can smell the vinegar. Below are practical steps to get rid of ground moles using vinegar.

• Identify the mole infestation
• Mix 3 parts water and 1 part vinegar (Use apple vinegar)
• Soak the soil surrounding the molehill with the mixture
• Spray the entire lawn with the vinegar solution

Step 1: Identify the Mole Infestation

Before pouring vinegar into your yard, you must first establish whether you have mole infestation and the extent of the infestation.

Do this to ensure you take the right steps instead of dealing with a yard pest only to discover you have a different infestation.

Moles will camp in your yard if they have discovered a food source consisting primarily of soil parasites, earthworms, and other soil insects. You’ll know that moles have set shop in your yard if you notice:

• Patches of discolored or dead grass
• Molehills or raised dirt mounds. These mounds are shaped like pyramids and mark the mole’s exit point. They are also more spaced out – usually about six feet apart. Mounds that are closer could be a sign of a gopher infestation.
• Patches of squishy soil in your yard
• An increase in weeds
• Raised ridges criss crossing your yard
• Plant damage (moles do not eat plants, but their burrowing will shift or damage the roots of your plants).

It’s possible to confuse a mole and a vole infestation. You can distinguish the two by determining whether your plant roots and tubers have been eaten. Voles eat plant roots and tubers, while moles only damage plants through digging.

Step 2: Prepare and Pour the Vinegar Solution

Getting the vinegar solution right is one step in learning how to get rid of ground moles with vinegar. You will need three parts of water for each part of vinegar. You want to use apple cider vinegar as it is more potent than white vinegar.

You can mix the vinegar-water solution in a sprayer, or bucket, deepening on the applicator that works well for you. Once mixed, spray the solution into the molehill and other exposed areas with signs of mole activity

For the best results, soak the soil surrounding the molehill or tunnels with vinegar and repeat several times a week until the infestation stops.

Be careful if you choose to use horticultural vinegar. Horticultural vinegar is about 5X stronger than household vinegar. It can kill plants or grass in your yard, not to mention the risk of corrosion and injury it poses to you and your pets. Ideally, it would be best if you stuck to household vinegar for DIY mole removal procedures.

Step 3: Apply Vinegar Along the Edges of Your Lawn

After applying vinegar to the molehills and tunnels, you will notice reduced mole activity in your yard. The vinegar should kill the moles that don’t manage to escape the yard. Many residues will also remain in the tunnels, discouraging a new mole colony from infesting your yard.

You can add this layer of protection by pouring vinegar solution around the edges of your yard. This will keep moles from digging through your land due to vinegar smells. 

Tips To Keep in Mind When Removing Moles from your Yard

Now that we’ve covered the basics of how to get rid of ground moles with vinegar, let’s go through a few tips and tricks you should keep in mind as you deal with mole infestations.

Eliminate Food Sources

Moles are not looking to offend you when they dig trenches through your freshly-manicured lawn. They’ve just found a food source.

The easiest way to send them the eviction notice is by eliminating all the food sources for the moles. You could use an insecticide or use nematodes to deal with the insects.

Create an Unsuitable Environment

Moles can stay in your garden their entire lives as long as they have the food to survive. But food is not the only attractive factor in your yard that’s drawing moles in. Moles also prefer staying in gardens with moist loamy soils – especially soils rich in organic matter.

One way to create an unfavorable environment is to reduce the irrigation level on your lawn. Keep it drier, and you’ll notice a reduction in mole activity.

You may also use mole repellents to keep moles from your yard. You may need to reapply them every month to keep moles away.

Use a Plant Barrier

We’ve covered how to get rid of ground moles with vinegar as a repellent. But it can be tiring to spray vinegar around your yard every few days or weeks.

Instead, you can take a longer-lasting way out by planting a barrier of strong-smelling plants such as daffodils, alliums (e.g., garlic and shallots), and marigolds to keep moles away.

You may also use castor bean plants, but they aren’t the best alternative, especially if you have kids and pets. These plants produce scents that offend moles.

Create a Trench Barrier

Moles move around by burrowing. You can prevent them from reaching your yard by digging a trench barrier moles around it. The trench should be about 30 inches deep. Line the trench with hardware cloth, chicken wire, or aluminum sheeting to create a barrier that moles can’t burrow through.

You could also fill the trench with rocks to create an impenetrable barrier that moles cannot breach. Trenches are relatively long-lasting but time-consuming upfront.

Keep Your Lawn Clean

Moles and other rodents appreciate when they can find hiding spots in an untidy lawn. You can create a hostile environment for them by keeping your lawn trimmed and free from organic debris. Organic debris on your farm creates food for insects and other soil animals that attract moles.

Although it’s a good idea to use organic mulches, limit their thickness to avoid creating shelter points for moles and other rodents.

Wrapping Up

Does vinegar deter moles? The simple answer is yes. Vinegar is an affordable and effective solution for dealing with moles. A water-vinegar solution in your yard will deter moles, thanks to the acidic properties of vinegar.

Once you apply vinegar, you can relax, knowing that the moles will stay away for a while. You can keep using vinegar as a repellent to keep the moles from getting into your lawn in the future. We hope you now know how to get rid of ground moles with vinegar.