Say Goodbye: How to Get Rid of Mice in Your House

Unwelcome rodents in your home are not only a nuisance, they’re also a meanace and, in some cases, a danger.If you’ve got mice in your house, it’s important to be on top of it and get rid of them immediately for your comfort and health. There are often more mice than you might think, and they’ll only keep multiplying the longer you wait.

Follow this simple guide on how to get rid of mice.

Protect Your Food, Seal Off Entry Points

The first step is making sure the mice aren’t comfortable and can’t continue to thrive. Put all your food in sealed containers (they’ll eat right through cardboard), and keep your fruits and veggies in the fridge. Do a thorough cleaning to get rid of any crumbs and get a garbage can with a lid.

Mice also love dog food, so don’t leave a bowl out for your pooch. When they’re done eating, put the leftover food away.

Another important step is sealing any hole a mouse might like to make their home. Seal any cracks in your foundation, in your garage, your windows — anywhere that a mouse might get in. Mice can squeeze through holes as small as a quarter, so even little holes are important to cover.

Try using steel wool and caulk to seal any entry points. Mice can’t eat through these, making them pretty unbeatable.

Pick a Trap

The most common traps are the lethal snap-traps consisting of a wooden board and a piece of metal. You bait the trap, the mouse goes to eat it, and the metal snaps down on the mouse. It’s easy, it’s cheap, and it’s effective.

There are also reusable traps that trap the mouse inside once it goes for the bait. These are a little more expensive, but a much more humane route. Use whichever route you are more comfortable with — they should both work fine.

If you have a big mouse problem though, the lethal traps have the upper hand. You can probably set up more of these at a time since they’re cheaper.

Set Up Traps

Mice can be crafty, so you will want to set up as many traps as you can afford. Even if you don’t suspect a lot of mice, you never know which trap they’ll fall for.

You want to place the traps in places where the mice will most likely be. If you’re setting a trap up by a baseboard, put it with the bait closest to the wall. That way the mouse has to run into the bait if it wants to get out.

Anywhere where you’ve noticed droppings is a good place for traps, as well as anywhere they’ve been feeding from.

The type of bait you choose is also important. If you’ve noticed the mice like eating something particular from your cupboard, try using that as bait. You’ve already established that the mouse enjoys it, so they may fall for it in the trap.

Mice love dried fruit, chocolate, bacon, and peanut butter, too. Any of these should do nicely to get that mouse in the trap.

Don’t Forget About Outside

They had to come from somewhere, and the most likely answer is the great outdoors.

If you keep firewood, check your pile. This is a favorite spot for mice. If you have any dense branches and shrubbery near your house you will also want to give it a trim.

The less clutter around your property, the better. Mice love warm, cluttered places where they can nest, so do a very thorough check.

Look for any entryways outdoors and seal them off. You might even want to scatter some traps around your outside walls to get any mice who want to enter.

Get a Cat

If a mouse problem offers any silver linings, it might be a good excuse to get a cat. Cats love hunting mice, and they can really help keep a mouse infestation at bay.

Of course, cats aren’t the most considerate hunters. They’re known to leave mouse carcasses around the property or in the house. If that’s not something you’re prepared to deal with this might not be the best option.

Get an Exterminator

If you’re still noticing fresh droppings after a week or two of trapping mice, you might need a professional. Find a trustable, highly-reviewed exterminator who specializes in rodents. They’ll know what to do, and how to best get rid of the problem.

Be wary of exterminators who just want to lay poison. Poison is effective but can lead to dead mice in your walls. Go over a plan you’re comfortable with before paying an exterminator.

A good exterminator will schedule follow-up visits to make sure the problem is truly gone. Exterminators are a more pricy solution, but for major mouse problems they may be the only option.

How to Get Rid of Mice For Good

Once your mouse problem is taken care of, it’s time to make sure it never happens again. Keep your home clean and keep your food sealed airtight. Replace your garbage bag regularly and don’t leave any scraps out for them to eat.

The best advice to follow on how to get rid of mice is to keep a clean home. As long as you do this, you should be mouse-free, and worry-free, in no time.

If you have a pest problem in your home, check out our residential services page to see what we can do for you. Contact us with any comments, questions, or concerns.