Best Ways to Get Rid of Mice
If you’re wondering how to get rid of mice for good you might want to consider blocking all the entryways through which mice can enter.
Seeing a mouse in your home can be one of the most disturbing things. They can either be scurrying across your floors or running in circles in your ceiling and walls. One thing for certain, you need this mouse out of your house once and for all.
This guide was put together with the intention to help you get rid of mice invading your home. One of the many tips can quite possibly be your answer.
Block Points of Entry to Keep Mice Out
Places where mice can have easy access and entry need to be closed off. This can be quite difficult because of the size of the rodents. But to be safe from infestations you need to do the following:
- Seal openings in the walls as well as cracks in the foundation of your house.
- Includes places where you have vents and utility pipes as well.
- You can use caulking and steel wool as materials to block the holes.
- We suggest avoiding rubber, plastic, wood or any material that the mice can chew through.
- Ensure that the sweep on your door makes a seal against the threshold when closed.
- Also consider getting weather stripping for window gaps, and doors for better rodent control.
Set Traps to Get Rid of Mice
The traditional mouse trap tops the list of how to get rid of mice from your house effectively. Mouse traps happen to be the best methods to tackle ongoing infestations. For light to moderate populations of rodents, the classic snap traps will do the trick nicely.
However, it is easy to underestimate mice infestations, and you might have more rodents in your house than you think. So, it is not uncommon that you have laid a single trap for dozens of mice, or even vice versa. It is always safe to use plenty of traps just in case.
Along with wooden traps, you can also use glue traps, multiple captures live traps and bait traps for better results.
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Setting up different kinds of traps allows you to get more mice since some might be able to avoid certain traps, but fall for some others.
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Choosing the Perfect Bait for Traps
If you want to get rid of mice using traps you should also know what kind of food should be used as bait for those traps. You can simply use any type of food that the mice have been nibbling at in your house. Some common favorites of mice include:
- bacon
- cheese
- hazelnut spread
- dried fruit
- chocolate
- peanut butter
To tie the bait to the trigger of the trap you can use thread from your dental floss or fishing line. Tying a thread ensures that the mouse does not escape with the cheese alive.
Another way to keep the bait in place is the use of a hot glue gun. After every two days of setting traps, you have to replace the bait.
If the food is not making the mice come to the traps, you can also use materials that mice use for building nests. These include feathers and cotton balls which attract mice that are looking to build nests in your home.
With the help of these tips, you can ensure that the mice are taking the bait, and see definite results.
Placement of Mouse Traps
Another important thing while learning how to get rid of mice is to know where to place the mouse traps. The trigger section should face the baseboard while the traps should be placed perpendicularly along the walls.
Mice are natural wall scurries so they will run directly to the bait. Otherwise, they might run into the trap from the wrong direction making the trigger go off prematurely.
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Proper placement of mouse traps is crucial in effectively getting rid of mice.
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It’s also important to know that mice do not travel vast distances, but instead, tend to stay within 10-20 feet of nesting areas and food sources. So, placing the traps anywhere you see signs of mice, such as droppings, nibbled food or even actual mice will get you sure-fire results.
You should be changing the location of the traps frequently too. At least every two days or so. As mice are naturally curious, there is less chance of them to avoid them as rats might do.
Proper placement of mouse traps is crucial in effectively getting rid of mice.
Investing in Bait Stations
Bait stations usually contain pellets or meal and come in sealed packages. Typically occurring in cellophane, paper or plastic wrapping these bait stations allow the mice to chew through the packet and find the contents inside easily.
The main advantage of using bait stations is that the food will not get stale as fast as food kept out in the open. Putting rat poison in these also helps as the mice feed on it and die instantaneously.
This is one very effective way to get rid of mice from your house.
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While it is good to use bait stations, it is always best if a professional pest control experts handle these to ensure the safety of house pets and children.
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Cleanliness and Sanitation
The general rule is that proper sanitation will not completely rid your house of rodents, but if your house is dirty, it will attract mice. Mice only need a minimal amount of food to survive. They can get by on only three to four grams of food every day. So, it is imperative to do the following on a regular basis:
- Vacuum your house floors.
- Wipe down counter tops.
- Get rid of residual crumbs.
- Close any access to sources of food.
- Storage is vital so that mice cannot get to the food.
- Always keep your food in glass jars, airtight containers, and closed lid pots.
- It is also important to properly dispose of your garbage.
Getting Rid of Mice Outside
To get rid of mice from your house you must also know how to tackle those that are outside the home as well. Some tips you should follow:
- Remove any remaining debris around your house where rodents might hide.
- Always weed your garden patches.
- Destroy burrows and eliminate nesting places when you detect any.
- With a strip of heavy gravel, you might want to line your house’s foundation to prevent burrowing and nesting of rodents.
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The less garbage, clutter, and debris you have around your house the less likely rodents will come into your home.
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Should You Get a Cat?
Some cats and even some dogs will hunt mice if you keep them as pets. Keeping pets is a good idea if you have mice in your house. However, if you do not have pets, now might be a good time to consider getting one.
Farms have used barn cats to eliminate mice from the property. Of course, many pets do not care for catching rodents and would rather curl up in a ball. So, it may not always be the most effective way to get rid of mice.***
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