How to Get Rid of Mice and Keep Them Away

Mice are not generally welcome in a home unless they are a pet. Often times, a mouse successfully makes its way into your house. While it may be a jackpot for it, the mouse is definitely not a desirable rodent one would like in their house.

Fall and winter are prime times for mice to make their way into warm, cozy homes. Although they may look harmless, mice are dangerous as they can cause havoc in your home, and carry many diseases along. Mice can wiggle their way into even the cleanest apartments. Hence, it is important to mouse-proof your home, and prevent the invasion of mice before it is too late.

Different people have different preferences about remedies to get rid of mice and keep them away. Some prefer natural remedies while others prefer mousetraps and exterminators. Whichever remedy you decide to implement, your action must be quick. You must catch the mice within the first few days of their invasion, and not over a course of a few weeks. They must not be given enough time to breed.
This article will help you decide an effective remedy to not only get rid of mice, but also to keep mice from invading your home.

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1. Mousetraps

mice
Mousetraps-victorpest.com

Mousetraps are generally the first choice to catch the mice. They are easy and effective. It is very important to set up enough number of traps so that the success rates are higher, and the mice are trapped within a shorter time period.

Various types of mousetraps are available in the stores. Some are designed such that you do not have to touch the dead mouse with your bare hands. Whereas, some mouse traps are designed to give the mouse a quick and humane shock. The choice of mousetrap depends on how you want your mouse to be trapped.
You must locate the traps where the chances of getting the mice caught are high. Make sure to clean the traps as soon as a mouse is trapped in it.

2. Bait and Poison

Mice
Bait and Poison-qusupply.com

This method is a slightly controversial one, as it involves poisoning the mouse. Usually, most poisons kill the mice by dehydrating them. However, the call is yours. Mice tend to carry some extremely dangerous diseases along with them and hence, killing them could be a wise option to keep your family safe from the diseases.

This method is a slightly controversial one, as it involves poisoning the mouse. Usually, most poisons kill the mice by dehydrating them. However, the call is yours. Mice tend to carry some extremely dangerous diseases along with them and hence, killing them could be a wise option to keep your family safe from the diseases.

It is important to take safety measures while handling the bait. Make sure to wear gloves while handling them, and keeping them beyond the reach of your children and pets.

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3. Rodent Hunters

MIce
Rodent Hunter Cat-cattime.com

Rodent hunting pets like a cat or a dog are turning out to be a famous way of getting rid of mice. Your pets can hunt down the mice for you and also keep them away from entering you home. Rat terriers are popularly used for this purpose.

4. Caulk and Steel Wool

Mice
Caulk and Steel Wool

Handling the internal infestation is not enough. You need to make sure that the mice do not enter you homes again. Mice have grown to get very good at living with humans. When one makes its way in, many more follow.

Stock up on caulk and steel wool. Mice are very tiny and crawl their way in through even the tiniest of openings. They can even chew their way into the house. However, they cannot chew their way through caulk and steel wool. Make sure to seal every opening with wool and keep a track of the pipeline and chimney openings.

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5. Landscaping and Firewood

You landscaping plays a major role. Tall and dense shrubberies and branches act like a highway for rodents like mice to enter your homes. The thick greenery is an ideal place for them to hide and seek shelter without your notice.
Also make sure to keep a bunch of firewood at handy. Burning of firewood can help drive the rodents away and keep your home mouse-proof.

6. Peppermint Oil

Mice
Peppermint Oil-ohsimply.com

Mice are not big fans of peppermint. While its smell may be pleasing and refreshing to you, it can send mice running to hills. You can use various forms of peppermint to keep mice away.
You can apply some peppermint oil on cotton balls and place them at various openings of your house, and other vulnerable locations. You can also use mint leaves, and toothpaste. If you wish to go ahead, you can plant mint in your backyard, or garden to keep the mice from entering your property altogether.

7. Potatoes

Instant mashed potatoes are a good way to go. You can simply place tiny bits of mashed potatoes at places where the mice frequent, or at various openings in your house. When the mice eat these potatoes, the flakes will expand in their stomachs before getting digested. This will kill them instantly.
You need to however, make sure that your pets and children do not consume it.

