Is your home infested with mice? Get rid of them forever by following these tips
You might not be scared of or bothered by mice, but spotting them in your home is a totally different story. Mice are pests and an "infestation" of these rodents in a house can be very difficult to get rid of.
Mice not only eat our food supplies and damage the structures of homes (chewing through wiring, for example), but they can also carry diseases and leave unhygienic excrement everywhere. You might not see a mouse in the home in broad daylight (unless the infestation really bad), but usually their peak activity period is between 2am and 4am in the morning.
If you don't like using pesticides, there are various other remedies you can try and below, we provide you with some useful tips to get rid of mice in your home.
How to eliminate mice from your home
The first thing that probably comes to mind to eliminate mice is the use of pesticides. But these products, if used incorrectly, can also be harmful to humans and pets. It is therefore much better to leave the use of these products to professionals.
The first thing you can do to prevent mice from infesting your home is to close up all the possible entrances they could be using: check basements, attics, garages and look for cracks in the walls next to doors and windows to find entryways and nesting places. Once you identify these spots, it will be easier to target and capture the mice in your traps (more on these below).
You can use traditional snap traps, baiting these with peanut butter, chocolate, bacon or oatmeal. But if you prefer to avoid this solution, you can try glue traps, which do not require bait and can simply be placed in strategic spots. The disadvantage of this solution is that the rodents will get stuck and need to be removed manually (often still alive).
How to prevent mice from infesting your home
Once you have eliminated the mice in your home, it is a good idea to use some tips to discourage them from returning:
- Use excluder brushes and mosquito nets for doors and windows: especially when it is very cold, mice will seek shelter inside of homes; to prevent them from entering, seal doors and windows with excluder brushes and mosquito nets so that they have no way to get in;
- Cracks in the walls: check if there are cracks and fissures in the walls, especially near doors and windows, and seal these immediately;
- Clean garages, basements and attics: in addition to sealing these areas of your home, make sure you always keep them clean, avoiding storing rubbish, food or animal feed inside them, which could attract rodents;
- Always keep worktops and surfaces clean, especially in the kitchen where you handle and prepare food: if mice cannot find food, they will have no reason to hang around;
- Make sure you store your food in perfectly closing plastic containers and avoiding using cardboard boxes and loose foods;
- Natural remedies are not very effective according to experts, but scenting your home with peppermint and clove essential oils can be beneficial for you; and if they also keep mice away, so much the better;
- Have you ever thought about getting a cat? Cats are excellent mousers, as well as being entertaining pets!
Try these tips to get rid of mice in your home - but if nothing works, you will need to call a professional!