Mice in the house are always a nuisance, as well as a health hazard. They can cause damage to structures, make dirt and leave an unpleasant odor. Moving away and eliminating these rodents can also be a hassle if you don't know how to do it. it can also be dangerous if you use poisons or toxic chemicals. However, keep in mind that there are simple methods to effectively get rid of mice at home, without the need to use polluting and harmful products.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Naturally Discourage Mice
Step 1. Keep the house clean
Many times mice enter homes while they are looking for food. If they can't find food, they are unlikely to roam the house. Therefore, keep food tightly closed in airtight containers or store it in safe places, where mice cannot access.
Step 2. Use peppermint oil
It is a natural deterrent; its smell is simply too strong and the mice will not want to get close. Its fragrance also helps mask the smell of any food residue you have forgotten. You can find this product in major health food stores and also in the most well-stocked supermarkets.
- Pour a drop or two on a cotton ball.
- Then place the cotton wool under or near the garbage can to discourage the mice from approaching.
- Place additional peppermint oil wipes in areas from which rodents can enter your home, such as front doors, vents, and so on.
- Replace the oil-soaked pads every 5-7 days, depending on the amount of oil you used.
- Try growing mint seedlings near the entrance to your home. You can also use this plant in the kitchen, as well as a deterrent.
Step 3. Use dried snake feces
Go to the nearest reptile house, zoo, or pet store and ask if they can get you some dried snake feces. Place them near the entrances of the house and in the places where you think these annoying rodents might be; you will see that they will stay away.
Make sure children or pets cannot reach the excrement
Step 4. Get rid of the mice with ultrasound
There are electronic devices that emit ultrasonic beeps that are irritating to these animals. You can find them at the best-stocked hardware stores, home improvement stores or even online.
- These accessories are only effective in one direction, so you need to know exactly the path that mice take.
- Ultrasound devices are only fine for a short time, because then the mice get used to the sound.
Step 5. Use a biological deterrent that you find on the market
Many companies that specialize in organic garden and household products also sell rodent repellents that are significantly more eco-friendly than traditional poisons. Many of these companies use natural ingredients, such as mint, which are known to keep mice away. These products do not kill animals, but they should be able to move them away from the areas where they are applied.
You can find them in garden stores or home warehouses. If you want a specific product, do an online search to find out if it is available in stores in your area
Step 6. Get a cat
A cat at home can solve the problem, especially if it is also used to living outdoors. Cats that also spend time outside the home are more likely to hunt for food and may also spot nearby mice. However, be aware that not all cats have the same energy or interest in chasing mice. Cats used to eating well at home may consider rodents to be toys and quickly get bored after scaring and numbing them a little.
- Even if you don't have a cat, you can use a dirty litter box to keep mice away. Place a few piles of cat litter near the house entrances. Mice will smell the cat urine smell and will be gone in the blink of an eye.
- If you have a severe rodent infestation, one cat is not enough to get rid of it completely. However, once the infestation is eliminated, the cat can avoid the return of these troublesome animals.
Step 7. Put the garbage can away from home
Mice smell the garbage and are lured into the house. However, if the bin is far from the house, there is less chance of infestation.
Step 8. Encourage birds of prey nesting in your garden
Build a gated shelter on your property to attract these birds. It may take some time, but it's worth a try if you can get a rat predator close to your garden.
- Make sure the bird of prey shelter does not have nails or other dangerous items for safety.
- The barn owl is probably the best bird. A family of these birds of prey can eat many mice in one night! However, you can attract other types of raptors or owls to the nest.
Method 2 of 3: Create Barriers
Step 1. Find the access route for the mice
Sometimes you may see grease stains; it could be faeces that are almost always present where the animals enter the house. You will not be able to miss the characteristic smell.
If it is a difficult spot to identify, mark it with chalk so that you can recognize it later without any problems
Step 2. Close any holes on the inside walls
Start with the walls inside your home, because it's always best to leave the rodents an escape route. They may leave their home or apartment to find other places where they can steal food more easily.
