6 home remedies to get rid of mice

6 home remedies to get rid of mice

Thomas Rodriguez

There can be no two views on whether house mice are dangerous or not for humans; the only answer is yes. Their feces and saliva can cause allergies, contaminate food, and spread bacteria and viruses. Hantavirus, salmonellosis, rat-bite fever, Lassa virus, leptospirosis, monkeypox, and hemorrhagic fever are dangerous diseases caused by mice and rodents. This article sheds light on how to deal with a mouse infestation in your house. Read on to learn more.

The first indication of a mouse infestation is if you frequently spot black-colored, small, rice-shaped droppings around your house. If you see gnaw or chew marks on containers, they could be caused by mice trying to eat the food inside. You could also spot remnants of clothes, rags, wires, paper, and cardboard. The mice are likely to be a group, and if you see a lot of 4-toed front footprints and 5-toed hind footprints, it is a definite sign that they have taken up residence in your home. You may also see them if you walk around the house at midnight or early in the morning.

Home remedies to get rid of house mice
It may be difficult to prevent mice from entering the house, as they can get in through small and unnoticeable cracks and gaps in your walls, foundations, or floors. Look carefully for such gaps at vents, near pipes, gas lines, plumbing, and wiring cracks. They can also rest in unused spots in your house. They can live unnoticed and comfortably in cluttered spaces like a garage, storage, utility, or trash can. If you are persistent, getting rid of mice takes about two to three weeks. Some simple tips to get rid of mice in your house include:

  • Declutter your house
    By decluttering your house once every two or three months, you remove unwanted and unused things and leave fewer options for mice to stay in your house. It helps you identify potential entry and exit points and also helps you clean and fumigate places where you see signs of mouse feces or urine.
  • Plug in all the possible entry and exit points
    Check the exterior of your house and look for any tiny gaps and cracks through which they can get in. The areas you must check thoroughly include pipe chases, AC line entry points, weep holes, and door sweeps. Seal small cracks with steel wool, lath screen, metal, cement, or metal sheeting to fix larger holes. There have been many instances where mice have safely resided in washers and dryers. Ensure that their lids are not left open at night.
  • Set mouse traps
    You can set humane mouse traps at suspected entry points, particularly at night when they search for food. You can make your traps yourself or buy them online or from nearby stores.
  • Seal all trash cans
    Use trash cans with lids so they do not rummage through the ones near your house and get access to your home.
  • Get a cat
    If you love pets and are determined to take good care of them, and if you or your family have no allergies, getting a cat can help scare the mice away.
  • Engage a professional exterminator
    If you cannot get rid of the mice with these methods, engage professional services that thoroughly inspect your house, identify potential entry and exit points, seal them, and use mice traps or bait stations to kill large mouse colonies.
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