Ah, the mouse. That little button-eyed fur-ball. Lurking in the shadows, sneaking around the kitchen corners, nibbling on those crumbs you forgot to clean up and leaving behind some complimentary proof of a well-enjoyed meal.
We’ve all had to encounter them at least once in a while. Whether it scared the life out of you or awoke the warrior in you, just know that we’ve all been there. It’s as much of a nuisance as it is a pest really.
Mice are social creatures and urinate to communicate. This can lead to bacteria and germs, which you do not want at home.
They scurry through walls and tend to breed pretty fast so if one or more incident goes unchecked or is not dealt with, chances of a full blown infestation may be highly likely. That’s where the professionals are absolutely required.
Why do we get mice?
Mice prefer dark, congested and cozy places to move around, breed and inhabit. This ideal mouse habitat can be found in sheds, garages, crawlspaces and even right inside your family home! Another factor is sustenance. Mice do not venture further away from a place where they are likely to get their hands-on food. Apart from this, some other factors involved are:
- Dirty, unhygienic, and cluttered places are a mouse’s solace. Areas like backyard huts, messy garages, neglected crawlspaces are ideal for attracting a mouse or two.
- Trash cans are a feast for mice. Unorganized or stowed away trash outside the house is likely to attract mice, rats, and other pests.
- Cracks, holes, and damages in the walls or floorboards should be addressed if you live in a multi-unit residence. Mice aren’t good climbers, so they tend to squeeze through the smallest of spaces. Poorly maintained living spaces are a potential place for mice.
- Gaps between concrete foundation and siding as well as utility lines and garage doors are the usual suspects allowing mice entry into a detached home.
expanding spray foam generally doesnt work, they chew right throw it
- Mice have an exceptional sense of smell. This lets them reach into the pantry or sneak into the kitchen where you may have left any edible item out on the counter.
Related: How To Tell If I Have Mice and Rats?
Our Top 5 mouse removal methods
Not everyone is cut out for the challenge to get rid of mice, or any other pests. But for those of you up for the challenge, our team have put together their thoughts on what actually works and what doesn’t.
Here are our 5 best ways to get rid of mice at home.
1. Create a Clean Environment
Yes.. that means you need to get that vacuum out every once in a while. And don’t forget about pulling out that sofa.. and behind the stove and fridge too!
Crumbs and food scraps are what mice love! Make sure your kitchens and living rooms are swept regularly. If there is nothing for them to eat, they will not stay around for long.
Tools: Brush, Vacuum, Mop, disinfectant spray.
2. Use traps
Have many of you have tried the infamous cheese trap? Bet you have :)
Contrary to traditional belief, cheese is not the bait for choice for pest control professionals. Peanut butter, Nutella or other sweet and savoury edibles are the best choice. Whether you prefer the humane nonlethal traps or the ones that are hardcore, there are many to choose from.
Easily available at any home hardware store, even the conventional snap traps are somewhat effective. To make things interesting, you can get different type of traps and lay them out at various spots. (and then write your own blog post about how to you did it!)
Here are some additional tips to keep in mind when setting up traps.
- Read the instructions carefully and even ask the store employee to help you understand how the trap functions.
- Use edible items like chocolate, crackers, peanut butter as bait. The strong smell is tempting for the mouse.
- Place the traps alongside and perpendicular to the walls, and slightly at a distance from the predicted point of entry so that the mouse runs directly into it.
- In case of using a nonlethal trap, make sure to check in on the trap every hour or two. Mice are fragile creatures and can die from panic or stress disorders and dehydration.
Tip: When you catch one in a live trap, grab a pair of gloves and carry him out to your closest park and release him.
3. Entry points
Cracks, damages, holes.. anything can be a potential access point. Mice can even squeeze through one-quarter of an inch. Use steel wool, wire mesh or concrete filler to seal these spots.
Either grab a magnifying glass or use your smartphone’s camera to zoom in, but make sure you spend a good time looking for entry spots.
Some good places to start looking;
- Down low areas close to radiators and baseboards
- Near pipes going to walls, hot water heaters, and furnaces.
- Kitchen: Inside, under, and behind cabinets, stoves, and refrigerators. Under your sink too.
- Fireplace, doors, & small cracks in the walls.
Tools: Kneeling pad, steel wool.. or better yet, copper wool – mice don’t like their teeth chewing on copper
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Mice Removal
4. Food storage
Yes, mice can chew through plastic! Best to store foods in glass tupperware, or in the fridge. And we caught one little bugger in the act!!
Also consider taking some of these preventive measures;
- Remove pet food from bowls at night.
- Use airtight and sealant jars for storing edible items.
- Clean the countertops and under your toaster after a meal
Most mouse problems happen due to food. Mice will stay anywhere as long as the place provides them with easy access to food every day, so the right choice would be to store your food in a place where it is inaccessible to them.
Tools: Airtight containers, fridge.
5. Poison
** Our recommendation is to try all of the above removal methods first before you try poison.
If you have failed at all the above methods, or face a highly populated mouse infestation from the outset, poison can be used.
Cautions: Be sure to keep all rodenticide bait stations out of the reach of small children and pets
Yet, this is the oldest method in the book. Rodenticides are very commonly available at hardware stores and online. Once deciding to use them, you should be very careful in following some of these precautions.
- Use gloves at all time when handling rodenticide.
- Make sure the rodenticide is used in lockable tamper resistant bait stations so that the hazards are contained.
- Place the trap away from common visible spots. Preferably beneath the sink, behind the refrigerator, etc.
Tools: Try this one from Home Hardware
Mice Removal methods that don’t work
The internet is full of tips and tricks for getting rid of mice. Some of these involve herbal or behavioral methods that are not exactly backed up by any science. These may have worked for some but not for others. Here are some that are NOT considered proven mice removal methods;
- Strong odors: Many claims that peppermint oil is kryptonite for mice. Spray or place cotton dipped in this essential oil and mice will steer clear of that place. Mice have a keen sense of smell yet they have become accustomed to living with humans. They are thought to be just as perceptive as dogs thus can adapt just as quick.
- Foils: Aluminum and other metal foils are thought to throw off a mouse’s sense of navigation. Some suggest lining the floor corners with them. We have not seen evidence in this.
Pest expert secret tips
A few extra tips to help you in your journey:
- Use more than just 2 or 3 traps; no less than 20-30 to overwhelm them.
- Do not use scented dish soaps or detergents to clean your environment.
- Cluttered and neglected storage spaces are prime spots for mice breeding.
- Place a moderate portion of bait on the snap trap to increase trap sensitivity and avoid mice getting the bait without being caught!
Frightened, frustrated.. can’t catch them? Get in touch with us, we’d be glad to help you out.
Call 604-559-9060, submit our webform, or chat with us.
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