These ideas from a pest expert help prevent and remove mice without harsh chemicals.
These tiny rodents are a nuisance in more ways than one.
Not to mention, mice aredownright stinkyand leave trails of feces in their path.
Iryna Mylinska/Getty Images
Iryna Mylinska/Getty Images
Why Do Mice Go into Houses?
Mice are looking for food, water, and shelter.
In many cases, the shelter is used to reproduce, notes pest control expert Ben McAvoy.
And on that note, mice reproduceveryquickly.
How to Prevent Mice From Entering
Prevention is the most important step when dealing with mice.
Use caulk on smaller gaps and stuff steel wool into larger areas to prevent mice from entering.
McAvoy also recommendsremoving bushes and treesthat touch your home or hang over the home.
Both mice and rats will use these to dive into the roof and input your house.
Both inside and outside the home,keep garbage cans cleanand always use garbage bags.
Remove trash regularly and keep pet food stored inside clear plastic bins.
Don’t seal your home until there is no longer an active infestation.
In this case, sealing cracks and holes could prevent mice fromleavingyour house.
(One mouse produces less than 100 droppings per day.)
In fact, he says, This general technique hasnt changed for hundreds of years.
The former are considered much more humane.
If thats you, opt for a catch-and-release trap that doesnt harm the mouse.
These work by allowing an entry point into the trap without an exit option.
you’re free to purchase these ready-to-go or make your own.
These play an extremely high-frequency soundinaudible to human earsthat is very annoying to mice and other rodents.
Results are a bit mixed, so you may want to combine this with another mice deterrent.
you could use any of the above scents in anessential oil diffuserto help deter mice from entering or lingering.
If the mice are already gone, you might place them at entrances to prevent them from coming back.
Sprinkle a small amount near entry points to deter mice from entering.
Avoid spices around household pets because they may also be sensitive to these options.
A feline roaming your home will not only catch existing mice but will serve as a deterrent to rodents.
No mouse wants to spend time with a predator.
If you have a cat, place the litter box close to where you suspect mice are living.
When to Call a Professional
Home remedies usually aren’t enough for an extensive mouse infestation.
The longer you wait, the more difficult it can be to eradicate an entire colony.
Identifying Mouse and Rat Damage in Museum Collections.National Parks Service; 2020.
