6 Best Ways to Get Rid of a Mice Infestation and Keep Them Out
How to deal with a mice infestation
Anytime you see mice running around the house you should be very concerned about an infestation. Because mice are prolific breeders, they can easily reproduce throughout the entire year. This means a few mice can easily turn into hundreds if left to breed uncontrollably.
Another major concern surrounding mice is they can carry diseases. Mice can transmit and spread disease, thus contaminating your food and water. In order to keep your family and pets safe and out of harm’s way, it’s important that you remove mice right away.
Below you can find information on the best mice removal strategies to help you deal with a mice infestation.
6 easy and effective mice removal strategies
1. Traditional Mouse Traps
Cheap and effective, traditional mouse traps are the go-to product for many homeowners. When it comes to killing rodents died, traditional mouse traps are still the most effective way to remove mice after all these years. Despite the passage of time, no one has made a better mousetrap – how ironic. When properly set snap mouse traps boost a 90% success rate. Time to set a few traps to deal with your mice infestation.
This is the #1 best way to get rid of mice.
2. Catch and Release Traps
Catch and release traps are your best option for you if want to deal with a mouse problem with having to kill the rodent. The design is basically a cage with a trap door. You use food to entice the mouse inside the cage at which time the trap door releases. You release the caged mouse away from your house where it will not be a bother or harm to anyone else.
3. Ultrasonic Device
You can plug ultrasonic devices into your wall and they are said to emit a high-pitched noise that mice can not stand. Don’t worry the noise level is not something most humans can hear. I have received mixed reviews and reports about the effectiveness of these devices. Some homeowners are happy with their performance while others swear ultrasonic devices do not work. If you are looking for a humane mouse removal strategy you may want to give these devices a try.
4. Peppermint Oil
If you have a mouse infestation you might want to consider an essential oil like peppermint. Peppermint oil is a natural mouse deterrent. Mice and many other pests can not stand the smell of peppermint. If you spray peppermint oil around the house mice will likely decide it’s time to pack up and find another place to stay. To apply this pest control method just add 20 drops of peppermint essential oil to a spray bottle and mix with 3 ounces of water. Squirt the peppermint spray anywhere you have seen mice activity. Another great method is to soak a few cotton balls in the oil and strategically place them where mice like to go.
5. Cats
Chances are your neighbor does not have a mice problem if the have an outdoor cat. Ask your neighbor to lend you their cat to take care of your mouse problems. If this is not possible you may have to go to the local humane society and adopt a cat. With the cat in hand, turn them loose and let them go to work. The cat will catch and kill mice. Even better some mice will decide to relocate to another home because they will not want to live in a house that has a cat.
6. Professional Exterminator
By now you have tried one or two of the mice removal strategies listed above — nothing has worked. Or maybe you have decided you’d rather not have to deal with the problem yourself. If this is the case, you can call mice exterminator to help you with pest removal. Your local pest control professional will offer varies mice removal services. If you’d rather not deal with the stink of a dead rodent be sure to only work with a company that uses humane removal methods.
Where to place mice traps for the best results
Mousetrap placement is almost as important as the traps themselves. Without proper trap placement, even the best mousetraps will be ineffective. So where exactly are the best places to place traps to catch those mice that have infested your home?
Obviously, you want to place traps anywhere you have seen signs of mice (droppings, nesting materials, etc) or have witnessed mice activity. This is especially the case since mice normally will not travel more than 10 to 20 feet from their nest areas and food sources. Placement is important but also be sure to place some enticing mouse bait in each trap you set.