Mice might look cute and tiny, but trust us, you don’t want them scurrying around your house. Why? Well, they’re like tiny disease carriers on four legs. Take Hantavirus and lymphocytic choriomeningitis, for example. You can get these nasty respiratory and brain diseases just by breathing in the dust from mouse pee and poop. Yuck, right?
And these little critters are busy at night, leaving a trail of urine and droppings. So if you spot places where they hang out, wear gloves and a mask and clean it up thoroughly. Remember to wash your hands after! Watch out for mouse bites or touching them directly – that’s another way diseases can spread.
There’s also this thing called Leptospirosis. It’s a bacterial disease you can get from water tainted with mouse urine. It’s bad news for your pets, too, so keep their water bowls away at night and give them a good clean every day.
Then there’s Salmonellosis – it’s a bacteria thing that’s super risky for little kids and gets passed on through mouse poop.
And you might already be well aware of the stuff like the plague, typhoid, and pox you can get from mouse fleas and mites. Sure, there are treatments, but it’s way better to steer clear of mice and their droppings altogether. Better safe than sorry, right? So, here we have gathered some ways to save your house from the mice army.
Cat is Your Best Friend in the War Against Mice
Getting a cat can be like hitting the jackpot when kicking those pesky mice out of your house. Cats are natural-born mouse hunters, after all. But, if someone in your family is allergic to cats or you’re just not a cat person, there’s a sneaky little trick you can try – cat litter. Yeah, you heard that right! Just grab some cat litter and sprinkle it around the spots where those mice love to party. They get a whiff of that and think, “Yikes, there’s a cat nearby!” they’ll high-tail it out of there. Smart, huh?
Say a Big No to Mess
Keeping your house spick and span is key to making sure those little mouse intruders don’t decide to crash at your place. Think about it – mice are like tiny, uninvited guests looking for a snack. They’re less likely to stick around if they can’t find any goodies lying around. So, what’s the trick?
Store your food like it’s in a vault. Use airtight containers or stash it somewhere those furry little critters can’t get their paws on. No free buffet, no mice party! Keep it clean, and those mice will have to find another spot for their midnight feasts, and they will have no option other than leaving your house alone.
Peppermint Oil is Your Secret Weapon
Peppermint oil is your secret weapon against mice. This natural deterrent’s intense scent is unbearable for these critters, keeping them at bay. It’s a bonus that it masks food odors and leaves your house smelling wonderfully fresh, without toxins in many synthetic repellents.
Easy to find in most health food stores or major grocery outlets, you need to put a drop or two on a cotton ball and place them strategically around your home – near garbage cans, doorways, or heating vents. Just remember to refresh these peppermint oil-soaked cotton balls every 5-7 days, or consider planting peppermint near entryways for a dual-purpose solution: a mouse deterrent and a fresh herb for your kitchen!
Be a Mice Catcher
Try some humane traps. They’re a no-harm way to catch these little critters. Just pop the traps in those spots where you’ve seen the mice hanging out and check them in the morning. Mice are night owls, always on the prowl for snacks after dark. To get them into your trap, bait it with something irresistible like peanut butter, a chunk of cheese, or a few kernels of buttered popcorn.
When you catch one, take it for a nice long drive – at least a mile from your place, and let it loose somewhere that’s not someone else’s backyard. And hey, don’t grab them with your bare hands – you don’t want any of those mousey germs. Use gloves or a tool to open the trap and let the little guy scamper away.
Block All The Entries for Mice Into/Out of The House
Here’s the lowdown on keeping mice out, DIY-style. First, find out where those little critters are getting in. Look for small droppings or greasy marks – they’re a dead giveaway. Found the spot? Mark it so you remember. Next, fix any holes inside your house. Small gaps? Just use some caulk or spackle. Bigger holes need some patching up. Don’t forget to check your baseboards, too – mice can squeeze through tiny spaces.
Wait to seal them in. Let the mice have a way out before you block the outside entry. Speaking of which, ditch the steel wool for the outside holes and use those green kitchen pads or copper scouring pads. Cut them to fit so mice can’t pull them out. For really big gaps, you might need a proper wall fix-up.
Once everything inside is sealed, tackle the outside. Seal those holes well. Wait a bit, then check if there are still signs of mice. If yes, look for new holes and seal them up. Finally, clean up any mousey areas with a bleach solution to get rid of the smell. And there you go, a mouse-free home without traps or poison!
Use the Ultimate Solution, the Pest Control
If you’re fed up with these sneaky mice, calling in pest control is like hitting the big red button. These folks are like the mouse busters – they come in, scope out your pad, and figure out where these little critters are crashing the party. They set up traps or bait, and bam, your mouse problems were handled.
But it isn’t just about kicking out the current mouse gang. Pest control is also about keeping your place a no-mouse zone in the future. They’ll probably tell you to seal up any mouse-sized VIP entrances and get smarter about where you stash your grub.
Sure, it might cost a bit, but it’s worth it to avoid sharing your cereal with Mickey and his buddies. Just make sure you pick a pest control crew that’s legit – you want experts who treat your home like their own, not some random Joe with a mousetrap.
That’s all. This is all about this guide, we hope these methods work for you and you find your house mice free.
Absolutely! If you can’t get a cat, cat litter can do the trick. Sprinkle it in areas where mice love to hang out, and they’ll think twice about sticking around.
Peppermint oil is a game-changer. The intense scent keeps mice away, plus it leaves your home smelling fresh. Just put a few drops on cotton balls and strategically place them around.
Yes, humane traps are a humane and no-harm way to catch mice. Bait them with goodies like peanut butter, cheese, or popcorn, then release the captured mice at least a mile away from your home.