8. Safe Food Storage

It is very important to keep your food covered, sealed, and placed in dry and clean places. Food is always known to be a major attraction for mice. Mice gnaw at everything within their reach. Food is no exception. In addition, if food gnawed by mice is consumed by your family or pets, can result into fatal accidents, and can prove to be a great threat to your family. So, make sure to store your food in proper airtight containers, and keep them beyond the mice’s reach. This will definitely send them packing.

9. Patch the Holes

 

Patch the Holes-homefix.tips

As mentioned, mice can crawl their way into your house very easily. Apart from the already mentioned caulk and steel wool, you can go safer and get all the holes and openings in your house repaired by an expert. This will make sure that the mice stay on the other side of the walls and do not enter into your home and make it their breeding home. You can also use copper souring pad, or a kitchen pad to seal the holes.

10. Kitty Litter

Mice
Kitty Litter-wikipedia.org

Just like cats and dogs, even mice have a great sense of smell. They can sniff distinct things out, just like finding a needle in a haystack. Some farmers and households tend to use kitty litter to keep mice at bay. As we all know, mice and cat encounters are not very pleasant. Hence, mice prefer to keep away from cats. Using kitty litter makes the mice think that there is a cat present in the household, and sense it as a danger. As soon as they smell the presence of a cat in your house, they make sure to stay away.
You can place kitty litter at openings and other vulnerable places in your house.

11. Natural Predators

As mentioned earlier, you can bring a cat or a dog home, and be convinced that your pets will scurry the rats away. However, pets are a serious commitment. Also, you may not be a big fan of bringing an animal home. So, another resort to your problem is natural wild predators, like barn owls.
Barn owls are natural predators of mice that are easy to attract. Just one family of owls is sufficient to devour the mice within a single night. To attract these efficient killing machines, you need to build or buy a nest box, and place it in your backyard. You must place it 10-15 feet above the ground, either on a tree, or on a pole.

12. Onions

Onions not only make humans cry, but also make mice run away for their lives. Mice hate the pungent smell of onions. As soon as they smell an onion in their vicinity, they will never want to come back again.
You can place slices of onions at the holes and openings in your house, and places where the mice frequent. You need to however, place these slices of onions out of the reaches of your pets. It is known that cats and dogs are allergic to onions too.
Also, if you leave the same slice of onion for days, it will start to smell, and you will have a whole another problem at your disposal. So, make sure to replace old onion slices with fresh ones regularly.

13. PoP and Cocoa

This method too, does not involve poisonous and dangerous chemicals that can pose a threat to your family. In this remedy, dry Plaster of Paris powder is mixed with cocoa powder. This dry mixture is then used as a weapon to guard your home.
Mice get attracted to the smell of cocoa and eat the powder. They will soon leave in search for water, but die soon, since this mixture is poisonous for them. Placing this mixture at places where mice frequent can help your get rid of mice. Also, it can help keep the mice away.

14. Mouse Exterminator

If you have been trying to get rid of mice for a few weeks, but have remained unsuccessful, then hiring a professional is the best option for you. Taking a long time to execute solutions is the last thing you would want to do since mice breed very quickly. Having a family of mice feast in your house is the last thing you would want.
A professional knows the basic a-b-c of catching mice and making you house mouse-proof. They know where mice usually hide in homes, and how to deal with them tactfully and efficiently. They not only get rid of mice, but also do a follow up and an inspection of your home afterwards to make sure that they have been successful in getting rid of all the mice from your home.
Also repair all the openings and give you tips on how to avoid a similar situation from repeating in future.
However, you must make sure to check the credentials of the professional before hiring him, to make sure that you are hiring the right person.

There are many debates as to which methods to be used to get rid of mice and keep your homes safe from them. Some experts who wish to go a more natural way prefer to use homemade remedies to get rid of mice, and believe that they are safer for their families, and humane for mice. However, some experts say that one should use store bought mousetraps since homemade natural remedies are not effective, and are a waste of time.
You can experiment and adopt your own remedy to keep your house mouse-proof.

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