Mice are cute little critters, but you don’t want them in your house hiding behind the non-he washers or running on the countertops. Mice will cause irritating noises in the wall that will keep you up at night, and they will create a foul smell that gets worse with time. What’s worse is they could make you very sick. Mice are known to carry a handful of diseases, such as Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome.
If you’ve been struggling with a mouse problem, know that it does not have to last forever. All it takes is some determination. Here’s how you can get rid of mice for good. If you need help, call the Exterminators in Peterborough or a professional near you.
1. Limit access to food and water
The mice in your home are living off the food they find lying around. This includes the dirty dishes on the Cambria countertop and crumbs on the floor. Remember that mice are omnivores – they will eat whatever they find.
Start the extermination process by getting rid of as much food and water as possible. This will not only encourage the pests to leave, but it will force them to consume the bait you will use later. Deep clean the kitchen by vacuuming behind the fridge, oven, and other large objects, then wiping down the insides of the fridge, cupboards, and oven. Put all your pantry food back in airtight containers that would be difficult to chew through, like thick plastic and glass jars.
Repeat the process in every other room where you eat food. Then, fix faucets and shower heads so they do not leak. Avoid leaving any standing water in the house and ventilate the house with open windows and fans.
2. Clean up the house
Once you have gotten rid of food and water, clean up the house to reduce clutter. Mice run along the walls of the home and like to hide in cluttered areas. Getting rid of their hiding spots will force them out of the house and make it easier for you to set traps.
Hang up your clothes, get rid of empty boxes, and manage your cables so they don’t lie on the floor. Get rid of the things you don’t need. Dust, vacuum, and organize your things. The tidier the home, the better.
3. Block them out
One aspect of extermination that is often overlooked is the need to eliminate points of entry. The mice in your home got there somehow. If you want to keep them out, you will need to block out the entrances they used to get inside. Examine the perimeter of your home for little holes and gaps, then seal them shut.
Here’s a list of the most common entry points:
- Doors: Mice often get into the house by crawling under the garage door, first. If the weatherstripping is worn out, replace it. Put floor sweeps or weatherstripping to the bottoms of your doors to the outside, as well. If you don’t have any, consider adding screen doors to your doors to the outside.
- Windows: Mice are remarkably agile creatures that can climb walls. Check if your window screens need replacing and seal any cracks you find in the window frames with caulking.
- Wall vents: Rodents can chew their way through the exhaust vents on the side of the house. Cap these with a ¼ inch steel mesh. 16-gauge is ideal because it is too thick for them to chew. Screw the material right into the wall to keep mice out.
- Weep holes: If you can fit a pencil eraser, you can fit a mouse. Block out your weep holes with stainless steel weephole covers, available at the hardware store. This will stop mice from crawling through and getting into the walls.
- Foundation gaps: Hairline cracks in the foundation are usually nothing to worry about, but they can be torn open by rodents. Close these with epoxy to ensure that they do not get larger and that no mice get through.
- Utility lines: Utility lines and piping are often surrounded by a gap in the wall, which let in mice and other critters. Use expanding foam, silicone caulking, mesh, or steel wool to keep mice out.
- Siding: Using a flashlight, look underneath the siding of your home. If you find any gaps, you can seal them shut with caulking. Mice will take advantage of any hole in the wall.
4. Set lots of traps
Now for the extermination. Go to the hardware store and purchase a few mouse traps. You can choose between snap traps, electronic mouse traps, and live traps. For whichever kind you use, be sure to bait them sparingly. Just put a pea-sized amount of jerky, cheese, or peanut butter in the trap to attract mice.
Snap traps work by snapping a wire onto the neck of a mouse, which kills it immediately. They’re messy, but they can be reused as long as you disinfect them thoroughly and avoid handling them with your bare hands. Place a few of these along the edges of infested rooms, along the walls or the backs of cabinets.
Electronic traps shock the animal as soon as it enters the trap. Some can trap several mice at a time, and some are hands-free, so you can throw out the mice in the garbage without having to handle them. Make sure that your traps are always charged and empty them as soon as there is a mouse inside.
Live traps are the most humane option. Be sure to check these every single day, so you don’t harm any mice. Let the mice go somewhere outside and don’t forget to exclude the home first.
5. Tidy up the exterior
The last step involves a cleanup of the yard. Mice come from outside, so it’s important that you make the exterior of your property unattractive as well. Do what you did indoors, by eliminating hiding spots and sources of food. Move debris and leafpiles away from the sides of the home and pick up fallen fruit. Mow the lawn, trim the bushes, and keep the yard tidy. Your mouse problem should go away in no time!