- Use putty or silicone to plug relatively small holes. If you have large openings in the walls that cannot be repaired with these products, you will need to replace the drywall. This is a more demanding but important job, as the mouse is certainly able to pass through a large hole.
- Check that the skirting boards are well adherent to the walls and that there are no cracks; in this way the rodents will not be able to enter the house from behind these elements.
- If they get trapped in the cavities of the walls, the mice can gnaw through the material and open new paths. This is why it is important to give them the chance to escape before sealing the external access areas.
Step 3. Seal all external openings
Generally, it is recommended to use steel wool, but this material rusts and is not a permanent solution. Instead, use scouring pads for the kitchen, cut to the right size, or copper scouring pads. These "patches" must be attached to the edges of the hole, otherwise the mice will detach them. Large holes need to be repaired instead.
When you've secured the interior walls, seal all holes on the outside of the building. You can use plastic scouring pads, but in some cases it will be necessary to apply mortar or perform more extensive repairs
Step 4. Check the access points once again
After a couple of days, look for evidence that the rats are present. If there are any, inspect the holes you sealed again and see that there aren't any others. Close all access routes as needed.
Clean the area around the access points. Eliminate excrement and disinfect surfaces to eliminate odor. Use a mixture of one part bleach and ten parts water
Method 3 of 3: Catching the Mice
Step 1. Testing Non-Lethal Commercial Traps
There are several models you can try and all of them allow you to free the rodent at a later time. The most common ones trap the mouse in a box that it is able to enter, but not to get out of. This is a "humane" way to get rid of the problem.
- Once you have the animal, you must release it at least 1.5km from home, preferably in a wooded area, so that it has a new habitat to live in.
- Killing or getting rid of mice does not prevent infestation. When you eliminate some specimens, killing them or freeing them elsewhere, others will approach to exploit the resources available in the house. The killing or relocation of some rats causes a sudden increase in food availability, which causes others to reproduce.
Step 2. Make a non-lethal craft trap
Use a glass bowl and a coin. Turn over a large glass container in which you have placed a piece of chocolate. Have one edge of the bowl balance on the edge of a large coin. Place the trap in an area frequented by mice.
- The rodent will crawl under the container to take the chocolate, altering its precarious balance; as a result, the bowl will fall and trap the animal.
- Remove the mouse from the bowl somewhere away from home.
Step 3. Lure the rat into a container it cannot get out of
You can use a 40-liter aquarium in which you have put food. Leave it in an area frequented by animals, preferably along a path used regularly, in order to block it. Place some objects near the container to allow the animal to climb, such as a pile of books.
- The rat should try to reach the food by jumping into the aquarium. Once inside, it will be trapped due to its high walls.
- Check the trap often.
- If you find a rodent in the aquarium, cover the aquarium with a lid and free the animal away from the house.
Step 4. Throw a towel on the rat
It will only stay under the fabric for a short moment, so you need to act quickly. Place an upside-down trash can on top of the cloth; tuck the flaps of the towel under the basket so that the edges of the container are in direct contact with the floor. Slip a piece of cardboard or a 33 RPM record case under the basket and under the fabric. Carefully twist the trap by pressing the card over the opening.
- Get the basket, mouse and towel out of the house (quickly!) As far away as possible.
- When you are away from the house, release the mouse.
Advice
It is better to apply rat repellents than to have traps in the house. Wouldn't you rather keep these rodents away from home, rather than having to manage their presence inside?
Warnings
- Mice are often infested with ticks, fleas, or mites. If you kill one of these rodents with poison or a trap, the parasites eventually leave its body in search of a new host. This detail is of particular concern to pet owners and families with small children.
- The feces of rats are dangerous for human health. Spray them with bleach or other disinfectants (such as denatured alcohol) before collecting them and prevent them from coming into contact with your clothing or skin.
- Get rid of the mice quickly if you have dogs. Their immune systems differ from that of cats and cannot handle rodent-borne diseases.
