Best Ways to Get Rid of Mice at Home

Learn the best ways to get rid of mice at home

Here is the news: if you see a mouse in your home you most likely have more than one, and they multiply very rapidly. Let’s check the best ways to deal with a mice infestation at home.

If you want to get rid of mice you first need to decide if you feel able to do it yourself, which may be tricky as mice are clever. They reproduce quickly, carry diseases and may hide in walls & ceilings which makes the task very tough for you. Or you may decide to get rid of these mice with the help and reassurance of a pest control specialist.

If you decide you are the person for the job, here is what you should know to get rid of mice:

1. Seal up mice access to the house

Before putting down any traps you need to do a bit of investigation: try to find out where the mice are coming from because setting traps randomly all over your house isn’t likely to work if mice are still getting in and out of the house freely. Seal these entry points to keep mice out in the long run. For gaps under doors, you can use bristle strips.

You can use expanding foam, steel wool and caulk or silicone. Be very thorough because mice can fit through the smallest apertures, i.e. approx. 6mm. Also try to determine where the mice are present, which leads us to our next point:

2. Deploy mouse spring traps

One of the best ways to get rid of mice is to setup snap traps, which are very effective. You can use a little dab of peanut butter or a piece of chocolate on each spring-loaded trap. In fact, it is recommended to use a few different baits as mice like to feed a little on a greater variety of foods.

If you don’t want to see a dead mouse you can get get some discreet no view trap boxes which conceals the dead mouse so you can just throw the whole thing away.

3. Decide where to put the mouse traps

As mice run along walls, you should position your traps perpendicular to the skirting boards and directly against them. This will maximise your chances of catching mice quickly. Mice tend to live only a few metres away from where they feed so you should place your traps near where you see signs of activity such as mouse droppings or dark smear marks on walls.

If you don’t catch any mice after a few days change the location of the traps.

4. Should you use bait boxes?

Bait boxes are plastic stations used to safely contain mouse bait rodenticide (usually a wax block). The locking system means children and pets cannot easily temper with them. pellets. With apertures on each side, they allow mice to get in and easily eat the bait.

Mice do not die in the bait station, so do not think you will find them there. Instead the mouse that entered and ate the bait in the station leaves it and dies a few days later.

Bait stations are useful to get rid of mice, but they are best handled by qualified pest control professionals to make sure you and your family and pets are safe.

5. Clean then store food in airtight containers

If you put your cereals and other food items into airtight containers you are less likely to attract mice. Similarly, you should remain aware of any other exposed food that could attract mice. For instance, leaving dog, cat and bird food trays out, or not collecting spillages of pet food. This just gives mice another food access.

6. Cut shrubbery away from your home

Cut back overhanging tree branches and shrubbery, away from the exterior walls of your house.  This also includes piles of wood for your fireplace because mice like to make nests in the stacks. Once you remove the hiding places, mice are less likely to come near your home and therefore they are not getting in so easily.

Also fill any hole on the ground where mice can hide or any burrow you may find. Where possible use gravel around your home because it will prevent rodents from burrowing. By tidying up and removing clutter from around your property, you will more likely to find signs of mice activity and prevent them from nesting.

7. Get help from your cat?