Mice are not the cute, harmless creatures they appear to be. In fact, mice and rats can cause extensive damage to your home and belongings. They chew through walls and electrical wires causing a potential fire hazard. In addition, they are a health risk since they contaminate food and spread disease. You definitely don’t want mice in your home!
Mice, looking for food and shelter, are attracted to homes, especially during the cold winter months. In fact, they’ll create a warm cozy nest in your attic and walls. If you see small rodent droppings along your baseboards or chewed boxes in your food storage, take action now to remove mice from your home!
Covenant Pest Control offers these 6 tips for removing mice from your home:
- Bait Boxes – Bait boxes are boxes set around the exterior of your home. They’re uniquely designed to allow only mice or other small rodents to enter, so your pets are protected from accidental poisoning. Inside, the box holds bait that the mice eat. Once the mouse has consumed the bait, it will leave the area looking for a water source. Managing rodent control bait boxes is a service offered by Covenant Pest Control as part of regularly scheduled pest control.
- Bait Traps – Traps are another effective way to rid your home of mice. There are several options available on the market, some more humane than others. Use bait mixed with rat poison. Mice love cheese, dried fruit, and oats. Always keep bait traps away from children and pets. With bait traps, you often have to dispose of the dead rodents.
- Adopt a Cat – Cats are natural predators and love to hunt mice. They often find mice before you even realize you have a problem! Cats are known to keep a rodent population in check.
- Holistic Approach – Mice have an adverse reaction to the smell of peppermint oil or clove oil and will avoid it. Apply to suspected entry points, along baseboards and walls. The odor will act as a natural deterrent.
- Glue Boards – These sticking pads work like flypaper. Mice will stick to the glue board and be unable to escape. This is an effective method, however, it’s not the most humane option as the mice slowly die of starvation if left undetected. If you do find a live mouse on your glue board traps, you will need to terminate the mouse and then dispose of it. We recommend you try the other options mentioned above first.
- Cleanliness – Keep your counters and floors clean. And make sure all food sources are in well-sealed in containers. Pet food, including bird seed, kept in a garage or shed should be sealed in a metal container as mice can chew their way through heavy plastic containers. Like other pests like cockroaches and ants, usually, if mice are unable to find a food source, they will move on.
Bonus Tips to Make Your Home Uninviting to Mice
The best course of action to protect your home from mice is to eliminate the appeal. Mice look for easy entry points to enter your home.
- Seal cracks in your foundation and walls. Seal around water pipes, vents, and utility cables. Mice can enter in even the smallest gap.
- Make sure doors and windows are closed tightly. And keep your garage door closed at night when mice are roaming and looking for shelter.
- Clutter-proof your yard. Keep shrubs and bushes trimmed around your house.