How To Get Rid of Mice in Your Home

When you see a mouse in your house, it can be quite a shock, and it’s certainly something no homeowner wants to see. Mice are dirty, can spread disease and can ruin wiring and fixtures, so it’s important to get rid of them. Luckily, dealing with mice is something many homeowners have successfully done and is not too difficult. Today, we’ll look at what you can do to prevent mice from getting into your home, and how to get rid of those that are already there.

When Are Mice a Problem?

Mice are generally the biggest issue during the fall and winter months. They tend to come into homes to escape the cold and find food. The key to stopping them then is to limit what they’re looking for, and block up any entrances. That said, mice can be a problem all year round, especially if you live in a densely forested area.

How To Prevent Mice From Getting Into Your Home

The most important thing to remember is that mice are best dealt with before they get into your house. If you can prevent them from getting into your house in the first place you’ll avoid lots of headaches. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done, so it’s important to know techniques for before and after they make it into your home.

Seal Up Your House

Mice are extremely crafty and can fit into spaces as small as a dime. You’ll want to be on the lookout for any sort of entry points into your home and seal them up. Expanding foam products are an easy way to do so, but they’re certainly not the only option. Keeping the mice out in the first place is by far the easiest way to deal with them.

It’s also a good idea to trim back shrubbery as mice can nest in this as well as use it to access your home. Things like piles of firewood are also popular nesting spots, and should be kept as far away from the house as possible. The further away the mice live from your house during the warmer months the less likely they are to migrate in when it gets cold.

Seal Up Food

You also want to make sure that your food stores are kept sealed and put away. Mice are entering your home looking for food and depriving them of this makes them less likely to return in the future. Use airtight containers, and be quick to clean up the crumbs left behind. While this won’t get rid of existing mice it’s a good step in stopping them from entering in the first place.

What To Do About Mice Already In Your Home

While the above covers how to keep mice out they’re less useful for dealing with mice already in your home. You should still follow them to prevent future mice problems, but look at the tips below to deal with the mice problem already taking root in your home.

Find Out Where They’re Active

The first step is to determine where mice are active. In small infestations you likely won’t see mice, so you’ll have to rely on common signs to find them. Understanding where the mice are hiding can help make your trapping efforts more effective.

Be on the lookout for the big signs of mice. This includes their droppings, chew marks on food packaging, and sightings of the mouse itself. This is important as mice tend not to move around a lot and will usually be found within 20’ of their nests.

This also means that if you can see signs of mice activity they’re likely nearby which is helpful when you get to setting traps. Common places are generally dark and warm such as behind a fridge or other appliances, and in cupboards or cabinets.

It’s also important to be alert as mice breed quite rapidly. With up to 15 mice per litter, it’s easy to see how quickly a mouse problem can get out of hand. If you suspect you have mice in your home then it’s important to deal with them right away.

Another important thing to note is that mice are nocturnal, so you likely won’t see them during the day. If you do, that’s a good sign that there is a significant amount in your home.

Setting Up Traps Correctly

Once you’ve taken steps to mouse proof your home it’s time to deal with those already in your home. The tried and true spring trap is a standby for a reason; it works, is easy to use, and is cost effective. There are also a number of other trap options, and many of these can be just as effective and have their own pros and cons. For the particularly squeamish, you can also buy traps that completely conceal the mouse, although these are usually a bit pricer.

For those not looking to kill the mice there are a number of non-kill traps available as well. Take care though if you plan to release the mouse, studies have shown they can [:a {:href “http://www.ridmiceinattic.com/micerelocation.html”} travel up to 6 miles] to get back to their nest. You’ll want to make sure you move them a good distance away from your home, and then make sure to plug up any openings so the mice don’t return.

When setting up traps, you’ll want to have the trap part flush against the wall. When mice roam your home they’ll typically scurry along the walls as wide open spaces are seen as more dangerous. By having the traps setup as described above the mice will naturally run into them.

To bait your traps a small dab of peanut butter is very effective. This is a favorite of mice, and works as a great and affordable bait. Many other foods work as well such as seeds and grains as these are all favorites of the mouse.

Seek Professional Help

There’s no shame in admitting the task is too big, and there are a lot of professionals out there that can help you. Professionals can find and deal with mice much quicker and more effectively than most homeowners can do on their own. If you’re looking for a quicker solution, or have found too many mice, then getting professional assistance is your best option.

Do make sure to vet them a bit before as not all exterminators are made equal. Make sure they have all the licenses and certifications necessary in your area, and see if they have any reviews of their past work.

Dealing with mice can be stressful, but take heart in that many other homeowners have been there. Following the above, you’ll hopefully be able to deal with your mouse problem, and go back to a rodent free home. Take special care when sealing up your home, or you’ll end up in the same position next year.