Top 10 Ways To Get Rid Of Mice At Home

Dangers Of Using Common Mice Control Remedies

Mice Poison

Mice poison contains Bromadiolone. When Bromadiolone enters the mice’s body, it prevents blood clotting, resulting in bleeding and death. Pets and kids could mistake mice poison lying around the house for food and consume them. Exposing your kids or pets to these risks is not worth it. Another danger of poisoning is, a predator like the neighborhood cat or your own could consume the dead mice and get killed in the bargain.

Mice Traps

Sticky traps and snap traps work well when it comes to killing mice, but when you have kids and pets at home, these traps aren’t entirely safe to use. Kids and pets tend to be curious, and if they come across mice traps, it could hurt them and sometimes even result in a serious injury. If the sticky trap gets stuck to your dog/cat’s paw, tail, or even worse, their face, it can be a real pain to take it off. Your kid’s hands and legs are no exception to this.

The seriousness of the problem could be far worse when it comes to snap traps. Snap traps are designed to kill mice. The trap hits the target pest with a strong force. If your pet or kid comes in contact with the snap trap, it can cause severe injuries. These traps are the worst (after poison) to use and could do more damage than help.

Now that you know the dangers caused by popular methods, learn the alternative natural & non-toxic methods to help you get back to a mice-free house.

10 Proven Methods To Get Rid Of Mice

1. Caulk

Caulk is used to sealing small entry points. Mice can enter your home through holes with a diameter as small as 1/4th inches. Fill such holes with caulk to prevent the pesky creatures from entering your home.

2. Copper Wire

Large entry points are often sealed by stuffing steel wool. However, steel wool can degrade and rust over time, making it easier for mice to enter your home. Replace the steel wool with copper. It doesn’t degrade and is harder for mice to chew through.

3. Peppermint Essential Oil

The smell of peppermint essential oil makes the little critters scurry far away from them. Put a few drops of the essential oil on cotton swabs and leave them under the sinkhole, in corners of your home, and in other possible points from where you suspect the mice enter. When the peppermint oil smell fades off, replace the cotton balls.

4. Mint

Mint is another effective way to keep mice away. Place mint leaves near the sinkhole and the corners in your home. You can also keep mint toothpaste in a box with tiny holes in it and place near the target area. Alternatively, plant mint along the walls of your home to keep mice from entering your home.

5. Humane Traps

Humane mice trap trick the mice to get trapped without harming them. Not only mice, but they are no threat to your pet and kid as well. Humane traps are of various types: Smart Mouse Traps, the Havahart Humane Mouse Traps, and Mice Cubes are some of the variants you may check out.

A. Smart Mouse Trap

This type of humane trap is very effective. The bait is placed on a removable door placed between two pieces of plastic. A spring, placed under a plastic platform, snaps the door shut when the mice steps on the trigger plate. These smart mice traps are entirely safe to use around kids and pets.

B. Mice Cube

The mice cube is a semi-clear hard plastic rectangular box. It has a plastic door that swings inward. The bait is placed at the end of the box and away from the door. When the mice enter the trap, the door shuts. Before setting up the trap, drill a few holes so that the mouse that’s trapped can breathe inside.

C. Havahart Mice Trap

The Havahart or have-a-heart mice trap is a mesh wire, supported by steel that makes it sturdy. It has two doors on either side for the mice to enter. The trip plate is located at the center of the trap and is connected to the doors by a tough wire. When the mice enter the trap, it triggers the spring mechanism, which snaps the door shut.

6. Cloves

Mice are repelled by the smell of cloves. Wrap whole cloves in a piece of thin cotton cloth and place them in corners, under the sink, and in other places where you suspect mice to be lurking. Put the essential oil on cotton balls and place them in the cabinet under the sink and in cabinets in the kitchen and other such places. Avoid using clove essential oil if you have pests as it can irritate their skin.

7. Aluminum Foil

Aluminum foil is not a permanent solution to get rid of mice, but it can keep mice off the area that it covers. This method comes in handy if you have a problem with mice dropping. Layout aluminum foil over the surface at night before hitting the bed and fold it in the morning. The sound of crinkling aluminum foil is barely audible to the human ear, but it is disturbingly loud for the rodents. As they hear and communicate ultrasonic frequencies, the foil gives out a rustling sound. The rustling noise of the foil is equivalent to the sound of fingernails scratching a blackboard for humans.

8. Bay Leaves

Bay leaves are an easy and a child & pet-friendly way to get rid of mice. Crush bay leaves and put them in the places where mice frequently visit. Replace the crushed bay leaves every 2-3 days to keep the mice away.

9. Baking Soda

Baking soda when mixed with sugar and flour becomes an effective mice poison. Mix equal measures of baking soda, sugar, and flour without adding water to it. Leave the mix along a path that mice frequently scurry along. When the rodents eat the mixture, the soda reacts with their stomach acid and creates excessive gas that cannot be expelled, leading to the death of the mice. The mix is safe to use around pets and kids, as it doesn’t have the same effects on them.

10. Ultrasonic Mice Repeller

As mice communicate in ultrasonic frequencies, it can be used to repel them from your home. Ultrasonic mouse repellers are available in electronic stores that produce sounds to keep away the mice. The ultrasonic sounds are inaudible to humans but irritate mice. This method isn’t always effective, especially if you have a massive nest of mice living in your home. However, the sounds could affect your pet and cause restlessness, but it is completely safe to use around children.

Further Reading – How To Prepare Your Apartment For Pest Control

Final Thoughts

Sometimes mice problems can get nasty and go out of control. The longer you have a mice problem, the harder it gets to tackle. So if you have a mice problem and are unable to get rid of them within 2 weeks, it is advisable to seek professional help and ease yourself out of the situation before the critters multiply.